The purpose of the article is to tell the reader how to make a running wheel for a chinchilla with their own hands. This is an active animal, so it needs to move a lot. To bring a little variety to the life of a rodent, its housing must be equipped with the said simulator. Further in the article it will be described which materials and improvised materials are the best for making this toy.
Primary requirements
The main thing is that the simulator should be of high quality and safe. Therefore, before you make a running wheel for a chinchilla, you need to study the following requirements:
- It is unacceptable to have chips, cracks and pointed edges on the wheel parts.
- The toy should be light.
- It is better to fix the wheel on the cage.
- Material, if the accessory is made of wood, must first be cleaned of paint and varnish, and then sanded. Thus, it will be possible to eliminate chips and other defective places.
A properly designed running wheel has these advantages:
- low noise when using;
- a light weight;
- lack of vibrations;
- reliable mounts and internal serifs.
Toy from hard drive
Before you develop a do-it-yourself wheel for a chinchilla from the mentioned item, you need to prepare the following materials and tools:
- wide and easy tin capacity;
- upholstery material (e.g., cotton or cork)
- electrical tape;
- hot glue;
- wire or nylon ties;
- a screwdriver;
- scissors for cutting metal;
- marker.
If there is no spoiled or old hard drive, this part can be replaced with a drive engine.
Assembling a running wheel from a hard drive
To make a toy, you need to do the following:
- Remove the screws and remove the cover from the hard drive. The main thing is not to forget about the screw hidden under the label.
- Remove all screws holding the mirror plate.
- Remove Spindle - A motor that drives mirrored discs to rotate. This part is attached to the device with three screws, so first you need to unscrew them to disconnect it from the frame.
- Trim excess tin. To complete this step, draw a marker on the material with a circle of the desired diameter.
- Use a pair of scissors to cut the container out of tin along the outlined lines. Do not forget about safety measures: you need to wear protective gloves on your hands, since you can get injured when doing this.
- Sand the sharp edges of the workpiece.
- Mark the center of the container.
- Mark the location of the spindle, and then fix the part with hot-melt adhesive. Check alignment like this: take the installed element of the future treadmill and spin the wheel. In this case, there should be no unbalanced movement and jerking.
- Sheathe the inner walls of the tin container with a protective coating (for example, a cork mat).
- Fix the upholstery to electrical tape or glue. It is better to use the first consumable, as it is easier to remove if you need to replace a damaged coating.
- Attach the toy to the cage with nylon ties or wire.
Making a running wheel from a hard drive with your own hands is an easy task. The result is a silent ride that will appeal to the chinchilla.
How to make a wheel out of plastic: step by step instructions
The body of the toy can be made of plastic items. In this case, you need a round box for storing disks (for 50 pieces) and an expansion dowel with a straight hook. From the tools you need to prepare an awl, a drill, sandpaper and a jigsaw. To make a chinchilla wheel for yourself from these materials, you must follow this procedure:
- Measure on a plastic box a distance of 5 cm from the top.
- Mark a straight line with a marker around the circumference of the container.
- Saw the box with a jigsaw along the marked line.
- Make a hole in the center of the container. At this stage, a drill equipped with a drill with a diameter of 6 mm is useful.
- Make small holes with an awl around the entire circumference of the box, the distance between which should be about 5 mm. The main condition - punctures must be done from the outside of the tank.
- Smooth roughness with sandpaper and remove unevenness.
- Insert the dowel into the center hole made earlier.
- Fasten the finished running structure to the cage wall with ties.
Pan running wheel: manufacturing technique
This option is a simple and quick method, thanks to which it will be possible to independently create an attraction for a chinchilla. In this case, you will need an aluminum pan. The width of the planned wheel is 15-17 cm, so half the height of the tank will have to be cut with a hacksaw. To prevent the animal from injuring itself on sharp edges and burrs, they must be sanded with sandpaper.
When the preparatory work is completed, in the middle of the aluminum circle (bottom of the pan) you need to make a hole with a diameter of 30-50 mm. Then it is necessary to insert a suitable size bolt into it and fit the tensioner pulley or bearing. Inside the resulting running wheel, it is desirable to insert a mesh wheel. The result is an excellent simulator for the chinchilla. In the photo, a homemade product looks quite presentable (the picture is shown below).
Cardboard wheel: manufacturing instructions
To decorate the chinchilla house with this item, you first need to prepare:
- corrugated cardboard of sufficient density;
- thin sleeve;
- scissors, clerical knife and a ruler.
Before proceeding with the assembly of the toy, it is necessary to prepare its details. First, two identical circles should be cut from cardboard. On one of the pieces, you need to cut wide holes through which the chinchilla will go into the running wheel. The next step is to make a knife along the entire circumference of small rectangular slots, retreating from the edges by 5 mm. Then you need to cut the base and the wall, and then make the track. When creating the last part, you should remember: it is necessary to make special protrusions on each side on it, the size of which should coincide with the dimensions of the rectangular holes.
To assemble a chinchilla wheel with your own hands from prepared cardboard pieces, you need to follow this plan:
- Fix the track between the circles so that its protruding parts fit into the holes of a rectangular shape.
- Make a cut in the wall and attach the base to the resulting part.
- Insert the metal sleeve into the hole.
- Put the wheel on the hub.
- Place jumpers on both sides that prevent the toy from coming off.
The advantages of this simulator are its simple manufacture and low price. Nevertheless, chinchilla can chew on cardboard, so you need to monitor the condition of the product so that it does not break during use.
Making wheels from plywood and wood
To create a simulator from these materials, you need to prepare:
- plywood sheet 10 mm thick;
- small planks, the length of which should be 15 cm, and the width - 3 cm;
- bearing;
- screws;
- 15 cm bolt;
- drill;
- jigsaw;
- compass and ruler.
To make a wheel for a chinchilla with your own hands, you need to perform the following simple steps:
- Use a jigsaw to cut a small hole in the center of the plywood sheet.
- Measure with a compass from the resulting slot the required diameter of the future wheel. This indicator should be 32–34 cm.
- Cut a circle with a jigsaw along the marked contour.
- Make a ring with a similar diameter. At this stage, a compass and a ruler come in handy.
- Drill holes of no more than 1.5 mm in diameter in the planks. Thanks to such actions, it will be possible to protect the material from cracking.
- Fasten the boards with thin screws to the outside of the circle and ring.
- Place a steel washer on the 15 cm hex bolt, the diameter of which should be larger than that of the fastener. This must be done so that he does not press into the plywood.
- Insert the bolt into the hole made in the first stage so that its head is inside the structure and the thread is on the outside of the wheel.
- Fit a similar washer and rubber bearing onto the outside of the bolt. Thanks to the last detail, the wheel will slide smoothly, so during the movement there will be no friction against the cell wall.
- Fix the bearing with screws to the bar, the purpose of which is to act as a holder.
If the structure will tip over, it means that it must be fixed to the cell wall with nylon ties.
Additional recommendations
There are some useful tips:
- the attraction must always be in the cage;
- if the running wheel began to creak, it must be lubricated with oil;
- it is necessary to wash the simulator at least twice a month.
In addition, it is advisable to put additional accessories in the cage for the chinchilla. It can be a treadmill, a walking ball and various hanging toys.
Conclusion
Summing up, we can say: to make a running wheel yourself is a simple task. In this case, the main condition is to carefully follow the instructions. There are many options for making this simple chinchilla simulator. The article examined in detail the popular methods, thanks to which it will be easy to craft a wheel from improvised tools and inexpensive materials.