you don't need soil as such although some peat would be nice but you ideally want to mix it with a whole host of hamster safe substrates such as shredded cardboard and brown paper, soft meadow dried grass/hay, dust and heat treated shavings, paper pelleted cat litter, carefresh and maybe some corncob or hemp bedding, whatever is available in your area. Pure peat will be too heavy and the tunnels created will potentially collapse too easily possibly harming your hamster. You also should be aware that hamsters are very clean animals and will spend a long time licking themselves after being in the "digging room" so you want to make sure it is not too dirty. They will not appreciate getting muddy and believe it or not a hamster would more than likely prefer a large sand bath to a peat box to dig in.
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