Sand baths- advice please!

Ebbtide · 05-08-2016, 04:22 AM

Hello,

I have had my Syrian for three weeks and read on the forum that hamsters love sand baths. I introduced one to his cage yesterday and he paid no notice to it. However, when I checked this morning he'd clearly been having fun as there was sand everywhere! This is despite the fact it was in a plastic container with quite high sides.

He has created a bit of a mess. Is there an easy way to clean it up? He has carefresh bedding and the sand on the bedding and below it.

Also, should I leave the sand bath in his cage all the time or introduce it 2/3 times a week like it says on the pack?

This is my first hamster in 15 years and hamster care has changed a lot! I'd really appreciate your advice. Thanks in advance!

velma · 05-08-2016, 10:09 AM

Some hams love it, some aren't bothered. Some can get dry skin with a sand bath so have it as occasional treat but I've had no bother with any on mine and leave them in. For my Syrian I have sand in a glass biscuit jar for her, which she uses as her toilet so that's handy for cleaning. She also loves having a massive dig around and it goes everywhere. I just leave it to sink to the bottom of the cage. Any wet sand clumps and seems to not get kicked about. So I think it's fine to leave it mixed in worth the substrate, personally.

pinkneon · 05-08-2016, 10:31 AM

My syrian loves digging in his sand, but some don't. Some will use it as a toilet too

I think it's mostly dwarf hamsters that use it to keep themselves clean though. But leaving it in all the time is fine, especially if your hamster decides to use it as a toilet!

**Cinnamon Bear** · 05-08-2016, 10:38 AM

I just started using chinchilla sand for my hamsters and thought it would dry their skin out so I was nervous at first because of the directions on the box saying I should only leave it in their cages for 20 minutes.

But people on the forum helped and I started leaving in their baths all the time and 2 of them sleep in it sometimes and another uses it as her potty.

So it didn't dry out their skin like I thought. Heard it can though but maybe rare.

oddlyoblivious · 05-08-2016, 02:26 PM

I've tried Walnut sand, which just created a huge mess, I've also done the chinchilla sand which tends to leave their fur much fluffier. My syrians seem to enjoy it, I used a gallon glass fish bowl tipped on its sides to contain the mess, but the easiest method for cleaning it that I've found is a vacuum cleaner hose attachment. (not while the ham is in the cage of course) But if you are using carefresh be careful because the substrate can clog the hose. I have a shop vac especially for cage cleans. >.>

Rads · 05-08-2016, 03:12 PM

I use "Tiny Friends" bathing sand for Pip, she uses it as her toilet I have it set up in a small hamster house in her cage, she normally uses it as a sand bath at first then it becomes her toilet, though she will go and sleep in there too silly creature.....

pinkneon · 05-08-2016, 03:57 PM

Sweep is currently eating in his sand ...!

**DrKMcK** · 05-08-2016, 05:14 PM

Hello Ebbtide. As others have said, some hammies like it and some don't. Every dwarf I've had loves it and none of my Syrians did. It depends on the hamster. There's really no telling what a hamster will decide to like.

Yours apparently likes it enough to fling it around. Must have been lots of fun for your furry friend.

Pebbles82 · 05-09-2016, 05:20 AM

I should leave the sand where it is - it'll just sink to the bottom in time

and observe what he does next! If the sand bath is now mostly empty it'll be interesting to see what he does with the sand bath. If he decided to put the sand on the substrate he can decide what to do with it next lol.

Our Syrian seems to dislike sand lol. That's why I was suggesting wait to see what he does next. He had a smaller sand bath - a salt pig and would kick all the sand out. I'd refill it and he'd kick it all out again and fill up the salt pig with nice cosy bedding and turned it into a cosy hide! So he clearly thought the salt pig was better as a hide.

He has sand in his potty and he tends to kick all that out and put substrate in his potty instead. I think he's trying to tell me he doesn't like sand - not sure what else to put in the potty though - but he no longer has a sand bath in his cage. The salt pig is currently a graveyard for monkey nut shells.

So I shouldn't worry too much about it. I believe dwarf hamsters are supposed to have a sand bath, but it's less of a necessity with Syrians - and you could even just give him a sand bath out of the cage once a week maybe.

On the other hand he could have just been having fun in there and trying to dig down to the bottom to see if he could dig his way out. Some people use those glass cookie jars for a sand bath so the sand is less likely to get kicked out if he's just digging.

This kind of thing - angled - but there are cheaper ones around

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anchor-Hock...ass+cookie+jar

Evelyn · 05-09-2016, 07:21 AM

I have a 'hamstertoilet' too. Once she's more comfy I expect Beauty will use it.