How to make a maze for a hamster with your own hands: building tunnels, pipes and obstacle courses

How to handle a hamster?

Gaining your hamster's trust will take patience and some time. However, all the efforts spent on this will pay off in full - communication with your pet will bring you only joy. What are the do's and don'ts when handling hamsters?

It is forbidden:

• make sudden movements or wave your arms near the hamster;
• pick up a hamster that has just woken up or is sleeping;
• drive into a corner or cover with palms;
• scream loudly near the cage;
• leave it on high surfaces - it does not distinguish distances and will definitely fall down;
• grab by the scruff of the neck with a rough movement.

Can:

• talk to the animal in a soft, calm voice;
• when picking him up, do it slowly and carefully, clasping him under the front paws;
• touch the hamster only with clean hands and give him the opportunity to sniff your hand first - this way he will quickly get used to your smell;
• Give him a chance to calm down if he is scared.

Expanding space and horizons outside the cage

Is it possible to walk a hamster?

The rodent is walked in the house or on the street. At home, the hamster explores its owner and unfamiliar places. A walking ball will provide additional benefits for physical health. To prevent the pet from running away, a person should set up restrictions. For example, build a rectangle out of cardboard.

Walking outside

The rodent will happily explore the lawn, flower garden, and courtyard of a private house. The hamster needs to be allowed to run around and stretch its legs. But such walks often result in the pet running away from the territory. Here are some tips to help you properly organize your hamster walk:

• Monitor your surroundings carefully. The furry pet should not be attacked by dangerous predators - raven, rat, cat, dog, tit;
• remove dangerous objects containing toxic substances and heavy metals from the walking area;
• remove painted wood products from the lawn;
• Decorative and simple flowers should not grow nearby;
• use a leash or walking ball. The first option is more attractive: the hamster freely explores the world far outside the cage.

What to do if your hamster runs away?

First and foremost, isolate other pets that could cause harm to the fugitive. Next, remove, if any, all dangerous and poisonous objects that a rodent can get. (for example, sharp objects on the floor, poison from cockroaches, etc.)

Where to look for a hamster?

Don't worry and remember that hamsters are very curious and love to explore everything carefully. If you immediately notice the animal is missing, it means that it is somewhere nearby exploring new places.

You should inspect the apartment in the following order:

• surroundings of the cell;
• places near pieces of furniture (places under the sofa, behind the closet, under the table, etc.);
• directly pieces of furniture (in the closet, in the desk drawer, in the laundry basket and in other containers);

How to lure out a fugitive?

It is not always easy to find a hamster by inspection - there may be too many objects in the apartment, or you do not have access to cracks and openings (for example, due to immovable furniture). In this case, it’s easier to lure the hamster out using a trick: pour his food in a visible place, put his favorite toy, call your pet affectionately, and other methods described below.

How to catch a hamster?

If you find your pet, don’t immediately run to it with open arms. The hamster does not feel comfortable outside the cage, so any sudden movement will be an additional signal of danger for him.

If your baby is too active or timid, you can throw a waffle towel over him. In this case, the rodent's movements will be limited, and you can easily catch it.

Methods for catching a hamster

Friendly family

In nature, hamsters are not particularly favorable towards their fellow creatures and fiercely defend their territory from “strangers” of their species. Pets are less aggressive; for example, dwarfs often live in large families if the cage is spacious and the conditions are favorable. But if real hamsters’ peaceful mood can change at any moment, paper animals will definitely not start fights. You can make a gift for a large family, because among the Chinese and Japanese, for example, small rodents symbolize home comfort and tranquility in family affairs.

For one hamster you will need a square of 15x15 cm or 10x10 cm.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. We start from the underside of the sheet. Combine the far right point with the left one. We outline the diagonal. We open the product.
2. Raise the lowest point to the top.
3. It turns out to be a triangle.
4. Bend the top of the first layer down about ¼.
5. Turn the workpiece over to the reverse side.
6. We fold the lower corners - right and left, as shown in the diagram.
7. We bend the side triangular flaps in half.
8. We make a “valley” fold along the central axis.
9. Rotate the figure 90° clockwise. On the left side we bend the upper corner, on the right side we lift the triangular valve indicated by the arrow.
10. We cut it in the center with scissors - we get “ears”.
11. Using a “reverse fold,” we bring the corner on the left inside the figure and bring it out, making a “zigzag.”
12. We also turn out the tip of the “nose”, repeating the same steps as for the “tail”, only without the zigzag.

