The Extremely Simple Tunnel
Simply cut the sleeve off of a sweatshirt and give it to your rats! It might be a little harder for your rats to get into this way, but they will likely find a way to burrow into it.
An Easy Modification for Easy Access into the Tunnel
I like to add a few simple steps that make one end of the sleeve stay open for easy access. My rats love cozy fleece tunnels made this way! I've heard they do not wash well, though (my rats tend to chew them up before washing becomes an issue).
Materials
- Sleeve cut off a sweatshirt
- Ring cut from the middle portion of a plastic bottle (I used a strip about 1.5 inches wide)
- Sewing machine and thread
Tips
Fleece is the best material to use for cage furnishings and toys, as it doesn't fray or unravel (less chance of little threads catching on toes or being swallowed). You do need to keep an eye on the threads used to construct the tunnel and the sleeve though and trim loose threads away as needed. Once the tunnel starts to get chewed up and worn out, simply discard it. You can probably find inexpensive sweatshirts at thrift stores to replace these cozy tunnels as needed.