How to Make a Tunnel Playground for Your Gerbils

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: May 6, 2021 References Tested

Making a tunnel playground for your gerbil is a fun way to bond with your pet. It’s also a great way for your gerbil to get some much-needed exercise! You can make a tunnel or even a maze using cheap (or free) materials, such as cardboard and toilet paper rolls. Make your gerbil’s tunnel a fun and safe experience that it can enjoy over and over again.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Cardboard Tubes

1
Gather toilet paper and paper towel rolls. To build a fun tunnel playground for your pet gerbils, find as many toilet paper and paper towel rolls as you can. So if you know you’re about to build a tunnel, remind yourself to save those rolls that are almost empty! The amount you need depends on the size of their cage and the number of gerbils you have. Try to get at least 3-5 tubes.^{[1]
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- If you don’t have any empty rolls at home, some pet supply stores sell cardboard tubes. You can also see if your friends or neighbors have any extra empty ones they can give you.
2
Cut 4 slits at the end of a toilet paper roll to join 2 tubes together. Use a pair of scissors to cut 4 straight slits around the end of one of your toilet paper rolls. Each slit should be about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long. These cuts will allow you to join two tubes together by inserting one end of a roll into the slits.
- If the roll isn't fastened on tight enough, make the slits deeper.
- You can make the tunnel as long as you want, as long as it fits inside the cage.
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3
Use a craft knife to cut circular holes in the paper towel tube. Choose random areas on your paper towel roll to add different parts to your maze. Then, using a craft knife, cut holes that are about 4.25 inches (10.8 cm) in diameter. These holes should be big enough to fit the end of a toilet paper roll. Cut about 2-3 holes, depending on the size of your maze.^{[2]
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- If you want to ensure that your toilet paper rolls fit perfectly in the hole, grab a pencil and trace around the outline of your toilet paper roll onto the paper towel roll. Then use the craft knife to cut on the hole you just drew.
4
Insert the paper towel tubes into the holes. After your holes are cut, put the paper towel tubes in each one. If the holes are too small, use the craft knife to make them bigger.
- Do not try to force the tubes into the holes; this may distort their shape.
5
Secure the tubes with non-toxic glue. Once you have inserted the paper towel rolls in the holes, use glue around the hole to make sure the tubes stay put. Make sure the glue is non-toxic, so it does not hurt your gerbil in case it attempts to chew the cardboard. Double check the front label to ensure the glue is non-toxic.^{[3]
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- Make sure you use a small amount of glue and let it dry before letting your gerbils play in the tunnel.
6
Add more tubes until your tunnel is complete. You can make your tunnel as intricate as you’d like. Add holes all around your tubes to give your gerbils more areas to run around. Make sure, however, that it’s still able to fit inside the cage.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Building a Tunnel with Recycled Cans or Glass Jars

1
Use a recycled food can to make a small tunnel. If you have a small gerbil cage, and just want to make a simple tunnel, you can use a standard sized baked bean (or other canned food) can to make one. All you need to do is remove both ends with a can opener and use sandpaper to smooth out the rough edges. Then clean it thoroughly with soap and water to remove any leftover food particles. Place it in the gerbil’s cage and watch it play!
- Your gerbils might use the bathroom on or in the can. Replace it if it starts to rust.
2
Make a triangular tunnel with 6 food cans. If you have empty leftover food cans, you can use 6 of them to make a multistory tunnel. Use a can opener to remove the top and bottom of the can, and use sandpaper to smooth the edges. Then, use non-toxic glue to stick them together. To make the pyramid shape, lay the cans on their side and glue 3 on the bottom, 2 in the middle, and 1 on top.
- Make sure the glue is dry and the cans are stable before putting it in the gerbil’s cage.
3
Find a glass jar to use as a see-through tunnel. If you want to make a tunnel that you can see your gerbil running around in, use a large glass jar. It can be an empty coffee jar, jam jar, or any other glass jar you can find. Just make sure the jar is at least 5 inches (13 cm) in diameter, so your gerbil can easily move in and out without getting stuck. Your gerbil may use the jar to use the bathroom, store food, or simply run in and out of. Glass jars are also great because they are easy to clean and your gerbil can’t destroy them.
- Always clean any jar you are going to put in your gerbil cage with mild soap and water.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Building a Gerbil Maze

