Chinchilla grooming

Question
Hello.
I was wondering if you could tell me if it is necessary for chinchillas to have sand baths or can they go with out them? If not do they really need the baths every day? Also my chinchilla has a piece of matted fur that's knotted together. Should I cut it or leave it or try to comb through it? She also has some pieces of fur that are bit longer than others. Should I trim them to make them even? Thank you.

Answer
It is essential you allow your chinchilla to have a dust bath at least 3 times a week.  You should use chinchilla dust that you can buy from pet shops but not proper sand.

If the fur is matted it needs to be shaved or cut off.  Ask a local vet as they should be able to do this if your chinchilla is fast.  They would probably use anaesthetic to do this.  If your chinchilla's fur looks like that then I would trim it or get a vet to do it for you.

Thanks