Stupid Ball!

[Fluffagrams]

Like many others here I've had the same problem with exercise balls coming open and whilst they said they'd address the issue when I complained about it three years ago, I'm not sure if they have.

I have Chinese Hamsters and I don't use them any more because of the risk of injury to tiny feet that can get caught in the ventilation holes but also because one of mine hated running in it. I now give mine out-of-cage time in either a playpen if I can supervise her or if I'm cleaning her cage then I'll put her in an old fish tank that we use for travelling.

To put your mind at ease whilst your hamster is in the ball, I'd put a piece of tape over any part of the exercise ball, making sure the ventilation holes aren't being covered.

[racinghamster]

Grab some free cardboard boxes, open them up flat and cut the top and bottom edges off. Use gaffer tape to attach the long pieces together so they `fold` up when not in use. Use strong office clips to close the opening. Safe, solid sided play pen.....but hamsters still chew so they still need monitored while running around inside! Make the inside of the play area interesting with cage accessories and some treats. Correx board can also be used. I never recommend those barred play pens as the rodent inside can chew the bars and climb the bars. They are useless. x

[Tildauk]

Ahh cool just checking I hadn't missed a magical ham pen product

[cookietiger]

Thank you people! I will now tape the lid... excessively. I do not have a hamster friendly free-roaming bit of the house yet especially as some floorboards are up in places which is one thing I am worried about if the lid pops off again.
Once again thanks!

[hammy2]

I had to tape around one ball as it split open and Zoe was free! I don't trust balls with two lids as they can easily wobble off also some balls have 4 catches on the lid not 3 I don't trust them either

[katmick]

Hi , it has happened to my hams many times before I had hamster balls with a lid that locks in place. I don't know the name of the company, but they are see-through and the lid is always colourful.

Those are the only hamster-proof hamster balls and I love them! Funnily enough, by the time I found them and bought them - one of my Syrians is blind and so she just free-ranges around her cage ( as she doesn't like a ball for obvious reasons ) and my other ham is really elderly ( but...he used to really love his ball - and he never escaped from this one! Ever! Unlike from all the other ones! x

[Bbhami]

I have one hamster ball that has a lock when rotated, i think it was the runner hamster ball. My other ball from living world dont have that lock that's why my hamster can open it.

[Hamstersaregreat]

ugh i have had that same problem. its so scary! my little guy has been walking around for 5 min in my room until i noticed!