Register FAQ Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read
Navigation
Front Page
Forum
Gallery
Wiki

Ads by Google


Go Back   Hamster Central > Hamster Central Forum Topics > DIY (Do it yourself) Hamster Projects!

Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 04-13-2016, 05:39 AM   #1
SKB_Hamsters
PM Fluffy for custom title
 
SKB_Hamsters's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: UK
Posts: 3,186
Thumbs up

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

  2. 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)

  3. Thread all the cardboard tubes strips onto the sisal string

  4. 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

  5. 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
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 1. (500x375).jpg (36.5 KB, 18 views)
File Type: jpg 2. (500x375).jpg (31.7 KB, 19 views)
File Type: jpg 3. (500x375).jpg (37.6 KB, 22 views)
File Type: jpg 4. (500x375).jpg (37.1 KB, 17 views)
File Type: jpg 5. (500x375).jpg (29.7 KB, 29 views)
__________________
Popcorn Syrian

Owning Hamsters since Nov 2007

Last edited by leedsgurl; 05-05-2016 at 03:36 PM.
SKB_Hamsters is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-13-2016, 05:52 AM   #2
Scarlett Empress
Hamster Overlord
 
Scarlett Empress's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Dorset
Posts: 664
Default Re: DIY Cardboard Tube Flower

I think this is a great idea! I will definitely give this a go at the weekend!
Scarlett Empress is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-13-2016, 11:06 AM   #3
Elliiy
Hamster Overlord
 
Elliiy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: California, LA
Posts: 661
Default Re: DIY Cardboard Tube Flower

oh wow how cool will definitely give this a good ol try
__________________
[IMAGE]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii319/leedsgurl_photos/HC/Elliiy_sig_20160109.jpg[/IMAGE]

Mom to Arroz <3
RIP Milo, cup, and puc. Love you
Elliiy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-22-2016, 09:08 AM   #4
SKB_Hamsters
PM Fluffy for custom title
 
SKB_Hamsters's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: UK
Posts: 3,186
Default Re: DIY Cardboard Tube Flower

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scarlett Empress View Post
I think this is a great idea! I will definitely give this a go at the weekend!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elliiy View Post
oh wow how cool will definitely give this a good ol try
Just realised I didn't reply back on this thread . Thanks for your replies. Have you made a cardboard tube flower yourselves?
__________________
Popcorn Syrian

Owning Hamsters since Nov 2007
SKB_Hamsters is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-22-2016, 09:59 AM   #5
Scarlett Empress
Hamster Overlord
 
Scarlett Empress's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Dorset
Posts: 664
Default Re: DIY Cardboard Tube Flower

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!
Scarlett Empress is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-22-2016, 10:03 AM   #6
Pebbles82
Hamster Antics
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 23,533
Default Re: DIY Cardboard Tube Flower

It's great! You are very good at this kind of thing I guess you could put treats in the top petal too.
Pebbles82 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-22-2016, 10:13 AM   #7
SKB_Hamsters
PM Fluffy for custom title
 
SKB_Hamsters's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: UK
Posts: 3,186
Default Re: DIY Cardboard Tube Flower

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scarlett Empress View Post
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!


Quote:
Originally Posted by Serendipity7000 View Post
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!
__________________
Popcorn Syrian

Owning Hamsters since Nov 2007
SKB_Hamsters is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-22-2016, 12:44 PM   #8
Scarlett Empress
Hamster Overlord
 
Scarlett Empress's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Dorset
Posts: 664
Default Re: DIY Cardboard Tube Flower

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 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.
Scarlett Empress is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-22-2016, 12:53 PM   #9
SKB_Hamsters
PM Fluffy for custom title
 
SKB_Hamsters's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: UK
Posts: 3,186
Default Re: DIY Cardboard Tube Flower

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scarlett Empress View Post
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 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.
__________________
Popcorn Syrian

Owning Hamsters since Nov 2007

Last edited by leedsgurl; 05-05-2016 at 03:33 PM.
SKB_Hamsters is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-21-2017, 08:35 AM   #10
Hamsterita
La loca de los hamsters
 
Hamsterita's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: A Coruña, Spain
Posts: 1,693
Default Re: DIY Cardboard Tube Flower

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.


It gives a nice touch to the cage
__________________
Hamsterita is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
cardboard, string, tubes, hamster, flower, sisal, strips, tube, enjoys, chewing, punch, paper, safe, pet, approximately, kitchen, diy, recommend, petals, pictures, hole, green, petal, end, natural

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimisation provided by DragonByte SEO v2.0.43 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
Copyright © 2003-2022, Hobby Solutions
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 05:31 AM.