Hamster ball: requirements and features of choice

Hamsters are incredibly active creatures, if they don't sleep, then they definitely move. In the wild, the animals roam up to ten kilometers a day. It is not easy to provide a pet with a habitual way of life in a cage. A hamster ball helps to solve this problem. With its help, the animal is always active, and the owner is calm that he will not lose the rodent and will not accidentally step on it.

To decide if a hamster needs a ball, you must first find out what kind of simulator it is. The product is a transparent sphere with a door and holes for the hamster to breathe air. The design is easy to operate, it moves due to the muscular strength of the hamster itself, in other words, if the animal runs, the ball rolls. For a small pet, the walking sphere becomes a simulator, a means of transportation and a capsule for exploring the outside world.

There are a number of reasons why you should give your hamster a transparent sphere. If you read them carefully, it becomes clear that not only the rodent wins, but also the owner with his apartment.

• The hamster will satisfy his curiosity by exploring the space of the apartment. At the same time, furniture, books and other things will not suffer from contact with a rodent.
• The animal will not run away or be crushed, as can happen during a walk without a ball.
• The animal will give out its energy. Daily exercise will have a positive effect on his health.
• The ball protects the hamster from falls and injuries that the animal can receive while exploring the territory without restrictions.
• If you let the hamster run in the evening, tired, he will sleep at night and not interfere with the owner.
• When you need to clean the cage, the animal can be offered to run, placing it in the sphere.
• What is nice, the walking ball is inexpensive.

I don’t want to write about the shortcomings, but for the sake of fairness it should be said that they are.

• If a hamster, walking in a walking ball, goes to the toilet, feces through the ventilation holes enter the apartment. You will have to clean up after it.
• From time to time, the door relaxes and can open. If this happens, the hamster will run away.
• The animal should be in the ball for no more than twenty minutes, further stay may cause overheating or depression of the state from lack of air.

In order for the walking ball to be safe and comfortable, certain requirements are imposed on it. They relate to the quality of the product and its dimensions. Different breeds of hamsters differ from each other not only in appearance, but also in volume. Therefore, balls of different diameters are produced for them:

• an animal less than 8 centimeters in size (Roborovsky or Dzungarian hamster) will need a sphere with a diameter of about 12 centimeters;
• a hamster with a body length of 8 to 12 centimeters (Syrian) should choose a ball with a diameter of at least 18 cm;
• a sphere of 25-30 cm is intended for chinchillas.

The size of the rodent must be considered when choosing a ball. In a product that is too tight, it will not be able to accelerate properly. A large sphere will be too heavy for the small legs of the animal, they will begin to ache from tension. The criterion for the correct choice can be the angle of the hamster's back, or rather, its absence.

If the size fits, the back of the pet will be flat. In addition to the correct size, you should pay attention to the ventilation holes: the more, the better. Running in the sphere allows you to actively load the rodent; during such activities, an influx of fresh air is needed, otherwise the animal will suffocate. In addition, the hamster learns the world not so much by sight as by smell, a large number of holes will help him with this.

Requirements may also apply to the door of the structure: fastenings and tightness must be reliable, this is the only way to ensure the safety of the pet. You can choose spheres with guiding grooves or with special platforms, but they are not so essential for the animal.

To choose the right walking ball for your hamster, you should take into account the requirements outlined above. They relate to size and quality. The structure itself is in most cases in the shape of a sphere, but you can find models in the shape of an ellipse. The second type of toy is not very popular with hamsters: when taking off, it can wobble from side to side, so it is rarely on sale.

The hamster enters the sphere through the door. But sometimes two, three or even four holes serve as an entrance. They can be in the form of screw caps. Before buying, you need to check the reliability of the closing devices. Some people prefer to purchase multi-outlet balls. If the hole begins to hold the lid poorly, it is sealed tightly and the remaining intact ones are used.

If a stand is included with the walking sphere, then it can be used as a jogging in place, like a jogging wheel. Removing the support, the ball is returned to its normal walking functions.

