Hi Everyone it's Mark from Hamster Welfare

[Mark Diner]

Hi Everyone, I run the website hamsterwelfare.com with Tiffany Key. We campaign for a lot of issues such as small cages, small wheels, fluffy bedding, scented bedding etc. If people feel that certain info needs updating or changing then please let us know and this forum could be a good place to discuss what is right and wrong. Also, if there are any serious issues that we don't currently cover let us know.

 

[RainbowBrite]

Hello Mark and welcome to the forum. I watched your video when it was uploaded a few weeks back. It was very informative.

 

[elusive]

Hi Mark, welcome to the forum.
I hadn’t come across your site before, probably because I haven’t done much ham research or googling for a long time now so it’s good to see such good info out there. I’ll definitely be off for a longer browse later.

 

[Maz]

Hello and welcome Mark Your site is such a great hamster resource and informing people of what's needed and the dangers to look out for. Thanks for joining us.

 

[Maz]

I think you're doing a great job trying to get mesh wheels banned, and wheels smaller than 6.5" banned. And also raising awareness of other dangerous or unsuitable items. It's a difficult task as it's all so commercial.

 

[Member ID2]

Hi Mark,
welcome to this forum and great to have you on here. Yes, i've come across your work before and will go on your site again to update myself.
So many things would need to be taken off the shelves from small cages to hamster balls and lots inbetween.

 

[Mark Diner]

Hi Mark,
welcome to this forum and great to have you on here. Yes, i've come across your work before and will go on your site again to update myself.
So many things would need to be taken off the shelves from small cages to hamster balls and lots inbetween.

Hi Beryl, your right there seems to be more wrong products in pet stores than whats right it's not just a few items. There's an ever increasing market for suitable hamster products, largely due to social media. I can already see some retailers starting to move to bigger cages.

In the Hamster Fair Speech (below) I explain why Pet Shops need to start selling ethical products. Here's how I see the situation:

By not changing the products they sell the Pet Shops are:

1) Looking very unethical and annoying a community of millions of people who know about the correct care for hamsters.

2) Putting their staff who know about proper hamster care in an awkward position.

3) Losing millions in revenue from those who want to buy the correct products.

4) Losing customers who would probably spend more and provide more repeat business then a hamster owner who doesn't care.

5) Losing animal loving customers who may also have other pets.

6) When selling dangerous and unsuitable products retailers are misleading customers to break the animal welfare act.

7) They are causing many captive hamsters to live a miserable life :-(

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[Member ID2]

When i first started keeping hamsters in 2019, i frequently visited certain pet shops but found it to be an upsetting experience.

For that reason i've been buying my supplies elsewhere for quite a long time now and know plenty of people who do the same.

I read that in Germany hamster balls are no longer for sale and the RSPCA here advises that they are unsuitable.

I can't understand why shops are still selling a product that's deemed unsuitable by a leading authority like the RSPCA.

Hamster balls are good as a safe means of transport from cage to playpen. I use one for a tiny Robo to carry him safely from his tank downstairs to the upstairs playarea. He knows that the ball is his taxi so no longer panics when he's inside it while i carry him.

I think if someone would re market hamster balls as transport vessels or come up with transport vessels it would encourage people to use playpens and freeroaming areas and make them money.

 

[Mark Diner]

Hi Beryl, For years even before I got a hamster I had always thought those small cages are so cruel, it's not a good look for the pet shops do they not realise that most sensible people with eyes must think those cages are cruel.

You've mentioned "I read that in Germany hamster balls are no longer for sale". I'm going to look into that, maybe there has been a legal ban and that will set a great example for the rest of the world.

