# How Can I Help My Rat's Dry Skin??



## Vividdonut12 (Nov 26, 2020)

Hey friends,
I have recently noticed itching and flaky skin in my rats, I am convinced it is not external parasites as they were recently treated for them. It is getting pretty cold where I live, and I saw today that the skin on their tails is flaking considerably. I of course went straight to the internet and found that a humidifier, fish oil, and coconut oil can be used as a remedy. I wanted to be sure that all of these were safe and legit before I used them on my rats. any and all information is helpful.


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## lfraser06 (Aug 5, 2020)

The woman who runs the rescue I got two of my girls from, has her own rat that travels everywhere with her. When I met her and petted the rat, I commented on how soft the rat's fur was. She told me she uses coconut oil on her rats.
She said, it's just a tiny bit (like use it on your hands and then pet the rat down with your hands.
I haven't tried it, so I can't say for certain that it's safe for them. This is simply my observation.


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## Vividdonut12 (Nov 26, 2020)

Thank you, that is still very helpful information.


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## _dizzy_ (Mar 28, 2018)

Petroleum jelly could work fine too. Not as high quality as coconut oil though (๑•﹏•)


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## CorbinDallasMyMan (Feb 24, 2017)

Their diet might be a factor. The Isamu Rat Care youtube channel has a number of videos about diet and how it can affect your rats.

-edit- Vaseline could cause issues for your rats when they consume it while grooming.


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## Morbius (Mar 10, 2019)

I've used coconut oil on my boy that has severe skin issues (He's had multiple tumors and surgeries. The vet now thinks he may have some type of skin cancer) I keep it in the fridge, spoon a bit in a bowl and nuke it just until it barely melts. Smooth it on my hands then rub him down. He can groom it off safely if he desires and it has no real smell, which is nice. Bonus, it makes your hands soft too! 
It's not a 100% fix but seems to help. He has a prescription shampoo as well that we use. A visit to the vet couldn't hurt, maybe?

Also make that if you try a humidifier you clean the tank and inspect it regularly. Mold or bacteria in the tank could lead to worse issues.


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## a1phanine (Mar 27, 2018)

Extra virgin olive oil baths also help kill any tiny critters living on your babies


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## Jennay (Apr 25, 2021)

_dizzy_ said:


> Petroleum jelly could work fine too. Not as high quality as coconut oil though (๑•﹏•)


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## Jennay (Apr 25, 2021)

Petroleum jelly isn't ingestible and therefore should not be used on animals. Especially on animals that groom themselves. Coconut oil is the safest and best solution to this problem.


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## shreba (Jul 21, 2021)

_dizzy_ said:


> Petroleum jelly could work fine too. Not as high quality as coconut oil though (๑•﹏•)


actually petroleum jelly is not ingestible and should not be used on animals


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