Chinchillas are originated in the mountains of South America. As a result of their natural surroundings, these petite animals have had to adapt to the Andes Mountains and learn how to clean their pelt without the resources many other animals have. A chinchilla in its natural habitat has to wash itself in the volcanic ash on the mountain. This is referred to as a dust bath. The chinchilla utilizes the dust bath to clean its fur. The ash enables this luxurious fur to stay clean and smooth. Many people believe that the chinchilla enjoys the dust bath also.
If you have never given your chinchilla a dust bath, you may be somewhat intimidated, but don’t be. A dust bath is essential to their care. Don’t succumb to the temptation to just put the chinchilla in water and clean it like a regular pet. Water harms the chinchilla’s fur. Your chinchilla’s coat includes natural oils which fulfill several purposes. The oils help the chinchilla to maintain their own body temperature and it protects their skin from irritation and injury. The dust bath without a doubt is the best way to help care for your chinchilla.
A quick trip to the pet store will yield you some chinchilla dust. This product is similar to the natural volcanic ash your chinchilla is accustomed to using to wash himself. Do not use sand or powder designed for humans. Even if you think they feel the same to you, they will not be as effective. The ash the chinchilla uses in its natural habitat has special properties, and it will step down into the chinchilla fur. This dust will penetrate into their skin and help clean and maintain the health of your chinchilla.
You will need a deep bowl or container to pour the chinchilla dust in. Choose something that your chinchilla will be prevented from tipping over once inside. If you are worried about protecting your home from the chinchilla dust, then employ an enclosed container. A canister with a wide opening or an aquarium would work for this purpose.
Your chinchilla requires a couple inches of dust in which to take their bath. As an alternative, you can shake the couple inches of dust into the chinchilla’s cage when it’s bedtime. Chinchillas are active during the night, so they will bathe themselves in the dust at night. It isn’t necessary to change out the dust once a day. Leaving the dust for a few days in a row is acceptable, as long as the cage is the home of only your chinchilla. If the dust commences to look dirty or you see clumps in it, then you must sweep it out. You cannot add a batch of dust into the cage and just leave it there forever. You will need to change out the dust.
The chinchilla dust should not be in the cage on a continual basis anyway. Chinchillas in the wild do not spend all of their time dust bathing. Think about it; do you remain in the bath around the clock? Continual exposure to the dust could be harmful. (It may get into their eyes and create an infection.) Additionally, you do not want your chinchilla making use of the dust like a cat uses its litter box. So be certain that you leave the dust up to a few days and then change it.
Your chinchilla only needs a dust bath bi-weekly. It is easiest to put the dust in there at bedtime and let the chinchilla take care of this bath. If you see that his fur is looking oily or wet, then you can give him a dust bath. When the weather becomes humid, you should increase the amount of dust baths per week. If you inhabit a dry climate with your chinchilla, you can reduce the amount of dust baths he gets. If your chinchilla’s fur becomes flaky, his skin is dry, or he appears to be scratching, then cut down on the dust baths. You aren’t required to leave the dust in the cage for twenty-four hours. Fifteen minutes is actually an adequate amount of time for your chinchilla to clean himself.
Chinchillas are fun to observe and dust-bath time is an opportunity to observe them that you don’t want to miss. If you desire to watch this marvelous creature during his dust bath, use a glass container for the dust bath so you can see. A plastic container is not a good choice as the claws of the chinchilla will scratch the plastic, and the scratches will impair your view.