Having mastered this model, you can try to build a more complex and realistic one using a detailed video tutorial:

Types of hamsters that can be kept at home

Of the variety of hamsters, only a few species are kept at home.

Below are the most common domestic hamsters and their photos.

Pre-Asian hamster

The most popular species for keeping at home is the Central Asian or Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus). Very little is known about its life in the wild. In 1839, the first representative of this species was described, found in the Syrian desert. For a long time it was believed that the pre-Asian hamster was extinct, but in 1930 a female and her litter were captured in Syria and then taken to Israel. A single family in captivity quickly multiplied, and the species was introduced to pet owners in the 1940s.

Today the Syrian hamster is one of the most popular pets.

He is quite unpretentious, has a calm character, and what is very important, rarely gets sick

The body length of the Syrian hamster does not exceed 14 cm, and its weight is 250 grams. The animal's tail is so short that it is practically invisible due to its fur. Its natural color is golden, although breeders have developed a large number of color variations: if desired, it is not difficult to find white, beige, gray and even black animals. In addition to the solid-colored varieties, patterned types have been developed: tortoiseshell (with large white, yellow spots, and tricolor), with a white belt around the body, and spotted. Eyes may be black, red or pink.

However, breeders went further and bred animals with three other types of coat, each of which can have different colors.

In the photo below, the so-called “Angora” hamster is essentially the same Syrian, only long-haired.

The Syrian hamster, with its thick, tousled, wavy fur and curly mustache, is called the royal hamster.

With the satin type, the coat is short, smooth, and surprisingly shiny.

Djungarian hamster

Another popular species for home keeping is the Djungarian hamster (Phodopus sungorus). It is smaller in size than the Syrian (its body length is 7-10 cm), but is even more active at night.

The external feature of this species is a narrow black stripe running along the animal’s spine. Its coat is not very long, with white patches.

Roborovsky's hamsters

This dwarf species has a body length of no more than 5 cm, the tail is hidden in a thick fur coat. The fur of the Roborovskiy hamster (Phodopus roborovskii) is golden sandy in color; A characteristic feature is the white brow ridges in the form of a mask. In nature, they live in Mongolia and Northern China.

They are great pets to watch, however, they are not as friendly as Syrians and are more difficult to communicate with. They are very nimble, can make amazing jumps, but are not able to sit on their hands for even a second.

And if it is better to keep Syrian and Djungarian hamsters one at a time, since in a confined space they will fight among themselves, then Roborovsky hamsters can be kept in pairs and groups - they are not aggressive towards their relatives.

Campbell's hamster

These hamsters are similar in appearance to Djungarian hamsters, differing from them in a thinner and more diffuse stripe on the back. In addition, Campbells (Phodopus campbelli) can be spotted, and their fur is not smooth, but in tufts.

In nature, they are found in Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and northern China. In Russia they inhabit Transbaikalia, Buryatia and Tuva.

Thanks to breeders, domestic Campbells can have a variety of colors; in nature, the color of their fur coat is dark gray with a brownish tint.

Rules for feeding Syrian hamsters

The owner of a hamster must know what to feed his pet and how to do it correctly. To do this you need to have an idea about their lifestyle.

Diet

Hamsters are animals whose greatest activity occurs in the evening. Be sure to take this into account when creating a menu for your pet. It is better to divide the entire daily diet into two parts: it is recommended to give the smaller part in the morning, and the larger part in the evening.

As for drinking, the hamster should always have clean water at room temperature freely available. For this, it is better to purchase a special drinking bowl. It is not recommended to place a bowl of water in the cage - an active animal will quickly knock it over. In addition, debris will constantly fall into it.

