Is Silica Sand Safe for Hamsters?

Hamsters are small, low-maintenance pets suitable for people with different lifestyles. These furry creatures are also self-cleaning, meaning it doesn’t take much to keep them clean, and you can provide them with occasional sand baths. What about silica sand—is it safe for hamsters?

Silica sand is not safe for hamsters. Most long-time hamster owners agree that silica sand is dangerous for hamster sand baths if it has a dusty consistency. Silica sand is also unsafe if it contains dyes or scents that may harm hamsters if inhaled.

Silica, also called quartz sand or industrial sand, is composed of silica and oxygen (silicon dioxide). It has many industrial and domestic uses and can be found in pet care products.

Keep reading to discover why the safety of silica sand as hamster sand baths is at the center of an ongoing debate.

Silica Sand and Its Uses

So, you’re wondering what makes silica sand different from regular sand.

Note that regular sand always contains silica, but only less than 95%. Silica sand is mined from sandstones found in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois.

Some industrial uses of silica sand are:

• Industrial abrasives: It’s used as mineral abrasive for industrial blasting.
• Glassmaking: Silica is the primary component found in standard glass products.
• Paints and coating: Silica improves the look and durability of paints.
• Ceramics and refractories: Silica is used to produce and glaze ceramics.
• Golf courses: Silica sand is also used in bunkers and greens because it supports drainage and natural plant growth.
• Water Filtration: Silica is an effective filtration bed that makes it ideal for filtering tap water.

Crystalline silica is a known human carcinogen. A study conducted by The National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health in Ohio and Maryland also found silica sand to be carcinogenic in hamsters. Why do industries use silica sand to make glassware, ceramics, and even water filters if silica sand is so toxic?

For silica to be toxic to humans or animals, it has to be inhaled into the respiratory system, where it causes damage to the tissues of the respiratory tract, causing scarring that could impair respiratory function.

Read further to understand why some pet owners use silica sand for their hamsters and why the danger of silica sand isn’t always a present threat. But first, let’s take a dip into hamster sand baths and why hamsters need them.

Read Is Calcium Sand Safe for Hamsters

Why Do Hamsters Need Sand Baths?

Hamsters need sand baths because these furry rodents are self-cleaning. You can’t bathe hamsters using water and shampoo or soap like you would with most pets. Water, shampoo, or soap could strip a hamster’s fur of oils that protect the underlying skin from dryness or irritation.

Suppose your hamster starts to look a bit greasy. You can offer it a sand bath, which is essentially sand that’s rated pet-safe, or more specifically, hamster-safe, placed in a bowl or container deep enough for it to roll around in and shallow enough for it to get itself out of.

Some pet brands sell custom containers for sand baths, but any container that meets the specifications is good enough. What matters the most is the sand used for the sand bath. But before getting into that, why do hamsters need sand baths at all if they’re self-cleaning?

Hamsters can pretty much clean themselves, but sometimes, the naturally produced oils that coat the hamster’s fur build up and cause the fur to become greasy.

At this point, your hamster will appreciate a sand bath as the sand bath helps it get the excess oils out of its fur without stripping its skin. Sand baths are enjoyed by dwarf hamsters more than Syrian hamsters.

Read Can You Use Regular Sand for Hamsters?

How To Choose the Right Sand for Your Hamster

With so many bath sands saturating the market, how does one know which sands are safe for their hamsters? The process of sifting through the conflicting information online is tedious, time-consuming, and, worst of all, confusing.

However, a pattern starts to emerge when you’ve combed through enough hamster forums, which can be quite informative. Regardless of brand, hamster owners seem to agree on a few general rules. They are as follows:

• Avoid dusty sand. Dust is respirable, and whether they’re carcinogenic or not, it can wreak havoc on your hamster’s relatively small respiratory system.
• Avoid sands with a powdery texture. Like dusty sand baths, sands with powdery textures may also be fine enough to be inhaled.
• Avoid sand that has dyes and scents. As a general rule, any sand with additives is probably not the best for your pet. It’s hard to know what risks the additives carry, after all.
• Avoid clay-based sand because of its fine grain. It’s easily respirable.
• Avoid calcium-based sand because, if ingested, it could cause alkalosis, which could neutralize stomach acid, leading to a host of digestive problems; it can also lead to hypercalcemia, which can cause nerve damage and muscle weakness.
• Avoid brands that may not straightforwardly declare scents in their products but claim to be “deodorizing” or “antibacterial.”
• Pet-safe isn’t always hamster-safe. The differences in anatomy and size make a big difference in the safety consideration of many pet products. For example, scented cat litter pellets may not be considered harmful to a cat but would be detrimental to a hamster.
• Avoid brands that are disreputable or don’t rate well among US-based consumers. 

Perhaps some hamster owners don’t take issue with silica sand because their silica sand seems to pass this safety test. Many owners claim they have silica sand that doesn’t have dust, dyes, or scents.

However, bear in mind that while your silica sand checks all the boxes for your safety check, your hamster might just enjoy its sand bath so much that while reveling in the sand, it might actually cause silica sand to break down into finer, respirable particles.

Suppose your hamster starts sneezing or coughing after trying a sand bath. You should immediately stop letting it use the sand bath, even if the sand isn’t visibly dusty.

