Question:
The kits are a week old, and Mom is DYING for a dust bath...when will it be safe to give her one, and what about the babies? How old do they need to be before seeing some bath action?


Answer:
Mom and kits can have a bath after 10 days but the kits probably won't catch on right away. My girls took awhile to get it.


Answer:
Okay thanks! Lily's desparate for one...she's rolling on the floor


Answer:
So far all the kits I've had here (total of 5 now, over 3 different litters) have all waited till they were just about a month old before they showed any interest what so ever in the dust bath...
Xspresso *adores* his dustbath...He will roll in his shavings so he's all covered knowing we'll let him out...*sigh* I'm so well trained...


Answer:
I give my chins a dustbath daily, even new moms. I was told by a rancher that they needed to clean up after themselves after giving birth and the risk of infection was pretty much nonexistent.


Answer:
Isle, how interesting! Everything I have heard says to wait 10 days because the vaginal area is still open after birth. Thanks for posting that!


Answer:
yes when Deja had her baby I was talking to Ilse when it happened on MSN and I gave her a dust bath right away and she was fine


Answer:
Denise, I know that there are two very different trains of thought on that. I trust this rancher completely though and have never had any problems with infection. However, if you feel uncomfortable giving a bath, of course don't give one! Do what you think is best for your chins.


Answer:
I agree with the Kingsboro, if one is concerned that the "withholding dustbath" may contain some truth, there's a safe way to go about it: http://www.chincare.com/HealthLifest....htm#caremyths
Just after birthing the mother should be given a towel (no strings, fringe or loose weave) to rub herself against, it also helps her clean the kits when they're standing on it with her.
A friend of mine who breeds pointed out that sometimes the kits, unaccustomed to the granular quality of some dusts, are susceptible to eye irritation if the mother has had a good roll just prior to nursing. As a precaution to that, and this may sound a bit bizarre, but we've allowed the mother to roll in cornstarch to help clean herself up and that does a good job. Cornstarch is non-carcinogenic, odorless enough to be acceptable to the chin, and its very fine consistency runs less risk of being an eye irritant for the kits, should they nuzzle up to mom's nipples after she's rolled. Mind you, we've only used it for this type of situation, once the kits are older and have used dustbath themselves they know enough to close their eyes of blink around regular dustbath.


Answer:
wow, this is all great information! Especially with one of our females due soon. With our first litter, we waited the 10 days before we let the mom roll around in the dust. the kits were not interested at all in the bath for many weeks.
Thanks for all the great info everyone