Dust Bathing


 


Dust bathing is very important when owning chinchillas. Chinchillas have very thick and dense fur. Chinchillas can not get wet because they can develop fungus and their body temperatures can drastically drop, which can be fatal. Since we can't bathe them in water, we bathe them in dust. Dust is fine enough to get in between those hairs and deep in the fur. Sand is not suitable. It's not fine enough to properly penetrate the fur. Chinchillas who get a SAND bath usually appear to have greasy fur vs chinchillas who get a DUST bath.

It's recommended to give your chinchillas a dust bath 2-3 times a week for about 10-15 minutes.

 

It is important to understand that you should NOT leave the dust and dust bath house in the cage with them longer than recommended. Too many dust baths, whether it's leaving the dust in the cage or excessive dust baths, can cause dry skin. The chinchillas ears will appear to be dry and cracked. If that happens, cut back on the dust baths and apply a thin layer of bag balm on their ears and rub it in very well. Remember dust baths must stop if you're applying bag balm because you don't want the dust sticking to their ears. If your chinchillas fur looks greasy, you can give the chinchilla more dust baths. In humid weather, they can usually have an extra bath or 2 each week. Also keep in mind that not all dust is quality dust, that being said, you want to find the best quality of dust for your chinchillas.

Highly Recommended Dusts:

Most chinchillas adore their dust baths to the point they’ll try bathing any time they can see/smell the dust! Here’s a prime example of a chinchilla going nuts for his bath! This little guy is Drax, owned by Nicki Everett, enjoy!



 
 

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