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Vierville · 05-10-2020, 04:29 AM

I definitely agree with AmityvilleHams.

Typically the sand you buy in pet shops that is marketed as 'chinchilla/ hamster bathing sand' is about 14 times more expensive than childrens' play sand (and it is the exact same thing).

As AmityvilleHams said, you have to sift, rinse and bake it. It's not much of a mission though. I sift it first to remove any debris (there usually isn't much if you get a good quality play sand), then put a quantity of the sand into a bowl at an angle under a fast-flowing tap to allow the water to flow into the bowl, over the sand and out again.

Drain the sand in a fine kitchen sieve and put it into a deep baking tray. Bake for about two hrs at the highest temperature you can (I do it at 230 degrees C).

Preparing your own hamster bathing sand is by far the most cost-effective way and you also get to control the quality of the sand yourself.

05-10-2020, 04:29 AM
Vierville Hamster Addict Join Date: Jun 2019 Posts: 1,010	Re: Best sand for sand bath? I definitely agree with AmityvilleHams. Typically the sand you buy in pet shops that is marketed as 'chinchilla/ hamster bathing sand' is about 14 times more expensive than childrens' play sand (and it is the exact same thing). As AmityvilleHams said, you have to sift, rinse and bake it. It's not much of a mission though. I sift it first to remove any debris (there usually isn't much if you get a good quality play sand), then put a quantity of the sand into a bowl at an angle under a fast-flowing tap to allow the water to flow into the bowl, over the sand and out again. Drain the sand in a fine kitchen sieve and put it into a deep baking tray. Bake for about two hrs at the highest temperature you can (I do it at 230 degrees C). Preparing your own hamster bathing sand is by far the most cost-effective way and you also get to control the quality of the sand yourself.