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11/20/2018 A maze for a hamster is a kind of exciting game for logic, intelligence and resourcefulness. The original attraction also plays the role of a simulator, like a running wheel - while the hamster wanders through the corridors of the labyrinth, it stretches its legs no worse than in a wheel. So that the rodent does not get bored and his leisure time is interesting and useful, it is worth providing him with such a toy. You can purchase a ready-made labyrinth at a pet store, but even better is to make an entertainment complex for the animal yourself. Then the pet will have a unique toy designed specifically for him. This is not difficult to do, but your pet’s joy will know no bounds.
Why do hamsters need toys (maze, tunnel)
Rodents living in nature lead an active lifestyle. When getting food, they cover a distance of over 10 km. Energetic and nimble wild hamsters create dwellings deep underground, which are a kind of complex of rooms and corridors. Orientation in these complex structures is not a problem for them. Hamsters tirelessly run along the corridors of dug housing from end to end.
Life at home as a pet is completely different. There is no need to look for food, there is no need to build a home, there is no need to run away or hide from enemies. The home is safe and cozy, food is served ready-made and in sufficient quantity. The owners look after and care for him.
Domestic hamsters are always fatter than their wild counterparts. Lazy and pampered “household members” prefer not to move or strain once again. A minimal level of activity and lack of movement in an animal leads to obesity. To ensure that living in a luxurious home environment does not harm your pet’s health or shorten its lifespan, it is necessary to provide your hamster with exciting leisure time accompanied by physical activity. The best option is walking through labyrinths and tunnels.
Tama the Cat: Train Station Master
This happened in the early 2000s, when the unprofitable Kishi station in the Japanese city of Kinokawa was almost closed due to unprofitability. Residents, of course, protested, but it is unlikely that their efforts would ultimately be crowned with success. The situation was saved by a local cat named Tama, who loved to bask in the sun near the train station. The station manager noticed how enthusiastically passengers reacted to this couch potato and gave him the official position of caretaker. The cat was given a uniform cap, a badge and a monthly salary in the form of free food.
The duties of the newly minted minister included advertising functions. He greeted passengers, allowed himself to be petted, and was always somewhere on the platform. It must be said that this policy very quickly led to commercial success. Tourists began to come to Kishi station just to look at the railway cat and take pictures with him. From that moment on, there was no further talk about closing the station.
But the unusual cat's career did not end there. In 2008, Tama became a supervisor and was charged with monitoring the performance of professional duties by staff. That same year, the cat was knighted. Another year later, according to the project of the famous designer Eiji Mituku, the railway included in the schedule a train dedicated to the legendary animal. The carriages were painted with views of Tama, the locomotive was decorated with his muzzle, and meowing signaled the opening (closing) of the doors. But this did not become the crown of the cat’s career.
A year later, Tamu was appointed third party of the railway company, entrusted with the post of executive director. By his old age, it was already difficult for him to work every day, and the management allowed the elderly cat to come to work 3 days a week.
Tama died at the ripe old age of 14. But even after this, the career did not end. Posthumously, the cat was elevated to the rank of Eternal Station Master, thus perpetuating his memory. After all, over the years of work, this four-legged employee has brought considerable income to his company. The tourist flow through the station increased to 300 thousand people annually, and the financial indicator amounted to more than 1.1 billion Japanese yen.
The company's management did not want to accept the loss of such a profitable and already promoted advertising brand. Tama was replaced by Nitama (the second Tama). True, later with the third cat there was an overlay. He was found at Okayama Station and offered a position in Kishi. But the owner did not agree to the move. Next came Yontama (the fourth Tama), who had already had to undergo a special training course before taking her place on the platform of the railway station.
And the flow of tourists wanting to take a photo with the legendary heirs of the first Tama still does not dry out.
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What should the tunnels be like?
Whether you buy ready-made hamster tunnels or create them yourself, it is important to take a few details into account.
The structure should not have too high (steep) descents or ascents, otherwise the animal has every chance of getting injured.
The tunnel must have space and ventilation. This is necessary in case your pet starts playing and stays in the tunnel for a long time. Entertainment should not be accompanied by inconvenience and discomfort. And even more so, the hamster should not suffocate during its journey. Air holes must be made before presenting the toy to the hamster.
It is important to control that the animal does not chew on the structural elements, regardless of whether they are cardboard or plastic - the attraction must be beneficial. At the end of any maze (and, if possible, at different stages of the hamster’s path), you must put a treat for the little tracker.
The animal’s house should not contain a pile of numerous tunnel pipes. The pet needs a spacious room. It is important to provide him with this, without forcing him to huddle in the corner of the cage. The pet should feel love and care - this will evoke reciprocal feelings in him and prolong his life.
And the last thing concerns homemade structures. Glue should be used only non-toxic types, without odor and fumes. In addition, there should be no glue particles left inside the tunnel. This substance is harmful to the hamster, so it must be removed from the inner surface before the animal gets there.
