What fabric to use for hamster things?

hannahbubble · 01-09-2012, 03:38 PM

Going into Manchester to the amazing fabric and craft shop there on Wednesday with my mum, because she is wanting to start knitting baby blankets to sell on ebay, and I'm going to make some cute stuffed toys like owls, and of course hamsters!

Want to make a few things for Ponyo as well, and for when I get a syrian! What is the best fabric to use?

Also does anyone have any patterns or ideas for things to make? I can only think of hammocks at the minute.

Mikayla · 01-09-2012, 04:42 PM

Fleece is what is most commonly recommended because hamsters chew on fabric and fleece won't unravel and pose the rick of getting all caught up in their intestines. There still shouldn't be any seams available though. If your ham chews it it should be removed.

hannahbubble · 01-09-2012, 04:49 PM

Thank you! I will keep an eye out for some.

Demecat · 01-09-2012, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMMTDF

Fleece is what is most commonly recommended because hamsters chew on fabric and fleece won't unravel and pose the rick of getting all caught up in their intestines. There still shouldn't be any seams available though. If your ham chews it it should be removed.

Don't you mean felt?

Fleecy material isn't recommended as it is similar to cotton wool bedding.

hannahbubble · 01-09-2012, 05:26 PM

I will get some felt then! That would be helpful actually because I'll be getting felt anyway for my plushies.

StarlightSerenity · 01-11-2012, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Demecat

Don't you mean felt?

Fleecy material isn't recommended as it is similar to cotton wool bedding.

I would have thought felt was more like cotton wool bedding than fleece? Felt is matted wool fibres which are obvious to see (well, expensive felt is wool, most are wool mixes lol). Few scratches with tiny hamster claws and strands of it will stick out which won't happen with fleece.

Are you going to Abakhan Hannah? I love it there

hannahbubble · 01-11-2012, 10:56 AM

Yes SS, Abakhan! Not been there in a while. I only got a few things, just enough to make my first owl plushie for myself, to see how it goes! If I have any material left over I might attempt a corner hammock for the piggies, they need a new cage layout!

racinghamster · 01-11-2012, 11:55 AM

Hamsters don`t need or require material in their cages, In fact, I would say it was too dangerous to leave in unsupervised. I use an old mouse pocket hammock (with the straps cut off) to use for my chinese hamster to hop into when I`m transferring her from her cage, but that`s all it`s used for. It smells of her scent and she does love to climb in and have a play inside it, but only when I`m watching. I would be too scared to leave it in permenantly incase she chewed it and got threads caught in her teeth, pouches or got caught up in it during the night.

Better to make Ponyo a wee pocket carry hammock and leave it at that and just use it for placing her into a holding cage or a carrier when going somewhere.

hannahbubble · 01-11-2012, 12:12 PM

That sounds like a good idea RH! Thanks. What materials is your carry hammock made from, because if I have anything similar spare I will make one.

StarlightSerenity · 01-12-2012, 03:15 AM

There are a lot of people who use fabric items in cages, Luna has two hammocks and has never chewed them - anything fabric must be removed as soon as there are any signs of chewing though and it's best to supervise them with them for a while but a lot of hamsters wont chew them

It's necessary for Luna to have one of her hammocks - she fell from one of the shelves in her cage and landed on her back, the hammock stops her falling of the shelf