Instructions for How to Give a Chinchilla a Bath

Chinchillas are large rodents whose fur used to be widely purposed for clothing. They are native to South America, but are now on the verge of being extinct in the wild. They are very popular pets as they are easy to care for, friendly and have very soft fur. All pets need regular cleaning, but chinchillas should never get wet as it destroys the lanolin oil in their coat. Instead, these rodents need to be given a dust bath that will exfoliate the skin and remove mites and ticks.

Things You'll Need

  • Chinchilla dust
  • Plastic bowl or dish
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Instructions

    • 1

      Sterilize a plastic bowl or dish. This will contain the dust but it is best to make sure it is clean so the chinchilla does not get an infection.

    • 2

      Fill the bowl or dish with chinchilla dust. This can be bought from most good pet stores and consists of a fine volcanic powder, like a broken-down pumice stone.

    • 3

      Place the bath in the cage and let the chinchilla roll around in it for 15 or 20 minutes. The chinchilla should require no encouragement, although baby chinchillas might. They will usually stop using it before the time is up.

    • 4

      Repeat this process about two or three times a week to keep your chinchilla's fur and king hair in good condition.