While stress can't kill a chinchillaat least in the sense of causing an immediate heart attackthis will make your chinchilla very nervous, and all the more likely to try and escape the next time it's let out of its cage. They will take dust baths on their own if given the opportunity, but you can also help them out by providing a dust bath area. The link between amorphous minerals and the same issues is less clear. Blue cloud dust is made from something called rhyolite. They cost hundreds of dollars. Apple wood sticks are one of the best chew toys. Air purifiers are like fans with filters attached. We recommend childrens play sand, as this sand is: Even generic play sand is typically fine. That doesnt happen with sand. Ideally, you want a room with an extractor fan, like your bathroom. Then afterwards, sweep or vacuum to get rid of as much dust as possible. Air purifiers are like fans with filters attached. Thats why builders and tradesmen who work in environments with lots of silicate dust in the air can stay safe just by wearing a respirator. We recommend sepiolite over blue cloud dusts, although it may only be available online where you live. Then, when youre done dusting, open the windows to allow a through draft in. However, this guide isnt like others that youll find on this topic. While chinchillas arent reptiles, rodents can use this same kind of sand. I know that seems wrong, because there are hamsters and the borates that the cellulose is treated with are non-toxic to humans. Besides silicosis, crystalline silica is also shown to cause cancer. The problem isnt the aluminum or the silica; rather, its the inhalation of any fine powder that cant be broken down inside the body. The most common is silica, also known as crystalline silica, pure silica or silicon dioxide. Its great at absorbing water, which is why its also used in soil for potted plants. If you do plan on using corn starch, you can change slightly how you bathe your chinchilla to counteract the drawbacks above. But that hasnt stopped generation after generation of busy parents and happy children feeding their bunnies vegetables. In contrast, only a small population of cells stained TUNEL-positive after exposure to crystalline silica. But if you absolutely must use blue cloud dust, an air purifier would be an effective defense. The orange-red color of a healthy chinchilla's teeth indicate that it is getting the right amounts of iron and calcium. There are lots of different elements that can be crushed into a powder found in rocks and clay. Amorphous silica has been considered to be a less toxic form, but this view is controversial. The list below breaks them down into simple English, which scientific studies often dont! I have read in several groups/forums that several owners/breeders use/recommend this power as an alternative dust for those with allergies. Thats why builders and tradesmen who work in environments with lots of silicate dust in the air can stay safe just by wearing a respirator. It also doesnt necessarily mean healthy. There are reasonably well-known brands that use pumice. It kills thousands of people a year, mostly tradesmen who are frequently exposed to silica and silicon-based dusts; it can kill either through direct damage to the lungs, or through facilitating lung cancer. So play sand wont work as well as blue cloud, but it also wont damage anybodys lungs. Wild chinchillas do it, so your pet chinchilla should do it too. Dust can be reused to an extent, but must eventually be thrown away. Are Chinchillas Dangerous? And general silicosis has been demonstrated in other rodents, too. Authors note: When I started writing this guide, Id planned it to be short and simple. But that mine has since closed. After quite a bit of research, my top picks for chinchilla dust options currently are: ChillDust. Authors note: When I started writing this guide, Id planned it to be short and simple. Blue cloud dust is made from something called rhyolite. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. This one, for example, similarly looked at the effects of amorphous silica. Thanks again, LoveMyChinchilla, for posting this article and prompting my research deep-dive! There will always be owners who swear by it and have never reported a problem, so will continue using it. They do go on to say, though, that one study disclosed four cases with silicosis among subjects exposed to apparently non-contaminated amorphous silica. As such, we recommend offering your chinchilla longer or slightly more frequent dust baths, and keeping on top of cage cleaning to counteract this fact. If you have other pets, it is important to The kinds of dust that chinchillas like are fine, but are also exceedingly dry and absorbent. Pretty much all sand is quartz, which is made of silica, but that isnt a problem so long as it doesnt poof up into clouds. 