Post by Flora on Oct 21, 2020 19:31:20 GMT -2
Easy DIY’s
Foraging ball
This is an easy foraging toy that is quick and cheap. First start with an empty TP roll. Cut this into small even rings. It will make 8-12 but you will use 4 for each. Next slide the rings onto one another until they form a ball shape. You can stuff this with treats or food to provide great enrichment. In the end it should look like this:
Stuffed foraging Tube
Take a toilet paper tube and cut small diagonal slits longways on the tube (4-6). Next stuff the tube with dust-free hay or some clean bedding. You can stuff this with treats or food so that your mice can forage.
Popsicle stick ladder
Start with 2 extra long popsicle sticks and place them parallel to one another. Next lay regular or short/cut popsicle sticks to connect the long ones together, these are the rungs of the latter. Glue these in place with a safe glue. This toy can be used as a climbing toy in order to stimulate and enrich your mouse.
Rope climbing toy
This toy is meant to enrich your mouse’s climbing skills. It is a simple design using fleece. Take three strips of fleece and braid them together. Make this braid as long as you want the rope to be. When finished tie a knot in both ends and use zip ties to attach this to the side of the cage.
Intermediate DIY’s
Popsicle stick house
This project is pretty straight forward and customizable, but will take you quite a while to complete. You can start by making a plan for all the pieces you will need. You can make almost any building with this. Make sure to leave the bottom open though! This allows for easier access and cleaning if needed. Next construct the different walls and such by gluing them together (make sure to use a mouse safe glue!). Then glue together all the walls and roofs to finish the building. To make this easier you can use jumbo popsicle sticks. Here are a few examples of what you can build with this technique.
Something simple:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIedIcIFLFc
Or something more elaborate like this:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NuCIlX34z4
Credit- Art Creation, VanillaHamHam (YT)
Hanging chew/foraging toy
These toys are very customizable! You can make them out of almost anything that you can poke or drill a hole into’ some great options are Toilet paper, Popsicle sticks, Nut shells, wooden beads, Store bought chew toys W/ hole, and anything else you can find. You can string this onto twine and make sure to tie a knot at the end so they don’t slip off. On the other end tie a loop to hang onto a clip or zip tie. Here is a great video on making these: www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIdpDAgVtJ0
Credit- ErinsAnimals (YT)
Popsicle stick seesaw
This seesaw is going to be a TP tube that is balanced on a base. You can easily replace the tube if it gets chewed this way. You first need to make two identical teepee shapes with two popsicle sticks. Make sure they overlap at the top. You can use a safe hot glue to connect them. Then create a base for you two teepee shapes to sit on Making a capital I shape. Glue these together. Next attach your teepee shapes to the top and bottom of the I. Next cut a hole for a dowel to fit through the middle top end of your TP roll. Then you will be able to balance the dowel on either teepee. The finished product should look like this:
Credit- JohnsAnimals (YT)
Hard DIY’s
Paper Mache house
This technique can be applied to create a variety of things but I am going to be focusing on creating hides. First blow up a balloon to the size you want you hide to be (it will only cover the top area and a bit further down. Put the balloon tie side down into a pot to stabilize it. Next paper Mache the rough area of your balloon. You can use flour glue for the paper Mache so it is completely safe. To do paper Mache you first tear TP or tissue and lay them down over the top of the balloon and paint the glue over them. Cover the whole top of the balloon and then wait for it to dry completely. You should layer the paper Mache at least once to create a thicker wall. Make sure to let all the layers dry completely. Next cut the balloon to release the air and pull it out. You can then trim the bottom to make a clean edge and make an entrance on the side of the house. Here is a video demonstrated paper Mache with flour glue: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IMbZezOmeM&feature=emb_title
This is not exactly what I described making above but a similar process. This is another option for making hides with cardboard.
Credit- ErinsAnimals (YT)
Hammocks
My apologies if you don’t know how to sew. There are some no sew versions of hammocks out there but for this you will need a sewing machine (or you can sew by hand). First start with two pieces of fabric that are the size you want your hammock to be + a 1in hem line. Sew these together with the wrong side of the fabric facing outwards. Sew all the way around until there is a small gap left then turn the hammock inside out. Next sew it closed! You can sew on fleece loops to the corners to hang them. Attach these to the cage by hooks. Here is another way to make them similar to this but in video form: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSqDbzqVLM8
Credit- DIY Pets & Life (YT)
Foraging ball
This is an easy foraging toy that is quick and cheap. First start with an empty TP roll. Cut this into small even rings. It will make 8-12 but you will use 4 for each. Next slide the rings onto one another until they form a ball shape. You can stuff this with treats or food to provide great enrichment. In the end it should look like this:
Stuffed foraging Tube
Take a toilet paper tube and cut small diagonal slits longways on the tube (4-6). Next stuff the tube with dust-free hay or some clean bedding. You can stuff this with treats or food so that your mice can forage.
