Sand Bath Houses

[Godofgods]

Would think after all these years i wouldn't need to ask any questions about this'

Actually just looking for a suggestion on a new house.

All of my chins have used this kind since i got them or they were born.

I always gave them there bath in there cage. But im looking to change that so there cage and there wood doesn't get as coated with sand. So i was going to let them out into there chin room to give them a dust bath. But for now there are more keen on running around and exploring then getting a dust bath. So i ordered a small playpen type thing. Going to try to enclose them in the room in a smaller area so they can concentrate on taking a sand bath.

Trouble is the two houses i have are designed to hang on the cage bars. They have little hooks on the end. Mine came off long ago. But inside the cage they don't care. I just set it down and they go crazy with it. Outside the cage they are not as comfortable yet. The middle of the bottom is that circle shape. It sticks down just a bit lower then the stand part on the front and back. So when they roll around the house goes side to side and makes noise; scaring the heck out of them.

They first time i tried it i stayed with them and held the house to keep it still. But i have sever non allergic rhinitis. That dust doesn't help. I usually give them there dust bath and leave the room while they use it.

Once/if i determine the playpen is safe and trust leaving them to bath for a few minutes, i will actually need a dust house that they will use and not scare the heck out of them.

Suggestions?

 

[e.murphy518]

I give my chins their dust baths during out of cage play time and i have those exact same types of houses. Mine are always very interested in the dust bath first and then they run around and play. To prevent them from making noise on the wood floor (although mine don't get scared of the noise) I put a spare fleece liner from my ferret nation on the floor underneath them and then even though it bobbles back and forth it is basically silent.

 

[lightningturtle]

Mine doesn't care about her house knocking around wen I use it, but I do, so I brace hers against a cabinet. I imagine you can brace yours between two heavy objects for the same effect.

 

[Godofgods]

they dont care about the sound when they are in there cage. But the sound while they are out scares them. If i put fleece or heavy objects in there, i can guarantee you they will chew/pull/eat/ try to move them the whole time. Especially my girls. They are incredibly stubborn with that.

 

[Chindiccted]

Luna didn't mind bathing in big cooking bowls or her house she wasn't picky but she did love bathing in that house. I just cleaned out that bath house for my new girls.

 

[BooBoo*TheKiddo*]

Some have used metal dusters, or even Rubbermaid containers, or cooking dishes. Big enough they can roll around in and hold dust.

 

[Chinmama]

We use round glass fish bowls.

 

[Godofgods]

Well i gave them there sand bath last night. I used my plastic dust houses since i hadn't gotten any new ones. I layed a few pieces of fleece across the floor to try and help with the noise. And i set up the Playpen for them to try and keep the space small so they focus on the sand bath.

Most of it worked pretty well. I got the chins in there, and they all took there bath. The fleece was actually enough to muffle the sound enough so that the chins didn't care. Now i just need to make a sheet of fleece that's a single piece that covers the area. I was amazed that they didn't mess with the small overlapping pieces of fleece last night.

Down side was i ended up having to pick many of them up to get them into the play pen; and to get them back in the cage. My one girl did not like that. Neither did my boys. But when it came time to put them back, my boys ran and hopped into the dust bath in the playpen so i grabbed that quickly and brought them to there cage in that.

Few kinks to work out, but it worked better then i thought it would.

The top or bottom cover piece was a waste tho. It only works if the play pen is in a specific shape, and the it rly just sits on the cage pieces, it doesn't rly cling to them and hold on.

 

[Godofgods]

I put a spare fleece liner from my ferret nation on the floor underneath them and then even though it bobbles back and forth it is basically silent.

I ended up putting fleece under the cage so the dust houses didnt make much noise. It worked well for a bit. But now that they are used to it, this is the scene i walked in to. (It started as a fully spread fleece sheet and a square enclosed cage.)

 

[seachin]

I also have some allergies. When I give my chins their dustbaths the dust is in a glass ice tea decanter. The opening is large enough for all chins and I cut out a round of fleece and cut an X in the middle big enough to let chins in and out without constriction. I use rubberbands to keep them on. This keeps a decent chunk of dust in the container and minimizes dust that leaves on the chins. It's like a little chin dust wash. Ha. Anyhow. Also, since I hold the container and they come to the door to dust, I use a pear clip to clip the business end of the shop vacuum to next to where they are dusting. That sucks up most of the fines. Also, my ridgid shop vacuum has a special filter for dust that does a great job of reducing dust in my house. I also wear an N95 dust mask.

 

[david]

I use a fish tank and have used one for over twenty years . it keeps the mess down a lot