1. Thats because it doesnt trigger allergies like rock dusts, so its perfect for people with asthma or lung disease. If these effects continue for many years, whether because the dust is continually inhaled or because it cant be coughed up again, it can cause serious health issues like fibrosis. And instead of fifteen minute baths, consider half an hour. Fruits are typically high in sucrose, which causes bloating in chinchillas. This effect was shown by scientists working with mouse cells, which means the same likely applies to our cells. Ideally, you want a room with an extractor fan, like your bathroom. Can being exposed to the chinchilla dust bath be harmful to While it isnt clear what effect aluminum silicate has on chinchillas, we know that silicate dusts can cause silicosis in other rodents, and that the chinchillas respiratory system is just like ours; we therefore recommend steering clear of any dust that could harm your pets health. But even so, we dont recommend using blue cloud. However, this view has become increasingly controversial among scientists. Macrophages are immune system cells that bind to bad things the body wants to get rid of, but when they try to get rid of both kinds of silica, they go through apoptosisa kind of pre-programmed way for the macrophage cells to die. As the guide details below, silicosis is where the lungs become scarred and lung function is decreased, and it can be fatal. Because of how fine it is, it perfectly mimicks the volcanic ash that wild chinchillas roll around in, and its the best at absorbing moisture and oil in your pets fur. Again, though, pure silica can cause pulmonary fibrosis. There are many reports of blue cloud dust triggering allergies. Youre therefore constantly breathing it in if you use it. Another option to consider, perhaps. By far the most common kind of dust used for bathing chinchillas is blue cloud (often stylized as Blue Cloud). Thats why owners report that when they use sand, their chinchillas fur is still greasy afterwards. Another advantage is that corn starch doesnt billow as much as rock dusts do. Blue cloud gets its name from how fine it is. Put simply, crystalline minerals form in a different way to amorphous ones. Whether thats because of outdated advice or because of Bugs Bunny isnt relevant; what matters is that rabbits do far better on a diet of hay than of vegetables. Because of how fine it is, it perfectly mimicks the volcanic ash that wild chinchillas roll around in, and its the best at absorbing moisture and oil in your pets fur. Besides silicosis, crystalline silica is also shown to cause cancer. However, silicon-based dusts are known to be dangerous to inhale. This causes silicosis. There will always be owners who swear by it and have never reported a problem, so will continue using it. This study states that while evidence of cancer stemming from inhalation of amorphous silicate is scarce, there are cancer markers that are present after inhalation. It seems to chew them up and spit them out, leaving them in tiny piles on the floor of the cage that look a little like sick. Okay, thanks. Again, we have to reiterate that no kind of sand is as effective at cleaning a chinchillas fur as dust. Vegetables cause the exact same issues in rabbits as in chinchillas (bloat, high sugar levels, excess water, etc.) These filters pick out particles from the air to stop you breathing them in. Hope this follow-up information is helpful! Bathing dust is very inexpensive, although the cost can add up if you have lots of chinchillas. Several things happen when you inhale blue cloud dust. You may also have to frequently change the filter in the purifier, especially because its filtering rock dust rather than something organic. As mentioned above, the jagged and sharp nature of crystalline silica allows it to catch and stick onto the walls of the lungs. But pure silica dusts are just as bad, if not worse, than less-processed dusts. While we dont recommend it, we do recognize that blue cloud dust is easily the most popular among chinchilla owners. These safety guidelines arent ridiculous and excessivetheyre very basic and wont cost you a ton of money. Chinchillas. But not everything we think we know about chinchilla dust is true. Its better to be inconvenienced than to risk the health of you and your pet. The key difference you need to understand is that between crystalline and amorphous aluminum silicate dusts. How Many Jobs Are Available in Computer Software Prepackaged Software? Alternatively, get somebody to help. Many common chinchilla dust brands are made of pumice powder, and its seen as a viable alternative to blue cloud. Furthermore, sand is less likely to get in your chinchillas eye and cause irritation. They suck in air, as fans do from behind before blasting the air forward. . This material