Their happiness is my misery. Dust substitute search.

[borzov]

I have 2 chins. Both males very nice and lovable... however, I have a big problem with the DUST BATH POWDER.

As you all know the regular power is made of PUMICE or VOLCANIC DUST. This appears to be what chins prefer considering their ancestral home was the Andes mountains range (if my history right.) Unfortunately, I’m very allergic to this dust. My throat swells and I start wheezing; makes it difficult to breath. I live in small apt. and the dust irritates my lungs and can't sleep at night (the so-called dustless bath powder is no help either). It’s really awful.

Of course I’m aware that chins love dust baths; it's the best thing to clean their thick fur and wash out the extra oil on their skin and fur. Therefore, I don’t want to take that away from them. But as I said their happiness is my misery.

In any case I’ve noticed that the chins don't mind taking a dust bath in Arm and Hammer BAKING SODA, or sodium-bicarbonate. Baking soda comes in the form of powder and it’s quite dustless (it does not fly all over) It does not end up everywhere like pumice dust. As far as I know it's not toxic to humans or animals, and it's used as an alternative to other cleaning agents because it's environmentally safe, and appears quite natural (some people even use it to brush their teeth). Naturally I don’t want to hurt the critters. ...what do you think, is it OK to have the chins bathe in it???

Thank you for your help

VB

 

[FiaSpice]

Do you keep the bath house all the time in their cage? I'm really really alergic to dust too, but after I let boing bathe in the play area (the hallway blocked with coroplast) I vaccum everything and after 10-15 minutes, my itchy eyes and difficulty to breath are gone.

 

[CerLynn]

Not sure how safe/effective the baking soda would be, but several members have been trying a new less dusty replacement called Sweet PDZ - there's a thread on in here.

 

[Remyma0408]

Try bathing them in the bathroom, door closed, and wear a mask. That way, once they are done, just vacuum the bathroom and it *should* be ok... I'd at least give it a try... that way the dust is contained only in one room.

 

[Lynn & The Chins]

Try bathing them in the bathroom, door closed, and wear a mask. That way, once they are done, just vacuum the bathroom and it *should* be ok... I'd at least give it a try... that way the dust is contained only in one room.

I even put the dust house/pan IN the bathtub and draw the shower curtain for easy cleanup.

Little Two Paws was afraid to go in the enclosed house, so I gave him a baking dish, but it was so messy that I found out it was easier to wash the dust down the drain. It's never enough to make "mud" or clog the drain.

 

[Rickman]

I've been using 1 Gallon pickle jars for 10 years - keeps the dust down and you can put the lid back on and save the dust!
Maybe try some mosquito netting over them while bathing??
I just can't picture Dk. Ebony chins + baking soda - sorry!

 

[borzov]

Re: Sweet PDZ

Not sure how safe/effective the baking soda would be, but several members have been trying a new less dusty replacement called Sweet PDZ - there's a thread on in here.

thank you for the tip. this is what i found on the WEB about this product:

Ammonia is a health risk to your horses... The accumulation of ammonia in animal stalls has been proven to stress the upper respiratory airways of animals placing them at risk to pneumonia and heaves (an asthma-like condition). Foals are especially vulnerable. Sweet PDZ absorbs the ammonia, thus lessoning this danger.

What Is Sweet PDZ?

Sweet PDZ is comprised entirely of a natural mineral known as a zeolite. Zeolites are formed from many years of volcanic activity.

How does zeolite help in my barn? Well, we’re glad you asked. Zeolites have special properties, namely, they absorb moisture (soak up like a sponge) and they adsorb gases (attract and keep gas molecules stuck to them). This means that ammonia, as well as other bad smelling gases, are trapped inside the Sweet PDZ to be harmlessly removed and placed on the compost pile. The qualities make Zeolites useful not only in the barn, but the litter box, the garage and in industry.

Sweet PDZ is superior to all other methods of stall odor control... Sweet PDZ is superior to lime because it does not crack hooves or sting the eyes of people or animals. Sweet PDZ is safe and gentle to use. Because it is so effective you will only use about one third as much as lime.

Sweet PDZ is superior to chemical compounds because it actually removes ammonia and moisture through a process of adsorption. It's unscented so it is not just masking odors with a scent of its own.

Sweet PDZ is easy to use... Sweet PDZ is easy to apply. Sprinkle 3 to 5 cups on the surface of the stall area, with the heaviest treatment where the urine is concentrated. Remove saturated bedding material as usual, and sprinkle some more Sweet PDZ down on the wet spots.

Sweet PDZ is environmentally friendly... Used Sweet PDZ can be a fertilizer. When it's time to strip the stall, discard Sweet PDZ with the rest of the bedding. It can become a mulch in planting areas, with nitrogen from the absorbed ammonia being gradually released into the soil as fertilizer.

Sweet PDZ is now available in both Classic powder form and new Granular form! Same great product with added convenience.

www.sweetpdz.com

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This product is obviously not specifically mfg for chins. but i'll take your word for it that it will do the job it's supposed to... and put a smile on the little crittters face, or something like that. I will try it out and see how that goes...I'm hoping it's not too dusty.

Thank you again.

