But because corn starch doesnt billow as much, theres less to clean. Blue cloud dust is made from something called rhyolite. Sweet PDZ in powder form. If this tumor spreads to other parts of the body, its classified as cancer. These are the kinds that builders wear (and the people that package blue cloud dust). I also just came across a forum discussion about using aragonite sand as a substitute. Its a kind of magnesium deposit that can be broken down into a fine dust. This may be slightly less convenient for you. 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. As such, while they are popular, we cannot recommend the various brands of blue cloud dust. Thats great. # chinchillas # chinchillacagesetup Chinchillas bathe in dust. Kaytee, a popular brand among chinchilla owners, make exercise balls supposedly suitable for chins. Besides this, there seems to be a link between inflammation and cancer. To understand why, we can draw a parallel to how other pets are cared for. Until recently, it wasnt even thought to be possible. I know that seems wrong, because there are hamsters Aluminum silicate and similar dusts are linked to serious lung damage. If the study above about amorphous silica is to be believed, then it would have this same effect. Furthermore, sand is less likely to get in your chinchillas eye and cause irritation. Can being exposed to the chinchilla dust bath be harmful to 1) Blue cloud DOES NOT contain NO arsenic, NO lime, or NO free silica. What has likely also played a part is the idea that you can be allergic to dust, which is true; but a dust allergy is an allergy to dander, not to mineral dust. Sepiolite seems safer than silicate dusts. How could so many people be wrong? But with so many chinchilla owners reporting sensitivity or allergy to silicate blue cloud dust, that points to physical damage being the cause, not allergic reaction. You may view this either as a positive or a negative. As youll know, it goes everywhere, and can settle on your belongings for days afterwards. Advantages of Using Corn Starch for Bathing Chinchillas, Drawbacks of Using Corn Starch for Bathing Chinchillas, How to Use Corn Starch for Bathing Chinchillas. It therefore makes sense to use these instead, even if blue cloud is the most naturalthe most similar to what wild chinchillas use. However, inhalation of pumice doesnt seem to cause as serious issues as silicosis, likely because powdered pumice granules are typically larger than those of blue cloud dust. If you have other pets, it is important to Plus silicosis takes years to develop, so even in the absence of current symptoms, your lungs may be being damaged. 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. Its a kind of magnesium deposit that can be broken down into a fine dust. Chinchillas need to bathe in dust: that much is true. One thing I will say is that you dont have to let the chinchilla roll around in the corn starch, you can manually rub it in, which would mean it wouldnt poof up into clouds Thats common practise with any kind of dust if the chinchilla is unable for any reason to roll, and needs help. Youre therefore constantly breathing it in if you use it. Aragonite sand would be my second because of terrain location considerations (i.e., chinchillas dwell in the mountains; aragonite sand comes from the ocean seabed). Silicosis was one of the very first workplace-related health issues, because people working with or around crystalline silica have been experiencing this condition for a hundred years or more now. If none of your rooms has an extractor fan, pick a room that has large windows. Think you know everything there is to know about chinchillas? While sepiolite and pumice dont cause as serious effects, they still leave deposits in the lungs when inhaled. Lets take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of using corn starch, plus how to use it compared to normal dusts. Pumice dust is dust made from powdered pumice stone. There are lots of different brands of chinchilla dust available; while most generic dusts are the same, some are made from different materials with graded levels of coarseness. But amorphous silica, being round, is more easily gotten rid of. Our results indicate that amorphous and crystalline silica are both phagocytosed and both toxic to mouse alveolar macrophage (MH-S) cells. WebWhat diseases can chinchillas pass to humans? Or do you need a handy chinchilla reference guide? As chinchillas are mammals, their respiratory system is the same as ours. You can spot this irritation if your chinchillas eyes are red and watering. Besides silicosis, crystalline silica is also shown to cause cancer. White teeth indicate that it isn't getting enough, while black teeth would be the result of rotting. Besides silicosis, crystalline silica is also shown to cause cancer. It also doesnt necessarily mean healthy. Webis chinchilla dust harmful to humans. This doesnt provethat amorphous silica can cause cancer, as studies showing this link definitively havent yet been performed, but its an interesting result nonetheless. 