Vitamins for golden hamster

Pet stores sell special vitamin complexes for rodents. As a rule, they are available in liquid and solid form. Vitamins in liquid form can be added to the drinking bowl, and in solid form - in food. The first option is more convenient, but also more expensive.

You can put a mineral stone in the rodent's cage. It helps the hamster grind down its incisors, improves digestion and supplies the body with essential minerals. Hamsters usually gnaw on such stones with pleasure.

There are also chalk stones on sale that supply the body with calcium and other trace elements. They can be either regular or with various additives - herbal or fruit. Such stones are especially useful for pregnant females. Under no circumstances should you give your hamster regular school chalk - it is not food grade and can therefore be dangerous for the small rodent.

How to avoid digestive problems?

The hamster's diet should be balanced. If you buy ready-made food and mixtures, be sure to check the expiration date.

Hamsters love to hoard food, and rotten food can cause digestive problems. Therefore, from time to time it is recommended to check the hidden places of the cage and throw away any spoiled food.

Typically, adult and healthy hamsters do not suffer from indigestion. If your pet still has problems, try giving him boiled broken rice for diarrhea or a little vegetable oil for constipation. And be sure to review your hamster’s menu so that digestion returns to normal.

It’s good if the food has a protein component

Home accessories

In order for the rodent to like the house and for the baby to grow up healthy and active in it, the housing needs to be filled with suitable accessories..

Educational toys for hamster

1. Running wheel. Its dimensions depend on the size of the rodent: for the Djungarian it is a twenty-centimeter toy, for large specimens, including Syrian ones, up to 30 cm. The path on it must be continuous; it is not permissible to use a mesh for this, which can cause injury. It is important to know that hamsters like to stay awake at night, so the toy should be silent.
2. Tunnels. They should be spacious and well ventilated.
3. Hammocks for a hamster made from tubes of different diameters or a swing in the form of four posts, a crossbar and a perch for sitting.
4. Wooden bridges or other objects for developing hamster teeth. It is good to use mineral stones and crayons. Cardboard boxes, toilet paper rolls, and branches of fruit trees are also suitable for these purposes.
5. A walking ball made of safe plastic in different colors with ventilation holes and recesses for the paws.

Drinking and eating facilities

It is very important to choose the right feeder and water bowl for your rodent.

There must be a special drinking bowl in the house for drinking. You can make it yourself or use a bowl, which should be covered so that food or parts of the bedding do not fall into it. Small species of hamsters like to dig up pieces of food, so you can put them in the bedding. Large specimens require a stable food bowl that is difficult to tip over.

It is better to provide 2 containers - one for wet food and the other for dry food. Typically, rodents like to sit in the feeder, so it should be spacious enough. It is also important that there is a separate “pantry” for supplies that the hamster will definitely make. This could be a container in a secluded corner of the house. The hamster himself will “tell you” where his hiding place is, you just have to watch him carefully and then place a bowl there.

Hamster bedding

Bedding is very important for keeping the house clean and creating comfort and coziness. It can be pressed sawdust, but not too small so that it gets into the baby’s nose or gets tangled in his fur.

If wood pellets are used, they should be odorless and quickly turn into dust. Sawdust from coniferous trees can cause allergies in the animal, and fabrics and cotton wool are dangerous because they can tear into fibers in which the hamster can become entangled.

The best bedding materials for a hamster in a house are pieces of corn cobs with kernels, which can also be buried. Paper napkins or white unscented toilet paper are suitable for this.

The floor layer should be at least 6 cm deep, because hamsters love to play and burrow into it. When it gets colder, its thickness increases. It needs to be cleaned daily and changed once a week. A little granules from the previous bedding should be added to the fresh litter so that the familiar smell remains, otherwise the animal will become nervous.

Toilet

Hamsters are known for their cleanliness, so they need a separate place in the house for the toilet. You will have to clean it daily, removing waste and adding clean bedding. A cardboard tray is well suited for this purpose; this material is replaced quite often, because... it absorbs urine well, partially absorbing its odor.

The litter filler is often special clean sand, which the animal likes to rummage in, scattering it around. But sand does not hold odors well, so it needs to be changed often. Cat litter or mineral granules are not suitable for this - they can cause poisoning or allergies in your furry friend.

