Sputniks are nice, but not necessary and there are plenty of other toys - any kind of little hideout or tube tends to go down well with hammies. You are very clever making those toys - I'm rubbish at making things lol. I wouldn't use cloth though in case it got chewed. Materials have to be thought about carefully as hammies do tend to chew things. Wood is safe, paper is safe, cardboard is safe, but check for sharp edges that could cause cuts. Any glue needs to be pet-safe. Fabric should be avoided really as it's not good for them if chewed.
But there's a toilet roll hammock idea that might work well on this Erin's Hamsters video. I've also seen a swing/hammock made out of half an egg box tied up with sisal string (normal string isn't good if it's chewed either!). A ceramic cup can be a nice little hideout. Or even just a small cardboard box with one side cut out makes a kind of ledge and hideout. Putting a kitchen roll inner tube partly under the substrate with one end sticking out can encourage them to dig tunnels if the substrate is a few inches deep and that keeps them happy as it's a normal hammy behaviour. If you use a kitchen roll inner tube though, slit it down one side so it can expand if the hamster goes through, in case it's not quite big enough.
This is the Erin's Hamsters toys from toilet roll tubes - there are all kinds of ideas there! Sisal string is safest though. It's not expensive but I find it difficult to find. Not sure how easy it is to find in the US.
Safety first but that helps get creative even more if materials are limited!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuPeyD6w-CI
DIY toys for your hamster
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