sand

Question
-------------------------
Followup To
Question -
-------------------------
Followup To
Question -
Since I know that hamsters live in the desert. I decided to get my dwarf hamster desert sand at the store. Is this fine?
Answer -
Dear Conner,
thank you for your question.
You can keep dwarf hamsters on sand, but it doesn't have to be desert sand. Normal playsand is fine as longh as you supply a bowl with chinchilla sand to bathe in.
However, the cage/tank will get very heavy with the sand and cleaning won't be easy. Sand tends to get smelly after a short time, too.
If you want to try this anyway, that's fine and I know several peolpe who keep dwarfs on sand successfully, but the hamster will be just as happy on normal bedding.


on the chinchillia bathing sand is says keep in for 10 mins. Do you think I should just keep it there
I hope I was of some help to you
Jennifer

For the sand I have it in a little bowl in the middle of his cage. and the rest of the bottom is with aspen bedding.
Answer -
Then I recommend chinchilla bathing sand, it's very fine and will keep the hamsters fur free from fat. Desert sand is too coarse to bathe in and will destroy the hairs, the fur will no longer keep the hamster warm eventually.

Answer
I offer sand baths all the time. I guess it's says that because chinchillas often throw the sand out of their bath while bathing and it's not that cheap, but in my opinion chinchillas, dwarf hamsters and other sand-bathing rodents should be allowed to bathe when they want to.