Mama had a baby 2 wks ago tomorrow and I don't know when I can let them dust? I've heard several dif things. I'm worried now that I've been holding out for too long. I was worried about doing it too soon bc the vet told me that the dust could mess with the lactating nipples and possibly prevent mom from nursing. After reading this forum, I don't think my vet knows that much with chins bc they didn't even know about breedback! My little newbie, cute as she may be, is having a bad hair day! Lol! I'm sure mama wants to bathe so what is the proper procedure (cleaning old bathhouse?use dif bathhouse?etc) and will it affect her nursing at all? If there is anything I need to know about the dusting of mama and kits, could you please inform me? I've read quite a bit on FAQs but am still unsure. Thanks! Being a new chin mommy is sooo rewarding : )
Dusting?
- Thread starter SmileX3
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RavenousDeadlyZombieChins
You can give her a dust bath like you normally would. I don't know what your vet is talking about with the lactation, but my females have never stopped lactating once they start and kits are nursing.
Some people say to wait 10 days after delivery because the female's vaginal opening after birth could get dust causing pyometra. I've never heard of a case and I know some people with 1000+ chinchillas. I dust when I dust...if it's the day the mother littered, she still gets dusted.
Some people say to wait 10 days after delivery because the female's vaginal opening after birth could get dust causing pyometra. I've never heard of a case and I know some people with 1000+ chinchillas. I dust when I dust...if it's the day the mother littered, she still gets dusted.
greychins
NWI Chinchillas
I agree with the above. While we typically wait the 10 days, I don't think it'd hurt to dust sooner (and you're past that anyway).
We just give new dust in the same dusting container as always (we keep them reasonably clean and wash them every so often). I've never had dusting interfere with lactation here.
We have several different dusters, some being the typical plastic dust house, one or two being larger open-topped sort of "pans" - because especially when they get older, the babies are going to hop in there and try to figure out how to dust, and if we can prevent mom from plopping down on top of them, it's for the best. We personally let the mom/kits dust as often as our other chins dust (2x week-ish), so that the babies pick it up (we've had rescues come in that don't seem to get the concept of "dusting" and have to have dust rubbed into their fur... so we try to start off babies right).
We just give new dust in the same dusting container as always (we keep them reasonably clean and wash them every so often). I've never had dusting interfere with lactation here.
We have several different dusters, some being the typical plastic dust house, one or two being larger open-topped sort of "pans" - because especially when they get older, the babies are going to hop in there and try to figure out how to dust, and if we can prevent mom from plopping down on top of them, it's for the best. We personally let the mom/kits dust as often as our other chins dust (2x week-ish), so that the babies pick it up (we've had rescues come in that don't seem to get the concept of "dusting" and have to have dust rubbed into their fur... so we try to start off babies right).
