Homemade toys

Question
How do i make homemade toys, like mazes : What items do i need


Answer
Hi Kendra

What pets have you got - are they gerbils or hamsters?  If they are hamsters, are they Syrians or dwarf hamsters?

You could make toys/maze out of cardboard or wood.  I used to go to a pottery class and made a load of tubes and houses from clay which I glazed so that they had shiny surface which made cleaning simple.  If they are gerbils you must remember that they will shred everything - so it is better to use wood.  Make sure it isn't pine, cedar or cypressus nor that it has been treated with an antifungal as this can make small animals sick.  Also remember that gerbils can't manoevre themselves the way hamsters can and therefore any toy must be large enough for them to easily walk inside and out so they don't get stuck.

I've tried making various fabric hammocks which suspend from the roof of the hamster cage but they usually end up being chewed and I am forever replacing parts of them.

Some people make play areas away from the cage and let their hamsters play in this for an hour in the evenings - if you do this, remember that Syrians can climb so you need to make the sides very tall or put some mesh over the top so they can't escape.  

Dust baths are very popular - you just need a shallow dish and fill it with 'chinchilla dust' that you can buy in a pet shop.  

I hope this helps.

Regards