How to Make a Maze for Your Gerbil or Hamster

Looking for a pet project? Help your gerbil or hamster stop spinning their wheels and make them their very own maze.

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Small pets need special care. Learn how to tend to your little four-legged friend with these Howcast videos.

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Steps

Step 1

Build the base

Lay out a flat piece of cardboard to use as the maze's floor; choose a piece as large as the labyrinth you want to make.
To increase the maze area, attach 2 pieces of cardboard together with duct tape.
Step 2

Create walls

Cut 6-inch high strips from flat cardboard the same length and width as the maze floor. Glue the strips around the perimeter to create the structure's walls.
Step 3

Design the maze

Draw a design for the labyrinth on the maze floor. Include divergent paths and dead ends to challenge your gerbil or hamster.
Step 4

Build the maze

Cut additional 6-inch high cardboard strips and glue them over your design. Make sure all of the pieces are attached sturdily so your pet can run through the labyrinth without knocking them over.
Decorate your maze with construction paper, stickers, or markers to give the project a personal touch.
Step 5

Create holding pens

Cut 6-inch high cardboard strips sized to use as barriers that fit tightly in the path at the beginning and end of the maze; push them down into the path to create separate Start and Finish pens.
Step 6

Add your pet

Place your gerbil or hamster in the Start pen and a few pieces of non-sugary cereal in the Finish pen. Then, lift up both barriers and watch your furry friend find their way.
According to a 2009 survey, 62 percent of households in the United States own a pet.