Popsicle stick ladder
Start with 2 extra long popsicle sticks and place them parallel to one another. Next lay regular or short/cut popsicle sticks to connect the long ones together, these are the rungs of the latter. Glue these in place with a safe glue. This toy can be used as a climbing toy in order to stimulate and enrich your mouse.
Rope climbing toy
This toy is meant to enrich your mouse’s climbing skills. It is a simple design using fleece. Take three strips of fleece and braid them together. Make this braid as long as you want the rope to be. When finished tie a knot in both ends and use zip ties to attach this to the side of the cage.
Intermediate DIY’s
Popsicle stick house
This project is pretty straight forward and customizable, but will take you quite a while to complete. You can start by making a plan for all the pieces you will need. You can make almost any building with this. Make sure to leave the bottom open though! This allows for easier access and cleaning if needed. Next construct the different walls and such by gluing them together (make sure to use a mouse safe glue!). Then glue together all the walls and roofs to finish the building. To make this easier you can use jumbo popsicle sticks. Here are a few examples of what you can build with this technique.
Something simple:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIedIcIFLFc
Or something more elaborate like this:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NuCIlX34z4
Credit- Art Creation, VanillaHamHam (YT)
Hanging chew/foraging toy
These toys are very customizable! You can make them out of almost anything that you can poke or drill a hole into’ some great options are Toilet paper, Popsicle sticks, Nut shells, wooden beads, Store bought chew toys W/ hole, and anything else you can find. You can string this onto twine and make sure to tie a knot at the end so they don’t slip off. On the other end tie a loop to hang onto a clip or zip tie. Here is a great video on making these: www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIdpDAgVtJ0
Credit- ErinsAnimals (YT)
Popsicle stick seesaw
This seesaw is going to be a TP tube that is balanced on a base. You can easily replace the tube if it gets chewed this way. You first need to make two identical teepee shapes with two popsicle sticks. Make sure they overlap at the top. You can use a safe hot glue to connect them. Then create a base for you two teepee shapes to sit on Making a capital I shape. Glue these together. Next attach your teepee shapes to the top and bottom of the I. Next cut a hole for a dowel to fit through the middle top end of your TP roll. Then you will be able to balance the dowel on either teepee. The finished product should look like this:
Credit- JohnsAnimals (YT)
Hard DIY’s
Paper Mache house
This technique can be applied to create a variety of things but I am going to be focusing on creating hides. First blow up a balloon to the size you want you hide to be (it will only cover the top area and a bit further down. Put the balloon tie side down into a pot to stabilize it. Next paper Mache the rough area of your balloon. You can use flour glue for the paper Mache so it is completely safe. To do paper Mache you first tear TP or tissue and lay them down over the top of the balloon and paint the glue over them. Cover the whole top of the balloon and then wait for it to dry completely. You should layer the paper Mache at least once to create a thicker wall. Make sure to let all the layers dry completely. Next cut the balloon to release the air and pull it out. You can then trim the bottom to make a clean edge and make an entrance on the side of the house. Here is a video demonstrated paper Mache with flour glue: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IMbZezOmeM&feature=emb_title
This is not exactly what I described making above but a similar process. This is another option for making hides with cardboard.
Credit- ErinsAnimals (YT)
Hammocks
My apologies if you don’t know how to sew. There are some no sew versions of hammocks out there but for this you will need a sewing machine (or you can sew by hand). First start with two pieces of fabric that are the size you want your hammock to be + a 1in hem line. Sew these together with the wrong side of the fabric facing outwards. Sew all the way around until there is a small gap left then turn the hammock inside out. Next sew it closed! You can sew on fleece loops to the corners to hang them. Attach these to the cage by hooks. Here is another way to make them similar to this but in video form: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSqDbzqVLM8
Credit- DIY Pets & Life (YT)
