Postoperative peritoneal adhesion is a common complication after laparotomy, resulting in complications such as intestinal obstruction, chronic abdominopelvic pain,and infertility in women, which may increase the rate of rehospitalization, risk of reoperation and economic burden. The establishment of appropriate animal models is essential for understanding the pathogenesis, therapy and prevention of peritoneal adhesions and their complications. Rat is the most widely used animal species for establishing models of peritoneal adhesions. According to the etiology of peritoneal adhesion, there are many different types of models. However, to date there has not been a universal way of model establishment and evaluation suitable for all types of peritoneal adhesions. Here in this review, we will summarize and discuss the commonly used methods of model establishment and evaluation of peritoneal adhesions in rats.