If none of your rooms has an extractor fan, pick a room that has large windows. Again, we have to reiterate that no kind of sand is as effective at cleaning a chinchillas fur as dust. You could try offering longer or more frequent baths to combat this issue. They cost hundreds of dollars. If you do want to use an air purifier, pick one thats capable of handling large amounts of rock dust. This effect was shown by scientists working with mouse cells, which means the same likely applies to our cells. These safety guidelines arent ridiculous and excessivetheyre very basic and wont cost you a ton of money. This is a kind of sand sold by pet stores for reptiles to bathe in. There are lots of different brands of chinchilla dust available; while most generic dusts are the same, some are made from different materials with graded levels of coarseness. Theres a reason for that. Where should you put your chinchilla's exercise wheel? Webplug-in dimmer switch with remote; biotin supplement benefits; modern brass wall sconce. Several things happen when you inhale blue cloud dust. 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. Silicosis is where the lungs are so damaged that these symptoms persist continually, even in the absence of dust. Marketing for blue cloud brands state that it doesnt contain lead, arsenic, glass and various other nasties which is good. Like silica, pumice shouldnt be inhaled as it damages the lungs when you breathe it in. If you do plan on using corn starch, you can change slightly how you bathe your chinchilla to counteract the drawbacks above. Learn More Best Bath Dust For Recycling You & Me Chinchilla Bath Dust No probably not, but it isnt a toxic 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. TUNEL staining is where scientists detect DNA breaks that form during apoptosis (cell death). Thats a completely separate issue. What Chinchilla DUST is SAFE? Thats because it doesnt trigger allergies like rock dusts, so its perfect for people with asthma or lung disease. Thanks again, LoveMyChinchilla, for posting this article and prompting my research deep-dive! As such, you either have to avoid these dusts or only use them safely. And on top of that, its cheap, and can be bought in large bulk bags. ChillDust settles faster than other chinchilla-marketed dusts and is only classified as a nuisance dust by OSHA. Put simply, crystalline minerals form in a different way to amorphous ones. Please dont dismiss what Ive written as the ramblings of somebody whos obsessed with health and safety, because thats just not me! Amorphous silica has been considered to be a less toxic form, but this view is controversial. I definitely want to avoid using anything that could cause harm to our children and to our chinchillas. Silicosis is a form of pulmonary fibrosis, which is where the lungs are damaged and scarred, reducing lung function. But markers for cytotoxicity (cell death), plus markers of DNA change, have been found after exposure to amorphous silica too. Webjohn deere used equipment for sale; cabela's browning shooting vest. The effects of blue cloud dust on a chinchillas lungs are less clear. This same effect has been demonstrated in other studies, although some argue the link specifically between aluminum silicate and silicosis isnt clear. But blue cloud dust isnt the exact same thing as pure silica, which may be why it isnt recognized as dangerous despite, perhaps, being so. This causes silicosis. There are lots of different elements that can be crushed into a powder found in rocks and clay. Not all chinchilla dusts have silica in them. Silicate dust causes: You may experience one, some, or all of these symptoms. Studies on whether it causes lung damage have so far stated that it doesnt, although that doesnt prove definitively that it cant. All of the most popular brands of chinchilla dust are blue cloud, or at least have blue cloud among their range. Sepiolite dust. This is more common in the U.K. than the U.S., and is made from a mineral called meerschaum. WebChinchillas take dust baths as a way of self-cleaning their coats. P.P.S. Blue cloud gets its name from how fine it is. This is actually something that applies to all rodents, not just chinchillas. You want a mask with a filter, like a 3M mask, a P2 mask or a P3 mask. What color should a chinchilla's teeth be? 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. 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. Lovely. As chinchillas are mammals, their respiratory system is the same as ours. How could so many people be wrong? We know better than our chinchillas and can provide for them better than they can provide for themselves. Our pet chinchillas eat hay and processed hay pellets, and were advised never to feed them fruits, vegetables and living grass as hay is a healthier choice. So, check before you buy. But because of safety concerns, we nonetheless have to recommend it. New owner, don't know where to start? Crystalline silica is jagged, so can attach itself to the walls of the lungs. I really appreciate your articleit is the only one Ive seen that publishes the information in such a logical, organized way. There are reasonably well-known brands that use pumice. While this is a sign that its fine, so is good for bathing, these clouds make it a task to clean up after your chinchillas bath. Posted on September 29, 