What does my rat have?

Question
Hi, You have helped me before with my rat Dexter, well he is doing great, but when I gave him a bath I noticed it looks like he is missing some hair around his head, and he seems to be shedding alot, he also gets very bad dandruff! Is something wrong, or am is this just normal? I bath him once a week. Is that ok? Well if anything is abnormal what should I do? Sorry that I'm loading you with so many questions, but Dex is my baby! I don't want anything bad to happen to him, I just want him to be happy and healthy!
Thanks a tone!

Answer
Hi

Ease up on the baths. Rats really dont need bathed at all to be honest, unless it is medically necessary. They do plenty of grooming to keep themselves clean.  They are, after all, animals, and their body chemistry is not the same as ours. They get dry skin easier which can be the reason for his hair loss and dandruff.  Try feeding him some olive oil on a cracker a few times a week (just a few drops of olive oil on a corner bit of salt free cracker) and see how this goes in a few weeks.
If you still have this strong need to bathe him, do it once every 6 weeks instead of once a week.
Does he scratch and itch alot?  What shampoo have you been using on him?