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Post by yeti218 on Sept 11, 2020 7:43:20 GMT -8
I know theres lots of existing threads about different sand options, but I’ve found it hard to sift through sometimes so forgive me for the repeat question. I can’t seem to get chinchilla sand anywhere. Even online, I see some products advertised as chinchilla sand but reviewers say it’s more like a dust. I’ve heard of some people using reptile sand or children’s play sand. I’ve only found childrens play sand in 25 kg bags, which I prefer not to store, so I’d rather get a smaller bag of reptile sand. What should I be looking for / avoiding? I’ve heard some people say it’s too coarse to clean their fur properly. Am I supposed to be avoiding calcium sand? Is quartz sand okay? This is one of the products I’m looking at. Reptisand desert white
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Pim
Member
Posts: 346
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Post by Pim on Sept 11, 2020 11:46:59 GMT -8
I would avoid any mineral sand so no quartz or calcium. The one your looking at is listed as super fine so I wouldn't risk them developing a respiratory illness
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Post by yeti218 on Sept 11, 2020 12:40:11 GMT -8
Okay, thanks for looking at that for me. Ill see what else i can find.
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Post by Markpd on Sept 12, 2020 0:52:57 GMT -8
I bought a bag of Chincilla sand from Zooplus, although the reviews weren't great, I took a gamble anyway (it was only ~£5), not used the whole bag yet, but so far so good .
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Post by yeti218 on Sept 12, 2020 7:00:28 GMT -8
I’m in Canada, so no zooplus for me.
I did find one pet store that could try to order me in something called chinchilla sand, but it could take 4 weeks. The brand is versele laga, I haven’t been able to find any reviews for it. Ideally I could find a review since there are some other products advertised as chinchilla sand on amazon, but reviewers claim they are more like a dust. So, if anyone has experience with this brand, please let me know.
For now, I’ll probably keep looking for some suitable reptile sand locally, or buy a bag of play sand and try to pawn off the extra sand on someone with a sand box (I don’t really want to be storing a 50 lb bag of sand in my house).
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Post by LilyandDaisy on Sept 12, 2020 7:04:44 GMT -8
Quartz reptile sand is ok and what I usually use. Play sand is often quartz as well.
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Post by yeti218 on Sept 12, 2020 11:28:04 GMT -8
Quartz reptile sand is ok and what I usually use. Play sand is often quartz as well. I see some conflicting opinions about quartz, but I have seen a lot of people claiming to use play sand, and now that I look that up, you’re right, a lot of it is quartz. One poster claimed quartz isn’t a problem since the gerbils are just given sand baths for short periods of time, but I hope to keep a sand bath in their enclosure as a litter box. I’ve heard some people do this and think it would make spot cleaning the enclosure a lot easier. I did buy some reptile sand today, but haven’t opened it up yet, it’s a brand called “exo terra desert sand”, and claims to be made of “sand”, but doesn’t specify if it contains quartz or not. It’s a pretty fine sand, but definitely not dust. Link below if anyone has any thoughts / experience on this one. www.petsmart.ca/reptile/substrate-and-bedding/exo-terra-desert-reptile-terrarium-sand-50518.html
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Pim
Member
Posts: 346
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Post by Pim on Sept 13, 2020 12:38:45 GMT -8
Oops I remembered having this conversation before thought the consensus was no quartz but guess not! Sorry I use play sand so then I'm sure its fine just make sure its not too fine.
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Post by Thelodar on Sept 14, 2020 1:36:57 GMT -8
I had read that you want to use aragonite sand (sold for fish). It comes in different sizes (some is too coarse, you want fine). I've purchased it once but my gerbils did not respond to it and roll like they do with chinchilla sand.
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Post by betty on Sept 18, 2020 3:01:25 GMT -8
Yes, 'sand' is a definition of size - not a thing per se (same with 'gravel' and 'silt') so can be made of a wide variety of minerals and rock - some deemed safe and some unsafe.
Also, human treatment of that product can also make a safe 'sand' unsafe by treatments or additions of other stuff. For example aquatic products can often have things added to them/coated on them to prevent problems in the tanks.
It is really a minefield out there when trying to source a new product. I only use things that breeders have used as they would certainly know the effects of then not only in the short term - but most likely long term too.
Guaranteeing the source and treatment of something made for a different environment and a different purpose will never be easy. It is hard enough when buying products that say they are good for gerbils in the first place.
I think I have heard aragonite sand is safe before (on here) - and plain reptile sand - but have tried neither myself. Perhaps we need a poll on what people have *actually* used long term to find out?
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