Hamsters sure do love to play! Once your hamster’s cage is complete, it’s time to think about providing them with enrichment activities. There’s plenty of options for making toys to keep your furry little friend entertained.
From boredom breaker toys that will encourage your hamster to forage for their food, to cute little donut tunnels that provide them with a safe spot to hide, there are so many different options out there!
We’ve rounded up our favorite nine DIY creations and there are some seriously creative hamster owners out there!
For those looking to learn how to make hamster toys, this is great news! All of these DIY hamster toys require minimal equipment and DIY skills. So even if you have never attempted a DIY project before, we reckon that these are the perfect ones to start with!
We’ve listed the materials and tools that you’ll need for each project, most of which should be easily found in your house already. Don’t forget that if you’re going to use anything with paint, you need to select a pet-safe and non-toxic brand that’s safe for hamsters.
Top 12 DIY Hamster Toys
1. Easy Cardboard Hamster Wheel From Mr. H2
| Materials: | Pencil, Corrugated cardboard, Flat cardboard, Wooden dowel, Popsicle sticks, Glue |
| Tools: | Compass, Metal ruler, Craft knife, Drill |
| Skill Level: | Beginner |
If your hamster loves their wheel, this YouTube tutorial from Mr. H2 for an easy cardboard hamster wheel will keep them entertained for hours. Made using basic materials, this wheel can be made in just a short amount of time, and your hamster will enjoy it for much longer!
2. Popsicle Pallet Swing From Craftydannii
| Materials: | Colored and plain popsicle sticks, Glue, String |
| Tools: | Knife or scissors |
| Skill Level: | Beginner |
Pallet swings are one of our favorite things, so why not treat your hamster to a miniature version using this design on Pinterest! This cute swing is another extremely easy project to make, and it’ll only be a couple of hours before your hamster can be hanging out on their new toy.
3. Paper Mache Igloo House From The Secret Life of My Hamster
| Materials: | Pringles tube, Small plastic bowl, Toilet paper, Tape, PVA glue, Plastic food wrap |
| Tools: | Scissors, Paintbrush |
| Skill Level: | Beginner |
If your hamster loves hiding away while they sleep or snack on hidden food, this paper mache igloo from The Secret Life of My Hamster is a great way to give them a safe place to sleep, play, and eat! This is another easy project that’s suitable for kids. Once you’ve made the mold, you can create multiple igloos if you have more than one hamster.
4. Boredom Breaker Food Ball & More From Victoria Raechel
| Materials: | Small willow balls, Cardboard tubes, Orchard hay, Seed mix, Kabob, Fresh hamster treats, Wooden sticks, Flour, Water, Herbs |
| Tools: | Scissors |
| Skill Level: | Beginner |
This YouTube video from Victoria Raechel includes plenty of great ideas on how to make hamster toys. Each DIY toy idea is sure to keep your hamster entertained. Most of them involve encouraging your hamster to forage for their food rather than eating it straight from a bowl. You won’t need any complicated equipment to get these boredom breakers set up either!
5. DIY Donut Tunnel From Erins Animals
| Materials: | Cardboard tube, Tissue, PVA glue, Pet-safe paint, Flour, Water |
| Tools: | Scissors, Pencil, Ruler |
| Skill Level: | Beginner |
This extremely cute DIY Donut Tunnel from Erin’s Animals is another easy project that only needs minimal materials to create a fabulous toy for your hamster. Through the YouTube tutorial, Erin explains how you can adapt the size of this donut tunnel to suit your particular hamster.
6. DIY Paper Mache Hamster Playground From Victoria Raechel
| Materials: | Baking flour, Water, Salt, Newspaper, Printer paper, Cardboard boxes, Tubes |
| Tools: | Scissors, Pencil, Ruler |
| Skill Level: | Beginner to Medium |
Let your imagination run wild when creating this DIY Paper Mache Hamster Playground. The YouTube tutorial by Victoria Raechel includes plenty of ideas about how to structure this to suit different sizes of hamsters. Of course, you can also paint this using non-toxic paint once the shape is complete.
7. Hamster Play Tower From Awesome Crafter
| Materials: | Toilet paper tubes, Elmer’s glue |
| Tools: | Fingers |
| Skill Level: | Beginner |
The Hamster Play Tower is one of the easiest hamster toys that you can build, and it only requires a few toilet paper tubes and Elmer’s glue. The author explains how to create the toy in video format, so it’s easy to follow. A beginner can complete it in a single afternoon without any tools besides their fingers. You can customize it with more or fewer tubes to fit your pet’s habitat, and they will love it!
8. DIY Hamster Bendy Bridge From JohnsAnimals
| Materials: | Glue sticks, lollipop sticks, wire |
| Tools: | Glue gun, wire cutter |
| Skill Level: | Beginner |
The DIY Hamster Bendy Bridge is an easy-to-build project that only requires popsicle sticks, wire, and glue sticks to create a usable bridge that will help your pet get exercise. You can use the same idea to create any bridge shape, and the author shows you how to build it via video, so following along is not a problem. A beginner should be able to complete the project in just a few hours, and it’s quite durable.
9. DIY Hamster House From Hamster House TV
| Materials: | Glue sticks, lollipop sticks, cardboard |
| Tools: | Glue gun, sandpaper, small saw, scalpel |
| Skill Level: | Moderate |
The DIY Hamster House is the supreme project for any hamster owner, as it results in a complete home. You only need a few items, like popsicle sticks, glue sticks, and cardboard, to build a bridge, running wheel, doorway, sliding board, swing, and other objects. The instructions are in video format, and with a bit of patience and plenty of sticks, even a beginner can build it. That said, it’s considered a moderately difficult project simply because there are so many items.
10. Recycled Cardboard Treehouse From Minimad Things
| Materials: | Thick cardboard, string, wood pieces, cardboard tubes |
| Tools: | Craft knife, hot glue gun |
| Skill Level: | Moderate |
The Recycled Cardboard Treehouse is a fun project that results in a large but stable multiplatform treehouse that your pet will enjoy exploring. It primarily uses thick cardboard and cardboard tubes to create the structure, and you can customize it in many ways to add additional ramps and toys that will help keep your pet busy. It’s considered moderately difficult because there are several steps, but a beginner can build it if they take their time.
11. DIY Hamster Pouch From Christabear
| Materials: | Fuzzy socks, thread |
| Tools: | Scissors, needle |
| Skill Level: | Easy |
The DIY Hamster Pouch is an incredibly easy project that anyone can build. All you need are fuzzy socks, which you cut and form into a cozy sleeping den and sew it up. It only takes a few minutes to complete, and you can make several in different colors to see what your pet likes best. The instructions are in video format, and the author explains each step clearly.
12. Cardboard Hamster House From Easy Crafts DIY
| Materials: | Cardboard, glue sticks, popsicle sticks |
| Tools: | Pencil, glue gun |
| Skill Level: | Moderate |
The Cardboard Hamster House is a moderately difficult project that results in a multi-floor house with an interior that your pet can use. The author shows you how to build the necessary ramps, and you can customize them in various ways to suit your pet.
Final Thoughts
So, there you have it! Learning how to make hamster toys is now simpler than ever! We hope you’re now feeling inspired to start creating.
There’s plenty of DIY options to choose from, so whether your hamster loves hunting for food or exercising outside their cage, there’s sure to be something to suit them.
Playing with your hamster is a great way to bond with them and get to know their character better, so don’t delay and choose your project now!
For more DIY projects for little pets check out these posts:
Featured Image: Free-Photos from Pixabay
