Safe products?...

[Sparkles mummy]

Hi I would like to have a go at making some toys and hide always for Sparkle, I was just wondering which glues are safe to use and if anything need to be coated with a protective layer of some form of varnish what would you reccomend?, I am new to this and haven't attempted making anything for her yet and would like to start collecting bits a bobs ready to make things for her so any suggestions of hamster friendly products or ideas is much appreciated :) thanks in advance :)

[squishyhammy]

non toxic wood glue, pva and glue gun glue can be used i think. to paint use plastikote from ebay, wilkinsons or b&q it comes in a variety of colours

[Sparkles mummy]

Ok thank you very much, are there any of the plastikotes that ate unsafe? As there seems to be a lot of them

[Scampi16]

You can make houses from cardboard box & dowels.
I used PVA glue & Plastikote fast dry enamel (brush on).
People make tunnels using either pringles tubes or toilet roll tubes.
Treats can be hidden in slices of toilet roll tubes like a package for them to get at (can see one in photo of cage bottom).
I am currently painting Terry's Chocolate Orange boxes for my dwarfs and going to attach string to them to hang in the cage - holes in choc orange boxes good for dwarfs but not for Syrians.

[Sparkles mummy]

Thank you for the tips and advice, what you've made looks brilliant!! I hope to make some hide always and paint them I just wanted to find put what's best to use and more importantly what Is safe for her :)

[squishyhammy]

ahh btw make sure you use brush on the sprays arnt as good as they literally go everywhere and the fumes are stronger

[Sparkles mummy]

Ok, thank you for that :), are there any colours that are unsafe? Or types of plastikote that is deemed unsafe? Or are they all the same?

[icklemunch]

The paint on enamal is far better than the spray on. Colours wise you should be ok with any.

[Sparkles mummy]

The paint on enamal is far better than the spray on. Colours wise you should be ok with any.

Ok thank you very much :) will have a look at what colours I can find :) and slowly start collecting bits for my little project :)

[icklemunch]

Looking forward to seeing the finish products :)

[Sparkles mummy]

:) thanks, I look forward to that aswel lol and to making them :) I have found a bag of 100 dowel and bags of 200 on eBay, and have seen some paints on there, no just checking around for a saf glue :)

[Sparkles mummy]

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r758/Vicki_Hawksworth/8010b53333c975064a07d4be11cede32_zps2ae2c850.jpg

http://i1365.photobucket.com/albums/r758/Vicki_Hawksworth/9f4bc0f561ab2d0568127d58c1db78f2_zps6056d73f.jpg

Would earth or both of these be suitable? And if not could someone reccomend one to me, thanks :)

[Sparkles mummy]

Oops silly auto correct, *either*

[squishyhammy]

They should be fine!

[Sparkles mummy]

Ok brilliant thank you, your advice has been very helpful :)

[squishyhammy]

your welcome :) glad to be of help x

[Sparkles mummy]

:) , can't wait to start making something, think it will be nice to have a little project

[icklemunch]

The 151 glue is what i'm using at the mo. Got it from the pound shop :). Check amazon for the dowels i got 400 far cheaper than any where on ebay.

[Sparkles mummy]

Thank you for that, I will have a look :)

[Sparkles mummy]

Another question regards dowels.. Which type should I go for as there are lost of different woods and sizes

[Sparkles mummy]

Oops *lots