How to Clean Chinchilla Fur?

[Pixie]

Anyone have ideas on how to clean Oxbow Critical Care out of their fur? It's getting pretty matted and yucky under her chin and around her neck.

I heard Dawn soap and water, comb out, then blow dry. Would Dr. Bronners soap work? Or any other ideas?:hmm:

 

[ticklechin]

I use the Dawn since it does not suds up and its used on birds and the such in emergency rescue situations. I wet the chin and chest of the chin with warm water and a little soap on a wash cloth, comb the CC out, rinse the chest and chin with warm water on the clean part of the wash cloth, comb again and dry first with the dry towel and then blow dry cool and comb the last time.

 

[Pixie]

Dr. Bronners does suds up. Good to know Dawn! Am I using just a wash cloth to bathe the front of her, or should I put her in my bathroom sink? My bathroom sink has a spray attachment. I've heard to not get a chinchilla wet so I want to do whatever is safest. You don't by chance have a video of you doing this do you? Haha.

 

[ticklechin]

I don't actually use a spray, I wet the wash cloth and wet the fur with that to keep the amount of water on the fur as little as possible.

 

[Pixie]

Ok! I'll just use the wash cloth. What should I be looking out for that could develop on her skin from the messy CC feedings...like fungus? Is there anything that is safe that I can put on her skin to prevent any issues skin? How do you treat skin fungus or other skin conditions that can be caused by messy feedings?

 

[ticklechin]

A p$ssed chin is what you get when they are dirty, I have not had skin issues with just food, but I have had issues with dermatitis with drool on the chest and paws.

 

[Pixie]

What exact Dawn soap did you use? They only had Dawn soap with suds at the store.

 

[AZChins]

Could you try some guinea pig or rabbit shampoo? It is less sudsy and would be easier to rinse out of a chin's fur.

 

[ticklechin]

I was told the regular blue colored Dawn dish soap, we used it at the rescue when we had to bathe chins so I just continued to use it. Its the same stuff that they use on oil spill birds and animals, its safe for the fur, feathers and skin.

 

[ysy]

Imho, I won't bother trying to clean everything off when you're still trying to force-feed, because she'll just get dirty again. When I had to deal with bloat and force-feeding, I wipe off whatever I could with a wet towel, then a dry one and give her a bath. The rolling will be good as exercise too to get things moving.

Once the situation is under control and she's no longer dirtying herself with force-feeding, you can deal with the matts. They would have set in and dried so all you have to do is to pull them out. Much easier and less stressful for yourself and the chin.

 

[Pixie]

I'll try to just use a wash cloth soaked in water then blow dry. It's getting really bad and its really bothering her so I thought I should get as much out as possible. I don't know why I didn't think about using a wet cloth then a dry cloth during force feeding for clean ups. Ill try that. I've just been using my finger and a dry towel, but I can't get everything out....sometimes I don't even know it squirted out the other side of the mouth and down her face. Poor Judy!

Also, I think it was Dawn who posted on a different thread about taking a brick, putting a sock over it and then putting dust bath on it so the chin will rub the food off her face. I thought that was also a good idea.

What is the reason you can't get a chinchillas fur wet? If you blow dry it afterwards would it be ok? I remember hearing some years ago that your never supposed to get their fur wet or else they will die.

 

[ticklechin]

The wet fur thing is a internet myth, as long as the fur gets dry you are all good. One other thing I do is get a small human comb and after a food flinging session I will comb the chunks out when its wet and leave the rest for later.

 

[jdomanj]

I have a question about cleaning fur. My chin seems to have what I think are urine stains, as they are yellow in color. Today after she took a dust bath, Bean had a whole bunch of clumps of hair come out, more than I've ever seen before. It doesn't seem like she is pulling her fur out, but that was enough fur to get me concerned. The fur came out around her back left leg. Does this mean I should clean her?

 

[Peanut]

Absolutely don't get the chin wet in anyway it can cause fungi and mold under the fur and soap any type can get the chin sick right away the only way to clean them is there dust baths

 

[Pixie]

Peanut, have you had any personal experience with getting parts of a chinchillas fur wet to get out food from a syringe that has spilled on his/here's fur that is not coming out with a dust bath? I would think blow drying the fur dry would help them not get fungus, but ive never done this. I'm looking for personal experiences, so please share if you have an experience with that or if you have experiences on cleaning a chins fur when it doesn't come out in a dust bath. Thanks!

 

[ticklechin]

Absolutely don't get the chin wet in anyway it can cause fungi and mold under the fur and soap any type can get the chin sick right away the only way to clean them is there dust baths

This info is wrong, if the chin is bathed and dried properly it will NOT get fungus, I have bathed many chins, my own and the ones from the rescue and we have not given them fungus. A dental chin can get dermatitis from the drool if the fur is not cleaned of the saliva.

 

[ticklechin]

Here is a thread on a chin who is bathed once a week in water, no fungus or death from water.

http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17488&highlight=urine