Saturday, May 2, 2009

Homemade Hamster Toys For Your Little Pet

By Bert Gaton

A hamster's life is not complete without an abundance of different hamster toys. Luckily for us and our little pets, there are a ton of different items available at pet stores everywhere. Most of these toys focus on running exercises. Recently, though, we're starting to see more and more toys that encourage hamsters to climb and dig.

Not all of us have the chance to buy hamster toys though. Maybe you don't live very close to a pet store. Or maybe you just can't be bothered to spend a lot of money on a variety of different toys for your hamster. Regardless of the reason, there is an easy solution to this problem - homemade hamster toys. Keep reading for some basic ideas.

A common cardboard roll can make for a great hamster toy. If you have a little hamster, you probably want to use a cardboard tube from a toilet paper roll. For chubbier rodents, go with the tube from a paper towel roll. My hamster adores these rolls. Just place it in his cage and watch him rip through his own personal tunnel. For added excitement, you could even combine multiple tubes into an obstacle course of sorts

Another budget toy you can give your hamster is a simple Kleenex box. Simply rip the plastic off the top and stick in your pet's cage. Hamsters love to hide in things and chances are they'll embrace their new play box right away. If you want to get really creative, you can connect multiple boxes with cardboard tubes. Make sure you use non-toxic glue to fasten the pieces though. You don't want your little buddy getting sick.

Another hamster toy that you can build for your pet is a cardboard maze. This is a bit tougher to put together but the work is definitely worth it. Start with an empty flat of soda or beer. You want to use the ones that had 24 cans sitting in them. Now you need to cut an entrance out of one side and exit out of the opposite side. Find yourself a bit of scrap cardboard and cut it into strips about the length of the box. Place these strips into the box with a bit of non-toxic glue. Form the maze to your liking. After the glue sets, place your pet near the entrance and slightly push him into the maze. Now wish him luck!

The number of hamster toys that you can make at home is limitless. Use stuff that you see around the house and be creative. You'll save a bit of money and provide your hamster with a ton of fun and exercise. - 16887

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