Things You'll Need
- Cardboard tubes
- Hand saw
- Box cutter
- Utility knife
- Boxes of different sizes
- Three-panel cardboard display boards
Instructions
Cut a 6-inch wide cardboard tube, such as a carpet tube or wide mailing tubes, into three or four equal sections. Use only thick and sturdy cardboard, as chinchillas will quickly chew through thin cardboard tubing.
Create a climbing platform by turning three different-sized cardboard boxes upside down and stacking them on top of each other. (The chinchilla will jump on and off of the boxes to reach different levels.) Remove the lid or cut off the flaps of the cardboard boxes, if applicable. Place the largest cardboard box on the bottom, then place the medium and smallest boxes on top.
Make a hoop or circle through which the chinchilla can jump. Using a utility knife or box cutter, cut a 12-inch wide circle out of a large, flat piece of cardboard. Prop this piece up at a 90-degree angle with the floor. To do this, cut 2-inch deep slats out of opposite sides of a cardboard box lid. Wedge the flat cardboard piece between the slats to hold in place.
Arrange the items on the floor or ground in any order or pattern. Make interior walls around the different items by positioning three-panel display cardboard pieces around them. Vary the direction and angle of the panel displays to make the maze more complex. Make exterior walls, if desired, to contain the maze. Position three-panel display boards along the outside edges of the arrangement.