The major drawback with real air purifiers is that theyre expensive. Alternatively, you could use reptile sand. I was curious if, in your research, you came across anyone using and advocating for arrowroot powder as a dust substitute? It wont billow up when your chinchilla bathes in it, so it cant be breathed in. Quote: The increased TUNEL staining in epithelial cells of the amorphous silica-exposed rats supports this suggestion. Ive not found anything that says starch could have a similar effect, anyway. Sepiolite is a mineral thats also known as meerschaum. This effect isnt well understood yet, but it seems that chronic irritation and inflammation are an indispensible participant in the process of cells turning cancerous and spreading. But crucially, as they dont contain silica, they wont cause silicosis. As mentioned above, the jagged and sharp nature of crystalline silica allows it to catch and stick onto the walls of the lungs. The pathway leading to apoptosis appears to be similar in both cases. Fruits are typically high in sucrose, which causes bloating in chinchillas. New owner, don't know where to start? There are many such deposits across the United States, however, so blue cloud dust is still available. Authors note: When I started writing this guide, Id planned it to be short and simple. It doesnt clean fur quite as well. Synthetic amorphous silica, referred to as SAS, has been implicated in fibrosis. 1. Please dont dismiss what Ive written as the ramblings of somebody whos obsessed with health and safety, because thats just not me! We feed our pets hay because: The upshot of all this is that chinchillas live longer on an unnatural diet than they do on what they eat in the wild. Ive done more digging online and found (for me) sufficiently compelling links to powder aspiration and poisoning in humans that I am inclined to think chinchillas would be at an even greater risk. However, the result suggests a mechanistic difference between FcRIIA receptor-mediated and non-opsonized silica particle phagocytosis. It kills thousands of people a year, mostly tradesmen who are frequently exposed to silica and silicon-based dusts; it can kill either through direct damage to the lungs, or through facilitating lung cancer. What Kind of Sand Should You Use in a Chinchilla Dust Bath? Quote: Inhalation of crystalline silica is known to cause an inflammatory reaction and chronic exposure leads to lung fibrosis and can progress into the disease, silicosis. Cancer begins when DNA in a cell is mutated, and spreads to form a tumor. Some sands you can buy have reviews that say theyre dusty, if you find that yours is, just wash it in a bucket of water and it should be fine. This is a kind of sand sold by pet stores for reptiles to bathe in. You could try offering longer or more frequent baths to combat this issue. Several things happen when you inhale blue cloud dust. We feed our chinchillas a diet unlike that which they eat in the wild. Practically every owner recommends blue cloud dust, but we believe that blue cloud is dangerous for you and your pet if it isnt used properly. While this is a sign that its fine, so is good for bathing, these clouds make it a task to clean up after your chinchillas bath. The worst thing you could do is use blue cloud somewhere that isnt ventilated. Thats why builders and tradesmen who work in environments with lots of silicate dust in the air can stay safe just by wearing a respirator. You can also consider bathing your chinchilla in water infrequently. Nope, it isnt harmful to pets either. They can still damage the lungs if inhaled frequently, but this is less likely. Sepiolite seems safer than silicate dusts. Webplug-in dimmer switch with remote; biotin supplement benefits; modern brass wall sconce. What happens is that when the tiny particles are inhaled, they cause inflammation. Not all kinds of sand are created equal. switching from evenings to mornings. Chinchillas need to bathe in dust: that much is true. However, this view has become increasingly controversial among scientists. But wild chinchillas dont eat hay; they eat living plants and grasses. Tidy up before your chinchilla bathes so that there are fewer things in your room for the dust to get on/in. The guide below explores what alternatives there are, why blue cloud is so popular even though it may be dangerous, and what you should do if you intend to keep using it. Its great at absorbing water, which is why its also used in soil for potted plants. Blue cloud gets its very name from the fact that it billows up in tiny clouds when your chinchilla rolls around in it. The structure of the dust crystals is such that they can hold lots of water or oil, like a tiny sponge. Until recently, it wasnt even thought to be