A quick Caution
Always be sure you are purchasing sand and not dust or powder! Bathing dust is sold for chinchillas, but it can cause serious respiratory illness in hamsters. We will help you by listing the appropriate options.
safe Options for Sand
Play Sand
Pros
- Super cheap ($5-6 for 50lbs)
- Easy to find (hardware stores)
- Large quantity
Cons
- Requires baking for safety
- Large quantity can be too much!
Aquarium Sand
Pros
- Inexpensive for the amount ($10-15 for 10lbs)
- Reasonable quantity, perfect for one hamster
- Clean and no prep
- Some colour choice
Reptisand
Pros
- High quality!
- Extremely soft and smooth
- Quantity lasts a long time while still being easy to store
- No prep required
Cons
- Price ($18-20 for 10lbs)
If purchasing PLEASE make sure you are not buying calcium sand! Stick to the Zoomed Reptisand product over other reptile sands.
Niteangel Sand
Pros
- Luxury sand!
- Extremely soft and smooth
- Reasonable quantity
- No prep required
Cons
- Highest price ($19 for 6lbs)
Sand Box Options
Niteangel Acrylic Box
Niteangel Acrylic Box
Niteangel Acrylic Box
Niteangel Wood Box
Niteangel Acrylic Box
Niteangel Acrylic Box
Baking Dish
Niteangel Acrylic Box
Baking Dish
Any class or ceramic baking dish of any shape will do!
Pet Bowl
Don't Bother
Baking Dish
You can use a large dog bowl! Easy and inexpensive.
Don't Bother
Don't Bother
Don't Bother
These tiny "potties" don't have enough space! Hamsters simply don't like them or the clay ball litter.
Preparing Play Sand
Buy sand
Sanitizing the sand
Sanitizing the sand
We use and recommend purchasing plain old children's play sand for your hamster. The price is typically about $5 for a 50lb bag--this will likely last you the entirety of your hamster's life!
Here are some examples:
Also available at most garden centers!
Sanitizing the sand
Sanitizing the sand
Sanitizing the sand
The sand is often very moist inside of its bag. Because of this, it is a breeding ground for bacteria, microbes, and mold. Sand needs to be baked in order to sanitize it, kill any pests living inside, and dry it out for safe use.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees; the high heat makes quick work of getting through the whole bag!
- Open the ba
The sand is often very moist inside of its bag. Because of this, it is a breeding ground for bacteria, microbes, and mold. Sand needs to be baked in order to sanitize it, kill any pests living inside, and dry it out for safe use.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees; the high heat makes quick work of getting through the whole bag!
- Open the bag and start scooping it into the pans you're going to use. As in the photo above, we suggest these pans or similar heavy duty disposable roasting pans. The deep basin allows you to cook lots of sand at once!
- Once your oven is loaded up, let the sand cook for 60-90 minutes. Then, take the sand out and allow it to cool thoroughly.
- Once the sand is completely cool, pour it into a plastic storage tote and store wherever is convenient!
Using the sand
Sanitizing the sand
Using the sand
It's easy! Fill a container with some sand, and pop it in the cage--your hamster will do the rest.
To start, we recommend using disposable food containers, ceramic pie dishes, or glass baking dishes as litter boxes. This is a great opportunity for a thrift shop hunt!
If your hamster loves to dig, we suggest looking into building a sand fea
It's easy! Fill a container with some sand, and pop it in the cage--your hamster will do the rest.
To start, we recommend using disposable food containers, ceramic pie dishes, or glass baking dishes as litter boxes. This is a great opportunity for a thrift shop hunt!
If your hamster loves to dig, we suggest looking into building a sand feature into your cage--see the gallery below! This can be one side of your cage that is purely sand, or simply a larger, taller dish.
If you go the latter route, we suggest a large dog bowl or, our fave, the Fortiflex Mini Pan.