Make your own toys and accessories!

[Sendra]

(Cross post by me from another forum from awhile ago, so I'm not sure if all the links are still working.)

Lots of people seem to ask about making your own chinchilla toys, so, I went and searched for links on toys and cage accessories. Here's some compiled and organized info of what I came up with. Still, be sure to double check everything if you're not sure!

Toys:

Things you can use -
Willow/grape vine wreaths and balls [with or without bark, though it cannot be stained with any kind of varnish!], Sisal, Cuttlebone, Loofas, Wooden blocks [be sure to look up a list of chin safe woods], Coconut Shells, pumice stone, Ocotillo [cactus], Cholla [cactus], popsicle sticks, clothes pins [old fashioned kind http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iIk1kRMdm...Asw/t-SK5vY3PcA/s400/iStock_clothes+pins.jpg],
Bamboo Chinese Finger Traps, Sea Grass

Types of hooks to use -
Pear links and/or Split ring w/ hook (nickel or nickel plated)

To string the toys -
Chains, Sisal, Sea Grass


Instructions -
How to make Chinchilla Toys - http://www.ehow.com/how_4584698_make-chinchilla-toys.html [I wouldn't recommend the 'Wire Mesh' one, though. It seems very unsafe]

Learn by Example! -
http://chinchillacity.com/chinchilla-toys/cat_32.html
http://www.americancart.us/pet_chinchilla_toys/
http://www.tanchinstore.com/toys.htm

And if you want to dye your wood... use sugar free kool-aid!
Here's an article on doing it.
http://www.ehow.com/how_4517327_dye-wood-non-toxic-pet.html
And this image shows what the colors show up like on cloth, but it should still give you a pretty good idea of what the colors will be on the wood.
http://www.thepiper.com/fiberart/koolaid/images/colorchart-high.jpg

So you can use that or here are my color suggestions:
Red: Black Cherry or Wildberry Tea
Orange: Orange
Yellow: Pina Pineapple
Green: Lemon-Lime
Blue : Blue Moon Berry
Purple: Grape
(Careful not to leave the wood in overnight or too long! Mold likes to grow in exposed koolaid!)


Cage Accessories:

When any of these call for plastic accessories, please use chinchilla safe wood alternatives, such as apple. When foam is called for, use thin pieces of chin friendly wood or multiple layers of fabric. For a full list, see http://exoticpets.about.com/od/chinchillas/qt/chinchillawoods.htm.
As for fabric, use store bought fleece for these projects, such as the ones at Joanns and Walmart. It's also best to pre wash the fabric so it's clean and has been shrunk before you start sewing. And as most of these are made for ferrets or rats, you may need to increase/decrease the size of the pattern.

Basic Sewing Tutorial - http://rattributes.com/tutorial/basic.html


________

Hammocks -

Hammock - http://rattributes.com/tutorial/hammock.html

Corner Hammock - http://rattributes.com/tutorial/corner.html

Double Hanging Hammock Bunk - http://rattributes.com/tutorial/bunk.html

Tube Hammock - http://www.rattributes.com/tutorial/tubehammock.html
[If you want this to be more sturdy, simply wrap the fleece around a chube, though realize the chinchilla may pee in it and wreck the chube]

Hammock [Small PDF File]- http://www.angelfire.com/poetry/namachar2/images/Hammock_pattern.pdf


________

Houses and Hiding Holes -

Triangle House/Tent - http://rattributes.com/tutorial/triangle.html

Ferret Eating Monster Bed [Very large PDF file]- http://studentpages.scad.edu/~isvera20/tutorial1.pdf
Please use chewable wooden buttons as eyes instead of plastic.

Ferret Shaped Hidey Hole [Website takes awhile to fully load.] - http://www.smallanimalchannel.com/ferrets/ferret-housing/sew-a-hidey-hole.aspx
This can easily be modified to look like a chinchilla. Use thin pieces of chewable wood or multiple layers of fabric instead of foam.

