Chinchillas have dense fur. Over time, oils and moisture collect in the fur. In the wild, chinchillas have no way to clean their fur other than to roll around in volcanic ash which acts as an absorbent.
Chinchillas do not go into water. Nor should you ever bathe your chinchilla in water. Doing so would remove the natural oils which protect a chinchilla's skin and helps them regulate their body temperature. Instead, it is best to give them a bowl or container filled with "special" dust for them to roll around in. The frequency of such bathings will depend on the climate you live in. Chinchillas in a dry climate will require fewer dust baths than a chinchilla in a humid climate. The dust bath should be left with the chinchillas for around 20-30 minutes. More often than not, they'll stop using it before the time is up.
You'll also want to watch out for dry, flaky skin on your chinchilla. If you see signs of this, consider increasing the time between dust baths.
If you enjoy watching your chinchillas roll around in the dust like we do, consider buying a glass container for them to use. Plastic will get scratched over time impairing your view. Make sure the glass is strong and securely held in place. The last thing you want to have is your chinchilla rolling around in broken glass.
Finally, the dust bath shouldn't be kept in the cage because it maybe end up being used as a litter box. Also, there's a chance that the constant exposure to the dust will cause inflammation or infection to your chinchillas eyes or eyelids (conjunctivitis).
Entries (RSS)
February 8th, 2007 at 10:37 pm
Trisha,
The good thing about dust is that it's not ingested so you can try different kinds without likely causing harm to your chinchilla. What you want to look for is dust that doesn't irritate your chinchilla's eyes, keeps the fur healthy looking an not matted, and doesn't bother you i.e. allergies.
We prefer to use the very fine powder type, but we don't know the brand as it comes from a breeder we trust. We'd stay away from the new dust that have appealing smells.
February 8th, 2007 at 7:23 pm
What do you think is the best dust? I am currently using the Kaytee brand.
July 25th, 2006 at 6:47 am
Jeana,
We would stay away from scented dust baths. Stick to the high quality dust that is good for your chinchilla. Your nose shouldn't play a part in the decision. As an aside, chinchillas shouldn't really have a detectible smell.
July 25th, 2006 at 3:56 am
I was recently at the pet store and they were promoting a dust bath that was vanilla bean scented. Is this safe for my chinchilla? The dust smells really good, but I wouldn't want it to irritate my baby!