Why Chinchillas Take Dust Baths (& How Often They Need To)

Chinchillas are adorable pets native to the Andes Mountains in South America. They have incredibly thick coats that are wonderfully soft to the touch.

Why do chinchillas take dust baths?

Why chinchilla dust bath so important? How often must they have a bath?

Up next in this article, we’ll be answering all your questions about keeping your chinchilla’s coat clean. Check out the next section to find the answers.

Why Do Chinchillas Take Dust Baths?

Fun fact, chinchillas have extremely thick fur, in fact, their fur is the densest of all land mammals! Around 50 hairs grow from each hair follicle on a chinchilla’s body.

Now, that’s an impressive amount of fur. The fur is so compact that it is extremely difficult for parasites such as fleas to get to the chinchilla’s skin.

So, with fur this dense, why do chinchillas need dust baths?

Let’s find out.

Why Do Chinchillas Bathe In Dust?

Chinchillas have very thick fur so they must have a way to keep it squeaky clean. Yep, you’ve got it, that’s where their dust baths come in handy.

Here are some of the reasons why it is so important for them to do this.

• It keeps their fur clean. Chinchillas cannot take water baths, so they must bathe in dust to keep their fur clean. Chinchilla dust removes oil, dirt, and moisture from your pet’s fur to help him stay healthy. It also helps to promote soft fur and prevents dry skin.
• It is what they do in their natural habitat. In the wild, it is completely normal for you to find a chinchilla rolling around in volcanic ash. They need access to the dust in captivity too as it encourages natural grooming behaviors.
• It is good for their physical and mental health. In their natural habitat, chinchillas take dust baths in volcanic ash to play and relieve stress.

How Often Do Chinchillas Need Dust Baths?

Your pet will need to roll around in a chinchilla dust bath to clean its fur, groom itself as it would in the wild, and look after its physical and mental health.

But how many dust baths does a chinchilla need?

Your pet chinchilla must take regular dust baths between 2 to 4 times a week. The duration of the bath is short, just 3 to 5 minutes.

They must take short baths to prevent them from soiling the dust (which they shouldn't if your chinchillas are litter-trained). Short baths will also prevent overexposure to dust.

What Is Chinchilla Dust Made of?

If you’re about to give your chinchilla a dust bath for the first time you might have a couple of concerns.

What is chinchilla dust? Is it safe? Might you be allergic to chinchilla dust?

Every good chinchilla dust bath is made of 100% pumice (otherwise known as volcanic ash, pumicite, or aluminum silicate). This is a natural volcanic mineral.

This is completely safe for chinchillas as it is the same dust they would roll around in the wild.

A chinchilla sand bath is different. Chinchilla sand is made from natural sepiolite.

Some people choose chinchilla bath sand over dust as it is low dust. It is often better for people suffering from a dust allergy.

How Do Dust Baths Clean Chinchillas?

Now we’re pretty sure that rolling around in dust is not your idea of an efficient way to get clean.

So how does dust clean a chinchilla?

Volcanic ash is actually an extremely effective way to clean a chinchilla’s fur. Here’s how it does it.

1. The fine dust penetrates the chinchilla’s dense fur.
2. The particles of volcanic dust settle on the dirt, oil, and excess moisture in the fur.
3. The particles of volcanic dust fall away from the chinchilla’s dense fur and take the unwanted dirt, oil, and moisture with them.

Chinchillas cannot take regular baths with water as the water would get trapped between its thick fur causing its body temperature to plummet. This can lead to hypothermia as well as other health issues and fungal infections.

But how does a chinchilla dust bath work?

It keeps the chinchilla’s fur clean, soft, and healthy. It also helps to evenly distribute the natural oils on the chinchilla’s skin.

Dust Bath For Chinchilla Step-By-Step

Chinchillas bathe in dust to keep their coats clean and their skin healthy. But if this is your first time offering your pet a dust bath, you might wonder what the best method is to do so.

That’s why coming up in the following chinchilla dust bath guide, you will find all the steps to assist you.

You Will Need:

• A dust bath chinchilla house or solid container. A container that is big and sturdy enough for the chinchilla to roll about and play in.
• %100 pumice chinchilla dust.

Make sure you have the proper supplies and then roll right on to dust bath step one.

Step #1 Fill the Container

The first step in this chinchilla dust bath guide is to fill your solid container. Put 1 inch of 100% pumice dust in it.

