# Do Your Rats Like Those Run-About Balls?



## dollynloretta (Apr 1, 2015)

I'm new to rattie parenting and I'm wondering if rats really like those Run-About balls and if it's worth it to get one. Also, what size would you recommend? I'd love to put my ratties in one and let them roam around the living room. They do have free-range now when we're watching them but our dog likes to hover over them and lick them (which they're fine with) but I thought this might be fun for them. Let me know your thoughts before I invest.


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## RedFraggle (Jun 4, 2012)

They tend not to enjoy them like hamsters do. They also tend to open them and run off anyway! Lol.


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## kksrats (Jul 25, 2014)

In my experience, rats hate them. Most rats are very particular about their poop and pee, so if they happen to go inside the ball, they'll just sit there and not move anymore. Not to mention they're pretty poorly ventilated.


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## Jackie (Jan 31, 2013)

Do not use them! Rat toes and tails can get stuck in the air openings and because they have poor eyesight seeing though them in a problem and makes rats scared. I had one leftover from a free cage I got and it works well as a little nest if you ziptie it to the cage, but not for intended use.

Oh man when I had hamsters as a kid, they just LOVED them though. ZOOM ZOOM *bonk into something but just do it all over again*


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

As mentioned above, these exercise balls are bad for rats. Rats rely on touch, smell, and sound to get around safely and become anxious when these are taken away. Additionally, sensitive rattie toenails get caught and ripped off easily in the ridges of the balls when they run.

Our trusty admin, Jaguar, uses one as a bed, though!


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## Minky (Apr 4, 2013)

Rats have such a good time exploring the world with their whiskers, paws, noses and ears, through direct sensory experience. I suggest training your rats to come when they're called, if you haven't already done so. Then put your dog in another room and let the rats have some time for supervised exploration.


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## dollynloretta (Apr 1, 2015)

*Thanks!*

Thanks for the responses, everyone! I'm glad I asked here first.


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## Phantom (Apr 4, 2012)

I have one. All it does is sit in the corner of my room collecting dust. When I first got in to rats I bought one, but after learning about how bad they are for rats and how freaked out my rats were inside the ball I just set it aside and stopped using it. My rats have much more fun free ranging without it. =P


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