Help with sand bath for my dwarf?

[Hanhanboban]

Hey everyone (:

Today I bought some chinchilla bathing sand that states that it's suitable for hamsters too, as Gizmo and Gimli are looking a little greasy!

They've never had one before but I've put their baths in and they've been digging around in it, Gizmo's got the hang of it and is having a little roll about but Gimli is just sitting in hers.

I heard abit of a crunch coming from Gizmo at first and I'm worried he might've eaten abit, and Gimli is just sitting in her bath and I'm worried she might be eating it too.

Is it bad for them to be eating it? I don't want my babies to get ill ):

Also how long should I leave the baths in there for? And how long of a roll around do they need before they're clean enough for me to remove it?

Thanks a lot in advance (:
Hannah xx

[Hekomi]

They will often taste the sand at first. No worries. Some of them don't like to roll around in it. She will get the hang of it eventually

My boys have their sand all the time, they use it as a potty.

[Chewster]

Don't worry Chewy tried eating hers when I first put it in... It can't of tasted too good as she stopped pretty soon!!

[DrKMcK]

Hi Hanhanboban (I keep saying banana, bo bana bo ban in my head every time I write that . That song, The Name Game, came out when I was young.) Anyway...don't worry about the sand. My hammies also have the Chinchilla Volcanic shelves and they chew on those too. It doesn't seem to bother any of them to nibble the dust. Both of my dwarf hams store food in the sand too. Silly fluffs.

[Hamsterz4Life]

The hamster have never seen or experienced sand before, so it will investigate it in all senses! Now its been tasted, its safe to say they will be sticking to their food bowl.

I keep it in the cage permanently, it does not need to be removed. And I change the sand when it starts to smell as hamsters often use it as a toilet x

[Hanhanboban]

Thanks for all the help it's really made me feel better!

Gizmo loves his I've left it in there overnight for him and he loves rolling around in it! His fur is looking so clean and shiny (: Gimli's sat in hers but I don't think she quite understands it, her bath isn't as big as Gizmo's so I've just ordered her a new one!

Thanks a lot for all your help (:
Hannah xx