Dust inquiry

[Rob Walker]

Alrighty, having a debate with my girlfriend over dust haha!

1: I told Kayla we should try Blue Cloud dust that you guys reffered, how ever Kayla thinks there is a kind out there called Blue Sparkle. Is what she thinking a real brand also?

2: what is overall 2 or 3 top brands of dust.

3: what's the difference in dust, what's added to the different kinds?

 

[tunes]

There is a Blue Sparkle, but it's not as good as the Blue Cloud.

Top two brands are Blue Cloud and Blue Sparkle.

The Blue Cloud is a much finer dust and gets much deeper into the fur than the Blue Sparkle, but the Blue Sparkle is okay to use. I just don't like the glittery junk it leaves everywhere and I like that the BC goes deeper and does a better job.

 

[starleomach]

Blue sparkle is a real brand. I personally prefer blue cloud those two are pretty much it for top brands. Some people use sweet pdz It works but just isn't my favorite. I am not sure about the different brands I think it isn't so much of what it added but what type of rock they use to make it

 

[Dragonflye]

Blue Cloud is better. Blue Sparkle is uhmmm...sparkly- but I think it's a bit cheaper. Both dusts are fine. Get the dust as opposed to the sand. Sand makes their fur look like crap, it's too course.

 

[Rob Walker]

Dang, so we where both right. Looks like I'm going to have to order some Blue Cloud.

 

[threewingedfury]

Blue Cloud is the way to go. I've had many arguments with pet owners over how their Blue Sparkle is so much better because it leaves the chins sparkly. I personally like a nice looking clean chin and not a sparkle chin. I've used both and I don't like Blue Sparkle, but some people are just too cheap for Blue Cloud.

 

[tunes]

I've used both and I don't like Blue Sparkle, but some people are just too cheap for Blue Cloud.

I think you'll find that people with 1000s of animals use the sparkle for every day and breeders, and the cloud for show. It isn't about being cheap, it's about being economical. 2000 animals on blue cloud is a buttload of money, when blue sparkle is half the price.

 

[threewingedfury]

I think you'll find that people with 1000s of animals use the sparkle for every day and breeders, and the cloud for show. It isn't about being cheap, it's about being economical. 2000 animals on blue cloud is a buttload of money, when blue sparkle is half the price.

Yes, you're right, that is being economical - and it's being cheap, or at least cheapER. Just like using a generic brand of spaghetti sauce, you're saving money. I mentioned pet owners, not breeders. Not all breeders with over 1000 animals use the Blue Sparkle to be economical either. Shoots only uses Blue Cloud with thousands of animals in breeding. Of course many others do, but it's all about saving money. I'm not putting down using Blue Sparkle at all, I only stated my opinion that I do not like to use it.

 

[Becky]

Blue Sparkle is a good dust. There are many that show animals that use it and their animals do fine on the show table.

Cloud is somewhat better, but not a lot, IMO. I have a basement full of blue cloud, but I use sparkle because it is a ton cheaper. I usually use blue cloud on show animals, if I get around to changing it.

As far as I am concerned, using either blue cloud or blue sparkle is a toss up. It doesn't have to do with being cheap. It has to do with personal preference, and IMO being smart. The price we pay for Blue Cloud is stupid!

 

[Rob Walker]

Now I've thought i read online blue cloud goes for 2.00 a lbs. I am probably wrong but that doesn't seem too pricey, mainly because I only have 1 chin.

With baths I've always given 3-5 a week but I never monitored how much dust I actually put in her dust house, any rule of thumb?

 

[tunes]

I put at least an inch in the bottom of the pan for dust bathing.

Just to give you an idea of what we mean by saving money - when I started with chins, you could get Blue Sparkle for a little under $10.00 a bag. It's now $22+. That is a huge jump money wise, at least to me. Blue Sparkle you could get for around $8 a bag and now you can get it for around $14. I don't use it, so I can't give you an exact on that. The only reason I don't use it though, is because I don't have anywhere to store two different kinds of dust.

