>The other thing is that a vet told me to take out the sand because it
>could have all sorts of parasites in it
Raw sand, collected from outside, can harbor all sorts of stuff. If
you want to use it for rodent bathing, it has to be 'washed' and
baked in the oven to kill the stuff that can be hiding in it.
>So yesterday I bought something that is called "chinchilla sand " which
>is not made of sand .
Chinchillia 'dust' is diatomaceous earth. Mostly. It is 'clean'
of stuff that can cause allergies, though, unless you inhale a lot of it.
>But now there is a another big problem - this sand is more like flour
>than sand . and also it is white .
That sounds right.
>So now my gerbils are all white ! and when we touch them our hands
>are covered with this stuff too
>Should I take it out also ? and leave them with the wood shavings only ?
>Is there any other solution ?
I give my gerbils a wide flat dish with about a centimeter and a half
(around one half an inch) of chinchilla dust about 20-30 minutes
before I give their cage the weekly cleaning.
They can mess in it all they want, then I take out the saucer and clean
the cage, and they quickly lose what little is in their fur in the new
clean bedding.
>hila .
I hope this helps.
Deb
Rebel's Rodent Ranch.