Kinds
Tunnels can have different shapes, lengths, and materials of manufacture. They may even be transparent. Animals are clearly visible in them. At the same time, they feel protected and do not feel awkward from the presence of observers.
In general, the structure of tunnels is a pipe. To create a system of passages, PVC water pipes can indeed be used. There can be many options for their articulation.
Specialized pet stores offer several varieties of finished products.
Tunnels are of simple design - straight. Branched structures with a whole system of passages and dead ends are very popular.
According to their location, the tunnels can be internal, located in the cage where the rodents live. The hamster can use the “hole” at will. Sometimes an external tunnel is installed; this structure, as a rule, does not have a connection to the cage and is used in cases where the owner decides to provide entertainment for his pet. The game in such a tunnel is completely controlled by a person.
The material used to make tunnels may vary. Wood is good for this. In addition to performing its main functions, a wooden “mink” can also serve as a safe means for sharpening incisors.
Plastic pipes allow you to vary the structure of the hole. They can be given different shapes through various types of joints.
There are also supporters of nylon “minks”. When the animal moves, this design produces a peculiar rustling sound, which does not frighten the rodent at all, but, on the contrary, attracts it, perhaps imitating the sounds made by roots and straws in natural burrows.
Warm plush minks create special conditions. Playing in such a tunnel, the animal can always rest comfortably.
Cardboard labyrinth
The easiest way to make a hamster maze with your own hands is to build it out of cardboard. This material has the advantage of being environmentally friendly and affordable. You must first prepare:
- large cardboard box;
- individual sheets of cardboard.
And also “arm yourself”:
- ruler and compass;
- pencil;
- scissors or knife;
- glue or tape.
The box is the base; inside it a maze will be created for the hamster from cardboard. At the bottom you need to schematically draw a plan of the labyrinth. Don't limit yourself to just walls. It is better to accompany them with additional elements. The obstacle course for hamsters can have different structures, including turrets, cubes, moves and much more. But it is important to keep it in moderation. A labyrinth oversaturated with obstacles will tire your pet, and he will lose interest in the toy.
The invented elements are cut out from sheets of cardboard and pasted according to the intended plan (according to the diagram drawn on the bottom).
The cardboard labyrinth is simple to make, but short-lived. With regular use, the structure will require frequent restoration work. To make an identical, but more durable structure, plastic, plywood and wood are suitable.
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
How to make a tunnel for a hamster with your own hands
Self-construction of a tunnel for a pet does not require any special costs or skills. Common household materials are suitable for construction. The easiest way to design an attraction for furry is using:
- plastic bottles;
- cardboard boxes;
- toilet paper rolls and other things;
- plastic plumbing pipes and their connecting elements.
When choosing, you should focus on the size of the pet and, of course, the availability of this material.
Cage equipment
Equipping a good cage is just as important as its size. Let's find out what should be in a hamster's cage
You can use sawdust or paper as bedding. Sawdust absorbs moisture and odors better than paper. But animals may start sneezing from them
Therefore, when choosing bedding, you should pay attention to the pet’s reaction. It is not recommended to use cat litter or newspaper for bedding.
You need to make a house for the hamster in the cage. It could be a clay flower pot with a hole made. Pet stores have a large selection of ready-made houses for hamsters. You need to choose the optimal size house. But wood is not suitable as a material for a house. It absorbs moisture. It is better to take a plastic house that can be disassembled for cleaning. In addition, the hamster chews less on plastic.
Read more: Mouse horse color description and characteristics of the color, appearance and origin
The next required attribute for a hamster cage is a wheel. It can be metal or plastic. The first one is more durable, because a hamster can chew plastic. But the plastic wheel is less noisy. In addition, a steel wheel often has a large distance between the bars, which sometimes leads to injury to the rodent’s legs (fractures are not uncommon). That's why we recommend a quality solid plastic wheel (cheap options don't last long).
Do you want to know why a hamster runs on a wheel so much?
Instead of a wheel, you can buy a plastic ball in which the hamster will run around the floor.
Since the hamster is a rodent, it is necessary to provide it with a teeth sharpener. She can use a mineral stone or chewing boards, which are sold in pet stores. Or you can offer your pet small branches of fruit trees.
For hamsters it is convenient to use a drinking bowl with a nipple or nipple.
If you put a bowl of water in the cage, the animal may knock it over or cover it with bedding.
Tunnels for hamsters made from plastic bottles
Plastic bottles are an affordable, safe and durable material for building an attraction for your pet. Bottles should only be for food products. The volume of containers used for construction should be selected based on the size of the pet - the hamster must move freely through the tunnel. The same requirement applies to cut holes. It is important to make sure in advance that your pet will not get stuck in any opening. To create a tunnel from plastic bottles, in addition to the main material, you need to “arm yourself”:
- knife or scissors;
- tape or tape.
The simplest design is made of bottles held together. In container No. 1, two round holes are cut near the neck - one opposite the other. Their size should be such that the top of container No. 2 passes through them. One opening is small, only the neck should fit through it. The second is larger, corresponding to the expansion of container No. 2, which will be inserted.
