You are reading all of the stuff that's been tagged with 'Dust Bath'

What You Should Know If You’re Allergic to Chinchillas

  • Posted by admin on June 10, 2010 at 8:09 pm

What You Should Know If You’re Allergic to Chinchillas

Chinchillas are capable of emitting proteins that cause allergies. This can happen through the presence of saliva or urine. They are also known to shed their fur every few months. The hay and dust that come from chinchillas seem to be the biggest factor in people that have allergies. It is not advisable to have a chinchilla for a pet if you are allergic to hay and dust from them.

In general, warm-blooded animals with fur have proteins in their body. When these furry animals wet their fur by licking, saliva sets in. After it dries, parts of the protein flutter about and end up on different material in the home.

This is why even though people initially get a pet chinchilla, they have to give it away because the hay and dust proves too much for them to handle. Not only do the owners suffer, but their pets suffer as well. They don’t get the hay or dust bath their supposed to get on a regular basis. When they have to return the chinchilla it’s called re-homing. Basically the pet is sent back to be reassigned to a new owner and a new home.

It can get so bad that as an owner of the pet, being allergic to hay and dust can cause breathing problems. There have been cases where some owners ended up using an inhaler for breathing purposes.

The owner can become allergic to the pet itself and end up with rhinitis. Rhinitis is when the mucous membranes of the nose get inflamed with a mucous discharge. You can get contact with allergens just by touching the chinchilla. The transmittal of this (antigens) can cause you to rub your eyes or touch your skin. The interesting thing about this is allergies don’t always affect you right away. Depending on your system, it can take weeks months or even years for the exposure to take affect.

It’s not surprising, even if you’ve had a pet chinchilla for a while, to eventually develop an allergic reaction to the dust and hay. Especially dust, since it can accumulate from anywhere. However, if you should become allergic to your pet’s allergy-causing proteins, you may have to consider re-homing (returning the animal so they can have another owner).

There are ways that you can minimize the allergic impact of dust from affecting you. Keep your pet’s cage covered with a sheet and in a room where the door can be closed. When applying dust to your pet, don’t turn on any fans. The container should be your pet’s cage and place the sheet around it. Leave the room for about ten minutes, making sure you close the door on your way out. It should take that much time for the dust to get situated.

There are some different brands of bath sands you can use to reduce the dust from flying all over the place. You may want to check it out thoroughly prior to purchase. It’s been noted that it can reduce the amount of dust ingestion; it may not be effective in cleaning your pet’s fur. It may take more than one pack and this just defeats the purpose of any cost-cutting measures.

How To Keep Your Chinchilla From Suffering In The Heat

  • Posted by admin on June 10, 2010 at 7:54 pm

How To Keep Your Chinchilla From Suffering In The Heat

Heat and high humidity are not kind to chinchillas. Their bodies cannot survive grueling heat and high temperatures. Their thickness of their fur is higher than other animals. In fact, they have the highest thickness of fur than any land animal worldwide. It is the thickness of their fur that causes them to be resistant towards heat, especially high heat and humidity. If they come in contact with this, they can suffer from brain damage or heat stroke.

It is important that your pet chinchilla be kept inside a controlled climate in order to survive. You will need an air conditioning unit if the temperatures reach 70 degrees or above. The air conditioning unit should also have an auto function, where it will turn on and off by itself. Having fans is not enough to cool them. However, a ceiling fan is good for cold air circulation.

If your chinchilla takes in too much heat, they can suffer from heat prostration. Heat prostration is when your pet is lying on their side with labored breathing. They feel like they want to give up because this is too much for them to bear. Don’t allow your pet to stay in that position. Pick up the chinchilla carefully and gently. Keep your pet mobile and moving. Provide massages and head rubs. In the interim, while you’re still trying to keep your pet going, make sure you have the temperature lowered; otherwise, they may not make it after all.

Use a cloth and make sure it is not fringed or has any loose strings. Put it in the freezer to cover your frozen items. Then put your pet in there for few minute intervals. Leave the door slightly ajar. Put your pet’s feet on the cloth so it won’t touch the metal in the freezer. Spray mists of lukewarm or cool water on your pet’s body, stopping at the neck. After your pet becomes alert, use a towel to lightly dry their body. Make sure you’re in a cool room while you’re doing this. Provide a dust bath after they are completely dry.

If you keep your chinchilla in the basement, they will need a dehumidifier. They cannot stay anywhere where the humidity is high because it will create a fungus, which is harmful. The pet will also need an instrument like a thermometer that measures the temperature and humidity levels. These levels must be continuously watched to make sure they stay at a comfortable temperature for your pet.

During the winter season, the temperature should not be more than 70 degrees. The humidity should not be more than 80 percent where your chinchilla is existing. The sum of the two is not to go past 150. If it does, your pet is in danger for brain damage and death.

Other ways you can keep your chinchilla cool are providing them with frozen fruit bars. These are good for them to take small nibbles from. Ice cubes put in a bowl that won’t spill are good, also. Your pet should have a consistent supply of fresh water. No matter how you do it, make sure that your pet is properly cared for during the times of heat and humidity.

