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Old 05-27-2017, 03:47 AM   #111
InkyPen
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Default Re: Hamster toys and accessories from recycled household items thread

The Labyrinth House

Something I've been toying with is the idea of pre-made tunnel systems for hamsters (especially those like my Syrian, who is too lazy to dig but likes a nice tunnel!), which can sit underneath the substrate and hence underneath any other toys. The idea came from when a colleague had a Dell monitor delivered to the office, and some of the packaging immediately made me think "hamster castle!". Much to the bemusement of my colleagues I then rescued it from the recycling and took it home with me on the train XD



So, I took a cardboard box and decided to make a prototype

Remove all sellotape and then stick one end back down again using a hamster safe glue like PVA (UK) or Elmer's (US)


Weigh down the flaps with books while it sets (choice of literature need not be Chinese history or Japanese cooking...)


Measure 10cm (or however high you want it to be) around the whole box. This was for a Syrian.


Cut around the line, keeping the cardboard you cut off in one long piece as you'll be using it again shortly

For each of the internal walls, cut them slightly shorter than the height of the house (e.g. 9cm) and a bit longer than the length (so that you have something to glue it on with). It's easiest if you cut doors in before you glue it in. Where there are corners in the cardboard, work with them, not against them.


And the almost finished prototype (I cut in some external doors after I took this photo)


And in situ


Inky moved in there and started sleeping in there immediately So I think we can say it's a hit. I'm going to look at a more permanent (wood) version as, while I haven't lifted it off since I bought it, I'm pretty sure that she will have gone a bit grand designs on it in places, where she has decided that an extra door would be beneficial.

I thought I'd come up with something new but it turns out the Germans are already well ahead of us - Rodipet make something very similar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMB-N-UfMBI I'll take that as a sign that it wasn't such a bad idea However, they're quite pricey (about £32 inc. P&P) so I'll make my own to fit my cage
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Old 05-27-2017, 05:27 AM   #112
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Default Re: Hamster toys and accessories from recycled household items thread

THAT IS AMAZING!

How big is your cage? Did you have to take everything out to put it in, then put all the substrate back on top? Did you leave the top showing, so that Inky knew where it was?
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Old 05-27-2017, 11:11 AM   #113
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Default Re: Hamster toys and accessories from recycled household items thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by FelicityAnn View Post
THAT IS AMAZING!

How big is your cage? Did you have to take everything out to put it in, then put all the substrate back on top? Did you leave the top showing, so that Inky knew where it was?
She's in an Alexander (100x50cm) and it has taken up a substantial amount of space, but other things can go on top like another platform. . This will be particularly the case once I remake it in wood, as it will be better at taking the weight.

To be honest I didn't pay a great deal of attention to size, as it was only a prototype to see if she liked it. I literally just made it the same size as the cardboard box I had lying around. Next time I'll make it the same width as the cage, so it fits in better - you can make it any size so longer as each compartment is a suitable size.

I left a layer (an inch?) in the bottom of the cage, put it on top and then chucked the rest of the bedding back on top, leaving the entrances open so she could find them. There are actually two entrance doors, and I thought one had been accidentally covered up until I dug it out and then promptly watched her backfill it
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Old 05-30-2017, 07:09 AM   #114
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Default Re: Hamster toys and accessories from recycled household items thread

It looks very cool Inky, make sure to post the final result with wood!
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Old 03-16-2018, 08:42 AM   #115
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Default Re: Hamster toys and accessories from recycled household items thread

Not sure if anyone has suggested this already but making origami things out of paper or card and putting treats in them is fun for you are your fluff ball. Penny wasn't too impressed with the one I made her and lost interest but my first Sirian use to love destroying my origami creations.
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Old 12-22-2018, 01:14 AM   #116
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Default Re: Hamster toys and accessories from recycled household items thread

I made these fun stuffs from toilet rolls (food bowl, hideout, tunnel bridge, tower, chew toy). Search through youtube and find out many videos about toilet roll toys, so I made something different from them. Hope you all enjoy the video:

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Last edited by craftsboydiy; 12-22-2018 at 01:20 AM.
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Old 03-18-2019, 02:01 AM   #117
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I love all your creative ideas, and I'm a great fan of DIY projects for hamsters. If you have children it's a great way to spend time with them and encourage their creativity. And if you buy only pre-fabricated hamster items, it can get very expensive quickly.
I especially love all things from toilet or towel rolls, egg and muesli boxes etc. And I have made great labyrinth houses with different chambers from shoe boxes as well. They are extremely practical if they come with lids. You can make side entrances as well as top entrances. You can remove the lid in order to check on your hammie without destroying the nests. And if the house gets too soiled or shredded, you just make a replacement☺ My hammies always moved into these DIY houses and made their homes in it. So, it's obviously very appealing to their natural instincts.
If you buy pre-fabricated multi-chamber houses from pet companies you have to pay stiff prices. I think that the only item where you should really splurge is a high quality wheel of an adequate size which runs without too much noise. So, it's good for the health of your hammie and yourself.
I also love DIY cages because I'm not very satisfied with the commercial cages. They are often way too small and not very well designed. And the better ones are very expensive.
I found IKEA to be a treasure trove for creative pet owners. Is IKEA easy to find in the UK? They are everywhere in Germany. And one of the most popular cages for dwarf hamsters can be made from the IKEA-Detolf glass cabinet. For Syriens the Detolf is a bit too low, though, and one has to increase the height and/or construct a lid, which makes the project a bit more complicated. In Germany the Detolf is so popular that googling "Detolf" brings you to hamster forums more often than to IKEA. IKEA should really offer a tweaked version without shelves and a lid instead of a glass door☺ I'm sure that there are a few examples of creative Detolf-terrariums at this site here, too. What I like especially about the Detolf besides it's benefits for the hammie: it looks very modern and stylish. It's a great piece of furniture if placed on a long sideboard.
Where I live it's easy to get hold of a used Detolf cabinet for great prices. This it might be different in the UK , though. But the creative use of IKEA products has made the lives of many hamsters and their owners a lot happier.

Connecting multiple big empty cartons from parcels with tubes for posters or paper towel rolls is also a great way to construct fairly quickly a big play pen or free-run space, which can be easily de-assembled and stored. The hammie has to be supervised, though, since some may chew their way out. And my Winterwhite once escaped by climbing on an egg box in the play pen which was placed too close to one side and then jumped over the divide. I have also heard that some intelligent hammies use their digging material for constructing ramps! They push all the available material into one corner and then climb out easily!

Last edited by souffle; 03-18-2019 at 09:45 AM.
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Old 08-19-2019, 03:40 AM   #118
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Talking Re: Hamster toys and accessories from recycled household items thread

My tiny winter white sprout loves to dig. She adores her dig box. Thanks. This DIY is amazing.
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