Bag Balm for Chinchilla feet?

[UrbanBlue]

New chinchilla, no history. She's got some thinning fur on her back feet on top (inside toe on both feet). Her toes are a bit red. Her pads are really dry and cracked. My vet thinks she's allergic to the aspen bedding and wants me to switch to using a fleece liner. She also thinks her previous owner was giving her too many dust baths. She recommended putting bag balm on her feet a couple times a day once I switch to the fleece. Also wants me to do a dust bath just once every two weeks until this clears up. She said it is not Bumblefoot.

Anyone else used bag balm? Any known problems? How often did you use it?

I heard it's got a natural antisceptic in it which will help prevent infections in their feet.

 

[lauralynne]

Bag Balm is great. I'd try every other day to start and see how it does.

 

[mercynursie]

Bag balm is great for dry feet. Some people also use the vitamin E capsules, poke a hole in the capsule squeeze the oil out and rub it onto the feet.

 

[Amethyst]

Just so you know chins feet should have thick callouses (like shoe soles) on the bottom, they shouldn't get soft, so don't go over board on the oils and balms . Cracked is obviously bad though, and when cracked and bleeding chins feet can bleed a lot. The bag balm is great to prevent infection and healing up the feet. Also it seems to work quickly, you should start to see a difference in a day or two.

When switching to fleece make sure the chin doesn't chew it. Although fleece is the only chin safe fabric, it's only safe if they don't eat it. Also fleece if peed on does smell, so needs to be changed a couple times a week.

 

[Airyn]

I love Bag Balm! One of my chins gets dry feet in the winter. I apply it 1-2 times each day for a few days and then he's fine for at least a few weeks. I've also used it on myself and my cats. It's one of the few products that's safe for most species. Good luck!