 

[Maz]

I'm slightly on the fence with hamster balls. Like many products, if they were made safely and came with safety instructions it would have been better. But I agree they can be dangerous and people don't know how to use them safely and the products aren't made safely. The main issue is - they are not suitable at all for dwarf hamsters and they are too small for Syrian hamsters. And they don't come with information on safe use of them. There are always people who leave hamsters in them too long or don't supervise them - then it's harmful. When balls were still very popular - among sensible owners - I looked into a bit and decided a rat ball was the best size for a Syrian - as did other owners. The problem there was - the rat balls have larger slits and are a big hazard to toes and toenails - so they're not safe for hamsters either. I got the Savic rat ball which has the narrowest slits of all. I still have that but rarely use it now - occasionally for a Syrian who enjoys it - for a bit of variety. And it won't be replaced if it gets broken. A playpen area with a wheel in it is much better. However - the vast majority of people just buy them without checking size and size of slits and don't know about the safety aspects, or not leaving a hamster in it for more than 10 minutes without monitoring and supervision. Free roaming or a playpen is much better. Free roaming also has its hazards if people aren't careful - so it comes down to education perhaps. Partly why we're here! To suggest safe set ups and safe hamster care.

So overall I think they should be banned. But ideally that would need to go along with a minimum cage size and advice on safe exercise. The idea was probably good - so hamsters had out of cage exercise instead of being left in their small cages all the time. It just wasn't implemented safely. Even with a large cage, hamsters need out of cage time and more exercise than just wheel running (usually).

I think the idea was - it's ok to sell these smaller cages if you have a ball. It's not - they need both - a large enough cage, and out of cage time safely.

Since balls have been seen as not such a good thing after all, there have been a lot less accidents (balls rolling down staircases for example). I do know there are people who still swear their Syrians love their rat ball however. Sadly the vast majority of owners aren't up on the safety aspects.

They certainly shouldn't be marketed as a safe toy for exercise. And a transport/taxi doesn't necessarily need to be a ball - it could be square! Even then you'd get people doing inappropriate things with it so it needs to be marketed appropriately with instructions.

There are many hamster products which are unsafe and until there is legislation on these things, it's very much "buyer beware" and putting safety information out there.

They're not recommended and we usually advise playpen time instead.

 

[Member ID2]

Safety instructions for the use of a hamster ball would need to include:
Remove Hamster Immediately!
- if they show signs of distress
- paw on sides of ball frantically
- urinate or defecate
- become vocal
- hyperventilate

 

[elusive]

Or just run like crazy trying to escape it.

 

[Mark Diner]

Along with the dangers The RSPCA say that Hamster Balls are a Stressful experience and I could only imagine If I were a hamster with no access to food or water and no means to escape I would be freaking out.

 

[Maz]

Good to see they have published that. I've linked it here. Will add it to resources as well.

 

[Maz]

Yes it says it may cause stress. I remember a lot of debate about whether it was stressful or not and I think the conclusion was - yes it can be - but for some it isn't as they have a bond with a sensible owner. But you can't rely on that when selling a product. It has to be safe for all. A wheel in a playpen also provides the same degree of exercise.

OH son wanted a go in one of those large human balls they have at various places. It looked fun as he watched people. He completely freaked out once inside it and wanted to get out again. So yes you can imagine. I agree they should be banned.

 

[Maz]

I know there are still people out there who will swear their Syrian hamsters love running in their balls! And that they are careful. But if it's not safe for all hamsters it shouldn't be sold and marketed. Apart from the fact they're too small!

 

[Maz]

Along with the dangers The RSPCA say that Hamter Balls are a Stressful experience and I could only imagine If I were a hamster with no access to food or water and no means to escape I would be freaking out.

I'm not sure if they're banned in Germany or not. I know it was in Germany they first said they shouldn't be used and weren't used generally.

 

[Member ID2]

Yes it says it may cause stress. I remember a lot of debate about whether it was stressful or not and I think the conclusion was - yes it can be - but for some it isn't as they have a bond with a sensible owner.

What difference would a bond with a sensible owner make when the hamster is trapped inside a ball where they can't smell, sense or see their sensible owner?

 

[Member ID2]

I'm not sure if they're banned in Germany or not. I know it was in Germany they first said they shouldn't be used and weren't used generally.

I could ask the question on the German hamster forum.

 

[Maz]

What difference would a bond with a sensible owner make when the hamster is trapped inside a ball where they can't smell, sense or see their sensible owner?

I think balls maybe need to be a separate thread. As I mentioned I am sure there are some people who have varying views on whether they can smell or see etc. They clearly can if they come over to you specifically - but .............point taken.

I think the consensus is - balls aren't good. They do have slits in though so they can smell. But not as well as if they weren't in a ball!