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Old 05-10-2020, 02:33 AM   #1
OCS97
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Default Best sand for sand bath?

Hi, struggling to find sand for my syrians sand bath. What would you all recommend? Can i use reptile sand? Everything seems to be out of stock at the minute.
thanks
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Old 05-10-2020, 02:41 AM   #2
AmityvilleHams
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Default Re: Best sand for sand bath?

Children's play sand is the safest and most economical choice. You'll have to rinse, sift, and bake it for safety reasons but it is an excellent option.

I would stay away from reptile sand. The safety is questionable at best, and the cost is higher than play sand(which is known to be safe as long as you rinse, sift, and bake it) - typically a ridiculous cost difference when you consider how little sand you get in comparison.

If you can't get play sand at the moment, I would just wait until it comes back into stock.
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Old 05-10-2020, 04:29 AM   #3
Vierville
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Default 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.
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Old 05-10-2020, 04:35 AM   #4
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Default Re: Best sand for sand bath?

Hi. I get this JR Farm one from Zooplus. It’s quite a big bag so will last for ages. It’s in stock . It’s a 4kg bag so equivalent to four of the tubes of tiny friends sand. Reckon my bag will last me well over a year!

https://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small...ter/sand/42425
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Old 05-10-2020, 04:52 AM   #5
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Default Re: Best sand for sand bath?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Serendipity7000 View Post
Reckon my bag will last me well over a year!
Your hammies are economical! My three go through 2kg each month!
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Old 05-10-2020, 08:16 AM   #6
LunaTheHamster1
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Default Re: Best sand for sand bath?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Serendipity7000 View Post
Hi. I get this JR Farm one from Zooplus. It’s quite a big bag so will last for ages. It’s in stock . It’s a 4kg bag so equivalent to four of the tubes of tiny friends sand. Reckon my bag will last me well over a year!

https://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small...ter/sand/42425
I will try some of this Serendipity, I wanted to move away from the tiny friends one, but don't have the energy to sort out childrens play sand.
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Old 05-10-2020, 08:18 AM   #7
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Default Re: Best sand for sand bath?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Vierville View Post
Your hammies are economical! My three go through 2kg each month!
Vierville, I think that is the difference with Syrians. My syrians have never used their sand baths as a toilet. If they use it they just use it to clean in. So the sand lasts for ages like Serendipity's seems to.
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Old 05-10-2020, 05:16 PM   #8
Vierville
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Default Re: Best sand for sand bath?

Yeah two of my dwarves use their sand as toilets so you're right, it has to be changed very frequently. My third dwarf wees in his tube tunnel. I'm not sure which I prefer to be honest!
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Old 05-11-2020, 12:52 AM   #9
OCS97
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Default Re: Best sand for sand bath?

Thank you for all your replies. The children's play sand sounds like a great idea but I just don't have the time to be do all that preparing. I will definitely have a look at the JR Farm one on zooplus. thank you
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Old 05-11-2020, 11:12 AM   #10
cypher
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Default Re: Best sand for sand bath?

Children's play sand isn't that much bother really. It may be different in other countries but here in the uk there is no need to do anything other than dry it, so just putting it on a baking tray in the oven for a while is fine.
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