Reptile Moss, Sand and Wood Finishes?

[SnoWolf]

I’ve been scouring the web for some nice stuff to put in my upcoming natural themed cage, and recently found out that SG has millet & oat sprays (yay) so now I’m just exploring options to make the cage better.

I’ve seen plenty of German cages with moss in it, and I was wondering if it’d be wiser to use packaged reptile moss or live moss? So far I’ve only heard about Sphagnum moss being safe for hamsters, but are there any more? I have access to quite a few Exo Terra and Zoo Med items.

For sand, I am currently using normal chinchilla sand, but I stumbled across this:
Exo Terra : Desert Sand / Desert Terrarium Substrate
I was wondering would the black sand look good or should I just stick to normal sand? It’s probably cheaper to get the reptile sand too

For wood finishes I’m trying to find one in SG because we don’t have Plastikote. Would like to get some opinions on Mod Podge and how to use it, plus this finish:
https://www.frenchicpaint.com.sg/col...finishing-coat
I know hardwoods are safe for hamsters, but I’m still unclear if I can use them for DIYs and such without needing to use a finisher/varnish.

Appreciate the time and effort to read this and for helping me out!

[cypher]

I would definitely stick to the packaged moss & even with that I freeze it for about a week just to be on the safe side.

The reptile sand looks very similar to the sand that Rodipet sell so it should be ok but I'm not totally sure.

No idea bout the wood finish, sorry.

[Sasha04]

Stick with packaged moss. Like cypher said, freeze it for about a week or so to kill any bacteria or other nasties. I’ve heard reptile moss is not safe to eat but most hams tell that it is not safe.
No idea on the other things! Best of luck!

[larry ben kenobi]

I just saw my ham pouch some reptile moss to use for her bedding, for the first time. Should I be removing it from the cage? I froze it for a little over a week as I got it before I got her.

[mangoandmimi]

Originally Posted by larry ben kenobi

I just saw my ham pouch some reptile moss to use for her bedding, for the first time. Should I be removing it from the cage? I froze it for a little over a week as I got it before I got her.

It is safe for them to use as bedding so I wouldn’t worry. Don’t know about eating it but not heard of any eating moss disaster stories. Although I’d also be removing it if I saw any chewing or nibbling really!