How to Clean a Chinchilla

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By Christine Cam
eHow Contributing Writer

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Chinchillas are widely known as the softest small animal in the world. If you have ever touched a chinchilla, you would have to agree. Cleaning a chinchilla is easy because these small animals take care of themselves. A chinchilla owner need only buy the supplies the pet will need for bathing itself and cleaning up afterwards. Never clean a pet chinchilla with water, as the soft fur should never get soaked.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Chinchilla bath house or large bowl
Chinchilla dust

Cleaning A Pet Chinchilla

Step 1

Buy a chinchilla dust bath house or a large bowl and chinchilla dust. There are different brands and degrees of coarseness of chinchilla dust. Usually, the finer the chinchilla dust, the softer the chinchilla.
Step 2

Put about a quarter of a cup of chinchilla bath dust in the house or bowl.
Step 3

Let the chinchilla spin in the dust.
Step 4

Take the bowl or bath house out of the cage immediately after the spinning stops to prevent the chinchilla from soiling in it. You can reuse the dust if the chinchilla does not soil it.
Step 5

Pet chinchillas should have access to a dust bath on a daily basis for proper coat maintenance.

Tips & Warnings

It's fun to watch a chinchilla take a bath, and these small animals love it. No training is needed, even the youngest chinchilla will know exactly what to do with the dust.
Never clean a chinchilla in water. In an emergency, call a veterinarian for immediate advice.
If a pet chinchilla gets wet, wrap it in a warm towel immediately, don't squeeze too tight. Let the animal curl up and stay warm in the towel.
Holding a pet chinchilla after its dust bath can leave dust residue on clothing, it washes out easily.