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. Scientific studies have shown the link between silica dusts and lung damage. Hi all, I hope you can help me out on these two questions that my wife is curious about. It was long thought that amorphous silica cant be dangerous because of its shape. Sand could still get into your chinchillas eye, but its big eyelashes should stop that happening. This material is more commonly used in the U.K. than the U.S. Corn starch also sticks to fur more than rock dust. Its not as good as fine dusts for cleaning chinchilla fur, but its better than using nothing, and it will trigger your pets bathing reflex. These safety guidelines arent ridiculous and excessivetheyre very basic and wont cost you a ton of money. My apologies if I missed it while viewing the site on my phone. But there is possibly a link there. Chinchillas live in burrows and rock crevices in the wild. But you can also get pure silica which has nothing else added to it. Chinchillas need dust baths to keep their fur clean and healthy. Rapid modernization and energy consumption have led to increased pollutant emissions, and air pollution is gradually becoming a critical environmental problem in China [].Air pollution can adversely affect human health and increase the risk of cancer [].PM 2.5, an important air pollutant, was recognized as a class I carcinogen by the International It will cause breathing difficulties and coughing. Sand doesnt work like that; its made of tiny, solid rocks and shells. The key difference you need to understand is that between crystalline and amorphous aluminum silicate dusts. The lungs then have reduced capacity and can even get infected. Cancer is primarily associated with crystalline silica, and no studies have, as of yet, proven a definitive link between amorphous silica and cancer. Cells that were predominantly affected were macrophages and epithelial cells lining the terminal bronchioles. Marketing for blue cloud brands state that it doesnt contain lead, arsenic, glass and various other nasties which is good. In cold weather or otherwise dry environments, they may only need to bathe twice a week. Dismiss. And general silicosis has been demonstrated in other rodents, too. Several things happen when you inhale blue cloud dust. Even with beneficial minerals, though, it would be wise to take care and minimize the amount of mineral breathed in while dusting chinchillas. Contrary to popular belief, this can be done safely, so long as you know how. If an infection develops because of this, it can cause serious complications. Its now thought that the dust which blue cloud manufacturers use is made artificially. What Kind of Sand Should You Use in a Chinchilla Dust Bath? It doesnt clean fur quite as well. 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. We compared the uptake and toxicity of amorphous silica to crystalline silica. Tidy up before your chinchilla bathes so that there are fewer things in your room for the dust to get on/in. There are lots of different kinds of silicon-based dusts that are known to cause problems in the lungs. But with so many chinchilla owners reporting sensitivity or allergy to silicate blue cloud dust, that points to physical damage being the cause, not allergic reaction. Nope, it isnt harmful to pets either. But not everything we think we know about chinchilla dust is true. 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. However, blue cloud dust is made from amorphous aluminum silicate rather than the crystalline kind, so the link between it and silicosis is less clear. This paper from 2011 aimed to prove that we underestimate the risks of amorphous silica, and that products which contain it should be changed. Wild chinchillas are hunted by birds of prey. If you'd like to chat about chinchillas, contact me through our contact form! VEGA X EXPLOIT FEATURES To use the Vega X Exploit lua executor, you may need to disable your anti-virus. How Does the Body Process Amorphous vs. Crystalline Silica. Thats a completely separate issue. Cigarettes contain harmful substances such as carbon monoxide, nicotine, acetone, acetaldehyde, and ammonia, which are harmful to the human body. Furthermore, sand is less likely to get in your chinchillas eye and cause irritation. The likely reason that amorphous silica isnt shown to cause cancer is that it doesnt remain in the body as crystalline silica does. There are many such deposits across the United States, however, so blue cloud dust is still available. This powder, whatever it is, scratches and scars the lungs. But if youve owned chinchillas for years, and always bathed them in blue cloud, theres a real possibility that the dust could have damaged your lungs. If there is a difference between amorphous and crystalline silica, it will be due to the difficulty with which they can be expressed from the lungs.
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