Bath Problem

[Chinchilla Gal]

hello everyone, I've had my chin about a year now and she doesn't really enjoy her bath, I know its weird, but she just doesn't like it. She was fine the first few months I had her, but then she just stopped using it. I changed the dust ( I thought she might have gone to the bathroom in it) but she still wouldn't use it. I changed to a new bathouse for a few months, but all she did was scratch in it she never rolled around it or anything. I've even left the bath house in the cage while I was at my class, when I got home it still didn't look like she used it. Does anyone know what I can do about this and why she's not taking her bath?

[Jade]

Couple questions.

What type (brand) of dust are you using?

Is it in the cage all the time or do you offer it intermittently?

How much dust is in the container?

Do you have any other chins that enjoy their baths that you could let her bathe with?

[Chinchilla Gal]

I use Kaytee brand dust (I have always used that brand)
I offer it twice a week, its not in the cage all the time
I have about 1 cup to 1 1/2 cup in the bottom
I just recently got another chin who loves her baths, but she still doesn't seem to care about bathing.
I hope this helps

[Jade]

I'd try ordering a different brand of dust first. http://www.lonestarchinchilla.com has Blue Cloud and my chins much prefer it to any pet store brand.

I'd also try increasing the amount of dust to about 1-2 inches deep, depending on your dust container.

Can you try putting the two of them together for dust time? Maybe she'll pick it up from your other chin.

[MischievousChins]

Ditto to what Jade said...I ran out of Blue Cloud and was waiting on my shippment to come in...and all of my chins boycotted bathtime for a whole week because they didn't like the pet store dust...but they were happy as clams when the BC came in

[indychinchick]

Have you tried changing the tub (tub--he he)? I have one chin who WILL NOT use the superpet bath house. I have dust in a different type of container for him. It's just a small sterlite tub. He's still somewhat relunctant to bathe even in it but it does happen eventually. With the superpet bath house he just sticks his head in the hole and rolls his body on the outside of the tub. Funny to watch but not really effective.

[Chinchilla Gal]

Thank you all for your helpful suggestions! I will try a different brand, and indychinchick, I did try changing the bath house, but she didn't seem to care for the new house either...In response to jade the other chin is in the same cage, but they have only had 2 baths since I got Hayley (the other chin) so maybe give them more time? And thanks for the link so I can order a different kind of dust!

[Lupe_Silk]

Yeash...*thinks* Blue Cloud where do you get thish shtuffs?