Sand bath

This is an important element of equipping a house for a hamster that does not like water treatments. They can be successfully replaced by bathing in special sand for chinchillas. To clean the fur from grease and dirt, place a high container with a ladder in the house. Let's assume an option with a hole cut in the side. It is closed on top with a lid that prevents the contents of the container from spilling out. The volume of the bath should be twice the size of the furry pet, and its sides should be high enough.

Signs of hamsters appearing in a summer cottage

Wild species of rodents are not afraid of humans. Fighting hamsters in the garden is a troublesome task. If there is a lot of food in your area, then the animal will live peacefully and often not in one copy.

At a time when his reserves are in danger, he can put up violent resistance and attack a person, protecting his bins.

Signs of a rodent appearing in a suburban area are:

• Presence of holes and tracks.
• Numerous passages and paths along which animals move.
• Digging for tubers.
• Damaged fruits or their remains after being eaten.
• The bark at the bottom of trees or bushes has been eaten.

A single effective method of exterminating wild hamsters has not yet been invented. Everyone chooses for themselves the most acceptable method from many existing ones.

How to equip a cage yourself

Home accessories

A rodent cage must have:

• house;
• running wheel;
• ladder;
• drinking bowls;
• feeder;
• toys.

All accessories for a hamster can be easily found at any pet store.

Educational toys for hamster

Hamsters are very energetic and therefore require additional ways to spend their time, namely rodent toys.

There are several types of toys. Some are suitable for grinding teeth, others can be climbed on and played hide and seek, and others can be chased around the entire cage, as if playing football.

The video shows an excellent example of a DIY hamster maze.

Drinking and eating facilities

For drinking water, it is better to use special drinking bowls that are attached to the wall of the cage. The saucer may not be stable and litter will fall into it.

Some feeders are also hung on the wall of the home, so that pets will not knock them over. If the breeder prefers a bowl that is not attached, then it is better to choose a ceramic one, it is more stable.

Toilet

Pet stores sell special toilet corners that are mounted in the corner of the cage. A corn filler is suitable for them, which does an excellent job of eliminating unpleasant odors.

Sand bath

Animals use sand to keep their fur and paws clean.

A sand bath is not a necessary item in the cage, but the rodent will be happy to have it.

You cannot use sand from the street. You can use this product for chinchillas, the main condition is the absence of talc.

Any container is suitable for this purpose; the filler layer should be 2-3 cm.

Hamster bedding

It is very important to use quality bedding. The hamster will dig in it and relieve itself

Most often, breeders use sawdust, which is poured in a layer of 6 cm.

Sand for bathing

Degus need to regularly take sand baths to cleanse their fur of sebum and to get rid of excess moisture. Any container can be used. It is recommended to place a bathing suit in the cage every day, but you can reduce the number of such baths to two or three per week. The container should not be kept in the enclosure all the time, because it will quickly fill with garbage, and the degus will use it as a toilet.

We suggest you familiarize yourself with: Automatic drinkers, nipple drinkers for chickens

Ordinary sand is not suitable for these animals. It is too rough for them and can damage their delicate skin. Therefore, you should purchase a special mixture for bathing chinchillas at a pet store.

How to make a house with your own hands?

Making your own house for a pet helps to unite the family. The most common materials for construction:

Coconut shell. Dwarf hamsters will appreciate your efforts when they receive an original coconut shell house for use. The Dzungarians will be happy to hide in it and relax.

Plastic cage for hamster

Rules for peeling the insides of a nut:

• open the eyes of the coconut and drain the milk through them;
• tap next to the eyes with the blunt side of a knife or a chop mallet and when a crack appears, remove part of the shell using a knife or hacksaw;
• place the fruit in the freezer for half an hour, which will make it easier to separate the pulp;
• remove sharp corners and burrs, sand the edges of the hole.
• Lego. An unnecessary children's construction set will serve as a wonderful building material for a pet's home. The number and type of Lego parts will determine whether you will have to limit yourself to a modest house or whether you will be able to build a real castle. It may be possible to build a fence, fence off a playground and build a staircase.

