The hamster ball for exercise has drawn a lot of criticism over the years because of the risks it poses. While useful as an exercise tool for hammies, a hamster ball can put your pet in dangerous situations.
In the wild, hamsters are highly active animals that are always on the move. Most of their waking time is largely spent on running, collecting food, and creating burrows.
Pet hamsters do not have the same freedom as their wild counterparts. Living in captivity, they have limited space for indulging their natural instincts. Thus, their owners need to provide exercise tools to keep them fit and healthy.
Hamster ball for exercise is one of the popular options you will find in the market. This circular device allows hamsters to get inside and roll around by running.
Hamster exercise balls allow hammies to stay fit while exploring outside their cages. It helps them lose extra pounds and prevents obesity, which can cause a variety of other health issues like diabetes and cardiac problems.
5 Cons of Hamster Ball for Exercise
Are hamster balls good for hamsters? Although hamster balls for exercise offer some health benefits, they are not as good as they seem. Throughout the years, many hamster owners have pointed out the hazards of letting pet hammies use exercise balls.
1. A hamster ball for exercise can promote bad posture.
Similar to exercise wheels, the size of hamster exercise balls is a serious matter. If it is too small, your hamster will be forced to arch its back while running.
The prolonged duration of this undesirable posture can alter your pet’s spinal position. It can eventually result in back pains and injuries. In severe cases, permanent spinal damage may happen.
A hamster exercise ball that is too big tends to require more energy to manoeuvre. Pet hamsters, particularly small breeds, will have a hard time rolling the ball.
The ideal minimum size of exercise balls for Syrian hamsters and other large hammy species is 25 cm (10 inches). On the other hand, exercise balls for smaller breeds like Robovskis should be no smaller than 20 cm (8 inches). Unfortunately, many types of hamster balls for exercise are smaller than recommended.
2. A hamster ball for exercise has poor ventilation.
Are hamster balls safe to use for extended periods? No. Never let your pet use a hamster exercise ball for an extended amount of time. They often come with ventilation holes or slits that are too small. It prevents proper airflow, which can cause breathing issues and overheating.
You might wonder: “How long should a hamster be in a ball?” Do not leave your hamster in the exercise ball for more than 15-20 minutes. Letting your pet stay inside more than the recommended time puts it at risk of the abovementioned dangers.
The exercise ball’s colour can affect the temperature too. Light-coloured ones are less likely to trap heat. In comparison, darker-coloured balls accumulate heat faster, thereby making hamsters more vulnerable to overheating and dehydration.
3. A hamster ball for exercise hinders the senses of pet hammies.
Some people argue that a hamster in a ball running for ample amounts of time proves that it enjoys the activity. However, others pointed out that this behaviour could be caused by stress and panic, not enjoyment.
Hamsters naturally have poor eyesight. They rely on their other senses, such as their hearing and smell to get a feel of their environment. Their whiskers are also useful for navigation and finding balance.
However, when hammies are inside an exercise ball, they become trapped in an enclosed space which greatly limits their senses. It can be a very disorienting feeling since the ball prevents them from having a good grasp of their surroundings. As a result, hamsters might end up becoming highly distressed and traumatized.
4. A hamster ball for exercise may cause injuries.
Hamster exercise balls can physically harm your pet. Some of their features can cause unintentional accidents. Here are the most common risks hamster balls for exercise pose:
- Falling from elevated heights
Hamsters cannot immediately steer or brake when inside exercise balls. If you are not cautious, your pet might plummet down elevated surfaces. The exercise tool can send them crashing into furniture and walls too.
It can result in painful sprains, bone fractures, and other serious injuries. For this reason, supervision is important when hammies use exercise balls. Blocking areas that lead to sheer drops, like staircases and balconies is imperative as well.
- An avenue for escape
Some hamster ball products are not made with durability in mind. They easily get cracked or may pop open when bumping into furniture or walls.
Your pet hamster will see this as an opportunity to sneak out from the exercise ball and escape. Avoid dealing with this dilemma by closing the hamster ball tightly and double-checking afterward.
Some hamster owners advise placing adhesive tape on the door to keep it from popping open. However, do not use this method to mend cracked hamster exercise balls. In this case, buying a new one is a safer option.
- Some ventilation holes are too large.
- Large ventilation holes in exercise balls can cause gruesome injuries in hamsters. Your pet’s legs or tail might accidentally slip into the holes whilst running, causing broken bones or severed limbs.
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Take note that some exercise balls are specifically made for larger rodents like gerbils or ferrets. Thus, they have big ventilation holes.
So, make sure to check if the exercise ball you are buying is meant for hamsters. Also, take time to measure the width of its holes. They should be big enough to let air flow through properly but not excessively large to cause your pet’s legs to get stuck.
5. A hamster ball for exercise easily accumulates dirt.
Your pet has no access to its cage when using an exercise ball. So, when the necessity to eliminate comes, your hammy will relieve itself inside the ball.
If the exercise tool is still in motion when this occurs, the urine and faeces might end up covering your pet’s body. Constant exposure to these elements can be harmful to your hamster’s health. It can cause ailments like bacterial infections and ammonia burns.
A hamster ball for exercise should be washed every day to prevent urine and faeces build-up. Use pet-safe dishwashing soap and warm water to remove the dirt inside. Rinse thoroughly and dry completely afterwards.
The Final Verdict
The dangers of hamster exercise balls are far greater than the benefits they offer. Thus, use this exercise tool on your hamster at your own risk. Remember the tips we have included to keep your pet safe while inside a hamster ball for exercise.
If you are looking for safer alternatives, providing your hamster with a large cage is a good way to start. Then, place physically and mentally stimulating toys inside, such as an exercise wheel and wooden chew blocks.
If you want your hammy to explore outside its cage, use a playpen. You can create a fun maze inside using toilet paper tubes and cardboard boxes. To make it more exciting, hide treats in certain areas of the maze to enhance your pet’s foraging skills.