Chinchilla bathing sand: how to choose and use?

Responsible chinchilla owners know that their pet's life will not be comfortable without bathing in the sand. To do this, it is necessary to periodically purchase specialized sand at a pet store. For those who recently acquired a furry friend, we will tell you about the need to purchase this product.

It is considered the norm for people and animals to swim in the water, but such unusual animals as chinchillas took a more difficult path, and in nature prefer to take bath procedures in volcanic sand. The sand bath becomes a complete replacement for the standard water bath. To make the fur of these rodents look clean and well-groomed at home, you need to bathe them in the sand.

One square centimeter of a chinchilla fur coat contains about 300 bunches of 80 hairs each, and therefore this animal is considered the leader in fur density. Moisture and fat form in the hairs, and skin secretions accumulate in the bundles. Grains of sand, falling on the wool, absorb all moisture. In addition, taking a sand bath, chinchillas feel very comfortable, they perceive the procedure as a game.

In this regard, each the owner must take safety measures while walking the pet around the apartment: close all rooms where there may be water (bathroom, toilet), remove buckets and pots with water away.

Ordinary quartz or river sand is not suitable for bathing a rodent, since it has a rather coarse fraction.Such sand does not penetrate well into the wool, and getting on the skin of an animal can scratch it. In addition, the sharp edges of the quartz grains will cause hairs to be clipped and can become entangled in them. But the biggest harm of such sand is associated with its composition. It may contain elements hazardous to the animal. Crushed quartz can only supplement the sand mixture.

For swimming chinchillas, specialized volcanic sand is suitable, which these animals use in natural conditions. Volcanic particles are quite small, like dust, they easily penetrate the wool and absorb moisture efficiently. Also, these grains of sand are quickly removed without harming the animal's fur and skin.

The composition of specialized sand most often includes volcanic dust, sepiolite, zeolite and talcomagnesite. Pure volcanic dust is a good option, but it is too expensive, and therefore manufacturers use other additives in the composition that are as close as possible in properties to a natural product.

Zeolite is often used when bathing farm chinchillas, as its moisture-wicking properties are determined by the humidity level in the room. This substance is characterized by high dustiness, and therefore it is customary to dilute it with ordinary sand. Sepiolite and talcomagnesite have a porous structure, therefore the properties of these substances include hydrophilicity and high-quality water absorption.

Sometimes, quartz, ground to a dusty state, is used in the base of the mixture, and then the product includes additives that can improve moisture absorption. Talc is a common ingredient in bathing sand. It absorbs water well and also removes unpleasant odors. In addition, talcum powder is a good fungus remedy that usually protects your pet's skin well, especially when used in combination with sulfur.

The grooming and cleanliness of the fur of a furry friend largely depends on the quality of the purchased sand, and therefore the choice of this product should be taken with full responsibility. As already mentioned, pure quartz sand will not work due to too large grains of sand, so give preference to volcanic varieties that contain sepiolite or zeolite. To determine the quality of the sand, and also to distinguish volcanic products from quartz, carry out simple experiments.

• Consider a pinch of sand in the palm of your hand... The grains of sand should be dull. Seeing that the particles are slightly shining, you can walk past the product - in front of the buyer quartz. Rub the sand between your toes. If you feel a tingling sensation, then it is worth abandoning these products. If the product is of high quality, it will leave a light powdery mark on the skin.
• Dampen some sand. If the resulting substance resembles clay, slightly viscous and viscous, then such sand is suitable for bathing chinchillas.
• Pour a couple of tablespoons of sand with water in a transparent container... If the grains of sand immediately sank to the bottom, then it is quartz. If the particles float on the surface, but gradually settle, then this is volcanic sand, which must be selected.

Among the manufacturers of bathing sand, the following companies are currently popular, which have both their pros and cons.

• Mr Alex. The quality is average, as the product is based on quartz. To soften its effects, the kit includes a bag of talcum powder, which must be added to the bath when bathing the animal.

• Lolopets. It is based on volcanic dust and crushed quartz, processed at 400 degrees. The advantages of the product include an affordable price.

• Vaka. A volcanic product complemented by quartz. The set includes talcum powder. According to the owners, the grains of sand can be quite large, and therefore it is better to sift the product before use.

• "Animals"... The mixture is based on talcomagnesite.Users characterize the product as quite high quality, it maintains the good condition of the pet's fur coat and does not dry out the skin.

• Little One. A volcanic mixture of excellent quality but rather high cost.

• Benelux. The products are developed on the basis of crushed zeolite. Differs in good functionality, but has a high price.

• Padovan. Consists of crushed zeolite (60%) and other elements with excellent hydrophilic properties.

• Vitacraft. It is based on crushed sepiolite and other volcanic substances. The most preferred option, albeit an expensive one.

Having bought quality bathing sand, it is important to know how to use it correctly. Use the following tips from chinchilla breeders.

• Pour sand into the tray so that it hides the bottom by 5–7 cm in height.
• The maximum number of sand baths per week is three. The duration of one procedure is 30-60 minutes. The time depends on the animal's desire to swim. If for the first 20 minutes the animal does not crawl out of the bathroom, then half an hour will be enough for it. If in an hour he spent only a couple of minutes in the bath, then leave the sand in the cage for a while.
• Do not exceed the specified time and the number of weekly treatments. If you overdo it with bathing sessions, then the pet's skin may dry out, cracks will appear on it. The rodent will itch all the time, itch and feel uncomfortable. All this will lead to stress, which, in turn, can provoke illness.
• After the bathing procedure, check the container for foreign debris, remove it. Sift the sand to make it easier. The entire sand needs to be changed every three months.
• If a bathing bath with sand is constantly in the pet's cage, then the contents should be replaced after 15 bathing procedures.
• Every month, bake the used volcanic dust in an oven or microwave to disinfect it from bacteria.

Pour a teaspoon of the product into a container for one animal. Fungistop effectively disinfects the contents of the bathing suit. While the animal is washing in special sand, the owner may not be afraid of dust getting into his ears. These animals have a membrane in the ear that tightly closes the entrance and does not allow the entry of small particles.

Only high-quality sand can clean the pet's fur, make it clean and well-groomed... Indeed, not only its beauty, but also the state of health, mood, sociability, a feeling of a comfortable life directly depends on the hygiene and sanitary conditions in which the chinchilla is kept.

You will learn about the rules for bathing chinchillas in the video below.