Important! Gluing joints will help achieve maximum strength.

• Cardboard box. Miniature animals will willingly use houses that are made for them from used packaging. Even a small owner can cut out an entrance in a cardboard container. Ventilation holes are also welcome. If you have a tissue box with a ready-made hole, just cut it into two halves. You can use a toilet paper roll at the entrance as a corridor. The disadvantage of a cardboard house is its fragility.
• Parcel box. It is not particularly durable, but such containers can only be slightly modified, and plywood can be easily adjusted. All you need to do is drill an entrance on the side of the box, windows and paint the house - if desired.

Important! You can paint an animal’s home only with non-toxic paints: watercolor or gouache

• Stand for toothbrushes. The oval object is laid on its side and fixed. Other available materials can also serve as suitable materials for equipping a dwarf hamster’s house: bowls, basins, jars for bulk products, food containers, plastic bottles, flower pots.
• Plastic containers for cereals. It happens that a hole in cans of this type is already provided. If the lid is solid, you can simply cut it in half to provide your pet with passage inside. The round jar should be secured.
• Glass jar. Durable and easy to clean dishes that are sure to please owners. But not all pets are optimistic about transparent shelters, preferring to hide in a secluded place. The situation is corrected by painting or gluing the jar, which then must be attached to the walls of the cage with wire. Before pouring the bedding, the slippery surface of the bottom is smeared with glue and sprinkled with sand.
• Branches. Suitable for creating a kind of cave. The cardboard strip is glued to the floor with short sides like an arched roof, which is glued on top with pieces of thick branches and blocks. The back wall can be made of cardboard or sewn up with branches. The second option: the base of the house is made of a ready-made box or a home-made frame, which is then covered with twigs on top.
• Popsicle sticks. This idea of ​​building a hut for everyone’s favorite will be more useful to city dwellers, since in city conditions it is difficult to collect a sufficient number of even branches. First, each detail of the house is drawn on cardboard and cut out with scissors. Then, the elements of the hut are fixed to each other using tape and the blank is glued on the outside with ice cream sticks.
• Wooden boards and plywood. Using the previous sketch, you can build a wooden house with a flat or gable roof. This time, the parts are cut out of a board or sheet of plywood and attached to a frame made of wooden blocks with nails or self-tapping screws. If the roof is removable, this will greatly facilitate the cleaning process.

What to build a house for a furry rodent from

The main rule when choosing material for building a house for a hamster is the absence of toxic elements, because the animal will definitely test the strength of the house with its teeth.

Perfect for this purpose:

• small wooden planks or blocks, ice cream sticks are acceptable, but collecting them will take a lot of time;
• coconut shell;
• organic glass;
• plastic;
• ceramics;
• thick cardboard (box, toilet paper roll);
• pieces of chipboard or fiberboard plywood.

ATTENTION! Polystyrene foam, polystyrene, expanded polystyrene, polyurethane and OSB plywood are unacceptable because they contain substances hazardous to pets.

Ideas on how to make a comfortable house for a hamster - diagrams, drawings and instructions

From plastic bottles

Option 1. To make a shelter for an animal from plastic bottles, you need 2 clean bottles of 1-1.5 liters, electrical tape, scissors and a stationery knife.

The neck and bottom of both containers are cut off, and the cut points are treated with electrical tape to prevent the occupant from being injured in the future. A hole is cut in one of the bottles exactly in the middle, equal to the diameter of the second.

The second container is inserted into the finished cutout of the first container; it should fit tightly. The resulting structure is secured with electrical tape.

Option 2. Such a house can replace a cage and will be like an aquarium with several compartments.

Several clean bottles with a volume of 5 or more liters are required. Each of the containers will represent a so-called room, so the number of containers used is limited only by the imagination of the master. You will also need a utility knife and scissors.

1. The tops of the bottles are cut off. The height of future rooms should be such that the pet cannot climb over it and get lost in the bowels of the apartment.
2. The necks are cut off from the remaining upper part of the bottles so that they look like funnels. You won't need caps for them.
3. In the lower part of the container, almost at the very bottom, holes are cut, equal in diameter to the necks.
4. All rooms are connected to each other through funnel necks.

