Chinchillas do not use water to bathe, i.e., remove dirt off their fur. Instead, they roll around in the sand. Chins have a large amount of fur on their bodies, 60 hairs per follicle. To understand how much that is, humans have only one strand of hair per follicle.
This means that if they get wet, their dense fur traps water molecules, thereby leaving them susceptible to cold. This also encourages the growth of mold and fungi, which could result in diseases.
In their native region in the Andes Mountains, chinchillas roll around in volcanic ash or sand from pumice rock, as these materials are good absorbents of moisture. While this is an activity they do for fun, it also helps them stay clean and healthy.
Normal sand will not do the trick, as it is not a good absorbent of moisture or oils. So, if you do not have grounded pumice rock or volcanic ash lying around, you will have to purchase a dust bath for your chinchilla.
Dust baths are types of sands that are specifically meant for use as sand baths by chinchillas. The following are reviews of the best dust baths on the market today.
There are numerous dust bath products on the market today; however, they are not equal in quality. The following are the top-rated dust baths for your chinchilla.
Oxbow is renowned for making some of the best products in the pet industry, and their chinchilla dust is no exception. The ingredients used to make the Oxbow poof formula imitate the sand and ash that is found in the Andes Mountains.
As such, your chin will have fun rolling around the Oxbow Poof dust, as it is not only effective at eliminating dirt, moisture, and oils but also feels natural.
This formula is made from 100% Blue Cloud Dust, which is mined in Southern California. This is an extremely fine form of silicate powder that contains no limestone or glass particles. It is, therefore, easy to shake it off.
This product enjoys numerous positive reviews from chinchilla owners, praising its quality, ease of use, and affordability.
Oxbow recommends allowing your chin to bathe in this dust between two and four days a week to keep their coats clean, shiny, and healthy.
The Lixit Chinchilla Dust is a form of Blue Cloud Dust, consisting primarily of aluminum silicate powder. As such, it is devoid of any mineral particles that can be harmful to your pet, such as glass and limestone.
The Blue Cloud Dust by Lixie shakes out of your animal’s fur easily, so you won’t need to remove trapped particles. And it keeps your chinchilla comfortable.
This dust consists of extremely fine particles that remove even the smallest of dirt particles, as well as excess oils, thus leaving your chin with a smooth, shiny, and clean coat.
What you will probably love the most about this product is its value factor. A 3-pound jar of Lixie Blue Cloud Chinchilla Dust will keep your pet clean for several weeks. It also comes with a plastic scoop for added convenience when filling.
Pros
Made from blue cloud dust to ensure the safety of your pet
Extremely soft to promote effectiveness and comfort
Exceptional customer service from Lixit
Sturdy bat jar
Great value for money
Cons
Might have a bit of shimmer to it
3. Sunseed Natural Dust Bath for Chinchillas — Premium Choice
This dust bath by Sunseed consists of volcanic ash, which is a favorite material for chins. The natural dust bath promotes positive grooming behavior while allowing your chin to have fun.
This dust bath is also quite soft and comfortable and does not harm a chinchilla’s coat, skin, eyes, or lungs. Sunseed Natural does not contain additional colorants, extenders, or any other type of chemical.
While this is no doubt a premium-quality item, it is costlier than most other options that can get the job done.
Pros
Volcanic ash has fine particles, thus ensuring chunks of dust do not stick in the fur
This dust bath from the Supreme Tiny Friends Farm is made from 100% natural sand—ideal for many small furry critters including mice, hamsters, gerbils, degus, and other small animals.
While this dust bath is incredibly effective at extracting dirt and oils from your chinchilla’s coat, its biggest advantage perhaps is the fact that it is dust-free.
The dust-free nature of this bath ensures that your pet does not inhale loose sand particles, which can affect its respiratory system. Additionally, you will not have to worry about your home getting all dusty whenever your chins have their bath.
Pros
100% natural formula
Dust-free
Ideal grain size to prevent it from getting stuck in the coat
This chinchilla bath dust formula from You&Me consists of all-natural dust.