possible. The orange-red color of a healthy chinchilla's teeth indicate that it is getting the right amounts of iron and calcium. As youll know from experience, chinchilla dust hangs in the air, and for days afterwards is present as a thin coat on all your belongings. The dust bath routine is not only a self-cleaning behavior, they also love it. About 80,000 households own chinchillas, which carry Microsporum gypseum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes associated with inflammatory tinea capitis. There are two core issues related to the inhalation of silica dusts. Aragonite sand isnt something Ive seen before, but so long as it doesnt puff up into the air, it should be fine! The effects of blue cloud dust on a chinchillas lungs are less clear. I also just came across a forum discussion about using aragonite sand as a substitute. You can use a shallow dish or tray filled with chinchilla dust, or you can buy a special dust bath container made for chinchillas. The mechanism by which particles are bound and internalized and the reason particles are toxic is unclear. Silicate dust causes: You may experience one, some, or all of these symptoms. Macrophages are immune system cells that bind to bad things the body wants to get rid of, but when they try to get rid of both kinds of silica, they go through apoptosisa kind of pre-programmed way for the macrophage cells to die. Ive done more research and thought Id circle back here with some updates on what Ive found, in case its of help to other chinchilla owners. Cracking open the window an inch isnt enough to fully ventilate a room. Cigarettes contain harmful substances such as carbon monoxide, nicotine, acetone, acetaldehyde, and ammonia, which are harmful to the human body. Not all kinds of sand are created equal. The most common is silica, also known as crystalline silica, pure silica or silicon dioxide. So, sand it will be for our chillas! Sand doesnt work like that; its made of tiny, solid rocks and shells. The link between crystalline minerals and lung disease has long been clear. There are two core issues related to the inhalation of silica dusts. Kaytee, a popular brand among chinchilla owners, make exercise balls supposedly suitable for chins. Corn starch also sticks to fur more than rock dust. There will always be owners who swear by it and have never reported a problem, so will continue using it. Amorphous silica, being round, stands much less chance of doing so; it can therefore be more easily coughed out. This means that sand has a slight cleaning effect, but isnt as good as dusts. Why take risk to use unknown dust that may cause health hazard to yourself and your chins. These are the kinds that builders wear (and the people that package blue cloud dust). Dust can be reused to an extent, but must eventually be thrown away. Sand could still get into your chinchillas eye, but its big eyelashes should stop that happening. Thats great. Pumice dust is dust made from powdered pumice stone. Furthermore, sand is less likely to get in your chinchillas eye and cause irritation. What Chinchilla DUST is SAFE? Cleaning and tidying is one way to achieve that. This not only cleans their coats, but it protects them by eliminating extra oils and moisture. And instead of fifteen minute baths, consider half an hour. So play sand wont work as well as blue cloud, but it also wont damage anybodys lungs. On the one hand, that means the starch will still be there between baths, stopping the fur getting greasy. Make sure any bag you buy doesnt contain unusual additives; you want pure sepiolite. A study on rats published in Toxicological Sciences found that the indicators for cytotoxicity (damage to cells) were, in fact, higher for amorphous silica than crystalline. This will get rid of much of the dust. It can be found in pet stores or, alternatively, hardware/DIY stores. Lets begin with what we know. The link between crystalline minerals and lung disease has long been clear. It doesnt clean fur quite as well. We do have a newsletter, and there should be a form you can find at the top of this page. Our results indicate that amorphous and crystalline silica are both phagocytosed and both toxic to mouse alveolar macrophage (MH-S) cells. Pumice dust is dust made from powdered pumice stone. But because corn starch doesnt billow as much, theres less to clean. Some of the answer explanations contain links for further reading, which you can click and open in a New Tab. Wild chinchillas do it, so your pet chinchilla should do it too. The problem isnt the aluminum or the silica; rather, its the inhalation of any fine powder that cant be broken down inside the body. WebWhat diseases can chinchillas pass to humans? Silicosis is a form of pulmonary fibrosis, which is where