In the video you can see what such an apartment looks like.

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From cardboard

For construction you will need the most ordinary boxes of ready-made breakfasts or juice, scissors and a stationery knife.

All you have to do is cut the box to size and cut out the entrance.

If you use toilet paper rolls or paper napkins for construction, you will get an excellent labyrinth that rodents love so much. But you should take into account the size of the hamsters; for large individuals this type of entertainment is unacceptable.

From a box of paper napkins

For a simple construction, you will need one cardboard tissue box, stationery glue and a toilet paper or paper napkin roll.

It is necessary to remove all plastic elements and film from the future home. It is better to give preference to square-shaped containers; they can be cut exactly in the middle and you will get two ready-made houses that already have an entrance for the animal.

A toilet paper roll makes a great addition to your shelter. It is enough to glue it into the passage and it will be an imitation of a mink, which will obviously please the rodent.

From a plastic container

This type of container can be found in almost any home or purchased for a small amount in a store.

For construction you will need a food grade plastic container and a soldering iron.

1. Using a heated soldering iron, the entrance to the house is cut out, and holes are made on the lid of the container for ventilation. This will help the pet feel comfortable in the home.
2. Sawdust or any other bedding is laid out at the bottom of the house.

The advantage of such a structure is that it is convenient to wash, and it will also last longer than cardboard.

Wooden house

For construction you need:

• wooden board 1-4 cm thick;
• ruler;
• a simple pencil;
• circular saw or jigsaw;
• sandpaper;
• hammer;
• small nails.

Two parts 12.5 cm long and two parts 14.5 cm long are cut out and polished from the board. The height is taken arbitrarily, but it must be calculated so that the hamster can move freely.

A hole with a diameter of 6 cm is drilled (cut) in one of the 12.5 cm long blanks. Several small windows are made in different walls of the house for better ventilation. All cut holes are ground.

All parts are assembled using nails. You can use a square wooden sheet for the roof.

Mitten house

During the cold period, any living creature likes to bask where it is warm. Rodents are no exception.

During severe cold weather, it is enough to put a mitten that no one needs anymore in the cage. The hamster will instantly find a use for it and build his nest in it.

The downside of such a house is that it will most likely quickly acquire an unpleasant odor and wear out. Whether to replace it with a new one or not is up to the breeder to decide.

Coconut house

Due to its size, this type of housing is suitable only for Djungarian hamsters.

You will need:

• coconut;
• knife;
• hacksaw;
• sandpaper.

First, you need to drain the milk from the coconut by making holes in the eyes. Having stepped a couple of centimeters away from them, you need to tap with the handle of a knife; if a crack appears on the shell, then this part of the fruit is cut off with a knife, if not, then you should use a hacksaw. The pulp is completely cleaned. The cut edge is sanded with sandpaper.

Delicious "walnut" staircase

From the empty shells of several walnuts you can make an excellent toy for your pet. In addition to the empty shell halves, you need to prepare in advance:

• a thin nail with a sharp end;
• hammer;
• a strong thread as long as the height of the cell;
• medium size washer.

In all prepared half-shells, you need to carefully make a hole in the center. This is done by driving a nail (there is no need to leave it in the resulting hole). You need to thread a thread through the holes to make the shells into a kind of beads. An important nuance - all halves must be turned in one direction, with the exception of the last one. In a vertical position, the beads look like a stack of bowls standing on a tubercle.

A washer is tied to the end of the thread coming out of the last (lower) shell so that the thread is securely fastened and the structure does not fall apart. The upper end of the thread is tied to the “ceiling” of the cage so that the lower shell lies on the bottom, but the “beads” do not sag. You need to put treats for the hamster in all the resulting bowls. Climbing the structure, the pet will take away a tasty prize at each stage of “conquering the peak”.

The height of the structure must be respected. Hamsters climb beautifully, but they descend simply by jumping. Therefore, you should not use shells from more than several nuts for one construction.

In addition, it is important to provide your pet with a soft landing - the bedding in the area of ​​the toy should be thicker