 

[Laurie]

I, too, had problems with the dust. Just minor irritation with eyes itching, watering and coughing. My son would bathe the chins at night while I was at work. I recently switched to the PDZ and I am really liking it. I can give the chins baths and I don't suffer at all.

 

[Megan]

I am seriously considering trying the pdz myself. I too have horrible problems with the dust(Sends me flying into an asthma attack, and the following days AFTER the chins have been dusted, I am still wheezing when I leave the room). Needless to say, my animals do not get dusted very often at all.

I was ok when I had just a small number of chins (1-4), but as I started to grow it got much, much worse. I would keep this in mind if you do think of adding to the animals you have--it may only get worse.

 

[equusus]

Does the PDZ help keep the rest of the room from getting so dusty?
Are you guys satisfied with how the chinchillas look?

 

[Chinniechantel]

The PDZ does help keep the dust down in the room, a lot even. It does not work as well for dusting the chins as blue cloud, of course, but it is doable for sure. I am using blue cloud once a month, the PDZ 2 times a week. Has been working fine so far! I didn't have too many problems with the dust, it was just really expensive to have shipped.

 

[jess_w]

It depends how allergic you are really. If you are so allergic that even after you have hoovered the entire house you are still having trouble sleeping at night because of it, I don't know if there will be any type of dust that is okay for you

I would try the Sweet PDZ though and see how it goes. You could also get a dist house with a lid so the dust doesn't go everywhere. I think that would help you a lot and it doesn't seem to bother the chins if there's a lid on it. I've never heard of anyone using baking soda so I don't know if that would be a good idea or not.

 

[mle537]

I am crazy allergic to the dust too. But I have a solution that has really cut down on my sneezing and itchy throat and eyes!

I keep my chin Meatball's dust in an old plastic pretzel rod container, and I only give him his dust after he romps around. I let him out of his cage every other day for a half an hour to an hour of play time, and when I want him to go back in his cage, I get the plastic tub and tap on it, he knows the noise and comes running, he jumps in, I put the lid on and he rolls for 3 minutes, when he's done, he scratches at the lid, and I open the top and let him back into his cage!

He loves it, and it keeps the dust only in the container! Also, this might be weird, but it really helps my allergies, when he jumps back in his cage I brush over his back with a swiffer. And I swiffer his cage pretty regularly. It works great!

Hope this helps!

-Emily-

 

[chins1222]

get something like this

http://www.rubbermaid.com/rubbermaid/product/product.jhtml?prodId=HPProd280050


and let them dust in there

it will be totally enclosed so dust wont get every where

i have something similar but i am not as allergic so i cut a small hole out so they could fit in there and it does realy well at dust control

but some still gets out b/c it is on there fur and them they shake and some gets on their bedding

so it may not help just a suggestion good luck

 

[Essentia]

Please be aware that free silica (which Sweet PDZ does contain) has been shown to cause lung cancer. I, personally, have stopped using it. I know Spoof was trying out the granular form (kind of like sand instead of dust) worked as well, but I am not sure what she thinks about it yet.

I'm not saying not to use it, a lot of people still are. I just want people who didn't see the other threads to be aware.

http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4877

http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5165

 

[Spoof]

If you are severely allergic to dust you can use corn starch. It works fine, just not legal to use if you show and you obviously aren't doing that. )

SweetPDZ comes in granular which I used for the first time this weekend, it produces literally no dust, but I'm not sure how good it cleans the fur. Mine were not clumpy to start with, will have to wait a few weeks to see if they get clumpy or stay fuzzy.

 

[iayla]

I'm allergic to Blue Sparkle, but keep using it because its cheaper than Blue Cloud. For bathing, I use gallon jars, like Rick mentioned. My family has worked in the restaurant business for 10yrs now, and I get them for free from their workplace.

To help with getting so much dust tossed around, you can take a square of fleece, and secure it over the opening of the jar with a large rubber band. Cut 2 slits in the fleece to make an "X" so your chinnie can get in/out of the jar, and it'll help keep the dust contained. Of course I dont leave the jars in the cage for very long, because I dont want anyone trying to chew at the rubber band, or the raw edges of the fleece. But so far, this helps tremendously.
~Barb~

 

[borzov]

re: CORNSTARCH

If you are severely allergic to dust you can use corn starch. It works fine, just not legal to use if you show and you obviously aren't doing that. )

SweetPDZ comes in granular which I used for the first time this weekend, it produces literally no dust, but I'm not sure how good it cleans the fur. Mine were not clumpy to start with, will have to wait a few weeks to see if they get clumpy or stay fuzzy.

JUST curious...why is corn starch illegal for shows...i never tried cornstarch, but if you say that that's OK then I will try it. i have a feeling i'm not allergic to cornstarch and i can't imagine it being bad for the my critters...in any case, correct me if I'm wrong...

thank you for the tip.

 

[CerLynn]

From what I recall, the corn starch artificially makes white fur whiter - which would be an issue when it comes to the color evaluation.

 

[Sherry Elaine]

I am allergic to dust and have been since I was a kid. I take some Sudafed and wear a mask. The Blue Sparkle seems to aggravate my allergies the least.