Dust Baths

[Zahrii]

My two chins get a dust bath twice a week. However, one of them is currently in the early healing process of a cracked and previously bleeding heel. I gave him a dust bath yesterday and applied Bag Balm on the heel about 5 minutes afterwards, but today I saw a small amount of blood where he normally rests. Definitely not as much as when the foot firstly cracked though. I sprayed a little antiseptic wound wash on both back feet to be safe and applied Bag Balm. But, now I'm stuck. I don't want to stop giving him dust baths for who knows how long until the foot is fully better, but it seems like if I give him a dust bath the heel starts to bleed again. Help?

 

[Amethyst]

I would just hold off on dust baths until his foot is all heeled. Lack of dust baths is not going to hurt your chin, just like humans can survive without taking a bath, he will just get a bit more greasy and might get matted if it takes months to heal (unlikely). Continuing to break his heel open will hurt him though, and leaves him open to getting an infection.

 

[DawnStar]

this may sound silly..but can you wrap the foots in some gauze or like a bandaid before a bath? May chew it off?

The dust cracks my lips LOL and my hands get real dry after bath time, especially if I don't contain it lol.

 

[Zahrii]

I would just hold off on dust baths until his foot is all heeled. Lack of dust baths is not going to hurt your chin, just like humans can survive without taking a bath, he will just get a bit more greasy and might get matted if it takes months to heal (unlikely). Continuing to break his heel open will hurt him though, and leaves him open to getting an infection.

The wheel in their cage has been gone for a while now, and I'm pretty sure the scratch on his foot (yes it's the same chin, poor guy) is healed. Should I keep the wheel out until the heel is better or put it back in?

 

[Amethyst]

The wheel in their cage has been gone for a while now, and I'm pretty sure the scratch on his foot (yes it's the same chin, poor guy) is healed. Should I keep the wheel out until the heel is better or put it back in?

Yeah, just to be on the safe side I would keep it out too since it's already out.