You can also use this method to make a completely new wheel, using a straight-sided round container, similar to making a hedgehog wheel) Use the illustrations as guidelines and make measurements for cutting and connecting the pvc pipe to make your frame high enough to accommodate bedding and wide enough to keep the wheel sturdy. Place a strong card inside the X-frame and make a hole in the center to pass the rod through and secure with another nut and washer so that the rod is right at the end of the nut (adjust the nuts at the back). Use a gluegun to secure the loose bar to the edge of the barrel. Use the cross-bar from the front to make an "X" with the back bar, pushing the screw-rod through the holes and securing with a nut and a washer. Use a saw or angle grinder to saw off the framework and bar from the front of the bad wheel. Get a length of PVC Conduit piping from your hardware store (really cheap), and 3 x T-joins,Ī pack of about 10 nuts n bolts & 3 or 4 washers,Īnd a thin metal screw-rod (about 8-10cm long). USING THE BARREL OF A BAD WHEEL TO MAKE A GOOD WHEEL Please ensure that any sharp corners or edges are sanded smooth. Since they are longer, walls & fences will also be higher and safer.Ĭheapest places to buy: Dischem or salon supply stores (if you have a friend in a salon business).Įasiest way to cut these sticks without them splitting is with a carpet knife and do a few gentle scores until you're all the way through. They are also longer and wider, which should make your construction go faster. Tongue Depressors are usually better quality and smoother than craft/popsicle sticks. Flexible chopping mats are very useful since they are easy to wipe clean, as well as being transparent, so your popsicle sticks are still visible. Platforms/shelves should be lined with something solid - cardboard, paper, place mats, etc. Safe non-toxic coating like Wondaseal or Modge Podge can be used (note that Modge Podge is not waterproof if pee'd on or water spilled). Tops of ladders and the outsides of structures should be coated to help seal the joins. The insides of boxes, nest boxes, and houses should be lined with cardboard on the inside. Do not underestimate a toe or little nails getting stuck in the closest of joins! Solid fences & walls - The inside of these where the hamster is active, HAS to be covered with card all the way to the top of the structure, so that just the outside is visible to you as decorative and to provide sturdiness of the wall. If you do insist on gaps, cheap flexible chopping mats from Crazy Store (e.g.) are nice and translucent and work really well to cover the inner side of fences. However, we still prefer you to not have any gaps at all, just to be perfectly safe. Gaps in fences (where you prefer the visibility of a picket fence appearance) need to be as follows. A broken or too-damaged limb will have to be amputated if the hamster has not already gnawed it off. your hamster will require immediate veterinary attention at an exotics vet. In both cases, there will be severe pain and shock that could result in death if not found within minutes of the disaster. If any part of the limb gets stuck, your hamster will either gnaw it's own foot off to free itself, or it will break or sprain it's leg in the panic to get free (many are found dangling from the fence with a twisted broken limb). While it appears to be mainly dwarf hamsters that have been at risk, NEVER underestimate the size of any hamster's toes, feet & nails, and how easy it can be to get stuck. There have been too many incidents where hamsters have gotten a foot or toe stuck in gaps and joins (even the most tightly closed items). In such cases, you should remove the items immediately and rather invest in safer wood sticks/rods or thick cardboard for your projects. It may be worth testing a few simple structures first to see if he is "one of those" destructive kinds of hams. Make sure he has plenty of other more suitable gnaws and chews in the habby that may take focus away from chewing up his walls and structures. The sharpness of splintered popsicle objects can also cause bad scratches and cuts to the body and feet. These sticks splinter very badly if gnawed, which will be really hazardous if your hamster ingests pieces or gets them in his pouches or mouth.
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