For you with a single or even 2 chins $2.00 a pound doesn't sound like a lot, but if you continue to buy it by the pound, you are paying $100.00 for a 50 pound bag of dust, plus shipping. Sounds a bit more pricey now, doesn't it?

 

[Rob Walker]

I can see how it all adds up, mainly because I was looking into buyng 5-10lbs bags at a time. Who knew that chinchillas are not even ressesion proof!

 

[3CsMommy]

I dislike the Blue Sparkle for a pet-chin situation because it makes bathroom play time SO much harder to clean up after! The silicates that make it sparkle also make it stick to... well, pretty much every surface possible. I *needed* wet towels to get it off of textured wall paper etc. when the Cloud came up with a regular dust rag and a good hard blow.

I usually buy dust from Carise at ForCHINate Chins rescue in Cleveland. Her Blue Sparkle is $1.00/pound, the Blue Cloud is $1.25. For 2 chins bathing 3-4 times/week in at least 1" of dust, 2 pounds lasted me between about 8 weeks. As long as nobody pees in it, you can get more than one good bath from that much dust. I usually change it every 5-7 baths, or when it starts to look clumpy/grainy from the skin oils it's picked up.

 

[Rob Walker]

3cs thanks a lot for your imput, that's where I might order the dust from Monday

 

[Essentia]

I charge $2.00 a lb because of the cost to ship it to me in the first place. If you find someone who lives near the mine, or who buys it by the ton, you can find it a lot cheaper. RCR, a member here, sells hers usually around .60 a lb.

 

[alli713]

You can also see if there's any breeders nearby, and then you can go direct to them and buy it and not have to pay for shipping.

Otherwise it makes sense to buy other things like toys and treats to fill up the rest of the flat rate box if you're only getting 5 or 10 lbs.

Otherwise if you don't have a local breeder, it's a good excuse to spoil your chin with a bunch of new toys

 

[tunes]

I can see how it all adds up, mainly because I was looking into buyng 5-10lbs bags at a time. Who knew that chinchillas are not even ressesion proof!

No, definitely not, unfortunately. Another thing going higher and higher is feed. Tradition when I started was $9.75 a bag. For a lot of people, it's $15.00 a bag now. When you have one or two chins that doesn't seem like a big deal. When you have 200+ and go through a bag every other day? Oye.

 

[jags]

With around 1500 chins in the barn at most times I use tons of Blue Sparkle every year for many reasons. First as everyone has pointed out it is less costly, I can get it for $200 plus shipping a ton if I buy by the truck load. I cannot even order a truckload of Blue Cloud because if you are not one of the regular buyers they do not even want to talk to you. Even those that order by the truckload pay for the load and then wait sometimes a year to get it. If we all depended on Blue Cloud as the only dust many animals would not get any as they are not much into over working themselves at the mine in CA. I have showed animals for years that have seen nothing but Blue Sparkle and compete very well at the top of the table. Blue Sparkle used to be much coarser than what it is now as I have ran sieve analysis on both for years and there is little difference anymore. You can say I am cheap but my animals and how they show tell me a different story. If I wanted to be cheap I would use atipokus dust out of Georgia or limestone dust from the nearest quarry.

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

I too use blue sparkle most of the time unless I am getting a chin ready for show. Also there is no need to give a chin a bath 5 times a week (it can dry the coat too much). Three times per weeek is plenty. Also I don't know if you are reusing the dust but I do (as many people do) until the dust looks dirty then I dump out, thoroughly clean the dust pan/dry and put fresh dust in

 

[tunes]

Obviously not for the JAGS, but for those want to recycle their dust, this is an awesome little tool to have around. http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.php?products_id=293 It fits nicely into the Ryerson dusters or the bread pans from Wal-Mart and sifts out pretty much anything that will clump. I just love this thing and it saves me a ton of dust.