Hi Everyone it's Mark from Hamster Welfare

[Maz]

It's a bit like the debate about - how do you know if hamsters are happy or not. You just know, if you have a bond with your hamster.

 

[Maz]

There used to be balls on stands that some people had in cages instead of wheels (awful things). Hamsters still happily jumped in them and ran in them. I guess the difference is, they could get out when they wanted. And they were still too small and a hazard with the slits and toes/toenails.

Then there were those awful little car toys! Are those still sold? I hope not.

 

[RainbowBrite]

There used to be balls on stands that some people had in cages instead of wheels (awful things). Hamsters still happily jumped in them and ran in them. I guess the difference is, they could get out when they wanted. And they were still too small and a hazard with the slits and toes/toenails.

Then there were those awful little car toys! Are those still sold? I hope not.

Sadly they are along with stupid moterbikes for hamsters.

 

[Member ID2]

One last post about the hamster balls and then i'll drop the subject.
I asked the question on the German hamster forum.
It is true that there is a law that does not allow the sale of hamster balls But it does not apply to sellers from abroad.
Which means that hamster balls are sadly still on sale in Germany, as long as they are foreign ones.
No Vorsprung there then.

 

[Maz]

Interesting. So they aren't allowed to manufacture them for sale, but they can't stop them being sold if imported. So presumably with places like Amazon they can be bought. However I think Germany has had an anti-ball policy for a long time.

Some of their views are very good. But I remember they were very anti anything plastic in the cage (like Sputniks) in case it was chewed. I don't have a problem with that - I've never had a sputnik chewed. I think that's why wood wheels were more popular. Some hamsters do chew their wheels.

And they also use wood shavings quite a lot - although a german hamster owner once told me that Germany had very stringent laws for kiln drying.

 

[Member ID2]

Yes, i believe they use Allspan which is spruce.

 

[Maz]

I've only heard of the Chipsi one which is part Spruce. Off to look up Allspan

 

[Member ID2]

One last post about the hamster balls and then i'll drop the subject.
I asked the question on the German hamster forum.
It is true that there is a law that does not allow the sale of hamster balls But it does not apply to sellers from abroad.
Which means that hamster balls are sadly still on sale in Germany, as long as they are foreign ones.
No Vorsprung there then.

Correction: my question started a debate on the german hamster forum with someone stating that there is no law re hamster balls, only guidelines.