Sand bath - how often to re-fill?

[fluffymunchkins]

oh forgot to say...back t the original question!
Yes like others i just keep sand in all the time for both my dwarf and syrian.
then replace on clean out day, but i find porridges is mostly kicked everywhere

I use a varitey of things to keep it in - Peggy has a big cermaic rabbit type bowl. And for porridge i use cardboard tray (creme egg boxes) or plastic food trays (chocolate finger trays)

[Humphrey Furball]

Mmmmm, choclolate fingers - I think I should buy some and eat them, to get a nice sand-tray for my hamster (obviously I'm only thinking of him )

[fluffymunchkins]

lol yh thats my escuse with the pringles tubes i use for him aswell!
NOOOOO i am craving chocolate fingers, creme eggs and pringles now XD

[Humphrey Furball]

Do you use the pringles tubes as tunnels? I never thought of that!! Have seen the lids used as little food trays, but for a syrian the tube would be a great size! Off to ASDA then!

[fluffymunchkins]

yh cause as soon as i got porridge i realized he wasn't tiny like peggy and wouldn't fit in normal cardboard tubes.
I really struggled for syrian sized toys at first cause i as so used to a robo.

Just make sure to remove and peel the plastic lid and foil. Then for the metal bottom, use a tin opener and cut off any sharp bits with scissors. Although there normally isn't if you use a tin opener.
Oh and wash all the salt and crumbs out too!

[Humphrey Furball]

Thanks FM; good tip about the tin-opener, I would have probably spent this evening in A&E otherwise!

[MickyB]

What I do with my hamsters sand bath is sift the sand daily using a small sieve or tea strainer to get all the clumps out.. Its far more hygienic and then i replace the entire sand about every ten days.

[fluffymunchkins]

yh some hamster potys come with lil scoops to do this, But a sieve is way cheaper. It should save money too cause your only removing the dirty sand.

Oh and glad i saved a trip to A&E My family tease me cause i struggle to use a tin opener!

[BrainGirl]

A bit off topic but I had to respond to the suggestion to use Pringles tubes for syrians. It's a great idea, btw! Unfortunately, I just threw one out and I'm not likely to buy any more. I don't know if they're available in the UK, but over here, food businesses use plastic cling wrap that comes in a giant roll. The tubes in the middle are about the size of a Pringles can but made of very thick cardboard and would be perfect for my syrian! I got mine at a cupcake bakery around the corner but I gave it to my gerbils. I'm thinking this is a good excuse to start visiting bakeries all over the city

As for the dust, I'll stop using it and go buy some play sand at the hardware store. Is there anything else I can use the dust for that I have? Naturally I bought the biggest container :P Can I use it in garden soil? I'm guessing yes.

[Humphrey Furball]

It is your moral duty to visit those bakeries; also for the dust, you could always get a chinchilla