Can I DIY Hamster Toys and Bedding? An Easy Guide!

Have you ever found yourself standing in the middle of a pet store, feeling overwhelmed by the multitude of hamster toys and care products on the shelves? The costs can quickly pile up, and it’s hard to discern which products your tiny pet friend genuinely needs. What if you could alleviate some of this stress by creating your own hamster toys and bedding tailored to your pet’s needs and preferences?

Yes! You can craft your DIY hamster toys and bedding, and I’m going to teach you how! Embracing DIY methods for crafting hamster toys is an economical, fun way to keep your tiny pet stimulated and content. It’s crucial to use safe, non-toxic materials and supervise playtimes. From homemade chew toys to houses and ladders, the possibilities are endless with just cardboard, popsicle sticks, toilet roll tubes, and safe glue.

In this blog, I’ll guide you through a comprehensive DIY hamster care approach that saves money and enhances the quality of life for your furry friend. So, keep reading to discover simple, effective ways and create a delightful habitat for your hamster right at home!

Choosing Safe and Suitable Materials for DIY Hamster Toys and Bedding?

Creating a stimulating environment for your hamster doesn’t have to be pricey. In fact, most of the best hamster toys can be crafted right at home! It’s crucial, however, to ensure that whatever supplies you choose are safe for your hamster. After all, these creatures adore their hamster toys, especially since they love to chew!

Here are some readily available materials for the best toys for hamsters:

Cardboard: A favorite hamster toy material, perfect for crafting mazes, houses, or chew toys.
Toilet Roll Tubes: One of the most common hamster cage toys, they can be used as tunnels or integrated into more complex designs.
Popsicle Sticks: Among the easy popsicle stick hamster toys, these are great for crafting ladders or platforms.
Fruit Tree Branches: Safe hamster toys like apple or pear tree branches are fantastic for chewing.
Small Plastic Tubs: These can transform into hamster exercise toys or even cozy hideaways.
Plant Pots: Excellent for a hamster hideout, these can be a key component for the best hamster accessories, provided they’re cleaned and have no sharp edges.
Drain Pipe: A top-notch choice for creating a network of tunnels – hamsters would love this!
Legos: Can be used to construct an engaging hamster playground, but always under supervision.
Shredded Paper: An essential for every hamster cage, it creates soft, cozy bedding.

DIY Toy Ideas for Your Hamster

Once you’ve gathered your materials, you’re all set to start crafting a range of exciting and engaging toys for your hamster. Here’s a list of ideas on how to make toys for hamsters. Let’s get started!

1. Chew Toys:

Hamsters love to chew, and providing them with safe chewing DIY hamster toys is essential for their dental health. Here’s how you can create simple chew sticks:
Materials: Wood skewers, white flour, water

1. DIY Chew Sticks:

Wood skewers, when trimmed, can be one of the best hamster toys for chewing. Follow these 3 Steps!

Trim wooden skewers down to pieces of about three inches, ensuring to eliminate any pointed ends.
Formulate a harmless glue by combining white flour and water in equal amounts. Optionally, for added appeal, incorporate seeds that are safe for hamsters or tiny chunks of fruit into the blend.
Coat the skewers with this prepared mixture and let them dry thoroughly before presenting them to your hamster.

2. DIY Chew Ball:

Made from toilet roll tubes, it’s one of the DIY hamster toys with a simple yet effective design. Here’s how to craft it:

Slice a toilet roll tube into five equal rings. You’ll use only three rings, but cutting five ensures the correct size.
Interlock the rings inside one another to create a sphere. Repeat this with the third ring to form a chew ball with few spaces at intervals.
Check for any sharp edges or harmful small parts. For added fun, fill the ball with treats.

Remember, you can vary the size of the rings or the complexity of the structures to create an assortment of toys for your hamster.

2. DIY Hamster Wheel:

This handcrafted hamster exercise toy can be a fun addition for your pet.

Materials: A large circular plastic tub (without a lid), three wooden strips (two long, one short), a bolt, three nuts, and two screws.

Creating the Stand:

Form a ‘T’ shape using a long and short wooden strip, and secure them with a screw.
Place the other long strip upright on the base strip and secure it with a screw.

Building the Wheel:

Drill a hole in the center of the plastic tub base and the upright wooden piece.
Align the holes and insert the bolt through the tub, securing it with a nut. Push the rest of the bolt through the stand and secure it with another nut.

Check the wheel for stability before letting your hamster enjoy its new exercise wheel. Position the wheel against the wires of the cage if it’s made of wire to prevent your pet from chewing the bolt.