2022 by acrylic ice bucket with stand If an infection develops because of this, it can cause serious complications. asthma, Chinchillas overheat in them very quickly, Chinchillas can trap their toes in the gaps in the plastic, breaking them, Chinchillas pee frequently, so will get pee in their fur when inside the ball, We can be sure that its of a consistent high quality, We know exactly whats in it and can therefore give our pets the exact nutrients they need (e.g. However, this guide isnt like others that youll find on this topic. Dust can be reused to an extent, but must eventually be thrown away. Its only in the face of repeated exposure that silicosis becomes a real possibility. Quote: Inhalation of crystalline silica is known to cause an inflammatory reaction and chronic exposure leads to lung fibrosis and can progress into the disease, silicosis. It may cause silicosis if breathed in frequently over a long period. These filters filter out particulate dust, while some even claim to filter out smoke, germs and molds. These are pulmonary fibrosis and cancer. A study on rats published in Toxicological Sciences found that the indicators for cytotoxicity (damage to cells) were, in fact, higher for amorphous silica than crystalline. That doesnt happen with sand. But crucially, as they dont contain silica, they wont cause silicosis. This same effect has been demonstrated in other studies, although some argue the link specifically between aluminum silicate and silicosis isnt clear. Synthetic amorphous silica, referred to as SAS, has been implicated in fibrosis. Some owners will swear by one brand, other owners by another, but broadly they all do the same thing with roughly the same level of effectiveness. There will always be owners who swear by it and have never reported a problem, so will continue using it. It will then stay there until its dusted away, and when its disturbed, youll breathe even more of it in. I look forward to new issues! Its now thought that the dust which blue cloud manufacturers use is made artificially. Its only in the face of repeated exposure that silicosis becomes a real possibility. Cancer begins when DNA in a cell is mutated, and spreads to form a tumor. The likely reason that amorphous silica isnt shown to cause cancer is that it doesnt remain in the body as crystalline silica does. The increased numbers of cells showing positive TUNEL staining after 90 days of amorphous-silica inhalation suggest significant increase of intracellular damage, which may lead to cell death. ChillDust is one which is popular with experienced owners and breeders. Chinchillas bathe in dust. Some are rougher and sharper, while others have finer grains. Its in the exact same way that we recommend against using blue cloud dust. The worst thing you could do is use blue cloud somewhere that isnt ventilated. Not all chinchilla dusts have silica in them. Its a fine, dry powder. Just make sure its not treated with some kind of chemical before using it. Wild chinchillas do it, so your pet chinchilla should do it too. This is a problem because mines have to publish data on the what they dig up, what it is, and its mineral content. This material is more commonly used in the U.K. than the U.S. While sepiolite and pumice dont cause as serious effects, they still leave deposits in the lungs when inhaled. When fine dust billows up into the air, it hangs there for a few seconds. This is therefore one of many ways of assessing how something damages a cell. They can still damage the lungs if inhaled frequently, but this is less likely. Thats why owners report that when they use sand, their chinchillas fur is still greasy afterwards. Besides this, there seems to be a link between inflammation and cancer. Its mined from the ground; the first known mine was the Blue Cloud Chinchilla Dust Mine in California which operated since at least the 1950s, but was closed by 2016. I will look for your newsletter and sign up. Another example is the idea of the exercise ball. This not only cleans their coats, but it protects them by eliminating extra oils and moisture. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. To understand why, we can draw a parallel to how other pets are cared for. This paper from 2011 aimed to prove that we underestimate the risks of amorphous silica, and that products which contain it should be changed. These masks let in air from above and below, so do nothing to combat tiny particles of dust. Alternatively, you could use reptile sand. This is a reasonable question. But that doesnt mean its 100% safe. Thats why owners report that when they use sand, their chinchillas fur is still greasy afterwards. by | Sep 29, 2022 | e11 led bulb 150w equivalent dimmable | fortnite x marvel: zero war codes | Sep 29, 2022 | e11 led bulb 150w If you didnt have a chinchilla and youd never owned a rabbit, youd likely think the same. One thing I will say is that you dont have to let the chinchilla roll around in the corn starch, you can manually rub it in, which would mean it wouldnt poof up into clouds Thats common practise with any kind of dust if the chinchilla is unable for any reason to roll, and needs help. Avoid using builders sand because this is rougher and has larger grains. Its a kind of magnesium deposit that can be broken down into a fine dust. 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