Cardboard Playpen?

[crazyc4tlady]

So this was my creation I made out of the box that had a hamster cage in it lol
I've done this before and the dwarf loved it but the Syrian lifted up in seconds :/

Oh and yes the floor is a mess (thanks Stan) and I'm using hair clips because I have hundreds and never use them :mad:

Anyone had any success with cardboard playpens?

[herbi7]

I'm in the process of getting the bits together for one. I thought willow would lift it up so my plan is to use bits of boxes that have the flaps attached and put them so the flaps stick inwards on the floor and the rest of the cardboard sticks up as walls. I am going to put cortex board down as a proper floor over the flaps so its impossible to lift up. Really it needs to be nailed down if willow is going to leave it undemolished but I will let u know if it works!

[Rempanda]

The playpen looks great! Well done :D
It depends on the hamster really... my dwarf Theodore was great in the one I made, no problems. However my Syrian Lady Madonna... took her all of 3 minutes to work out she could just chew her way out! I am yet to find a suitable playpen for her as she chews or climbs her way out of everything. Poor soul now gets a few tubes in the bath because anything more she climbs on and leaps out the bath!

[crazyc4tlady]

Ahh that's such a good idea with the box flaps actually. My box didn't really have enough to do that.
Yeah let me know! It could be a cheap way of getting a play pen :)

[racinghamster]

It`s free and it`s safe! ;) Well done! Solid sided play pens are easy to make (like yours) so there is no need to buy those barred contraptions which just encourage bar chewing. A past gerbil of mine lost a tooth using one of those barred play pens and I would urge anyone looking at play pens to make a cardboard one. x

[Hexa]

I have a cardboard playpen and it works well for me, I have mine sat on two yoga\exercise mats to protect the carpet. Because its solid walls no escapes or chewing episodes yet! So convenient as it all folds away flat, wouldn't go back to the metal bar versions.

[Gatsby]

I bought a load of boxes off eBay for selling items, they are A4 size I think. I take them apart at the join, cut the joint flap off and duct tape all the boxes together with top flaps at the top, bottom flaps at the bottom and duct tape running from top to bottom on each side.

I fasten the pen closed with about 5 wooden dolly pegs, the join is a whole section over lapping.
I have the pen sitting on a single bed sheet.
The bottom flaps are folded out so they sit externally, I then put weights from my dumbbells all the way round.

Its climb proof, buldozer proof lol and it all folds away for the next time :)

[crazyc4tlady]

Seems like a good idea!
I put Stan in it for a bit last night with just a blanket underneath he was fine for about 10 minutes then he starts trying to escape lol

[crazyc4tlady]

Managed to finally catch Stan and put him in the playpen :D I managed to wrap the blanket underneath and wedge it between the cardboard so there's less chance of him getting out hopefully!
He still tries his hardest too escape though haha
If you have a ton of cardboard definitely try this out xx

(Sorry it's dark)

[racinghamster]

Looks great! ;) Some hamsters do love that run around attention while others are happy to stay in their cage if the cage has good space. I suppose it`s knowing your hamster and what their attitude is to excersize and open spaces. x

[Thin Lizzy]

It looks really good and wee Stan looks so sweet in it!
You've started a craze! I'm now collecting boxes! lol!

[herbi7]

I have finished willow's playpen! In the end I used a piece of old carpet to be the base and gaffa taped it with about half a mile of gaffa tape so that it joins seamlessly to the cardboard bottom flaps and there are no airholes at all. Willow was happy for..... An hour and a half :) :) :) as long as I stayed with her so she could use me as part of the game. V relieved altho I am.sure she will find a way to destroy the corners at some point. I just used the carpet as a temp measure because it was there and can't spend any more on hamster funds right now!

[Thin Lizzy]

You made good use of what you had and sometimes that's the best result.