# DIY toys to "fill up" a new cage?



## mewmew_chan (Aug 20, 2017)

Hi, I just purchased the MCage (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075H1L3XD/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A1KKNI1QDASESA&psc=1 ) and I need some ideas to fill it up for my boy. He has 2 hammocks already, though we only put in one at time, and plenty of hanging toys and things. any ideas for "cozy" items, specifically? He's a boy, and a lazy one at that.


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## Shadow <3 (Jan 25, 2017)

Dollar store time! No but seriously, the dollar store is the BEST place to find stuff to make DIY rat toys. I buy popsicle sticks and pipe cleaners in bulk there, along with a hot glue gun and some glue sticks. Out of those, you can easily make a DIY bridge within just a few minutes. You can also make a DIY bridge out of toilet paper tubes and twine, although this is much less stable and some rats won't like it for that reason.


If you buy 2 same-size plastic bins from the dollar tree, you can use scissors to cut out a "door" in both pieces, glue both together, add felt over the rough parts, tie on some pipe cleaners, add a safety pin or clip to each side, and you have an awesome DIY house! This sort of house is actually my rat's favorite sleeping spot, if they're feeling like sleeping up high and don't decide to sleep in their space pod, they'll sleep in here instead.


For a cute DIY tent, buy some large popsicle sticks and some fleece (I recommend checking the "scrap" section in Target's crafting aisle). Next, use hot glue to create a triangular base, then cut the fleece to size and glue it on top of the frame. For extra security, you can glue popsicle sticks across the bottom to keep it open. All in all, my rats will use these tents as tunnels, but don't tend to sleep
In them.




For a DIY platform, you can glue together large popsicle sticks with hot glue. 


And for a DIY bendy bridge, you can hot glue together 2 sets of 20 large popsicle sticks, then glue 2 pieces of wire in between them to make a movable bendy bridge.


You can even make something fun like a stairway hideout, something I made for my rats out of several hundred popsicle sticks and hot glue (I don't usually place it in the cage, but they do enjoy jumping on it and running around inside it while free-ranging).




If you buy some of those "pre-cut" felt squares from target (or any store with a craft aisle), you can then attach safety pins to each corner and voila! Instant hammock.


I've actually made several videos on fun DIY projects I've made for my rats, so if you'd like some visual examples, you can find them here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGThSDBAdLELSQO1duyJWmwly0PR8TIq2


I actually really enjoy making DIY rat stuff, its fun to see their reactions to the new toys and I've found that they often enjoy the DIY ones over the store-bought ones anyway.


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## pzychob1tch26 (Oct 19, 2021)

Shadow <3 said:


> Dollar store time! No but seriously, the dollar store is the BEST place to find stuff to make DIY rat toys. I buy popsicle sticks and pipe cleaners in bulk there, along with a hot glue gun and some glue sticks. Out of those, you can easily make a DIY bridge within just a few minutes. You can also make a DIY bridge out of toilet paper tubes and twine, although this is much less stable and some rats won't like it for that reason.
> 
> 
> If you buy 2 same-size plastic bins from the dollar tree, you can use scissors to cut out a "door" in both pieces, glue both together, add felt over the rough parts, tie on some pipe cleaners, add a safety pin or clip to each side, and you have an awesome DIY house! This sort of house is actually my rat's favorite sleeping spot, if they're feeling like sleeping up high and don't decide to sleep in their space pod, they'll sleep in here instead.
> ...





Shadow <3 said:


> Dollar store time! No but seriously, the dollar store is the BEST place to find stuff to make DIY rat toys. I buy popsicle sticks and pipe cleaners in bulk there, along with a hot glue gun and some glue sticks. Out of those, you can easily make a DIY bridge within just a few minutes. You can also make a DIY bridge out of toilet paper tubes and twine, although this is much less stable and some rats won't like it for that reason.
> 
> 
> If you buy 2 same-size plastic bins from the dollar tree, you can use scissors to cut out a "door" in both pieces, glue both together, add felt over the rough parts, tie on some pipe cleaners, add a safety pin or clip to each side, and you have an awesome DIY house! This sort of house is actually my rat's favorite sleeping spot, if they're feeling like sleeping up high and don't decide to sleep in their space pod, they'll sleep in here instead.
> ...


Really late response to this yes i know the post is super old but...making toys with hot glue??? for rats to ingest? tell me ur joking


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