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SKB_Hamsters
04-13-2016, 05:39 AM
This is one of my favourite DIY creations in which I came up with when I had load of cardboard tubes lying around, and thought this would be a good way to use them up. This is cardboard flower is ideal for themed cages including natural and flower themes. This is approved by my hamster, Sherbet, who enjoys chewing up the cardboard flower petal.

Hamster Approved
Difficulty Rating - Easy
Time Required – 2 to 5 Minutes approximately


Material and Equipment Required –

Cardboard Tubes from Toilet and Kitchen Paper Rolls or Wrapping Paper Tubes (If using Kitchen Roll Tubes 1 should be sufficient for one flower)
Ruler or a Rule
Scissors
Hole Punch
Sisal String – Natural or in Green Colour (If you want to use green I recommend buying from Chinchillas2Shop (or any other pet toys making website) as the dyes will be pet safe although this comes in a thick rope which need to be separated into smaller strands.)
Also paper string could also be used instead of sisal.


Method –

(I’ve include pictures which are attached below for each of the stages so you can see what I did at each stage)


Flatten the cardboard tubes and cut into approximately 2cm strips. (8 should be ideal, although this still works with 6 or 7)


Keep the tube strips flat and then using the hole punch, punch holes through both cardboard layers at one end of the cardboard tube strips. (This takes a bit of practise to get the holes in the right place)


Thread all the cardboard tubes strips onto the sisal string


Tie a knot in the sisal string, and tighten. Once tied together you can push the cardboard tubes strips at the end so they form a shape which resembles petals


Hang cardboard flower in the cage and let you hamster enjoys. You could also cut off the excess sisal string, so you can place it inside aquarium style cages.


I recommend removing if your hamster begins to chew up the sisal string excessively, even though sisal string is safe for hamster I would still be wary of hamster ingesting the fibres or parts of the string. Sherbet doesn’t seem to have any interest in chewing the string but she enjoys chewing up the cardboard petal instead.

Also if you want the petals to be different colours you could paint the cardboard tubes with pet safe paints such as plastikote or soy-based paints.

If you decide to make this for your hamsters, I hope your hamster will also enjoy this creation to. Also I would love to see pictures of your hamster enjoying their cardboard tube flower

Scarlett Empress
04-13-2016, 05:52 AM
I think this is a great idea! I will definitely give this a go at the weekend!

Elliiy
04-13-2016, 11:06 AM
oh wow how cool will definitely give this a good ol try :)

SKB_Hamsters
04-22-2016, 09:08 AM
I think this is a great idea! I will definitely give this a go at the weekend!

oh wow how cool will definitely give this a good ol try :)

Just realised I didn't reply back on this thread :confused:. Thanks for your replies. Have you made a cardboard tube flower yourselves?

Scarlett Empress
04-22-2016, 09:59 AM
I made one! I did it a little bit different - but I haven't got round to photographing it, must try and remember!

So far, Smokey is not in the least bit interested, but I expect I will get up one morning and find it chomped into little bits. It does look pretty hanging in her cage though!

Pebbles82
04-22-2016, 10:03 AM
It's great! You are very good at this kind of thing :-) I guess you could put treats in the top petal too.

SKB_Hamsters
04-22-2016, 10:13 AM
I made one! I did it a little bit different - but I haven't got round to photographing it, must try and remember!

So far, Smokey is not in the least bit interested, but I expect I will get up one morning and find it chomped into little bits. It does look pretty hanging in her cage though!

I would love to see a photograph, to see how you did yours!
At first Sherbet had no interest what so ever to it but then she started to chew up the petals which was a total surprise, I've lost count to how many I've made her now. But if it doesn't get chewed it looks nice in the cage!


It's great! You are very good at this kind of thing :-) I guess you could put treats in the top petal too.

Thanks I have a real interest in crafts and DIY so I'm always trying to come up with new designs for toys for Sherbet.

The picture I took of Sherbet with the flower I had to put a treat in the petal so I could get a good photo (so she would stay there long enough as she normally chews it up during the night) but there isn't much left of that one just a one or two hole petals left!

Scarlett Empress
04-22-2016, 12:44 PM
OK, have now got a pic of my flower!

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1710/25978288673_83c93e792f_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FzBw9R)

I had three different diameter cardboard tubes, so I cut them all up and fitted them inside each other - as I couldn't find my hole punch or sisal string at the time, I put tiny blobs of PVA on the 'petals' to stick them together - of course, the punch and string turned up about an hour later :rolleyes: so I tied it to the bars.

I put some Science Selective biccies in the petals - Smokey took them out very, very carefully and I don't think she's looked at it since! She's now dug a pit in her substrate right under the flower, so it's a bit of a stretch to reach it...but I like how it looks and she will suddenly decide to chew it to bits, I'm sure!

I have got more tubes now so I'm going to make one the same as yours too.

SKB_Hamsters
04-22-2016, 12:53 PM
OK, have now got a pic of my flower!

I had three different diameter cardboard tubes, so I cut them all up and fitted them inside each other - as I couldn't find my hole punch or sisal string at the time, I put tiny blobs of PVA on the 'petals' to stick them together - of course, the punch and string turned up about an hour later :rolleyes: so I tied it to the bars.

I put some Science Selective biccies in the petals - Smokey took them out very, very carefully and I don't think she's looked at it since! She's now dug a pit in her substrate right under the flower, so it's a bit of a stretch to reach it...but I like how it looks and she will suddenly decide to chew it to bits, I'm sure!

I have got more tubes now so I'm going to make one the same as yours too.

Yours looks really good I really like how it looks with different size tubes might have to try a make one like yours myself but I need to find different size tubes first. That's normally the way thing work when you are looking for something you can't find it until you've finsihed.

Hamsterita
04-21-2017, 08:35 AM
This tutorial is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G

It's easy, it's cheap and it's pretty, you can't ask for more!! . I'm sure it's not going to last in one peace for too long but it's not hard to replace. And while it last it's a beautiful chew.

Mine doesn't look like as nice as Scarlett one but I'm thrilled.
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h43/paramihamster/rsz_20170420_115901_zpsglcbbvvr.jpg

It gives a nice touch to the cage
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h43/paramihamster/rsz_20170421_134243_zpsswyprkzb.jpg

chi0
04-21-2017, 12:53 PM
this is so cute, i love it! i'm definitely going to try it out!! c:

SKB_Hamsters
04-24-2017, 11:41 AM
Thank you Hamsterita and chi0

Hamsterita, thank you so much for your reply - I'm glad that you liked my DIY and given such wonderful feedback. I really like your flower and it looks lovely hanging in Blacky's cage.

chi0, I'm pleased that you like this DIY, I would like to see a photo of your own if you decide to make one yourself.


Pumpkin with Her DIY Cardboard Tube Flower
I thought I would post a few photos of Pumpkin with hers, that I made for her the other weekend as I had plenty of cardboard kitchen roll and Pringle tubes saved up. Pumpkin was more interested in trying to climb up them than chewing them up but they do look really nice hanging in her cage.

I also tried a different design too, inspired by Scarlett Empress flower I've been meaning to make one similar for a while now but only just got around to it. Pumpkin has 2 smaller flowers as well as a large flower made from a Pringle tube (I removed the outside and inside paper layers off the tubes leaving just the cardboard tube), and used the Pringle tube strips of this alongside the strips from a kitchen roll tube. Then it assembled exactly the same as mentioned in the tutorial.

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