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Old 09-29-2019, 04:30 PM  
EmmaAndChester
Hamster Pup
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Dublin City, Ireland
Posts: 162
Default Re: Soil in enclosure?

Using soil (or any soil 'replicate', like coco-fibre) as the main substrate in a hamster enclosure can be problematic. For burrowing species it is very difficult to maintain the moisture soil needs to be stable enough to hold burrows, while simultaneously ensuring that the moisture isn't too high for it to cause respiratory issues for the hamster. It works for reptiles, because overhead heating keeps top layers dry; but it just doesnt work for small animals, in my personal experience at least. Its such a difficult line to maintain that overall, i dont recommend it. Providing it in a sectioned area though, is totally fine - though im not sure about topsoil itself (i dont generally recommend using substrates that aren't marketed for animal use, just to potential risk of fertiliser or other contaminants). Coconut fibre and something like Arcadia earth mix (or earth mix arid) though, are what i would personally recommend.

I use arcadia with my Leopard gecko, hedgehog, and hamsters - for the Leo its his entire substrate, for the others its offered in a small contained area. All of them are species who do not like prolonged spikes of high humidity, and I've never had any issues with the stuff. I lightly mist it every morning (otherwise, like all soil, it will dry out and become extremely dusty) but it never feels 'damp' or wet, and doesn't spike humidity beyond unsafe levels. I do thing its a fun thing to provide for them; they love digging in it, and its a great provision of additional enrichment.

Never read anything about ingesting small amounts of substrate as being harmful either. For a healthy animal, that should be no area of concern. Clay would be in their natural environment, after all.
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