Death balls

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Do you advocate the use of death balls?

  • Yes, I do use them and recommend them.

    Votes: 2 1.1%

  • No, I do not use them and would never torture a chin in that way.

    Votes: 175 95.1%

  • I have no opinion one way or another.

    Votes: 7 3.8%
  • Total voters
    184
  • Poll closed .
There is nothing wrong with a wheel in a chin cage. Provided they are chin safe wheels, they are a definite addition to the enrichment of your chins life. Will they die without one? No. But they will love you forever if you provide one. :)
 
I'll admit it... I have a death ball but (thankfully) none of my chins like being in it. I have put them in it, and when they didn't do anything but sit there, I took them out and let them run around a chin safe room for a little while instead. If they had enjoyed and something had happened I would have felt horrible. On that same note, I would never let a chin run around in one for more then 10 minutes because I know they would get too hot. Since I have found CnH I have learned so much useful information and am thankful that I have fixed anything that was wrong before any of my furry kids got into trouble.
 
I dont own chinchillas but perosnally i would never put an animal in one of these balls, no matter what kind. Most small animals poop and pee while they excercise and to me making them run arund in their own bodily functions is gross and cruel, I would NEVER put my hedgie in one of them, they have very poor ventilation, small slits to get little toes or feet caught. To me , i find it easier to set up a play space, like extra room, play pen, bathroom ect, where they are safe and you can also spend time with them. I dont think they are safe or comfortable at all i would never let any of my pets use one of these death balls.
 
I got my first chins within a week of eachother. I bought balls for both of them at 30 bucks a piece! I bought them because the guy in the pet store told me, "Yeah, they love them!". But, this was also the same guy who told me it didn't matter what kind of food I used and that I had to take them to the vet for immunizations just like a dog. Oh, and the same guy that told me my second chin was a boy, only for me to find out a couple weeks later that he was a she.
I used the balls a couple times when I would do their thorough cage cleaning. But they would come out covered in poo and my beige would always pee. After about 3 times in these things, I stopped using them because I didn't want to ruin their fur. I found out later how dangerous they are. So, there they sit back in my closet. Sixty dollars of plastic I will never use again. The only reason I haven't thrown them away is because I feel like I'm throwing the money in the grabage. I'd rather think of something to make out of them lol. Not sure what...but ya never know. My babies will never be put into them again though.
 
MissJess, drill a hole through the top, attach a chain and a pear hook, and make them into swings.
 
I just read through this entire thread and all I can think of is birds in cages. When it was mentioned how restricting a ball is to a chinchilla I immediately thought of a bird in a cage. Chins hop and jump, birds fly. Same arguement, different issue. But the sentiment of use and ownership sounds so similar.

The ball in the corner is gathering dust. I had to have one. I wanted my chin to be able to come out of his cage to play without him getting in, under, behind where I couldn't get him. He had the thing wet within 10 minutes and I didn't like that any more than he did. He's only been in it twice during the first month I had him. He'll never go in it again. I made that decision way before I ever heard that a chin can overheat in one and die. I'm a lazy person and I don't understand how a lazy person would want to clean that cumbersome ball every time it's used. I never threw it away because I hate waste and it has no recycle symbol on it. I use my bathroom for playtime instead of the ball. He doesn't pee on my bathroom.

The issue I have with the ball being used as a play thing for a chin in any way is that it's plastic. No plastic for the nibbler. That's one of my rules for my chin. I like the idea of using it as a weighing device. I may have a reason to dust it off now. And I was briefly encouraged by the mention of using it without the lids as a play toy, but for the toes issue. Sounded to me like the person using it that way is very attentive. That chin is using the ball like a wheel, but no ball I've found is as big as a chin wheel. My chin loved his little rat wheel. It was still unsafe and I replaced it rather than risk hurting him.

Lanterns need ventilation just like critters do. If you make a ball into a lantern, make sure you add extra holes at the top to let the heat from the bulb escape. The bulb will last longer.
 
A costume head from a death ball. I love that idea! You could make almost any character on one. Though if you can get $400 for a specific one, go for it. Heck of a return on that initial investment.
 
tunes said:
MissJess, drill a hole through the top, attach a chain and a pear hook, and make them into swings.
Click to expand...

I did that, I hack sawed off the tabs that hold them together, wrapped it in fleece, added a couple chains and wola! Chin swing! They mostly curl up and sleep in them though. I'm thinking about adding fleece and wood to it though like I've seen on a website where they sell snuggle swings (can't remember the site sorry) that way they can sit and chew at the same time! ;D
 
I use one, ONE time. A giant one, put my kid in there, he didn't really even know what to do. He walked around a little and yeah peed in there so i was like "well that's gonna be a mess" and took him out. It's been sitting in the garage ever since.

If you're worried about them making a mess or trying to catch them, let em loose in your bathroom or some other small confined space, but don't put them in those stupid balls.
 
I think one of the problems is that (at least the ones I've seen in pet stores) say 'safe for rats, chinchillas and other large rodents'. Some even have a picture of a chin in it. The company obviously doesn't know (or refuses to admit) that they are dangerous for chins.
 
I'd just like to throw out there that the chinchilla I rescued from two horridly uninformed owners, has developed severe spinal issues and continually runs around his cage in continuous circles on his hind legs because they advocated a death ball constantly. He's developed a small case of hunchback from it.
 
zombiezeatbrain said:
................ developed severe spinal issues and continually runs around his cage in continuous circles on his hind legs because they advocated a death ball constantly. He's developed a small case of hunchback from it.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry to throw this thread off track but I seriously doubt the ball would be the cause of these issues. A hunchback is an indicator of pain or of weight loss & circling madly can be a sign of an inner ear infection or a behaviour problem.
 
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