snack-a-balls?

[emmilou]

Hi all.
was considering getting a snack-a-ball for pipi as he's been murdering my friends!
i know they do those decahedran ones to tho.
anyone know which is the better?
anyone tried them?
thanks x

 

[_Jazz_]

Hi
Sorry I have not tried those but have you seen the 'DISTRACTION AID* STABLE TOY.ANTI-WEAVE/CRIB/WIINDSUCK' on EBay? I know it's not the same thing but thought I'd mention it anyway
Jazz loves hers !

 

[TLL67]

Ben has a snackaball, best £20 I have spent since ive owned him, he loves it

 

[Super_Kat]

The decaheedron ones are so ruddy noisy when they get kicked around! the balls are much quieter.

 

[Bex7]

Bert has the ball and loves it. it was about £20.

The only issue I have with it is that he has a yard and stable as he is claustrophobic and he always finds a pudle to roll it in. We end up with a black nose and a clogged ball as the nuts swell up and block it!

 

[Tempi]

both mine have the smaller decadron style ones (bit cheaper) and they love them! i dont give them their feed in them tho, but they have some hifibre nuts in them intstead.

 

[LauraBR]

[ QUOTE ]
The decaheedron ones are so ruddy noisy when they get kicked around! the balls are much quieter.

[/ QUOTE ]

They are noisy! My boy absolutely loves his though, plays with it for hours and hours. They've been stuck a fair bit recently with the frozen ground and he now *expects* it and throws a mini strop if I don't stick it in with him.

Never tried the round ones, imagine they would be quicker to get the food out but I'm probably wrong? Anyone used them both?

 

[shellonabeach]

I use both the round snak-a-ball and the decahedron!

I chop carrots and put those in the decahedron - nuts would come out too quickly!

I put nuts in the snak-a-ball. The ball has an inner "partition" in the middle with small holes for the nuts to get through before they reach the main exit and fall out.

My horse however is the master of the balls and empies both in about an hour (decahedron rammed full of carrots and snak-ball 1/3 filled with nuts.)

I have tried all sorts of nuts - shorter fat ones, long thin ones but it makes no difference!!

 

[LauraBR]

Ahhh, that makes sense. Might have another look at the round ones.

I use carrots in my decahedron too- have to make them quite chunky awkward shaped bits now to prolong the experience for him lol- they soon learn don't they! Sam has learnt to dig a big bank in his stable, roll the thing up it and let it roll down- seems to be effective for getting a few carrots out!

 

[shellonabeach]

I remember someone here mentioning a cube made by badminton horse feeds which were large enough for the decahedron's - managed to pick up a sample at Burghley this year but none of the feed merchants near me stock it.

These cubes are too big for the snak balls though (wouldn't get through the centre) more like treat size.

 

[CrazyMare]

I use a SnakaBall, fab!!

Had mine a few years now, it gets used everynight and every time she stays in.

Is a must have on overnight stays as it distracts her straight away from worrying about where she is.

I use fibre nuts in mine, but Holly has got very wise, and finds the hole and rocks the ball back and forth until its empty!!

 

[xxcharlottexx]

i have a decahedron one, and even my not so clever boy can figure it out, even if he does push it around where theres nothing inside
i just put herbal treats in mine, i put carrots in one time when i first got it, but cal didnt realise what he was meant to do and they went all mouldy.

the balls were too expensive for me as i didnt know if my ned would play with it then it would have been a waste of money

 

[equibabe20]

I use the decahedron one with nuts in. i found that the nuts came out really quickly as the hole is so big, but ive found a solution! Cover the hole with tape, I use the strong black stuff and you can make the hole as big or as small as you need it! Works really well now lasts hours rather than minutes!

 

[Theresa_F]

Chancer has a snack ball and Cairo has a huge equi ball - they adore them and have them in the afternoon with some cheap pony cubes to keep them occupied when stabled.

They actually prefer them to a feed if offered both at the same time.

 

[brightmount]

[ QUOTE ]
They actually prefer them to a feed if offered both at the same time.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's true. I have to make sure my girl has finished her feed before she gets her snack a ball, or she would leave the feed and go straight to the snack a ball!

 

[brighteyes]

I have dodecas, but think they might be damaging to pasterns and fetlocks - please, someone tell me they aren't! Mine boot them round and seem to be using their fetlock area, rather than pushing them with their nose.

 

[nomini]

Jiggy has a ball one and he loves it, goes straight into stable and plays with it! Alisha rolled it once though and didn't touch it again so haven't bothered buying her one!

 

[xxcharlottexx]

[ QUOTE ]
I have dodecas, but think they might be damaging to pasterns and fetlocks - please, someone tell me they aren't! Mine boot them round and seem to be using their fetlock area, rather than pushing them with their nose.

[/ QUOTE ]

hehe perhaps they should try out for the world cup

cant imagine theyd do any damage as theyre not particularly heavy

 

[star]

mine has a decahedron - i use chopped carrots and badminton high fibre nuggets. did used spillers high fibre cubes when he had it in his paddock, but they come out very quickly and get lost in a shavings bed. the nuggets and carrots are bigger so he doesn't lose so many, although still find plenty when mucking out!

 

[sillygillyhorse]

My horses have both types. The snack ball tends to trickle the nuts out where as the decahedron dumps loads out when the horse gets it right. One of my horses is quite happy with either option but the younger one prefers the snack ball, he gets a steady flow of food, not really worked the decahedron out and ends up getting very cross!

 

[Twiglet]

I use the decahedron, and mine will go for it over dinner everytime. I use a combination of nuts, treats and carrots and it seems to keep him occupied and he adores it - one of the best horsey purchases I've ever made in fact!

 

[wilder]

i have the big decahron for the big horse and a little one for the pony we are not allowed them in the stables are they are to noisy so mine have them out in the field filled with pony nuts and they even know which one is theirs the pony waits for his, but he loves this weather as when it is raining otter (a big baby when it comes to rain) hides under shelter and the pony has the two balls to him self while otter looks on miserable

 

[amandaco2]

i got the red one.
its alot more solid than the decdohedrons and i know of a few horses with small feet who have got them in the opening and broken the ball.
alkso the red one takes longer for the food to come out!

 

[showjumperzoe]

One of my horse has a decahedron but the stuff inside comes out much easier and is eaten very quickly but my other pony has a snack a ball and the stuff lasts longer as inside there is a thing to make only a little bit come out at a time and keeps him occupied for longer. I'd go for the snack a ball even though they are a little dearer.