SAY NO TO HAMSTER BALLS
Websites, pet shops, and even breeders often advise you to let your hamster run in so called “hamster balls.”
This type of toy should be avoided at all cost. Not only are they extremely stressful for a hamster, they are also filthy and unsafe.
UNSAFE!
Your hamster can get seriously injured in a hamster ball. His limbs can get stuck in the slits and get broken or even torn off.
Hamster can’t steer the hamster ball very well. They crash into furniture and might even accidently fall down the stairs if unsupervised. This can lead to traumas sprains, and other injuries. Even death can occur.
There are many other problems with hamster balls.
With the physical strain of running in the ball a hamster will breathe faster. The small slits in the ball do not let enough air through for the hamster to breathe sufficiently. Then, if the slits are too large, the hamsters limbs can get caught and serious injury will occur.
Another issue is, if the hamster ball is too small, it can cause serious back injury to the hamster using it. This can lead to slipped discs, curvature of the spine and permanent back pain.
STRESSFUL!
Running in a hamster ball is not “real exercise.” The ball keeps the hamster from exploring his surroundings. Hamsters and many other rodents are near sighted and through the ball, their sight is even more restricted, so they can’t see where they are going. The sense hamsters most rely on is scent, but due to being locked in a ball, they can’t sniff out their surroundings. The hamsters keen hearing is also heavily reduced in the hamster ball.
A hamster can’t orient himself in the hamster ball. This alone is very stressful for a hamster.
Hamsters are flight animals. At the slightest sign of danger, the hamster tries to hide immediately. In a hamster ball, the hamster is open to all views, they can’t flee from anything. This makes the hamster run even faster in the ball, as he is desperately trying to hide. This leads to owners thinking that the animal is happily running around and is having fun.
UNCLEAN!
Hamsters mark their territory. They do this through scent glands, urine, and feces. Even while running, hamsters pee a little.
Since the hamster is under stress in the ball, and since they can’t hold urine and feces for long, they will relieve themselves inside the hamster ball. This leads to them running in their own excrements, soiling themselves in the process. The excrement also clogs up the slits, letting even less air in.
Even if it looks like your hamster (or any type of rodent) is having fun, in reality they are extremely terrified and are running to get away, since they can’t leave the ball when they want. Even if your hamster enters the ball voluntarily, does he really know when he wants to get back out? When the voluntary running turns into forced running?
To the human eye, some hamsters really do seem to enter their balls voluntarily. But they to suffer horribly when running for extended periods of time.
ALTERNATIVES!
If one loves their hamster, they will avoid hamster balls, and will instead build a beautiful and spacious habitat suitable for their pet.
Every hamster cage should be at least .5 square meters (5.5 square feet) . The cage needs to be diverse, with deep bedding, houses and tunnels. A hamster wheel is also important. Please see this website on proper cage set up for more information.
Obviously, a hamster still needs regular out-of-cage exercise. It is not difficult to build a run for a hamster to explore in, without plastic in separating him from his environment.
Note that this also applies to all other rodents, including mice, rats, gerbils, and guinea pigs.
Websites, pet shops, and even breeders often advise you to let your hamster run in so called “hamster balls.”
This type of toy should be avoided at all cost. Not only are they extremely stressful for a hamster, they are also filthy and unsafe.
UNSAFE!
Your hamster can get seriously injured in a hamster ball. His limbs can get stuck in the slits and get broken or even torn off.
Hamster can’t steer the hamster ball very well. They crash into furniture and might even accidently fall down the stairs if unsupervised. This can lead to traumas sprains, and other injuries. Even death can occur.
There are many other problems with hamster balls.
With the physical strain of running in the ball a hamster will breathe faster. The small slits in the ball do not let enough air through for the hamster to breathe sufficiently. Then, if the slits are too large, the hamsters limbs can get caught and serious injury will occur.
Another issue is, if the hamster ball is too small, it can cause serious back injury to the hamster using it. This can lead to slipped discs, curvature of the spine and permanent back pain.
STRESSFUL!
Running in a hamster ball is not “real exercise.” The ball keeps the hamster from exploring his surroundings. Hamsters and many other rodents are near sighted and through the ball, their sight is even more restricted, so they can’t see where they are going. The sense hamsters most rely on is scent, but due to being locked in a ball, they can’t sniff out their surroundings. The hamsters keen hearing is also heavily reduced in the hamster ball.
A hamster can’t orient himself in the hamster ball. This alone is very stressful for a hamster.
Hamsters are flight animals. At the slightest sign of danger, the hamster tries to hide immediately. In a hamster ball, the hamster is open to all views, they can’t flee from anything. This makes the hamster run even faster in the ball, as he is desperately trying to hide. This leads to owners thinking that the animal is happily running around and is having fun.
UNCLEAN!
Hamsters mark their territory. They do this through scent glands, urine, and feces. Even while running, hamsters pee a little.
Since the hamster is under stress in the ball, and since they can’t hold urine and feces for long, they will relieve themselves inside the hamster ball. This leads to them running in their own excrements, soiling themselves in the process. The excrement also clogs up the slits, letting even less air in.
Even if it looks like your hamster (or any type of rodent) is having fun, in reality they are extremely terrified and are running to get away, since they can’t leave the ball when they want. Even if your hamster enters the ball voluntarily, does he really know when he wants to get back out? When the voluntary running turns into forced running?
To the human eye, some hamsters really do seem to enter their balls voluntarily. But they to suffer horribly when running for extended periods of time.
ALTERNATIVES!
If one loves their hamster, they will avoid hamster balls, and will instead build a beautiful and spacious habitat suitable for their pet.
Every hamster cage should be at least .5 square meters (5.5 square feet) . The cage needs to be diverse, with deep bedding, houses and tunnels. A hamster wheel is also important. Please see this website on proper cage set up for more information.
Obviously, a hamster still needs regular out-of-cage exercise. It is not difficult to build a run for a hamster to explore in, without plastic in separating him from his environment.
Note that this also applies to all other rodents, including mice, rats, gerbils, and guinea pigs.