Are hamster balls good or bad?

lovelyhamsters5 · 02-22-2016, 07:15 AM

So I have been wondering if hamster balls are good or bad for hamsters? I put Einstein in his ball for about fifteen minutes then take him out to get a drink and pee. Einstein seems to love rolling around but I've heard that hamster balls can be dangerous because of the lack of air getting to the hamster, I'm wondering if I should lessen Einstein's time in the ball, not put him in the ball all together, or keep him in the ball for 15min just like I have been doing, thank you for the help

**Sm_banks** · 02-22-2016, 07:26 AM

Keep doing what you are doing. I put mine in balls 10-15 minutes at a time. People say hamster balls are bad because it limits their ability to smell and also distorts their vision. I use a clear ball so they can still see and it is ventilated so they can smell. Just don't make the ball time excessively long.

xbuttons94 · 02-22-2016, 07:26 AM

It is difficult to tell if a hamster enjoys being in the ball or not plus they can bump into things. You can get some with a stand but it isn't much different from them being on their wheel. I think its a 50/50 thing. Some people use them and some don't. I put my hams in playpens rather than in a ball for out of cage time. If he goes in on his own then he might be enjoying it but I avoid using them.

cypher · 02-22-2016, 07:36 AM

I don't think balls are as dangerous for syrians as they are for dwarfs but there is still a danger of injury, you can't really tell if a ham is enjoying the ball or trying to escape it really either.
If you have space to set up a play pen or safe play area you can give your ham a much safer, healthier & more stimulating time out of the cage.

lovelyhamsters5 · 02-22-2016, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xbuttons94

It is difficult to tell if a hamster enjoys being in the ball or not plus they can bump into things. You can get some with a stand but it isn't much different from them being on their wheel. I think its a 50/50 thing. Some people use them and some don't. I put my hams in playpens rather than in a ball for out of cage time. If he goes in on his own then he might be enjoying it but I avoid using them.

I tried to get a playpen and they just ended up climbing out of it somehow

Einstein doesnt like the playpen he always would try to escape he would never play

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sm_banks

Keep doing what you are doing. I put mine in balls 10-15 minutes at a time. People say hamster balls are bad because it limits their ability to smell and also distorts their vision. I use a clear ball so they can still see and it is ventilated so they can smell. Just don't make the ball time excessively long.

Yeah I have a clear ball too so thats good

Quote:

Originally Posted by cypher

I don't think balls are as dangerous for syrians as they are for dwarfs but there is still a danger of injury, you can't really tell if a ham is enjoying the ball or trying to escape it really either.
If you have space to set up a play pen or safe play area you can give your ham a much safer, healthier & more stimulating time out of the cage.

I will try to get a better playpen, I had one but Einstein would keep escaping, he leared how to climb the bars and get out, do you know anyways I could make a home made playpen?

cypher · 02-22-2016, 08:13 AM

The barred ones aren't much good for syrians, you could make something out of correx plastic sheets (or something similar) I have one I made with that & just made a hole in each corner then secured with cable ties, so far it's escape proof & folds away flat too.
Otherwise you could use thick cardboard but that could be chewed through so you'd have to watch very carefully.

lovelyhamsters5 · 02-22-2016, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cypher

The barred ones aren't much good for syrians, you could make something out of correx plastic sheets (or something similar) I have one I made with that & just made a hole in each corner then secured with cable ties, so far it's escape proof & folds away flat too.
Otherwise you could use thick cardboard but that could be chewed through so you'd have to watch very carefully.

Okay thank you!!! I will definitely look into that!!!

Pebbles82 · 02-22-2016, 01:37 PM

I made a home-made playpen (with tips from this forum!) Cardboard from large boxes would do instead of Correx/Coroplast but the Correx is quite strong. Video on how to do it below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvXJ-Jbo0CM

As for balls - they have their pros and cons. I believe they're not supposed to be safe for dwarf hamsters. For Syrians it's hard to find a ball big enough that is safe. We still have a ball and occasionally Charlie will go in it, but it is useful for all kinds of other things to (ie transporting them from one room to another for bathtub taming!) You can carry them carefully in it from a to b without them jumping out. Generally I prefer the playpen. Yes they do spend most of their time trying to escape from it but they probably run in the ball to try and escape too! I put a big floor cushion in ours at an angle, and our hamster runs up it and slides down again - sometimes he likes sitting under it as well. Just put a few toys in a cardboard tube, a mug on its side, and hide bits of food - that'll distract him from escaping (finding hidden bits of food).

Fluffagrams · 02-22-2016, 01:54 PM

Personally I am against exercise balls but then again I own Chineseys with teeny tiny feet that get stuck in the ventilation holes so mine enjoy out of cage time in play boxes instead. I usually use a large storage box for mine and sometimes I will give James a fish tank to play and dig in. However if you've got a Syrian then I think the best option is a correx playpen as some people have suggested with some toys, a hidey-hole and perhaps a treasure hunt with some food.

hrl20100 · 02-22-2016, 02:21 PM

I used to use balls with my previous hamsters, but now I don't use balls anymore. I have heard things like their nails getting caught in the gaps and that they don't get enough air in them. Also, if you have a Syrian (the larger type of hamster) then if the ball isn't big enough (very much like wheels) they can damage their backs due to them having to arch their backs to run in it properly.

When I used to use hamster balls, whenever they'd bump into something, the door to the ball would loosen, and a few more bumps, the door would be off and the hamster would be out running around the room! The doors are not very secure on balls, so I would advise if you have to have your hamster in a ball, that they are in a secure area with no cats or dogs, and that you watch them very closely!

My hamsters now, seem to love their play area that I have for them! It allows them to run around a large area along with some toys that don't get to play with all that often. If you think about it, a ball isnt that interesting for hamsters. All they do is run and bang into things. But if you had a play pen, you can set up an awesome play area full of things for them to do