3. Hamster House:

A DIY hamster house can provide your pet with a secure space to rest. Here are a few hamster DIY projects to consider:

Popsicle Stick Hamster House:

Gather your materials: popsicle sticks and harmless glue (a simple 1:1 mix of flour and water works perfectly).
Construct a sturdy platform and four walls by gluing the sticks together. Add a roof for a complete home structure.
Don’t forget to create one or two doorways for your furry friend to enter and exit. Get creative with additional features like windows or decorations!

Hamster Home from Paper Mache:

Collect clean, ink-free paper, water, and a container or bowl.
Moisturize the outside of your chosen mold (container or bowl) and layer it with pieces of paper until it’s entirely covered. Leave it to air dry throughout the night.
In the morning, carefully extract the container or bowl. If needed, slide a popsicle stick around the edges to help loosen it.

Hamster Home from a Plant Pot:

Locate a compact, square-shaped plant pot, ensuring it’s robust and devoid of any splinters.
Carve an entrance on one side with a hand saw before turning the pot inverted.
Smooth out the edges of the entrance to guarantee safety. And there you have it – an affordable, easy-to-make hamster abode.

4. Hamster DIY Toy Ladder:

One of the easiest DIY hamster toys with popsicle sticks, providing vertical fun for your pet.
Materials: Popsicle sticks, non-toxic glue
Process: Start by creating the vertical sides of the ladder. Overlap and glue popsicle sticks together until they reach the required length. Next, stick additional popsicle sticks horizontally across the vertical ones to form the rungs. Make sure the rungs are evenly spaced and securely glued. Allow it to dry completely before use.

Note: Always check the stability of your DIY hamster ladder before giving it to your hamster. This toy is best used in your hamster’s playpen during supervised playtimes. Hamsters love to chew, so ensuring the ladder remains safe and intact even after some gnawing is important.

5. Hamster Playground:

It combines different hamster toys homemade designs to create an adventure ground.
Materials: Toilet roll tubes, popsicle sticks, non-toxic glue
Process: Combine the various DIY toys like the ladder, house, and tubes to create a multi-level playground. Always ensure the structure is stable and safe for your hamster.

6. Hamster Maze:

A mental stimulant, it’s one of the fun hamster toys, ensuring your pet gets both physical and mental exercise.
Materials: Legos or adjoined building blocks
Process: Construct a maze using Legos or blocks, creating start and endpoints. Supervise your hamster to ensure they don’t become stressed or trapped.

In your quest for how to make toys for hamsters or seeking the best toys for hamster cages, these DIYs for hamsters should provide a great start. Not only do they ensure safe hamster toys, but they also enable a personalized touch. Whether you have Syrian hamsters or dwarf ones, these toys cater to all.

Selecting the Right DIY Bedding for Hamster

Choosing the right bedding for hamsters is also crucial for their health and well-being. Why it matters the most, and What’s the Purpose of Hamster Bedding?

Bedding for hamsters serves several crucial functions. The best hamster bedding not only does it provide a soft bed for hamsters to sleep on, but it also helps in:

Absorbing waste and controlling odor.
Providing a medium for burrowing – a natural hamster behavior.
Keeping the hamster warm.
Ensuring a hygienic environment.

With a plethora of hamster bedding types, here are some DIY beddings for hamsters:

Paper bedding hamster Methods

1. Single-Ply Toilet Paper or Tissue Paper:

This is one of the simplest hamster bedding alternatives. Due to their softness, toilet paper and tissue paper are also fantastic choices for hamster bedding.

Materials: Single-ply toilet paper or tissue paper.

Process: For those wondering, “What can I use for hamster bedding?”, this method simply involves tearing the paper into small pieces that your hamster can move around. The paper hamster bedding should be dry and free from any fragrances or dyes that could irritate your hamster’s skin. Ensure that you remove any plastic or cardboard tubes from the center of the toilet paper roll.

2. Shredded Dry White Paper Bedding:

White paper bedding for hamsters is an excellent material for hamster bedding. The white color helps you quickly identify any potential health problems like diarrhea or bleeding, as these would be visible against the white backdrop.

Materials: Dry white paper, Unbleached, unscented, and uncolored printer paper, or plain newsprint

Process: Use scissors to cut the paper into thin, manageable strips. Cutting the strips into smaller sections could make it easier for your hamster to play and burrow. Ensure the paper doesn’t have any ink, as it can harm your hamster.

3. Cardboard or Toilet Paper Roll Bedding:

An unoccupied toilet paper tube can provide a hamster cage filling, especially for those using aspen bedding for hamsters, which might need some softer material combined. This homemade bedding for hamsters can also act as a plaything.

