Dust bath problem

[Baby Binx's mom]

Baby Binx has auddenly stopped taking her bathes. She was bathing every chance she got but about a week and a half ago she began to refuse to bathe. Does anyone have any ideas why she suddenly refuses to take a bath and what I can do to get her to start taking them again? Since she has stopped it seems like she is scratching and biting at herself more too. ( Can anyone help?

[Baby.Angel021]

could the dust be dirty? I'm not a expert just a idea hopefully someone will come along that had this problem

[basketball_Qt]

do you leave the dust in there all the time? If so it could be overdrying her skin and it should only be put in there once or twice a week.. less in the winter and times when the himidity is down because it will make her skin dryer

[kmc]

She could have an allergy to the dust that you are using. Even though chinnie fur is really thick, maybe its making her itchy.

Have you noticed some slight discharge from her eyes? That could also be a sign of an allergy to dust (it could also mean other things).

Try switching brands and see what happens.

[parkerspetchins]

From your post it does sound like you are letting her bathe too much, I could be making a wrong assumption, and that she is having some dry skin issues. How often are you giving her a dust bath? I do 2-3 times a week in summer when humidity is higher and will cut back to 2 probably this winter as my house tends to be dry.

[Baby Binx's mom]

Thanks to everyone who gave their input. To answer your questions. Her dust is always nice and clean and I let her bathe 1 or 2 times week. Honestly, most times only once a week but when she started refusing her bath(which was about 2 weeks ago) I started leaving her bath down in her play room(not her cage) hoping she would get in it but she never would. Thankfull, I set her bath in her cage tonight and she finally decided to roll around in it. She never bathes as it seems she should but at least she did bathe for a few seconds tonight.

[dawn]

A chin has to be very comfortable with their enviroment to dust-she does not feel "safe" exposing herself to dust outside her cage yet.