scared of ball

[stuyworld]

Hi. I don't know why, but my hamster is extremely afraid of her ball. I tryed to but her in it for the third time, n she spazzed out, trying to run away from it. I waited about a week and then but the ball next to the cage to see what she would do, and she ran to the complete opposite side of the cage. I tryed it again with another ball that I had from my past hamster, but she ran too. Both of the balls I bleached to get rid of the smell. My other one that died would always wait to go into the ball, but the new one hates it. Do you have any idea why she does? Please help me. I feel bad for her. :hamster1:

[Zouave]

Why don't you put her near it when it is open in a large enclosed area, but put some of her bedding (not the potty area) inside the ball, and maybe add some food she likes. She will likely investigate eventually.

[Da One]

how bout this, you actually put it in the ball. That might help. Grab the hamster and just put it in the ball. Wow. you people expect the hamster to know what it is by instinct. Common now its a hamster. They lived in the wild. The didn't have hamster balls in the wild. WHen they see it they dont think "O a hamster ball. Yes! i can run around!". They say" What is that wierd object. better get away, looks like danger!" just put it in. Let it roam around. Give it 10 minutes or so in it. And trust me. it will start likeing it. that simple

[Iverson03]

hmm my hamster doesnt know what to do in the ball. It just keeps biting at the air holes. Should I just leave it for 10 minutes like you said?

[Gingitsune27]

well, if the hamster starts freaking out, i would say to take it out...you don't wanna stress it out too much....but if it's just biting at the holes, leave it in for a bit...mine didn't know what to do at first, then she realized it was like a moving wheel....she really motors in it too....

[ramba]

mine just goes to sleep. i tried to help him out by rolling a bit when he moves, but no luck. any ideas with that?

[Iverson03]

I put the entrance to ball in front of my hamster and it goes inside. I lock it but it keeps biting at the airholes. I've tried leaving him in there for 10 minutes a day. Tried helped rolling him a little bit but he still bites at air holes and scratches at the ball inside. Any ideas?