Put the container inside the chinchilla’s cage.

Step #2 Wait

Watching your chinchilla bathing in dust is really quite entertaining. Wait for your pet to become interested in the container and then it’ll soon start playing around in it.

Your chinchilla will roll about in the dust to get its coat clean. The dense fur will lift up some of the dust into the air.

Allow your chinchilla to play in the dust and clean its skin and coat for about 3 to 5 minutes.

Step #3 Remove the Container

After 3 to 5 minutes of play, remove the container from the cage. If you leave it any longer, your pets will begin to use the dust as a litter box.

Too much time playing may lead to overexposure to dust and dry skin.

If your chinchilla soils the dust, throw it away. The good thing about this natural dust is that it is great for you to put on your compost.

As a good rule of thumb, repeat these steps 2 to 4 times a week.

Chinchilla Dust Bath FAQs

We all want the best for our pet chinchillas and keeping them clean is an essential part of their care. But seeing your chinchillas bathe in dust in order to keep clean is a strange concept.

That’s why coming up next, we are going to answer the most frequently asked questions about chinchilla dust baths that will help you give your pet the care it needs.

How Long Can a Chinchilla Go Without a Dust Bath?

You must give your chinchilla a dust bath every 2 to 4 days. But you might forget from time to time to give your chinchilla a bath.

How long can it go without bathing?

Your pet can go for a few days without a dust bath but after this, it will begin to suffer.

If your chinchillas don’t bathe regularly in dust like they would in their natural habitat, their skin will become dry and their coats will become greasy. Without frequent baths, your chinchilla may develop an unpleasant odor amongst other health issues.

Can I Leave Dust Bath in Chinchilla Cage?

Chinchillas bathe in dust regularly to stay healthy.

But can you leave the dust bath house inside the cage?

No, you must not leave the dust bath house inside the cage for longer than 5 minutes. If you do, your pet might soil the dust.

Leaving the dust bathhouse inside the cage is also a bad idea as it would cause your pet to become overexposed to the dust. Too many baths would cause your pet's skin to become dry.

What Should I Do if My Chinchilla Won’t Take a Dust Bath?

You know your chinchilla needs to bathe in dust to promote healthy, silky fur and good mental and physical health.

But what if your chinchilla refuses to bathe?

If you’ve offered your chinchilla multiple baths in dust but it seems disinterested, here’s what you must do.

• Change the dust bath container. Some chinchillas don’t like containers that have open tops, so swap to ones that are completely enclosed. (These bathing containers look like cute little houses.) Apart from the opening that will allow your chinchilla to climb in and out of it, these containers are completely sheltered.
• Put more dust in the container. If there is more dust in the bath your chinchilla will see it as a fun activity and will want to start digging in it. Once it gets used to playing in the dust it will begin to roll in it.
• Change the chinchilla bath dust. If your pets are not keen on the volcanic ash, swap to chinchilla sand. The sand is made of natural sepiolite and may encourage them to roll in it. Once you get them bathing, you will be able to change the material again if necessary.
• Mimic the sound of the dust bath by scrunching the dust with your fingers near your pets. The sound of the dust can encourage them to want to roll in it too. This is especially effective with baby chinchillas that just need a little incentive to get going.

Is Chinchilla Dust Harmful to Humans?

Your pet must use its chinchilla dust bath house at least twice a week. While it plays and rolls around, the dust inside the container will lift up into the air.

This might have you wondering, are chinchilla dust baths dangerous for humans?

Good quality chinchilla dust is not dangerous for humans. It is made of 100% pumice and is a natural material.

Cheaper quality chinchilla dust might have toxic substances in it and cause respiratory issues. This includes dust that contains lime powder, silicone power, and glass powder.

Chinchilla Dust Bath, Why Your Pet Needs One

Your chinchilla’s coat is so furry and soft to the touch. Many land mammals grow one hair from each follicle, but chinchillas grow about 50 strands of hair per follicle.

Why do chinchillas take dust baths?

Chinchillas roll in dust baths to keep their fur healthy, clean, and shiny. The act of rolling in dust baths promotes good physical and mental health.

Your chinchillas must take dust baths every 2 to 4 days.

Did you find this article interesting?

At Oddly Cute Pets, we always strive to provide you with the best information on chinchillas, hamsters, guinea pigs, and other small animals. For more guides on feeding these rodents and building the perfect enclosure, check out our website.

Thanks for reading!