A hole according to the size of the hamster is cut under the neck of container No. 2. This is a passage from one tunnel corridor to the next. All cut areas must be covered with electrical tape or tape, otherwise the hamster will cut itself. Now the bottles are inserted into one another at right angles and so that the opening for the hamster is turned into a corridor, and does not lead to a dead end. Only the neck of container No. 2 should pass through from through bottle No. 1.
Then holes are cut near the bottom of bottle No. 2 to secure container No. 3 and so on. The length of the tunnel depends only on the owner of the pet and the number of bottles available. Elements can be arranged arbitrarily. If desired, you can create either a simple design or a more complex branched labyrinth from plastic bottles. The inlets and outlets form containers cut to the middle.
Single-story or multi-story: what to choose?
The classic option is a one-story metal cage. It is easy to disassemble, convenient and quick to clean. This design can be additionally equipped with a tunnel or pen: the dwarf will have more room to run.
The second option is a cage of several floors. For such a house there are a number of additional requirements.
Cparks/Pixabay
The distance between floors is from 17 to 25 cm. If the height is more than 30 cm, the level of injury risk increases.
The floor must be solid plastic, since food, bedding and the rodent’s paws will fall through the grate when running
Please note that the cages have height-adjustable tiers.
So which option is better? It is recommended that Djungarian hamsters choose single-story cages with a large area. Individuals love jogging and free space. This is much more interesting for them than climbing or climbing up bars.
Hamster tunnel made from toilet paper boxes and rolls
This structure is suitable only for tiny breeds - dzhungarika and others. Larger animals simply will not fit into the corridor from a toilet paper roll. The design with cardboard boxes is simple. Holes are made in small boxes where rollers are attached, acting as connecting passages between the boxes.
The structure of the structure is arbitrary. If there are no boxes, you can make a maze using only rollers. A through opening is made in the center of the tube, then the same one is cut out in the second one, after which they are threaded into one another. It turns out to be a kind of cross. The procedure is repeated until the tubes run out, then the crosses are randomly connected. The labyrinth is ready.
You can use rollers not only from toilet paper, but also from other products - even tape.
Interpretation of famous dream books
Over the millennia, the experience and research of magicians and soothsayers has accumulated; modern psychologists give their assessment of dreams. The influence of dreams on a person’s future has been proven by world scientists and researchers. The meanings of night images may contradict each other, since with the development of civilization the worldview of mankind has changed:
The interpretations of famous psychologists and seers of both modern times and past centuries are still relevant today. The modern dream book has synthesized many years of data and associates the hamster with material wealth. A well-fed and shiny rodent characterizes the dreamer as a wealthy and thrifty person, prone to stinginess. Actions with an animal and observation of its behavior decipher the dream in a certain way. Keeping a happy and healthy animal in a cage means success in business, but a dead animal means failure and bankruptcy.
Ancient Greek soothsayer Aesop
According to the ancient writer and public figure, the dream indicates a search for solutions to the problem. He associates a large number of animals with monetary profit and treasure. A hamster bite indicates losses and expenses; the vision provides an opportunity to prepare and avoid mistakes. There is no need to rely on others and put aside savings in advance.
If an animal climbs on an object or over an obstacle, then this symbolizes an obstacle in reality on the way to achieving the goal. And the real outcome of the event depends on whether the rodent overcomes the obstacle.
Buying an animal on the market means meeting a rich person who will not share his experience and knowledge. Watching a hamster eat is an unexpected gift or income. You need to carefully observe those around you, so they will influence the future. Hand feeding is a new profitable business. A conversation with an animal prophesies the revelation of a secret.
How do hamsters behave in a maze of pipes and tunnels?
It is better to connect the homemade structure to the hamster’s house. This will relieve him of unnecessary stress. The hamster will not need to be taken out of the house and transferred to uncharted territory. When his interest awakens, he will go on a journey himself.
Wild hamster burrows are tunnels. Tamed hamsters instinctively feel at home in a maze, even though the tunnel is artificial. Often these tubes become the main place of residence for hamsters, so many furry owners do not welcome connecting the cage to the labyrinth. But there is no need to worry - let the animal live where it is most comfortable. The main thing is to maintain hygiene in the place of his residence.
Why does a pig purr and vibrate when you pet it?
Everyone knows that cats, when you pet them, make a characteristic rumbling sound, similar to the sound of a small motor. The nature of this sound has not been fully studied, but looking at how the animal behaves, there is no doubt that it feels good, it is happy. Surprisingly, guinea pigs make very similar sounds in moments of blissful bliss . Let's leave scientists to wrestle with the mystery of this strange phenomenon, let's just take it for granted: if a rodent purrs, it means we're doing everything right.
Important! Any sharp and unusual sounds are a reason to take a closer look at the pet: its further behavior will certainly tell you whether it was a desire to attract attention or a cry for help.