the lungs are damaged and scarred, reducing lung function. So, check before you buy. Alternatively, get somebody to help. Hi all, I hope you can help me out on these two questions that my wife is curious about. Air purifiers are like fans with filters attached. Webjohn deere used equipment for sale; cabela's browning shooting vest. Put simply, crystalline minerals form in a different way to amorphous ones. Blue cloud dust is made from something called rhyolite. But amorphous silica, being round, is more easily gotten rid of. Thats because we believe that chinchilla dusts may be dangerous to use. Its a kind of magnesium deposit that can be broken down into a fine dust. And general silicosis has been demonstrated in other rodents, too. Or, again, you could give your chinchilla occasional water baths to stop grease building up too much. But experienced owners call these death balls because: Here, experienced owners can see that just because something is popular, and just because a popular brand manufactures and sells something, that doesnt mean its suitable for chinchillas/chinchilla owners. In contrast, only a small population of cells stained TUNEL-positive after exposure to crystalline silica. Alternatively, you could use reptile sand. The link between amorphous minerals and the same issues is less clear. Vegetables cause the exact same issues in rabbits as in chinchillas (bloat, high sugar levels, excess water, etc.) Each tiny particle can soak up oil and moisture, and some of the starch will stay in your chinchillas fur, stopping it from getting damp or dirty between baths. Air purifiers are like fans with filters attached. Ive been doing some more reading on this topic and was reading some people expressed concern that starchesbecause they are so finecould be easily breathed in by the chinchillas and cause respiratory issues. Thanks again, LoveMyChinchilla, for posting this article and prompting my research deep-dive! In cold weather or otherwise dry environments, they may only need to bathe twice a week. White teeth indicate that it isn't getting enough, while black teeth would be the result of rotting. Like silica, pumice shouldnt be inhaled as it damages the lungs when you breathe it in. If it makes things easier, consider changing the schedule by which you bathe your pet, e.g. But unlike a normal fan, air purifiers have filters attached. Chinchillas like to chew power cables. Besides silicosis, crystalline silica is also shown to cause cancer. It is one of the few free exploits that doesnt contain keys, ContentsMarket size of $120 billion by 2021A lot of hard workMany people work as a freelancer In the computer software prepackaged software industry, there are several different types of job, ContentsUninstall FaceItOpen System RestoreWhen you install FACEIT If you want to know how to uninstall FaceIt from your computer, you have come to the right place. It's like using a net to capture a wild animal. If these effects continue for many years, whether because the dust is continually inhaled or because it cant be coughed up again, it can cause serious health issues like fibrosis. Its also a dust that is marketed for chinchilla use and is used extensively in the chinchilla breeding/owning community, with a history of success and chinchilla safety. Sweet PDZ in powder form. The condition takes years of repeated exposure to reach this stage, so its highly unlikely that your health has been severely affected if youre a new chinchilla owner. Once your chinchilla is done bathing, you must do what you can to stop the dust settling. These safety guidelines arent ridiculous and excessivetheyre very basic and wont cost you a ton of money. Damaging the DNA in cells is how substances cause cancer. This paper from 2011 aimed to prove that we underestimate the risks of amorphous silica, and that products which contain it should be changed. But markers for cytotoxicity (cell death), plus markers of DNA change, have been found after exposure to amorphous silica too. Whether thats because of outdated advice or because of Bugs Bunny isnt relevant; what matters is that rabbits do far better on a diet of hay than of vegetables. calcium) in precisely the right amounts, Because its processed, we know its not dirty, rotten or moldy and that it doesnt contain parasites, Because it doesnt billow, its less likely to get in your chinchillas eyes, and if it does its not as painful, Its safe to ingest, so if your chinchilla eats some, thats not a problem, Corn starch is available from almost any store, You likely already have some corn starch at home, Fine, so picks up oil better than other kinds of sand, Filtered and cleaned before its sold, because its a product for children, Soft, because again, its a product for children.