How To Keep Chinchilla Coats Healthy

  • Posted by admin on June 10, 2010 at 7:53 pm

How To Keep Chinchilla Coats Healthy

Chinchilla coats have to stay healthy and clean. In order to do that, your pet chinchilla must have dust baths on a regular basis. The dust baths also help to keep their coats silky, shiny and keeps the coats looking thick. Your pet enjoys these types of baths because they get to roll and flip in the dust. As long as they get to move around, they’re fine, hence the reason for rolling and flipping in the dust.

The best type of bath dust to use should be bought from the store. That is because the product is tailor made for chinchillas. As they roll and flip in the dust, the dust infiltrates through the coat and goes in their skin. This causes the dust to soak up oil and dirt from their fur. The bath dust for your pet should reach several inches deep in a container.

Two types of dusts used most often are “Blue Cloud Chinchilla Dust” and “Blue Sparkle Chinchilla Dust”. Make sure the bath dust you purchase is specifically tailored for your pet chinchilla. You risk not having the same effect on your pet if your purchase something other than bath dust. Chinchilla bath dust should work similar to what they would have in their homeland.

For a container, you can use a heavy bowl that won’t tip over. Get one that is larger than your pet. Some good suggestions are glass fish bowls or canisters. Another suggestion is a plastic house type container. This type of container should have a round bottom. You should put the bath in the chinchilla’s cage each evening as the chinchillas are moving around.

You can’t bathe your pet chinchilla too much with the dust bath. This can cause their skin to dry out. The dust should not be left in the cage because the animal will sit in it and utilize it as a litter box. Give your pet a dust bath at least twice a week. It’s better to administer it in the evening, when they’re the most active.

However, if you determined that your pet’s fur looks dull or moist, you can give them the bath more than twice a week. Of course, when it gets hot and humid, your pet should get more frequent baths. The baths should last about 10 – 15 minutes. If you find that your pet’s skin is dried out, flaky or itchy, cut back on the frequency of the dust bath.

The bath dust can be reused several times before changing. After you’ve bathed your pet, check for any waste and scoop it out. You should also use fresh bath dust if you find the current dust to look dirty or clumpy. Throw it out and use a fresh batch of dust. You may find it useful to try a covered bath, but the downside is that your pet will still move around and shake off the dust. So a covered bath may actually defeat the purpose. You should get a good duster and continue to provide regular baths.

How to Groom Your Chinchilla Properly

  • Posted by admin on June 10, 2010 at 7:50 pm

How to Groom Your Chinchilla Properly

Chinchilla dust allows your pet to stay clean. If they were still living in the Andes Mountains, they would have to use volcanic ash to stay clean. Oils and dirt stay in your pet’s coat because of the dust. The dust then causes the oil and dirt to be released from your pet. This is the process of how the chinchilla’s fur is cleaned.

A chinchilla’s cleanliness relies on regular dust baths. If they don’t have them, they can end up being stressed which can turn into health issues. They can also suffer from behavioral issues as well. When it’s warm, give your pet a fresh dust bath every other day for about ten minutes. Their fur will not be matted and greasy. If their fur stays like that, they can get overheated. When it’s cold, you should dust bath your pet twice a week. When you’re giving them a dust bath, cover the cage with sheets to prevent dust from flying everywhere.

You can give your chinchilla a dust bath every day if their skin doesn’t get dry. They did it when they were running wild. This may help them especially if their fur is continuously matted and greasy. You may want to consult a veterinarian just to be sure.

It’s not good to smoke around your pet. The second hand smoke is detrimental to your pet’s health as it is a human’s health. The tar from the cigarette covers their fur. The chinchilla would be able to taste the smell because they clean their fur with their mouths. The tar is ingested in their bodies. You must give a new chinchilla in your care a wet bath if you find this to be the case for your pet.

Another idea for the dust bath is to mix Arm & Hammer Baking Soda to the mix. This helps your pet to smell fresh. If your pet is urine-sprayed, wipe him with a damp cloth and dry them completely with a towel. Then you can administer the dust bath. Usually the chinchilla learns to roll in the dust bath from their parent. If not, that means that the parent was not throughout in their training of the pet.

If your pet is sensitive or allergic to dust, you should wipe their nose. The sensitivity can result from inhaling particles. You will know this by the chinchilla clearing their nose. Other symptoms include the eyes watering. You must beware when you see this happening to your pet. It could be a sign of pneumonia or an issue with the respiratory system.

If your pet is not using the dust bath, give him a massage everyday. Once your pet starts accepting feeling the cleanliness, he’ll use the dust bath on his body. If they still refuse it, it may mean something more serious, like an injury. You will know this if they don’t move around like they normally do or if they can’t roll without feeling pain. They may also refuse it because of the texture of the dust bath. Some stores carry a heavier texture than others. If that’s the case, check with the pet store to see if they have a lighter texture.

However you do it, make sure that your pet feels clean and fresh at all times.