Hamster play time

kirst · 12-17-2011, 12:35 PM

*I didn't know which section to post this in, so I put it here.*

For the time being, I have a hamster ball which my hamster plays in at night.
What other things can I use for her to play in because she's not out for long?
Should I get one of those play pens or will she escape?
What do you use for playtime with your hamsters?

LawaRawr · 12-17-2011, 12:40 PM

some people on here use their bath for playtime , they place a towel at the bottom of the bath so the hamster can grip.
you can also let your hamster freerange in a hamster safe area, like on your bed and place some toys for your hamster to climb over.
you can buy a playpen but most hamsters learn how to escape from them. a member on here has brought a childrens ball pool and sold one half and used the other for a playpen

kirst · 12-17-2011, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LawaRawr

some people on here use their bath for playtime , they place a towel at the bottom of the bath so the hamster can grip.
you can also let your hamster freerange in a hamster safe area, like on your bed and place some toys for your hamster to climb over.
you can buy a playpen but most hamsters learn how to escape from them. a member on here has brought a childrens ball pool and sold one half and used the other for a playpen

Would it be safe for me to put her in the bath, then?

LawaRawr · 12-17-2011, 01:00 PM

yep all of mine have playtime in the bath, i put the plug in so they cant get their feet stuck and put a towel so they dont slip then add the toys

its impossible for them to get out of the bath

TraceyH · 12-17-2011, 01:20 PM

Mine all play on my bed, also I've a massive box filled with toys for them. I never put them in the bath-room though, far too damp and draughty in there for them.

**kyrilliondaemon** · 12-17-2011, 01:51 PM

Our dwarves have play-pens but we dwarf proofed them (differently for different species).
We also learnt that syrian proofing is difficult, and that Scamp hates the play-pen anyway, so she gets more ball time than the dwarves and she also gets lots of time just climbing over us and our bed. The rule is that as long as we can reach her she can go there and she's much happier than when we gave her run time. She used to love play time in cardboard boxes, but has seemed to outgrow it.

Peachesmum · 12-17-2011, 01:57 PM

I've just bought the Ferplast Mary and am using that as Peache's play pen!!!
She loves her big wooden climbing frame and gets to have lots of her other toys in there too. Plus it has bars all the way round, so she can climb up there, which she really enjoys! Her home cage doesn't have many bars to climb, but is more cosy and protective. She only spent about 20 mins in the Mary last night (first time in it) and was quite scared at first, but soon began to enjoy herself!

**Emma&Bee** · 12-17-2011, 02:13 PM

The bath is the best I find. I put a towel down, chuck in a load of cardboard tubes and a box with some treats and some digging material and off they go. I can't free range my hams as my ratty boys have free run of my house and I dont want the smell of my boys stressing out my girls and vice versa. My syrian also gets ball time but neither or my dwarfs do as they dont like it.

KatiePillow · 12-17-2011, 02:20 PM

We used a box from a flat packed desk, cut the sides up and made it so it folds down etc.. this way it has a base, which is useful as my dwarves have sand to dig in in their playpen, and in case of any accidents (rented accomodation)
They have pieces of cork and cork tunnels, a spare wheel.. wooden tunnels and a box full of sand with food hidden in it

Flamestriker · 12-17-2011, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TraceyH

Mine all play on my bed, also I've a massive box filled with toys for them. I never put them in the bath-room though, far too damp and draughty in there for them.

I can't do it either...no bath..we've got a walk in shower. Squeak wants out time from her cage now but she's still very nervous of me so she runs around my bed and over me for the moment..

I will be using a box for a playpen and I will be supervising her when she's in it. I want to get a playball but I avent seen any clear ones yet. I might get her a saucer too. She's taking over my room slowly but surely...one hammy, glad I haven't got more...