The manufacturer goes a step further to ensure that your pet stays healthy by removing any impurities in the sand that might harm them. Additionally, this dust bath does not have any added chemicals.
It is worth mentioning that the sand used in this dust bath is carefully sieved to obtain particles of the ideal size to penetrate the chin’s coat. What’s more, you do not have to throw away the sand after your animal has had a couple of baths in it, as you can use it in your home garden.
Pros
Small price tag
Effective at removing oil and moisture from chins’ coats
Can be recycled in a garden
100% natural with no impurities such as silica and limestone
The Kaytee Chinchilla Bath Sand is one that your pet will appreciate immensely. This is because this bath sand is sourced straight from the Andes Mountains. If you can remember, chins are native to the Andes Mountains and use the all-natural volcanic mountain pumice for their bathing needs.
Pumice feels great on the skin of these animals and does not present any health issues to them. The Kaytee Chinchilla Bath Sand contains this natural product, which allows your pet to feel at home and encourages natural grooming behavior.
Another benefit of the Kaytee Bath Sand is that it is dust-free, which means that you should not have to worry about dust collecting in your home whenever your furball has a bath.
Pros
Sourced directly from the Andes Mountains
Encourages natural behavior
Safe for your chinchilla
Easy to use
Economical
Cons
Not ideal for other types of small rodents
Buyer’s Guide – Choosing the Best Chinchilla Dust Bath
The following are the most important factors to consider when looking for the ideal dust bath for your chin.
Source of the Sand
The origin of a bath sand can tell you much about its quality. The best chinchilla bath sands typically consist of pumice or ground volcanic ash, as these are the same materials that wild chinchillas use for their bathing needs.
As such, products consisting of these materials will not only be effective at cleaning up your chinchilla but will also be less likely to cause any harm to your pet.
Nonetheless, it does not necessarily mean that your pet will love any product containing volcanic ash or pumice, as these animals can be choosy. Therefore, you may have to experiment with different products to see what your chinchilla will like.
Amount of Bath Sand
A chin does not require much of sand to bath; an inch or two of bath sand inside a container should suffice. Of course, using more sand will not harm your animal, but it’s a waste because once the top layer becomes dirty, you will need to pour out the entire bath.
Bath Bowl
Bathing a chin does not require much equipment; all you need is a proper bath bowl. While it is possible to use a random bowl, it is better to get a bowl that has been designed for chinchillas to bathe in.
This is because chinchilla bath bowls are designed to keep the dust in, thus ensuring that your house does not get covered in dust whenever your chin bathes.
Tip
When it comes to bathing frequency, it is important not to overdo it. Your chin will treat the dust bath as a plaything because they love rolling around in the sand; however, too much bathing can leave the skin dry, thereby making your chinchilla susceptible to health issues.
If you live in a cool climate, give your chin the dust bath about twice or thrice a week, whereas if you live in a warmer area, a dust bath every other day would be appreciated by your animal.
Let the chinchilla play inside the dust bath for about 15 minutes before taking it away.
Conclusion
To keep your chinchilla happy and healthy, you will have to give them an occasional bath. However, unlike most other pets, chins do not bathe using water, as their fur is dense and thick. A dust bath, therefore, is the best way of cleaning your pet, as that is what they use in the wild.
If you are looking for the best bath sand for your chinchilla, consider our number-one pick, the Oxbow Poof Chinchilla dust, as it has unparalleled quality without being too expensive. However, if you want to spend less but still get a quality product, try out the Lixit Chinchilla Dust.
Try to experiment with various products to find one that your chinchilla will love the most. We hope that these reviews will help you make the best choice for your chinchilla.
Check out these posts for more info on Chinchillas:
Nicole is the proud mom of 3 rescue fur babies, Baby, a Burmese cat; Rosa, a New Zealand Huntaway; and Mac, a Lab/Mastiff. A Canadian expat, Nicole now lives on a lush forest property with her Kiwi husband and new baby daughter in New Zealand. She has a strong love for all animals of all shapes and sizes (and particularly loves a good interspecies friendship) and wants to share her animal knowledge and other experts' knowledge with pet lovers across the globe....Read more