Shoe Bed [Website takes awhile to fully load.] - http://www.smallanimalchannel.com/ferrets/ferret-housing/sew-a-shoe-bed.aspx
Use thin pieces of chewable wood or multiple layers of fabric instead of foam.

Basic Cube - http://www.freewebs.com/heavenly_rats/makinghammocks.htm [Please don't use the "no sew" and use two layers of fleece for all sides for stability.]

Seamless Cube - http://rattributes.com/tutorial/cube.html
You'll need to make the entrance hole bigger for your chin.

PVC Fleece Tube - http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2859

Have fun building and sewing your toys and accessories!

 

[alli713]

just a fyi... Cuttlebone isn't really recommended as it's too much calcium. Chins can get stones if they're given too much calcium.

Also, all toy parts like willow balls and sisal rope should be bought from a pet specific source, not places like craft stores as many craft store items are imported from China and you never know if they were fumigated with anything during the import process.

And I'm sure that the stores you posted (the Learn by Example stores) wouldn't really appreciate having people copy their ideas. I suggest if you're wanting to make things for your chins, come up with your own ideas ) Many of us work hard trying to come up with new and inventive things, so I'm sure there's other things that can be made. It's not such a big deal if you're solely making them for your own chins, but it's rather rude if you decide to sell these copied items.

 

[Sendra]

just a fyi... Cuttlebone isn't really recommended as it's too much calcium. Chins can get stones if they're given too much calcium.

Also, all toy parts like willow balls and sisal rope should be bought from a pet specific source, not places like craft stores as many craft store items are imported from China and you never know if they were fumigated with anything during the import process.

And I'm sure that the stores you posted (the Learn by Example stores) wouldn't really appreciate having people copy their ideas. I suggest if you're wanting to make things for your chins, come up with your own ideas ) Many of us work hard trying to come up with new and inventive things, so I'm sure there's other things that can be made. It's not such a big deal if you're solely making them for your own chins, but it's rather rude if you decide to sell these copied items.

I'm not trying to get them to copy ideas, Alli. But if you look at things, you can get ideas from it without copying, and I'm not trying to sell them, either. This is just a list of things. And I also said to double check things to make sure of them!

 

[iayla]

The link telling how to dye toys says to use vinegar - which if I did that, my chins would never touch the toys. It also says to use alcohol, and there's a bit of disaggrement on whether or not all the alcohol really does evaporate. I know if I soak a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol, let it completely air dry, it'll still reek of alcohol odor. I personally wouldnt give that to my chins.

Again, just my personal choice & opinions. Not meaning to knock anyone on how they do things, just thought I'd mention it for others tho.
~Barb~

 

[alli713]

I'm not trying to get them to copy ideas, Alli. But if you look at things, you can get ideas from it without copying, and I'm not trying to sell them, either. This is just a list of things. And I also said to double check things to make sure of them!

That's totally fine, I wasn't trying to be mean at all. I just know some people take things literally! And newbies may not think to not buy parts from craft stores.

 

[Classic Chinchillas]

Even vine items for pets have probably been fumigated. I am told that anything that comes into the country is so there really are very few places that would have non fumigated ones and they don't sell them cheap. I'm willing to bet that at least 95% of the vine items sold for pets whether it on the forum or elsewhere have been fumigated. Even some popular bird toy stores sell fumigated vine items.

 

[Sendra]

Well, I'm glad everyone is listing warnings for other people to read. As for the vine balls, I create my own with the grapes in my back yard. You can scrub them, soak them in the bathtub for awhile, and then they're really easy to mold.

 

[Essentia]

That would be fantastic! I would love to have grape vines. My chins love, love, love the vine balls, and I just can't afford to buy a bunch of them since they go through them (no matter how large) in a single night.

 

[LinzWolf]

How do you clean and mold grape vines? I'd love to make some vine toys for my chin, since I have vines growing in my yard.