Some particles that aren’t easy to identify by the human eye may be present that are causing your hamster to sneeze and cough. If this ever happens, observe your hamster. If the sneezing or coughing persists or worsens, seek the expertise of a vet.

Read Is Aquarium Sand Safe for Hamsters?

Some Things You Should Know About Using Sand Baths

Your hamster doesn’t need much of your help. You’re simply expected to provide the bath sand in a container, and your hamster will instinctively know what needs to be done.  Most hamsters enjoy sand baths, but some seem to despise them.

Here are some things to keep in mind about hamster sand baths:

• It’s probably time to give your hamster a sand bath when you notice its fur looking very sleek. Hamster fur naturally contains oils, but those oils can build up over time and cause hygiene problems.
• Water baths aren’t recommended unless something gets on to your pet’s fur that may be toxic to it. In that case, you’ll need to quickly and thoroughly remove whatever the substance may be with soap and water, then dry your hamster to avoid hypothermia.
• Some owners like to keep sand baths in the cage, while others occasionally provide them. Many pet owners object to the practice of keeping the sand bath in the cage with the hamster because repeated use of the bath sands can make them dirty and encourage microbial growth. Repeated use also breaks the sand grains into finer, respirable particles that your hamster can inhale. 
• If it’s your hamster’s first time and it doesn’t seem to know how to use its sand bath properly, you may need to offer it some assistance. Gently scrub the sand onto your hamster’s fur until it gets clean.
• Some sand baths come with specific instructions, such as washing, baking, and sifting. Make sure to follow instructions for use provided by the brand.

Hamsters are vain little creatures that never want to be caught with a bad fur day. They’re constantly self-grooming to keep themselves looking sharp.

So when you notice your hamster looking grubby all the time, even when its cage is visibly clean, it might be time to do a full assessment of your pet.

Here are some things to look out for:

• If your pet continues to look grubby even though you’ve seen it constantly grooming itself, this may indicate an underlying skin condition that might require treatment.
• If you notice matted fur or bald spots in your pet, it might mean a mite infestation.
• If your hamster has an unclean rear end, this could be a sign of a life-threatening condition called ‘wet tail.’

If you notice any of these signs in your hamster, seek the expert advice of a veterinarian immediately.

Read Why Do Hamsters Pull Their Poop Out?

Safe Bath Sands for Hamsters

With silica being a known carcinogen, many pet owners might feel apprehensive about using it for their pets. They’ll naturally want to consider other alternatives that don’t pose a risk to their hamster’s health.

The following discusses some popular sand bath sands on the market that are considered pet-safe.

Chinchilla Sand Baths Are Made of Natural Volcanic Pumice

Chinchilla bath sands are made from 100% natural volcanic pumice. And guessing from the name, chinchilla sand is also used for chinchillas that also take sand baths because water baths are discouraged since it takes a long time for their fur to dry.

However, Chinchilla dust (not to be confused with chinchilla sand) is also known to cause respiratory problems.

You Can Use Plain Reptile Sand for Your Hamster Sand Bath

Plain reptile sand without dyes or calcium is considered perfectly safe for hamsters. That’s because it’s neither dusty nor too rough, making it perfect for your hamster’s luxurious sand bath. Many hamster owners highly recommend it.

Sterilized Desert Sand Is Similar to Sand Found in a Hamster’s Natural Habitat

Desert sand is the closest to what is found in the natural habitats of hamsters. So it’s a pretty safe bet to make that desert sand will serve your hamster’s sand bathing needs without posing any risk to its health. But as a rule of thumb, always verify the brand’s claims.

Play Sand Is Acceptable for a Hamster Sand Bath

If it’s safe enough for kids, it’s safe enough for hamsters. Kids’ play sand is found in many hardware stores but is hard to come by at pet stores. Although the target market is little kids, the sand is safe enough for your hamster’s sand bath.

Not All Pet-Safe Sands Are Hamster-Safe

All the examples provided above are considered safe enough for hamsters. However, no matter what is on the label, always screen your hamster’s bath sand.

If any of these come out of their packets with dusty textures, dyes, or scents, they should be deemed unsafe and discarded.

Also, don’t settle for sand that is considered safe for pets in general. Some of the sands could be safe for larger pets, but not hamsters, due to their size and proximity to the sand grains.

For example, silica sand is mixed with some cat litter pellets. It probably doesn’t carry the same risk for the cat as it does the hamster, as cats don’t roll around in their litter pellets.

Cats are also bigger, so their noses aren’t as proximal to the sand grains as a hamster’s nose would in a sand bath. Bear in mind, pet-safe isn’t always hamster-safe.

Related Hamsters articles:

• How To Get Rid of Hamster Mites?
• Can You Die From a Hamster Bite?
• Where Do Hamsters Live in the Wild?
• How Do I Know if My Hamster Is Happy?
• Why Is My Hamster Not Drinking Water

Final Thoughts

Hamsters are great to have for pets, and we naturally want to keep them around for as long as we can. A hamster’s life expectancy ranges from 1.5 to 4 years, with some surviving up to 7 years. Hamsters in the wild tend to live longer than hamsters in captivity, which should beg the question of why. In the wild, they rank pretty low on the food chain.

With that in mind, knowing the right pet care products can go a long way in ensuring your hamster isn’t prematurely sent off to the pet afterlife.