Tsensei, don’t worry. I knew this hamster well, I saw him rolling many times and I think he was the happiest hamster in the world. I think some people should think about suffering they cause to another people with their comments.

My cousin’s hamster rolls up to the cat food bowl in her ball, sticks her little hand out, and steals pieces of kibble.

well, it’s on a website, so it must be true. I’d love to see how they determined that “even if an animal seems to run merrily” it is actually “just panicked and stressed always.” There are no surveys, science, or data on that page!

besides the problem with the jogging ball they also point out the usual problems with too small cages and some sorts of running wheels:
http://www.diebrain.de/zw-laufrad.html and http://www.diebrain.de/hi-rad.html

babelfish translations (hope the links work)(beware of weird translations- it’s babelfish…)
http://72.30.186.56/babelfish/translate_url_content?.intl=us&lp=de_en&trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.diebrain.de%2Ftierwidrig.html
and
http://72.30.186.56/babelfish/translate_url_content?.intl=us&lp=de_en&trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.diebrain.de%2Fzw-laufrad.html

Oh my goodness, I laughed a laugh that I have been needing all day! Cute Overload to the rescue, once again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qnl1C6-6NW4

That’s my hamster, happily trying to get past me to get to the kitchen in our old apartment. She knew EXACTLY where she was going.

Okay and one more entry and then I will quit
Check out this way cool hamster /gerbil car

http://hamsterandgerbilsupplydepot.com/product.php/4512561361.html

okay I am gonna kind of stick up for sirius here cause for the rats tehy were not in control of the ball , like I said before their tails got in the way so the ball really would roll over and over until it hit something with them hanging on for dear life. and when we opened it they scampered out and were not amused but the hamsters seem to really control the ball so not sure where the problem is but maybe Sirius had the same problem with their pet as we had with the rats.

You know, we Hamster Owners obviously cannot tell when our babies are happy and we must be stupid. But Sirius can tell without looking at them that they are frenzied, panicked little critters. I mean, hot damn, we have a Psychic Nuff who clearly has a degree in Rodent Psychology as well!

Yeah, I’m kind of entertained by all these people painting a picture of a chaotically-moving, unstoppable ball that terrorizes my hamster. Have you ever watched a happy hamster in its ball? My hamster STEERS. Like I said, she chases the cat. She also makes an instant beeline every single night for the toilet, which fascinates her (I usually remember to close the door, because eew). Then she makes the same rounds every night, checking out the cat and dog, the bed, the closets, and ending up at the cat’s grass plant (and yes, before you jump on me, it’s hamster-safe, and yes, she loves to eat it). I can’t imagine that a terrorized, frightened animal would have a ROUTINE. Good grief.