Why dont my rats like the ball i bought?

Question

my rats are half tame and like to come out to play so i went to the pet shop to buy a little plastic ball that makes a jingly noise when you roll it about. here is the ball

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/images/Categoryimages/thumbnail/th_Super%20Pet%20Roller%20Basket%20Toy_tfs.JPG

and they didn't like it so i put it in their cage to see if they would like it but they don't so now what?? can i get them to like it?

Answer 1

i just bought my rats some of those, mine will roll them about the bottom of their cage, theyve played with pingpong balls before

Answer 2

My rats have these type of balls too.

We Just got them this hanging chew toy that you can put treats on it and it has a bell and they love it.

They also like toys with treats in the middle that they have to chew through to get the treat.

Answer 3

a cat ball like this is fine for rats (<<-to the rude answer). anyway, you can't force them to like it. some do, some don't. it's more about trial and error, like buying a child a new toy. uhm. be careful though, because i have had naughty ratties start chewing those kinds of balls.

Answer 4

i got mi rats a ball which their meant to go inside but they hate it so i gave it to my mates hamster u cant realli force them 2 like it give it 2 ur cat cats luuuuuv that kinda thing!!!!

Answer 5

Sorry but haha to the other answer.

But anyway..seriously.You cant force rats to like something, like humans they have their own personalitys (even rats!).

If they dont like it you cant force them too.

Try playing with it in your rats cage and leave it in their for a while. if they dont play with it, give it to a cat or something.

Answer 6

grow a bigger one

Answer 7

Maybe because you have rats not a cat, as that ball is intended for. Still you can't force your animals to like something. Just accept that they don't want to play with it and maybe buy them a new toy for rats

Answer 8

Myrats don't like noisy toys, they do have a tiny red plastic ball about half size of a ping pong ball i notice one of them carries it sometimes, otherwise they aren't interested, don't get a treat ball neither, mine didn't like that either all the choc drops were still in it..I gave it away...

Answer 9

I would think that it would scare them. that looks alot the ball I got for my cats. I would get them somiething that they go in and run around, Yyou can't put two rats in one ball though.

Answer 10

Some of my rats have carried one of those balls around with them in the cage, taking to bed and so on. Don't know why. Others haven't shown any interest. A really good one though is to put them in the clean, empty base of a cage or in a very big box with a ping-pong ball. Mine chase it like nutters!

http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk is the best place for rat advice, wherever you are.

Answer 11

lol

Answer 12

Some rats just don't like balls.

Also those running balls, my rat hates those. She just sits in there peeing and pooping and being scared.

Answer 13

Sometimes rats just won't use the ball, there's nothing you can do.  I got one for my guinea pig, and she just sat in it, peeing and pooping.

Answer 14

Well leave it in longer to see if they just had to figure out what it is, but if that doesn't work after about a week give it to your cat.