As for the material, the walking sphere should only be made of lightweight plastic, and the more transparent it is, the better. An iron or wooden ball will not give the desired view, and the small hamster will not be able to move it. When buying a plastic ball, you should ask if the plastic is toxic.For a crumb, even a small amount of toxic additives can be fatal. The information about the material contains a certificate - if it is not offered, the pungent smell or poisonous color of the ball can turn away from the purchase.

A walking ball for a hamster is inexpensive, you can buy a toy from 100 rubles and more. But some owners of rodents prefer to give them a gift with their own hands, so they put a piece of their love and energy into the sphere. Such products also have pitfalls. Before giving a master class on creating a homemade sphere, consider the advantages and disadvantages of a home-made simulator.

The biggest drawback is that it is not always possible to create a perfect sphere, the product takes on an oval shape, not round. This means that the hamster will run back and forth, but will not be able to move to the side. In addition, homemade products are difficult to wash on the inside.

As for the positive aspects, there are many more.

• A gift for a hamster will cost free, as it is made from improvised means.
• Not every locality has a pet store to purchase a walking ball. And in order to do it yourself, you can find material in every home.
• The fastening of a home-made simulator is carried out, most often, with the help of a screw cap - this is much more reliable than industrial devices.
• Making a toy is simple and quick. If it loses its attractive appearance, it is not a pity to throw it away and it is easy to make a new one.

In the selection of plastic containers, several important points must be taken into account.

• The neck should be wide enough for the hamster to enter.
• It is better to choose a bottle from food products. It is important that it does not contain previously toxic substances.

The manufacturing process is extremely simple. Prepare two identical containers with a wide mouth, preferably made of transparent plastic. For both bottles, you need to cut off the top so that at the moment of connection they resemble a ball or an ellipse.

In the next step, air circulation holes are made. To do this, make as many holes as possible in the two covers of the structure. In addition, holes are cut in the bottles themselves, not far from the necks. They are made narrow and long. All cuts on the product are well cleaned with sandpaper.

When the two halves are ready, they are connected together with adhesive tape. You need to try to make the simulator resemble the shape of a sphere as much as possible.

To learn how to make a simulator from a plastic bottle with your own hands, see the next video.

Each hamster has its own character: someone is mobile, someone is lazy, one thinks quickly, another needs time to understand what they want from him. In principle, you can teach any animal to move around in the sphere - you just need patience and a little free time. Let's consider what needs to be done for the hamster to use the sphere for its intended purpose.

• Beforehand, the animal should be introduced to a new toy by placing it in a cage open.
• You can gently place the baby in the ball. Of course, it would be nice if he went there himself, for example, for a treat left for him.
• When the hamster is in the sphere, close the lid carefully. Let him get used to it a little and move the simulator from the cage to the floor. After about five minutes, return the ball to the cage and open it.
• After the walk, the pet needs to be treated with a favorite treat - this will strengthen its desire to repeat the trip.
• When accustoming a rodent to anything, one should not make sudden movements, make loud sounds. It is necessary not to scare the animal so that it understands that being in the sphere is associated with comfort.
• There should be no other pets near the hamster during training and walking. The head of a cat looking into a sphere will seem huge and terrible to a rodent. Stress will discourage him from climbing into the ball.
• After placing the hamster in the simulator, you should pay attention to the environment. There should be no stairs nearby, from which he could slide, or a large amount of furniture that interferes with movement. Do not place on a hill, as the sphere can fall, frighten and injure the pet.
• The ball should not be pushed, the hamster must take the first step himself.
• To begin with, the stay in the sphere is limited to a few minutes. The time gradually increases. But even if the hamster has learned and is happy to run in the ball, its maximum stay should be no more than 20 minutes, and with poor ventilation - much less.

Having mastered, the hamster will walk around the apartment with pleasure. But you should not relax especially: you still have to keep an eye on the rodent. Forgetting about the pet, the sphere can be encountered while walking, and it, like a ball, will fly off to the side. It's scary to imagine how the hamster will feel at this time. In addition, the doors can open on the go, and then there will be a need to look for a tiny hamster in a large apartment.

For information on how to properly use the hamster ball, see the next video.