What size sand bath.

[Frida]

Hello everyone, is there a minimum size for a sand bath. Albert has a square tub, internal size 11cm x 11cm x about 4cm deep. It's about one third full of sand. Albert is very protective of his sand bath and will charge and attack if I go to clean it if he's in his cage. So I guess he's happy with it.

 

[RainbowBrite]

I would say just to have one as big as possible as dwarf hamsters love to roll in sand and use it to clean themselves. Mine is (L25cm x W20cm x H18.5cm) which allows a deep sand so it does not get kicked out.

 

[Member ID2]

There's no size requirement as such but it needs to be big enough for a hamster to be able to roll in it.
They quite like something with a little cover. I use Asda bon bon jars for my dwarfs placed under a shelf.
There's a thread on sandbaths here.

 

[Frida]

There's no size requirement as such but it needs to be big enough for a hamster to be able to roll in it.
They quite like something with a little cover. I use Asda bon bon jars for my dwarfs placed under a shelf.
There's a thread on sandbaths here.

What does a bon bon jar look like? I'm going to Asda tomorrow to do my weekly shop.

 

[Maz]

I think it sounds fine Salt pigs work quite well as sand baths as well but you don't need to buy anything special - an old ice cream tub would do.

 

[Frida]

Thank you everyone I'm sure I'll have more questions for you all soon.

 

[Member ID2]

What does a bon bon jar look like? I'm going to Asda tomorrow to do my weekly shop.

That's a bon bon jar. It's what i use for some hams but can be anything that fits and that the hamster likes.

 

[elusive]

I find they like a bit of cover & quite a bit of space too. I’ve used the Haden bird bath for a lot of mine & they love it.
Haden bird bath

 

[Frida]

That's a bon bon jar. It's what i use for some hams but can be anything that fits and that the hamster likes.

View attachment 1562

Thank you

 

[Frida]

I find they like a bit of cover & quite a bit of space too. I’ve used the Haden bird bath for a lot of mine & they love it.
Haden bird bath

Thank you

 

[Frida]

What does everyone think about using this tub 24cm x 17cm x 8cm deep with tea light holder inside. I might put a ledge over the top too.

 

[RainbowBrite]

That looks lovely to me! A nice deep tub for plenty of sand and a hide to help Albert to feel safe.

 

[elusive]

That looks good to me too, a ledge to make a darker hideout area would work well too I think as long as it was high enough.

 

[Frida]

My next problem. What to put it on. I can push it down into the substrate but will he dig under it?

 

[elusive]

My Russian hams have never tended to dig under tubs of sand like that, they do dig under houses & hides but not sand baths, it is possible though so you might want to think about putting it on a low shelf or something, I think it would most likely be ok on a shallow layer of substrate though.

 

[RainbowBrite]

I always put sand baths on a platform to ensure a hamster cannot get crushed by it.

 

[Member ID2]

I put them on top of a house or platform. The jars go straight on the floor.

My Robo Bernard has a square pie dish sandbath with an oilburner hide, similar to yours and he likes it. I put a boredom breaker mat on top of his cage over the sandbath area for added shelter. Have also cut out little cardboard shelters for square sandbaths before to go on the outside of a corner.

 

[Frida]

Thank you Rainbow and

I always put sand baths on a platform to ensure a hamster cannot get crushed by it.

Thank you

 

[Frida]

I put them on top of a house or platform. The jars go straight on the floor.

My Robo Bernard has a square pie dish sandbath with an oilburner hide, similar to yours and he likes it. I put a boredom breaker mat on top of his cage over the sandbath area for added shelter. Have also cut out little cardboard shelters for square sandbaths before to go on the outside of a corner.

Thank you

 

[Maz]

I think it looks great. I thought the whole tub was for sand as well as the tealight? That way the tealight could just stay sitting on the base of the tub.