SAND IN THE BATH

[SissaRuth84]

Good afternoon everyone !!

I've done a lot of research on what to use for dust bathing, but not much of the preferred materials are available to me at the moment :/

I do, however, have extra REPTILE SUBSTRATE, which is essentially calcium sand. It's very fine and my sand snakes will bury their whole body and face into it without irritating their sinuses or cause respiratory issues.

Do you suppose the sand is ok to use for my chicks to keep practicing their bathing ? They've been going outside for half days but lately it's been close to 100 degrees here

Any advice is appreciated !!

 

[chickens really]

Any clean sand is safe....I use Hawaiian sand in my Coop.....Your good to go!!!!!

Cheers!

 

[aart]

Good afternoon everyone !!

I've done a lot of research on what to use for dust bathing, but not much of the preferred materials are available to me at the moment

I do, however, have extra REPTILE SUBSTRATE, which is essentially calcium sand. It's very fine and my sand snakes will bury their whole body and face into it without irritating their sinuses or cause respiratory issues.

Do you suppose the sand is ok to use for my chicks to keep practicing their bathing ? They've been going outside for half days but lately it's been close to 100 degrees here

Any advice is appreciated !!

They do not have access to plain ole dirt on the ground of their run or range?
What snakes can tolerate might be different than what a bird can tolerate, snakes don't scratch and wingflap stuff up into the air.

 

[SissaRuth84]

They do not have access to plain ole dirt on the ground of their run or range?
What snakes can tolerate might be different than what a bird can tolerate, snakes don't scratch and wingflap stuff up into the air.

The sand is finer than play or fill sand. I also use it in the soaps I make as a mild abrasive. And they're only 3 weeks old so they're still in their brooder. The coop and yard are still under construction.

 

[aart]

Quote: They don't really need a dust bath in the brooder as they aren't exposed to any bugs(unless brooder is outside and exposed to wild birds).
They will try to dust bathe anyway in what whatever bedding is there.
Good thing to do is bring in a small chunk of sod with soil attached and put it the brooder to expose them to the soil organisms where they will be living...plus they'll have a blast tearing it apart.

 

[Cacique500]

They don't really need a dust bath in the brooder as they aren't exposed to any bugs(unless brooder is outside and exposed to wild birds).
They will try to dust bathe anyway in what whatever bedding is there.
Good thing to do is bring in a small chunk of sod with soil attached and put it the brooder to expose them to the soil organisms where they will be living...plus they'll have a blast tearing it apart.

I did the chunk of soil in the brooder on the last batch of chicks and they did have a lot of fun tearing it up. If you're not giving them medicated feed, you may want to have some Corid on hand, just in case. Cocci can be nasty and quick.