Hi - You can get rid of mealy bugs without using poison. They are killed instantly with alcohol (rubbing, not vodka 
)
Take the plant out and clean cage thoroughly - you don't want a stray insect that fell off on its way out to re-infest a new plant! Quarantine the plant from all your other house plants. I always find a bathroom/tub to be a good place. Mix one cup rubbing alcohol and one quart water. Spray plant thoroughly - both sides of leaves as well as stem crotches. DON'T DO THIS IN THE SUN you'll fry your plant.
Then take a q-tip, dip in alcohol and touch to all the insects you see. They can be very small so look carefully. Actually, you can do these steps in either order. It wouldn't hurt to repot it with fresh sterile soil
In the meantime put in a clean temporary plant for you cham. Using a fake one for the time being might be a good idea b/c if there are any mealies left they will die with no food - or they'll wander onto another plant!
I would keep the mealie plant out for a full week. Treat daily using both steps. It may seem like a lot but your other option is tossing the plant and buying a new one. If it is a serious infestation that is what I would suggest doing but if you caught it early you should be able to get rid of them.
Give the plant a thorough rinsing with clear water before returiong it to the cage. Using alcohol is better for the cham, you, your family/housemates and the environment 
The very first plant that got me interested in plants (I now have a degree in horticulture) was a mealie infested plant of my mom's. I spent hours doing the q-tip/alcohol thing. It was a springeri and I still have it...that was in 1980!
Hope this helps you out!
lele
>>hi just wondering if anyone has had this problem before and if you have comments/advice on how i am handling it.
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>>my veiled's hibiscus has mealybugs, tiny white powdery bugs that congregate at the stem bases. i have to treat the whole plant with a fungicide/insecticide spray and i know i can't do this while my cham is living in it! she's been living happily in it since early spring w/ no probs.
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>>i am going to get another plant for her to live in while i treat the hibiscus for the mealybugs, but then what? can i rinse it off after 24 hours and put her back in it? or should i just start fresh with a new hibiscus?
my mom (another home remedies fan) also mentioned i could use soapy water but i'll try the alcohol water/first. i got my cham a tall ficus to hang out in while her hibiscus is in quarantine. sounds so dramatic!