Rat ball [hamster ball]

[Wynters.sorrow]

I noticed that the Van Ness ball is harmful to small rodents. when my Wynter was a baby, we had purchased a Van Ness hamster ball so that he could run and play around the house without getting lost. The first thing we noticed was a cut on his nose. a few weeks later, the ball tore a large piece of flesh and fur from the same spot.
what brand of rat or hamster ball is better recommended?

 

[mamarat2]

My experience, no hamster balls!!

I let my rats out to play on a few peices of furniture we have and have also let them have some freerange time in the bedroom. I honestly think hamster balls are not nice. Letting them out for playtime out of the ball gives them more interaction with the world, they can sniff and investigate stuff without having the plastic in between. Plus all of mine know their names and come when they are called, or will at least pop their heads out of whatever they are into to look at me.

 

[Lise]

I agree, rats are intelligent and in my experience have waay more fun when they are allowed to run free (under supervision!) than in a ball. My rats get supervised time out in our bedroom as well, we stapled the few cords up out of their reach. The less ambitious older ones that won't make mad dashes off the couch are allowed to roam the couches in the living room when we are watching TV. They aren't like hamsters that seem like they couldn't care less if they are in a ball or out. Rats aren't meant to go in balls.

 

[Melissa]

I think my rats would kill me if I put them in a ball, lol.

 

[lilspaz68]

the majority of rats HATE those running balls. they are not built for them (low slung and a bendy spine like a hamster, and they like to sniff the air and the ball prevents that. Make a ratty corral instead of buying a runabout ball and you'll have a much happier rat.

 

[chicky82]

I bought a runabout ball for my guys but they HATE IT!!! one won't even go into it and when they get put in it, they just wobble back and forth and look pitiful so it gets used as a bed or something to hide in, it's attached to the cage with a water bottle wire better to sleep in than to be afraid of

Here is a pic of my PEW Chimo sleeping in the ball on his head

 

[mamarat]

What a cute little fur ball.

 

[Wynters.sorrow]

my rat actually likes the runabout ball, but the ratty corral sounds like a very good idea! thank you

 

[SoA]

I don't use run-about balls for the reasons mentioned above. They make great rattie beds, though

 

[mamarat]

You can also hang them.

The smaller ones are good too.

 

[Melissa]

That looks like super-fun-time righ there, lol.

 

[Melissa's ZOO]

Yeah, my girls use their ball as a bed and they love it like that. I also put paper in it and they dig like crazy.

 

[mamarat]

My ratties also use theirs for storage

From the TP

through the hammock

all the way to the ball

they go through a roll in 2 to 3 days. lol

 

[Melissa]

LOL! That is too funny.

 

[jorats]

Work work work, those rats never stop. :lol:

 

[Melissa's ZOO]

OMGosh the TP thing is fricken hilarious, I am going to try that tonight and see if the girls like it. :thumbup: I love new ideas for their cage.

 

[SQ]

I went out and purchased a ball to hang in the cage so the ratties could use it for a hanging bed.

I would never put a rat in one of those balls. Small animals can overheat in them and die.

My rats have a martins playpen they enjoy playing in.
They also have a safe area in my home where they can run around and play, climb on the couch, cuddle with me, etc.

Some people use a bed or a table top for their rats play area.
When I have had baby rats, I used a child's wading pool for their play area as they were too small to get out of it.

 

[Jack's_Girl]

mamarat- that has got to be the cutest thing I have seen all day lol!

 

[SoA]

That's too funny, mamarat! :lol:

 

[Melissa]

I think my BF would kill me if he saw the toilet paper in the rat cage, lol.