How Often Do Chinchillas Need A Dust Bath?
Chinchillas are adorable and fluffy rodents with unique appearances and colors, such as beige, black, velvet, white, and ebony. Compared to other rodents, the fur of these adorable creatures is dense, thick, and soft because there are abundant hair follicles on their fur. They got the title of densest fur because of almost 70-80 hair per follicle.
Unlike other mammals that need water to clean their fur, these little chinchillas need a dust bath. All they need is a deep container filled with fine dust. It maintains the health of their fur and keeps it clean and shiny. Read on the ways and supplies needed for a chinchillas dust bath.
Why Does Chinchillas Need A Dust Bath?
Dust bath for these fluffy creatures is essential because it help them to eliminate excessive oil and moisture. Giving them water baths is restricted because their fur will take longer to dry up, and the moisture content accumulation could cause skin infection. Therefore, chinchillas need a dust bath, recommended from vet expert.
It is a process of self-cleaning the coat from extra moisture, dust, and oil. Besides this, they also love to roll and flip on the dust. It cleans their fur, maintains its density, and eliminates unwanted dirt. Because these fluffy creatures are native to the arid habitat of South America, they bathe in their wild habitat with the help of volcanic ashes.
Read more: Chinchilla Ears Down
Essential Supplies For Chinchilla Dust Bath
The supplies necessary for these little creatures include fine dust, a bathhouse, or natural, dust-free chinchilla bath sand. They will need a plastic or ceramic bathhouse to take a dust bath. Fill their house with fine dust, at least 1-2 inches. An
enclosed bathhouse is recommended; it will make it easy for them to roll and spin on the dust. Sand is not very effective in cleaning their fur; it also has the chance to trap in their coat, which ultimately causes skin infections and irritation. It is better to provide them with commercially made high-quality volcanic ash. You can use it as much as it starts looking dirty.
How Many Times Do Chinchillas Need A Dust Bath?
It is true that a dust bath keeps their fur clean and maintains density, but too much bath will dry up their coat. Therefore, it is recommended that they be given a dust bath twice a week. Do not place the bathhouse near their habitat and close it after they take the bath; otherwise, they will treat it as their litter box.
Because they are nocturnal rodents, which means they are most active during the night, allow them to take a bath during the evening for at least 5-10 minutes. Avoid giving more than two baths in a week. It will dry up their coat. In a humid environment, provide them with dust baths more frequently. It is better to decrease their bathing time if they indicate signs of scratching or flaky skin.
Get Started To Give Dust Bath!
Give your little companions essential supplies such as fine dust or volcanic ash, a container, or a bathhouse, and let them bathe for 10-15 minutes. Prevent overbathing as it could dry up their coat. Enjoy seeing your little companions flip and roll. In addition to cleaning, chinchillas need a dust bath is most essential for the mental and physical enrichment of fun-loving companions. Allow them to enjoy the bath and let the dust fly out.
FAQS!
No, giving them a dust bath twice or thrice a week is advised, as the excess dust can dry up their coat.
The dust cleaning their coat can be used several times until it looks clumpy and dirty.
