How to Make a Hamster Maze Out of Cardboard

Like most rodents, hamsters enjoy burrowing and running in mazes. In the wild, hamsters are prey animals and as a result they enjoy the narrow passageways of a maze because they feel safe. A maze also helps your hamster learn problem-solving skills and can decrease destructive and aggressive behavior. Cardboard mazes are easy to make and don't require a lot of time or money. This type of maze can also help you get rid of extra cardboard boxes lying around your house.

Things You'll Need

  • Cardboard pieces
  • Stapler
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Instructions

    • 1

      Select a large piece of cardboard to use as the maze's base. The size of the base is completely dependent upon how large you want to make the maze. It can be as small as a shoebox or as large as a bookshelf. Make sure the base has no cracks or holes. Sides of television, furniture and computer boxes are all excellent choices.

    • 2

      Cut pieces of cardboard that are at least 4 inches wide. The length of the cardboard is entirely dependent on the length of the desired maze. Longer pieces of cardboard will yield bigger, longer mazes. The cardboard pieces you use can be different sizes, resulting in tunnels of varying length.

    • 3

      Turn the cardboard pieces on their sides and pair them together to create tunnels. Note that when you create a turn or corner in the maze, one side of the tunnel must be slightly longer than the other to accommodate the new piece. Once you've determined the layout of your maze, you can begin securing it to the base.

    • 4

      Bend a 1 centimeter wide piece at the bottom of the tunnel to secure the cardboard pieces to the base. Staple this strip to the cardboard base in a long line of staples. Repeat with each subsequent cardboard piece.