is more commonly used in the U.K. than the U.S. Sand doesnt work like that; its made of tiny, solid rocks and shells. However, inhalation of pumice doesnt seem to cause as serious issues as silicosis, likely because powdered pumice granules are typically larger than those of blue cloud dust. Ive been doing some more reading on this topic and was reading some people expressed concern that starchesbecause they are so finecould be easily breathed in by the chinchillas and cause respiratory issues. WebChinchillas take dust baths as a way of self-cleaning their coats. Silicosis is a form of pulmonary fibrosis, which is where the lungs are damaged and scarred, reducing lung function. Aluminum silicate and similar dusts are linked to serious lung damage. But chinchillas don't need all the ones that we do; they can make their own vitamin C, for example, unlike us. However, it can contain parasites that can be harmful to other animals. Its only in the face of repeated exposure that silicosis becomes a real possibility. But with so many chinchilla owners reporting sensitivity or allergy to silicate blue cloud dust, that points to physical damage being the cause, not allergic reaction. Thats why owners report that when they use sand, their chinchillas fur is still greasy afterwards. But if youve owned chinchillas for years, and always bathed them in blue cloud, theres a real possibility that the dust could have damaged your lungs. Plus, the dust will settle on every surface in the room. Chinchillas are already a good example of this. When a chinchilla rolls around in it, the dust billows up into the air. One of the ways you might think to recapture it is to throw a towel on itright? This should be worrying for a chinchilla owner, especially if you frequently give your pets dust baths. Not all chinchilla dusts have silica in them. Its no more expensive than blue cloud. This book teaches you everything you need to know for your chinchilla to live a long, healthy, happy lifeand for you to build a strong, loving bond with them. Chinchillas need dust baths to keep their fur clean and healthy. Plus silicosis takes years to develop, so even in the absence of current symptoms, your lungs may be being damaged. All you have to do is wear one when your chinchilla is bathing, and you wont breathe in any of the dust. About 80,000 households own chinchillas, which carry Microsporum gypseum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes associated with inflammatory tinea capitis. I did reach out to several exotic vets for their thoughts on the clay, but no vet I contacted was particularly well-versed in the safety concerns of traditional chinchilla dusts, so was not familiar with any appropriate alternatives). Id like to avoid silica because its a known carcinogen, so I think Ill try out the aragonite sand instead and see how well it works. But unlike a normal fan, air purifiers have filters attached. While we dont recommend it, we do recognize that blue cloud dust is easily the most popular among chinchilla owners. You may also have to frequently change the filter in the purifier, especially because its filtering rock dust rather than something organic. Webaftermarket grill parts; is chinchilla dust harmful to humans; September 29, 2022; asus rog strix 3090 white msrp; is chinchilla dust harmful to humans What Do You Need for a New Chinchilla? Check out our Chinchilla Care 101 eBook, or get what you need from our online store! You could try offering longer or more frequent baths to combat this issue. It wont billow up when your chinchilla bathes in it, so it cant be breathed in. If we were to use a sand, is this the best kind or is there a better option? Theyre used on building sites to prevent silicosis. But unlike a normal fan, air purifiers have filters attached. During this time, it can get into your chinchillas eyes. Webinfo@firstgrade.sch.ng; turing magsafe tripod mount Facebook asics kids contend 6 toddler size Twitter scotty 240 striker rod holder Youtube acrylic card holders wall mounted The worst thing you could do is use blue cloud somewhere that isnt ventilated. These clean a chinchillas fur in the same way as blue cloudin some cases not quite so well, but not to the point that your chinchilla would be greasy after it bathed. You can spot this irritation if your chinchillas eyes are red and watering. Synthetic amorphous silica, referred to as SAS, has been implicated in fibrosis. Webis chinchilla dust harmful to humans. They arent even a danger towards children. Another advantage is that corn starch doesnt billow as much as rock dusts do. As such, weve made some recommendations below that should mitigate some of the risks associated with its use. Like silica, pumice shouldnt be inhaled as it damages the lungs when you breathe it in.
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