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).
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June 11th, 2007 at 6:06 pm
i am just doing research on chinchillas because i am hoping to get one, any idea where i could get one for a somewhat cheap price or maybe even free?
April 9th, 2007 at 8:41 pm
Sara,
Other pets can stress out chinchillas. They can also be a danger to them if they're not kept in separate areas. Do not fool yourself in to thinking that you will be able to react fast enough should a dog or cat attack your chinchilla. However, we know of people who have had no problems having multiple pets because they're careful.
As for the chinchilla in the picture, that's one of ours!
February 10th, 2007 at 8:17 pm
Jenny,
A fishbowl should work fine. The glass is pretty thick and shouldn't break just by tipping over. Keep it on the ground or in the cage rather than on a table so that it can't fall. Also, there are certainly some cheap fishbowls, so just make sure you get a solid feeling one.
February 10th, 2007 at 7:45 pm
Oops, I have one last thing to ask! I love watching the chinchillas at work take a dust bath. I think it's the sweetest thing ever. You've suggested getting a clear glass container to watch them, but at work we just have this red see through plastic house thing. What can you recommend to use? My manager said to use a fish bowl but what if the chin can't get out because its too tall and by trying to get out it could tip and break?
Also, what is a good thick glass to use. I was thinking Pyrex or something, but is a bowl sufficient?
February 10th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
Hey, I'm just reading everything I can about chinchillas and thought I would comment. I work at a pet store, and my manager is a chinchilla-crazy person. At one point she had 7 and now she has 4. I've asked her because the new apartment I'm moving to doesn't allow cats, dogs or bunnies due to allergies. I read that people may not be allergic to chinchillas but rather to the dust. Both my boyfriend and I are allergic to dust, him more then I. My manager uses this vanilla bean dust. Her friend is allergic to dust and finds that regular bathing dust makes her allergies flare up, but the vanilla bean dust doesn't.
I've never smelled or used the vanilla bean, but I asked if that's OK because its scented. She said that the scent isn't strong, but that it is noticeable. I think when I do get my chinchilla, I might look into the vanilla bean dust, but I'm sure there is something on the label that would say if the scent is safe or unsafe for chinchillas.