washing Tiny Friends Farm bathing sand?

[cosmo2024]

Hello
I recently got a Syrian hamster a few days ago and I am setting up a sand bath for him. I purchased some Tiny Friends Farm bathing sand, however I am learning that some people are not recommending this as it can be dusty and dangerous. I could wash the sand to try and remove the dust from it and then dry it in the oven before I give it to him. Or is the sand still dangerous in another way? People online have said that there could be clay in it that causes it to clump up when wet, but when I wet the sand it did not appear to do this.
Do you think that I could still use this sand if I wash it to get rid of the dust? I just think that it is a bit of a waste to throw the whole bag away if the only problem is dust but I will get a different sand if you guys think I should.
Also, what is a good tray to put it in? I bought a clear storage tray from the store but im not sure what plastic it is, maybe acrylic. Can I use this or is there any plastics that are harmful if they chew on them? the tray has no markings about what plastic it is.
Thanks

 

[Maz]

Hello and welcome. To be honest, I used this sand for quite a long time without any issues at all. It's sepiolite sand and there are varying views on whether or not it is safe or turns hard when wet. Generally, in the hamster world, sepiolite sand is not recommended and people use calcium free quartz sand and reptile sand. However, sepiolite is not actually clay, and the German sites all sell sepiolite sand and many German hamster owners use it.

Someone on Facebook did an experiment to show sepiolite sand did set when wet and suggested it was unsafe if the hamster ate it.

I'm still in two minds about it myself - as I've never had any issues and I can't see why a hamster would eat it, but it's a possibility. I did find it used to set hard onto a ceramic litter tray when wet, but during a discussion about this on here before, I think it was @Daisy suggested that could be a thing specific to Syrian hamsters, who have more calcium in their urine (ie the calcium causing the sand to stick).

Washing it won't be of any help and I think it would be unusable afterwards. As for being dusty, you'll find with all sands, some people will find it dusty and some won't - maybe it's certain batches, or peoples' views of dustiness. I never found the Tiny Friends sand to be particularly dusty, but again batches may vary.

It would probably do no harm to just use the sand. However there is quite strong feeling about it in the hamster world these days, with people preferring to use natural sand or dessert sand (quartz-based but it needs to be calcium-free). I don't think any hamster sand is perfect - I find the natural sand a bit fine.

So you could either use it, or decide not to and get natural sand or dessert sand. I have to say I did move to using natural sand eventually. But sepiolite sand is still largely used in Germany and I do think the idea that it is "clay" is a bit of an over-reaction. Sepiolite sand is a clay mineral, but I was informed that the way the sand was obtained and treated meant it isn't actually a clay. The confusion is that sepiolite is actually a clay. Sepiolite sand is slightly different apparently.

 

[Daisy]

Washing sepiolite wouldn't really work as it would go sticky. It does tend to be more dusty than other sands but I have never had an issue with it over years of using sepiolite.

I think the tests that have been done to show that sepiolite sometimes sets aren't really reflective of how a hamster's digestive system actually works. The digestive system is constantly moving so sepiolite isn't really likely to set hard unless there is an illness causing motility issues, in which case even normal food could cause an obstruction. Also, just about any material in a hamster's cage could theoretically cause issues if swallowed in large amounts, whether than be wood shavings, paper bedding, wood etc. Paper bedding can sometimes set hard when wet too. Most non-food materials will cause an intestinal obstruction under certain conditions but fortunately hamsters generally know and can be trusted not to eat them, the same as adult humans can be generally be trusted not to eat the carpet in our houses. Eating lots of sand or other stuff that isn't food (pica) is usually a sign of a nutrient deficiency or another health issue.

 

[Maz]

The big danger with ingestion is fluffy bedding, which can cause a blockage. And also cotton string. Hamsters will chew some things like that.

 

[Daisy]

Yes, fluffy bedding tangles and compacts in a way that makes it more dangerous than most other materials. And because it tends to stick to things, hamsters can unintentionally ingest with food or when grooming.