Register FAQ Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read
Navigation
Front Page
Forum
Gallery
Wiki

Ads by Google


Go Back   Hamster Central > Hamster Central Forum Topics > Hamster Chat

Notices

View Poll Results: Which do you prefer; hamster ball or playpen?
Ball 3 23.08%
Playpen 10 76.92%
Voters: 13. You may not vote on this poll

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 05-27-2016, 11:44 AM   #1
freyashamsters
PM Fluffy for custom title
 
freyashamsters's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: South-East England
Posts: 1,054
Default Hamster ball or playpen?

Because both of these, balls especially, are such a controversial topic, I thought it would be interesting to see which people on here prefer

Please state your reasoning in the comments below and any experiences you have had with either
__________________
Minion to Daisy, Lily, Harry and Peanut <3
Gone but never forgotten
Willow - 18:27 18th November 2016
freyashamsters is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2016, 11:53 AM   #2
Bec
Retired Moderator
 
Bec's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Manchester. UK
Posts: 2,382
Default Re: Hamster ball or playpen?

Think you need a third option for 'both'....Neptune and Apollo enjoyed going in the ball and also playpen/free roam time. Think it depends on the hammy.
__________________


Play well Tuna Chops (22 March 2014 - 24 March 2016) xxxx
Sleep well my little Apollo ( 17 Sept 2013-31 March 2014) xxxx
Bec is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2016, 12:14 PM   #3
Fluffagrams
Moderator
 
Fluffagrams's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Bath, UK
Posts: 3,640
Default Re: Hamster ball or playpen?

I prefer playpens because I keep Chineseys who have very tiny feet that can get caught in the ventilation slots on an exercise ball. Not only that but I think they prefer it too as they can explore toys that have been chosen with their interests in mind as well as getting to do things like treasure hunts where I'll hide seeds for them in their playboxes.

As well as a playpen I've got a small plastic fish tank that is no longer watertight that I fill with substrate for James to dig in. He loves burrowing.
Fluffagrams is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2016, 12:22 PM   #4
SKB_Hamsters
PM Fluffy for custom title
 
SKB_Hamsters's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: UK
Posts: 3,186
Default Re: Hamster ball or playpen?

I prefer to use playpen, as Sherbet would just sleep in her ball or she would try to chew her way out whereas in her playpen a she likes to explore and run around. Although I use my playpen to divide of a hamster safe corner of my room, so she has a larger area to run around in. Although some of my past hamsters have prefered their balls to playpen but I think this also depends upon the hamster.
__________________
Popcorn Syrian

Owning Hamsters since Nov 2007
SKB_Hamsters is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2016, 12:32 PM   #5
Jasmine2016
Hamster Pup
 
Jasmine2016's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: England
Posts: 169
Default Re: Hamster ball or playpen?

Playpens (or free roam)

I have used balls and as a child I was able to let my hamsters free roam, as an adult and no longer able to allow free roaming, I have used playpens.
From my experience I prefer playpens (or if possible free roaming) as I personally feel that a ball isn't really the best thing to be putting your hamster in. I have had 4 Syrians and only one liked the ball. I was also concerned about the gaps, that a hamster could catch his/her foot in one, also the hamster would crash into walls or furniture, that can't of been pleasant.
Jasmine2016 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2016, 12:45 PM   #6
CMB
PM Fluffy for custom title
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Hertfordshire - UK
Posts: 3,190
Default Re: Hamster ball or playpen?

I have used excercise balls and my hamsters were eager to climb in and often didn't want to come out. I have not had any injuries caused to my hamsters by using a ball.

I have also created play pens and my hamsters liked them to.

I have also free roamed in the hall, which they liked but also they liked to climb the stairs and then play on the landing (area outside the bedrooms). They would sit by my bedroom door when they had finished playing/exploring. I would pick them up and put them back into there cage/tank.

Wth all three my hamsters are supervised to minimise and accidents.
CMB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2016, 01:57 PM   #7
Lala Noma
Hamster Pup
 
Lala Noma's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Spain
Posts: 211
Default Re: Hamster ball or playpen?

My hammy likes the ball, but I think she prefers the playpen... Specially when the playpen is all my bedroom! She loves to hide under my bed and then, one or two hours later, I have to look for her with a lantern, like "Carol Ann, run to the light!". And, believe it or not, she comes to the light
The ball is perfect for exploring unknown places: living room, kitchen...
Lala Noma is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2016, 02:28 PM   #8
Pebbles82
Hamster Antics
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 23,533
Default Re: Hamster ball or playpen?

Playpens - most balls are too small for syrians and not suitable for dwarfs. I have the Savic rat ball but have seen Charlie's toe nails through the slits so don't like using it. I'm not actually sure they enjoy the experience either - they tend to run for somewhere dark to hide. Charlie happily hops into it if it's there. I don't know if he likes it or not but I just avoid using it now.
Pebbles82 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2016, 02:29 PM   #9
Ceretrea
Adult Hamster
 
Ceretrea's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Southampton
Posts: 275
Default Re: Hamster ball or playpen?

I use both. Playbox for the dwarfs and balls for the Syrians. I voted 'balls' but would have voted both.
__________________
http://doric.webs.com
Ceretrea is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-28-2016, 01:13 AM   #10
Kissa
Fuzzy Feet!
 
Kissa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Shakespeare country
Posts: 3,873
Default Re: Hamster ball or playpen?

If I had all the space in the world, I'd have multiple huge playpens, so I could let all my Syrians out at once (because they all want to be out at once ). I don't, so balls are the best option for me, and luckily I have never had a Syrian dislike their ball, they all happily jump into them and will still try to run in them even if I have taken the door off (and they know I have taken the door off).

With Robos though, I'd vote playpen/playbox, or just getting them out on my bed, as I have had more Robos seem miserable in hamster balls than not.
__________________
Kissa is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
comments, people, prefer, reasoning, state, playpen, ball, hamster

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimisation provided by DragonByte SEO v2.0.43 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
Copyright © 2003-2022, Hobby Solutions
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 01:57 AM.