1
Gather large and small pieces of cardboard. To make a maze, you’ll need large a large, flat piece of cardboard for the base. You can cut this out from the bottom of a large cardboard box using a utility knife. Choose a piece that’s as large as the maze you want to make.
- Save the sides of the cardboard box to use as the outer walls of the maze. Then you’ll need some smaller pieces to construct the walls inside the maze. You can use the flaps of the cardboard box to make these pieces.
- If you can’t find a cardboard box big enough, you can attach two pieces of cardboard together with duct tape.
2
Design your maze with a pencil before building. Before constructing your gerbil maze, plan out your design on the cardboard floor. This will make your project a lot easier because you’ll already have a design figured out in advance. Make your maze tricky, but not too hard, or your gerbil will never make it to the other side!
- Use a ruler to draw your lines so they are straight.
- Be sure the width between pencil marks are at least 4 inches (10 cm) wide so your gerbil can fit comfortably around the maze.
- Make an intricate maze with plenty of dead ends and turns so your gerbil doesn’t get bored!
3
Glue walls on the perimeter of the maze. Measure each side of your maze perimeter. Then, use those measurements to cut out cardboard pieces for the walls. Each wall should be 6 inches (15 cm) tall. Use a hot glue gun with non-toxic glue sticks to secure these pieces around your maze.^{[4]
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- To use a hot glue gun, load a glue stick into the circular hole found on the back of the glue gun. Then, plug it in and wait a few minutes for it to heat up. Once you’re ready to glue, pull the trigger very lightly so that the melted glue comes out of the nozzle.
4
Cut and glue cardboard to build the inside of the maze. Use any leftover cardboard to start constructing the maze. Make sure each piece is 6 inches (15 cm) high. To do this, put glue on the pencil lines you created, and then place the cardboard pieces upright on the glue. Do this until you have covered all your pencil marks and your maze is complete.^{[5]
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- Keep the walls and corners of your maze intact by gluing them together.
- Make sure you use enough glue so that the walls of the maze are sturdy. You don’t want your gerbil to knock down the maze while it is running through.
5
Secure the top of the maze with wire mesh. To prevent your gerbil from escaping, place a large piece of wire mesh over your maze. Cut the mesh so it is large enough to fit over the entire maze and fold over the sides. Then, secure it to the maze with masking tape on the outer side of the cardboard walls. This will allow your gerbil to find the end of the maze without attempting to climb over the walls. You can find wire mesh at any home improvement store.^{[6]
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Community Q&A

Question

Is it OK for my gerbils to crawl on my head and shoulders?

Community Answer

Yes, but be careful not to let them get hurt while doing it!
Question

Can I add windows to the tunnel playground?

Community Answer

You can, but then it won't really be a tunnel. Tunnels are meant to make the gerbil feel safe and unseen; with windows, it's just a lit up path with lots of holes. It won't be the "protection" they are looking for.
Question

How can I make homemade gerbil toys?

Community Answer

You can use cardboard boxes and cut holes and cracks for him/her to crawl threw, or make tunels out of paper towel roles. You can also make mazes for him/her.

Warnings

Make sure your gerbil playground does not dominate too much of its cage. They still need a large area to run around in without tunnels.^{[7]
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Gerbils nibble through almost any material. So keep in mind that if you make a tunnel out of cardboard, you will need to replace it after a while.^{[8]
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Avoid tubes made of flimsy plastic. They may be toxic to gerbils if swallowed.^{[9]
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Always monitor your gerbil while they’re playing in handcrafted tunnels. If you notice that they are chewing through PVC pipe, remove it immediately. It can be swallowed and cause intestinal blockage.^{[10]
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