[herbi7]

i think it depends on the hamster. My syrian Willow loved her ball and wanted to get in it, she was an excellent navigator and enjoyed finding her way around places as her main drive was to explore. i didn't use it so much as she got older as she got a bit stiff and I felt she was apt to get a bit sore afterwards. Sometimes she didn't want to get back in the next day and waited a few days before she wanted to go in it again and i guessed she had got a bit stiff or something. But when she was younger it was an essential part of her out time, she needed a lot of variety and always had playpen time and free ranging as well but i often finished off with the ball, because she would always get in willingly so i could catch her, for one thing! She soon let me know when she wanted out, either by coming to rest against my foot or by biting on it noisily so I knew when she'd had enough. It was just the normal pets@home one, 7 inch I think which is quite small but she found a way of using it and manoevering it, really effortlessly. I bought the bigger size but didnt' use it as i thought the slits were too big and it wasn't going to be easy to propel. If you are going to use a ball, check your hams feet can't fit through the slits, that they actually want to go in it, they stop every 5 or ten mins or so to drink, and you dont' over-use it. They get hyper when left in for too long and are prone to dehydration. If your ham is reluctant to go in or seems over-active or distressed in any way during or after, don't use it.