I've had Valentine for just about a month now...still pretty newbie but I have engrossed myself in this website and any information I can find regarding balls. I observe her very carefully and try to make notes/timelines to get a good feel for the future. Since I've had her she has eaten every week consistently, she has had a perfect shed (yay), and she handles so easily (3x per week approx. 15 - 20 mins). She was pacing about the cage last week so we fed her a day early, I believe she was hungry and we may need to up her food...Pet Smart (don't kill me for buying from a generic pet store lol) told me to feed her fuzzies, I don't think they are large enough for a growing baby ball. (Thoughts? I want to switch her to rats since I've heard they are more nutritious.) Since the feeding she has settled down again. They gave a guess that she was approx. 5 months old.

Now for the reason I post this - She NEVER hides. The only time she has ever hid was the first night we had her and didn't have a very nice setup for her. She hid in a small box and I don't blame her. Anyway since that night we have her house decked out to the nines. She has two hides - 1 cool side and 1 hot side. We have tried different hides which she will explore and then settle back onto her sticks or she sits below the canopy of her fake bonsai tree. She seems to prefer being slightly concealed by plants. She has never curled up in ball either...not even once. Do you think she is just very comfortable? I went back to Pet Smart yesterday and a young man told me she was super docile while there and was kind of a 'show off'. Do I trust his opinion - is it possible she is just an odd ball? She doesn't seem stressed at all - never when handling and never in general like I said she has never curled up in a defensive ball.

Thanks for any replies and taking the time to read this. I really appreciate this website and find your opinions super helpful so thanks in advance.