Sand Baths?

[Torbus]

So... I've never really included a sand bath in my hamsters cages but that was a while ago. I haven't got my hamster yet but I'm in the process of planning and setting up his cage and I was wondering if it was worth adding a sand bath? I'm getting a Syrian and I read that Syrians don't really tend to use them and just end up using them as toilets and I already have a ceramic corner toilet for him which I will be putting "Potty Litt'a'" in. Do you think it's worth it to order some sand too?

[AmityvilleHams]

You should definitely not use any of the storebought "hamster litters". They're clay based and can be quite harmful, whether it be the dust levels or potentially causing blockages and such.

However, the cheapest and most effective solution is just using baked and sifted children's play sand.

[Torbus]

Originally Posted by AmityvilleHams

You should definitely not use any of the storebought "hamster litters". They're clay based and can be quite harmful, whether it be the dust levels or potentially causing blockages and such.

However, the cheapest and most effective solution is just using baked and sifted children's play sand.

Hi! Thanks for replying to me.

This is the potty litter I had bought and planned to use, so is it not safe?

Is there a safe sand I could buy, even if it's just for the toilet, that doesn't require me to bake it? I don't think the people I live with would appreciate me putting sand in the oven.

[LunaTheHamster1]

Hi, I have a syrian hamster and she loves her sandbath, it's the first thing she uses when she wakes up. She doesn't use it as a litter tray either. I highly recommend them.

[Coco61]

Many people use the Tiny Friends Farm bathing sand. Same makers as Harry Hamster food.
I have it and have no problems.

[mikatelyn]

My syrian loves his sand baths (he has 2). He does use one of them as a potty, and he digs in another corner of the same tray. Then he likes to go in the other one and just dig around. I always wonder what he's thinking when he does it, but for sure it's a favorite hangout of his.
I also use play sand, just put it in a big bowl, bake at 350F for 30 minutes, then leave it in there to cool for a couple of hours before handling it. Then I just refill the litter tray from that bowl over the next week or two until it runs out.
It doesn't make a mess or anything.

[AmityvilleHams]

Originally Posted by Torbus

Hi! Thanks for replying to me.

This is the potty litter I had bought and planned to use, so is it not safe?

Is there a safe sand I could buy, even if it's just for the toilet, that doesn't require me to bake it? I don't think the people I live with would appreciate me putting sand in the oven.

That one is definitely not safe, despite claims of being "natural"(plenty natural things are dangerous or even toxic especially when dealing with pets).

Also if you want to avoid a sand-related mess perhaps a precautionary extra deep baking dish will be a good idea, although you'll probably do just fine anyways even with a normal baking sheet or something similar.

[Torbus]

Ok, thank you everyone for your help!

How about using chinchilla sand? I found this on zooplus?

[mangoandmimi]

I’ve used that zooplus one it’s fine. Prefer it to the tiny friends farm. It’ll need to be in something deep enough to dig in and big enough to use properly so at least a roast dish size.

[Ria P]

I have a Syrian and use the same sand as Coco does. Hamster uses it daily or nightly in his enamelled pie dish sand bath and never had any issues. He loves to dig in the sand, keeps it clean and never pees or poops in it. He has two ceramic corner loos, one in the house and one in a corner, uses both and both are filled with substrate. No special litter because i don't see the need.