[SamsterAndRocky]

ok so i bought a ball for rocky when i got him...he goes like 3 or 4 steps and then curls up...does anyone have success using a 'hamster ball' (a rat sized one of course)

 

[renay]

dont have one... i have cats so yeh... plus i let mine free roam the bathroom

 

[Forensic]

Most rats are terrified by hamster balls, they don't like the feeling of being trapped. Or they get bored as all they smell is themself. I have one, but I hang it in the cage as a bed. It's the only way it gets used.

 

[SamsterAndRocky]

lol....yeah, i figured he was bored......the thing is i have nowhere that i can let him free range....except the bath tub and he gets bord in there too...and i gotta scrub it out before everytime cuz i let the bird (a dove) sit on the shower rod when the dove is out..... whats funny is that my hamster runs full speed into rockys ball with his own sometimes if they are out at the same time......*sigh*...... i really wish rocky could have a friend to play with....im trying to work on it...dont have money for like a week, and even then most of it goes towards bills

 

[mopydream44]

I was at the dollar store, and there are these plastic whiffle balls with holes in them! You can put food/bedding in them, and the ratties love them, and at 4 for 1$ you can't go wrong!

 

[Sparker]

I LOVE THOSE THINGS!

I bought about twenty of those whiffle balls and filled a box with them. Then, I sprinkled treats all over them and shook it up... and gave it to the rats. They all worked together taking the balls out of the box it get to the treats. It was awesome.

The nice thing about it is that you can put it in their cage so that they have something to do while you are away. :-D

 

[Poppyseed]

I block off a hallway for my ratties to freerange. I block it off with two thick pieces of foam board. It's a ratty range room when they are playing and everything is easily put away after. Any way you could do that? YOu can also do that with a corner of a room. If you are worried about the carpet, put a blanket down as well. You can also let him run around on a bed, or use the whole bathroom, or a walk in closet. The possibilities are endless if you keep your eyes open. Make sure to put lots of toys around where ever it is. I buy baby toys from the dollar store. I also use large industrial cardboard tubes I get from work and paper bags I get from shopping or work.

Hrm, rats aren't that expensive so I can't understand why you can't afford to buy him a friend, unless it's a cage space issue or another cage that you need to get.

 

[mopydream44]

rats aren't that expensive

well initally they aren't expensive but extra food, housing, toys, bedding, vet bills can add up quickly

but I think Samster said he/she was going to get a friend soon? maybe i'm worng i dunno lol

 

[SamsterAndRocky]

well, its a money issue....we have NO money atm...plus we'd have to get a bigger cage....i might ask out neighbors (who became our guests for a few weeks today) if i can have the male rat they bought when they bought rocky.....this rat was naked when they got him, and a few days after that he started growing fuzz...now he has an (almost) full furriness.... he still has baldness around his neck and the top of his head.....but he looks like he could be rockys brother....

as for the letting him free range...we have NOWHERE to let him do that....there are holes in the walls and stuff every where.... the bathroom is out.....i kinds figured out a place, bt it wouldnt be very big...a little bigger than his cage.......unless i get a fence thingie that i can set up in the middle of the living room floor....which requires money.... *sigh*

 

[Stephanie]

your bed? your couch?

 

[Sparker]

I love playing on the couch...

 

[SamsterAndRocky]

i tried the couch, he tries to crawl back in the couch where he will get squished..... i shoewd my b/f a picture of one of those play pen fency things and when we have the money he said it looks like a good idea....the bed is out, b/fs not to fond of having to pick raisins out of bed...lol....and Samster is a she...lol

 

[mopydream44]

I find the ratties usually don't leave rasins provided they have access to their cage or a litter box

 

[SamsterAndRocky]

ok, so the little boy (rufus) loooooves the ball, he can go exploring without being scared........when he gets bigger i'll buy him a huge one...if he wants