It's Pet Week! ~ For Birds & Rodents: Hanging Toy

I've got an easy one for you today! But I didn't quite have the exact materials I needed to use, so please heed the warnings - they're important! 

What you need:

Materials:

* Pop sticks

* Cardboard tube

* Ribbon or sisal rope (sisal rope is better)

* Wooden beads (raw or non-toxic painted ONLY)
* S-hook or shower curtain ring

Tools:

* Drill (I didn't have one so I used a round-end file)

* Large needle (eye needs to fit your ribbon through)

* Stanley knife
* Scissors

Super important note: Be careful what ribbon and beads you choose! Use only raw wood or those painted with non-toxic paint. Remember, your pets are going to chew these up and might swallow some!

I only had varnished beads on hand, so I used them to demonstrate but I removed them before I let the ratties keep their new toy! Varnish can harm your pets!

What to do:

OK, so really today I'm just providing ideas for you, but feel free to collect any pet-safe bits and pieces and tie them into any combination! Your pets will love it!

This is what I did.

First, I made holes in the middle of 5 pop sticks and the end of 3 others using my "drill" (a file ;)). I cut a couple of pieces of cardboard tube off using my Stanley knife. I ended up using the two darker pieces.

I cut three strips of my ribbon.

And threaded a bead onto each one.

Don't use varnished beads like the ones shown here!
ONLY use raw or non-toxic painted ones!

I also knotted below each bead to hold it into place.

Cut one looooong piece of ribbon and thread your three top-hole pop sticks onto it.

Knot the ends so that the pop sticks are sort of in a circle.

Thread a bead up into the middle. This will help hold the three sticks apart a bit more.

Make a knot under the bead.

I added a piece of cardboard tube by threading the ribbon around one of the sides (I didn't knot it in). Then I added another wooden bead, knotting below that, and then another piece of cardboard tube.

Next I threaded the 5 centre-hole pop-sticks on, and tied a knot below them. Fan the pop sticks out into a circle.

Tie the three pieces of ribbon with the beads on the ends onto the bottom of your long ribbon, and you're finished!

It might not look like much, but I bet your pets will love it!

Mine certainly did!

Remember! Don't use varnished beads, it can be harmful to your pets! I removed them after I took the above photo :) The ratties had a tonne of fun with this toy even without the beads!