What is a Chinchilla Dust Bath?

Chinchillas, by nature, bathe in dust or ash. Out in the great outdoors, they clean themselves by rolling in volcanic ash. Chinchillas bathe in it regularly to keep their furs clean, shiny, and healthy. Another reason that they do it regularly is because they simply love doing it!

Pet owners who are new to chinchillas are often unsure of what a dust bath is. The concept is fairly simple. NEVER let your chinchilla get wet. Chinchillas have natural oils that protect their skins and keep their temperature in check - and water removes these oils. Local pet stores sell specialized dust for your chinchilla to bathe in. This isn't your usual dust, but is chinchilla dust. Sand or powders may feel and look the same, but chinchilla dust penetrates the thick fur of the animal unlike the aforementioned ones. Chinchilla dust seeps through the fur and reaches the skin. The cleaning happens when the dust absorbs the oil and dirt. The fur is cleaned by absorbing the oil and dirt.

Bath & Body

Heavy and tip-resistant dishes are used to hold chinchilla dust. It need not be way bigger than the animal that will use it. Dust can fly all over the place, so it's best that you use a slightly enclosed container similar to a goldfish bowl. A couple of inches deep of dust would be enough, filling it up is just a waste of dust. Chinchillas will take a bath during the wee hours when they are most active so you can leave the dust bath there for a time. Chinchilla dust doesn't have to be replaced after every bath, but should be free of foreign matter. Replace the dust only if it starts to look dirty or clumpy. Try to not leave the dust bath for an indefinite period of time. Chinchillas will keep on bathing, and too much can dry their skin or they'll end up using it as a litter box. Let them use the bath, and remove it from the cage once the bath is over. Left in the cage for too long, the dust can irritate the chinchilla's eyes.

The average rate of a chinchilla bath is twice a week, and during times when they are most active. At this bathing rate, if the chinchilla fur become rough or oily, more baths would be appropriate. On humid days, more bathing is necessary. Chinchillas kept in dry environments need to have fewer numbers of dust baths. Length of the bath should be a maximum of fifteen minutes. If your chinchilla's skin becomes flaky, or if it scratches a lot, reduce the bathing time a bit.

Chinchillas rolling around in the dust are sights to be enjoyed. There's a certain sense of innocence while they do it and it makes them all the more adorable. If you like watching your pet bathe, then get a transparent glass dish to hold the sand. Plastics get scratched easily and it doesn't give you the full view that you will enjoy.

What is a Chinchilla Dust Bath?

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