An Honest Advice for those considering wood shavings for hamsters: consider using an aspen bedding hamster; it’s the only safe wood-based bedding for hamsters.

Materials: Cardboard boxes or empty tubes from toilet rolls.

Process: Transform the cardboard or toilet paper tube into extensive strips for larger hamsters, such as Syrian hamsters. For smaller varieties, like the Roborovski dwarf hamster, cut the cardboard or toilet roll tube into tinier fragments for easier shredding. Be vigilant about removing any staples, adhesive tapes, or other possible hazards.

Note: While looking for hamster bedding alternatives, keep in mind that cat litter does not make appropriate bedding for a hamster. Its coarse texture could cause discomfort to your hamster. Furthermore, the chemicals used in cat litter to control odors could potentially harm your pet.

4. Hay or Straw:

Hay is a natural hamster bedding and and biodegradable option. While it’s not commonly used as the primary bedding, it can be an excellent addition to hamster hay bedding.

Mix the hay with softer hamster bedding paper to create a comfortable and absorbent environment. If you’re curious about what is hamster bedding made of, hay combined with other materials is an organic option.

Materials: Hay (preferably timothy hay), shredded paper, or tissue paper

Process: Mix the hay with softer bedding materials like shredded paper or tissue paper to create a comfortable and absorbent environment.

5. Water-Based Bedding Method:

This method can save you some hamster bedding expenditure and is a great DIY hamster bedding.

Materials: Dry paper (blank paper, brown paper sacks, used envelopes), a large mixing bowl, a discarded t-shirt or a sieve, protective gloves, and absorbent paper or a baking tray for drying

Process:

Rip or cut the paper into tiny fragments. Put these pieces into the mixing bowl and position the bowl in the sink.
Flood the bowl with water until all paper is drenched.
After allowing the paper to soak for around five minutes, shred it into even smaller bits until it appears like a soggy pulp.
Drain the water cautiously to prevent losing any paper fragments in the drainage.
Mold the paper into loose spheres or clusters and situate them on absorbent paper or a baking tray to dry. This might take several days.
Fragment the dried balls of paper into tinier bits. This may still be somewhat moist, so spread it out to let it dry fully.
Dust some baking soda over the bedding to manage odors.
Once completely dry, introduce the bedding to your hamster’s enclosure. For larger hamsters, put about three to four inches worth of bedding. Smaller hamsters do not need as much.

Factors to Consider When Selecting the Best Hamster Bedding:

Safety Remains the top priority!

Ensure that materials are non-toxic, unscented, and free from any potential hazards. Regularly clean and change the bedding to maintain a healthy environment for your pet. Always opt for dust-free hamster bedding to ensure the respiratory health of your hamster.

Ensure the bedding doesn’t contain harmful chemicals or additives. For instance, Hamster Wood Chips (Pine and cedar( are best avoided as they can have harmful chemicals.

Absorbency:

The best hamster bedding for odor control would have high absorbency. So, anyone asking, “Is aspen bedding safe for hamsters?” or “Is aspen good for hamsters?” the answer is a definite yes.

Comfort:

Soft hamster bedding is essential for your hamster’s comfort. Fluffy hamster bedding or blankets for hamsters can be great options for added comfort. The bedding for hamster cage should be deep enough for burrowing, typically 1-2 inches deep.

So, always observe your hamster’s behavior with new bedding— Opt for Hypoallergenic Hamster Bedding! If they show signs of discomfort or allergic reactions, change the bedding immediately.

Burrowing:

Hamsters love to burrow. Hence, the best hamster bedding for burrowing would be one that supports this natural behavior.

Substrates for hamsters like sand can be a good addition for areas like a sand bath.

Price:

While there are many premium options available, you can also find cheap hamster bedding or even homemade bedding for hamsters.

Whether you’re considering soft hamster bedding, dust-free hamster bedding, fluffy hamster bedding, or hamster hay bedding, ensure it is the best bedding for hamsters.

Conclusion:

The possibilities are endless when it comes to DIY hamster toys and choosing the right bedding. Remember, it’s not just about how to make a hamster toy or the best hamster bedding; it’s about ensuring these are safe, engaging, and suitable for your pet’s needs.

With a little creativity and love, you can provide your furry friend with a world of enjoyment and comfort right at home. If you’ve tried your hand at any of these DIY projects or have more to share, we’d be delighted to hear about your experiences. Drop your hamster’s favorite homemade toy stories in the comments below!