Free Running?

[Holly]

I've just (thanks to a newly hamster-proofed room) discovered the joys of free running - well our hamsters have anyway

Does anyone else do this? Up until tonight we've always given our hammies a run in their ball and then handled them on the sofa downstairs. Yes, they get a bit of a run but we're always there to grab them if the wander too far.

Tonight, as well as their ball run and handling time they've all (inc the dwarfs but not the babies) had a supervised run in the hammy room where they were allowed to go exactly where they liked. It was fascinating to watch them and I think they've all loved every minute of it

Obviously you need a safe room and you need to be very careful when you move if you aren't entirely 100% sure where the hamster is. But I've a feeling we've just discovered something that the hamsters really enjoy and will make their lives a bit more interesting - can't believe it\s taken us thins long

Does anyone else do this with their hamsters???

[Basia]

I let mine have a run around our conservatory, which is escape proof. They do love it don't they. Some of mine are easier to catch than others. Some of mine (Fuzzy) escape from their balls and go free-running off their own bat.

[Holly]

Originally Posted by Basia

They do love it don't they.

They do! I can't quite believe how much ours all seemed to enjoy it

Originally Posted by Basia

Some of mine (Fuzzy) escape from their balls and go free-running off their own bat.

Yes Caramel did that last night - I don't know how much she enjoyed that as she certainly seemed to be waiting to be picked up when I saw her (I wonder how long she was out for??) but she's loved her "freedom" this evening

[sthomas048]

Fuzzy is quite a character isnt she Basia !

Stephen.

[Basia]

Originally Posted by sthomas048

Fuzzy is quite a character isnt she Basia !

Stephen.

She keeps us on our toes! Everytime we sit down to eat she appears at her cage doors and won't stop begging until she gets something.

[Spuds Mum]

We can't escape proof our hamster loft Holly, so we can't do it in ours we do sometimes do it in our living room, but again have to be so careful as we also have 4 cats and if one of them was hiding in a quiet spot somewhere - well doesnt bear thinking about. Peanut used to love it when he ran around downstairs though.
Currently we do the same, we let them have a run in their balls then handle each one and let them run around on the sofa as we take them out one by one!

[Bailey-Benji]

I used to let Benji run around my room, he was so tame and confident I couldn't lose him! He never went under things, or ate things he shouldn't, although obviously I supervised him! I caught him climbing up the CD rack and jumping on to my bed side table to have an explore, luckily I caught it on video! He was such a cheeky chappy. He used to like the shelf under my desk where all the hamster food and treats were kept - he used to climb into the tub and steal food and porridge oats when he didn't think I was looking!

I used to spend hours in my hall (I live in a bungalow so it's a big L shaped hall, nowhere for her to go) as Bailey would go anywhere and everywhere. She loved running around without her ball, although when she started digging at the carpet at the doors - I used to pull her away, she'd always run back - cheeky little madam!

I used to let them both run on my bed and on the sofa while watching tv.

I usually play with Marley on my bed, or on the sofa. I tried letting her explore my room but she went behind my wardrobe and tried to eat the carpet - it took me ages to get her out! She's so hyper too!

The dwarfies love coming out. I usually sit on the floor with them, both running around on me - trying to jump off. I need more hands! I've made a big playpen a couple of times, so they can both run around, and I can give them both one on one attention.

[Holly]

Originally Posted by Bailey-Benji

The dwarfies love coming out. I usually sit on the floor with them, both running around on me - trying to jump off. I need more hands! I've made a big playpen a couple of times, so they can both run around, and I can give them both one on one attention.

It's definitely harder with dwarfs - we did let them out but we watched them all the time. I wouldn't, for example, sit at the pc or read, like I did with the Syrians out. But Sparrow and Turner definitely enjoyed it as well.

I'm just waiting for my dad to come and box in the pc wires for me. At the moment I've got them lifted up - supposedly out of reach, though I wouldn't trust any of the guys not to find a way to reach them - as the sockets in this room are at waist height, another good thing

[Jane]

I can't do that - well, I could but it would be hard. I would need to block off under the guinea pig cage, all round the computer, all under my bed...okay I could do it but it would take me ages. I have a large playpen which they enjoy coming out in though