We’ve rounded up great DIY pet projects to make at home – dog beds, cat toys, and much more! Don’t fancy a project? Try our tips for charity shop bargains.
We’ve rounded up great DIY pet projects to make at home – dog beds, cat toys, and much more! Don’t fancy a project? Try our tips for charity shop bargains.
To keep our pets safe and healthy, they need…stuff. And quite a bit of stuff, at that. The list can feel endless and the cost quickly adds up.
Luckily, our Woodgreen staff and volunteers have some great money-saving tips. Take a look below at their easy and creative ways to cut costs.
Many pet charity shops, like ours at Woodgreen, stock nearly new pet items at a fraction of the price. There are beds, bowls, brushes, leads, and toys on offer! What’s more, the money you spend goes to help even more pets, so you’re making a difference.
For small pets, almost any local charity shop can be a treasure trove! There’s so much you could give them for exploring and climbing. Take a look at the examples below:
If you’re buying pretty pet food bowls, you might be barking up the wrong tree! Many pets would much rather dig, sniff, search, and hunt for their food. So, why not use their food bowls as water bowls and get creative with mealtimes instead?
Hide food in old cereal boxes wrapped in newspaper, scatter it in the garden or hide it around the house. This is called ‘enrichment’ feeding and it’s great fun for pets, getting their brains working and tiring them out.
Find out more about enrichment feeding for dogs and for cats.
“For my dog, I get a pepper, cut the top off and remove the seeds, fill it with dog food and then freeze it. Once frozen, it’s a fantastic way to feed a meal and the whole thing can safely be eaten.” – Kattie, community education officer at Woodgreen
Make your own pet bed for a little luxury at a fraction of the price.
Most cat owners have been through the agony of buying a lush, super-soft cat bed… only for the cat to be more interested in the delivery box!
Instead, try a large cardboard box with a pillow inside. For a super quick DIY flourish, put the box inside an old t-shirt and use the head hole as an entrance, giving your cat a safe hidey hole that they love!
If you’ve got more than one cat, offering extra beds helps to avoid squabbles. So, for two cats, you’ll need at least three beds!
For dogs, a basic single duvet with a washable throw on top works wonders. You could also try trusted selling sites where people often give away free used cot bed mattresses that give older dogs the extra support and comfort they need.
Put pet beds away from draughts – near a radiator is always a good spot!
Rats love a soft, snuggly hammock to sleep in, but these can be pricey to buy ready-made. Non-pill fleece can be bought at a low cost, or you could use towels, old duvet covers, pillowcases, t-shirts, or old jumpers! It’s really easy to cut these up and make them into hammocks.
Find out how to make one in our rat hammock article.
Our small pets at Woodgreen enjoy a variety of types of main cage bedding, including finacard, hemp and small pet select.
Sawdust or wood shavings, although sometimes cheaper, often contain lice and mites that can lead to uncomfortable pets and pricey vet bills when they need treatment.
Remember, sleep areas need softer bedding than your cage floor. So, what better way to keep your rodents busy and save some pennies than with torn-up toilet paper? Just make sure it’s a basic toilet roll, unscented and with no added oils.
For rats, you can also try hanging up a toilet roll with the sheets still on. Your little pets will pull off what they need and arrange things exactly how they want. Our small pet specialist does this for her rats and they love it!
Know someone with old carpet samples? They make great cat scratching mats to help keep your cat feline fine!
Put the samples by entrances and exits so they’ll get used, and if you can, wedge the corner under furniture to keep them in place, under the leg of a sofa, for example. Sturdily attaching carpet samples to a vertical surface gives them the chance to stretch up as they scratch, too!
We all know the sinking feeling of buying a pricey pet toy, just to watch a pet sniff it… and walk away! Making your own toys is great fun, low cost and is a wonderful way to get your pets playing.
Looking for a super-quick DIY toy? A simple empty cardboard loo roll or kitchen roll tube makes a fun tunnel for small rodents, without spending any extra money!
We have plenty of articles on our website with instructions on how to make DIY toys. Check out these four below to get started:
Dog tuggy toy
Tube enrichment forage feeder
Catnip sock
Cat or dog snuffle mat (one of our all-time favourites!)
“Snuffle mats are so easy and fun to make, and my dog absolutely loves using her nose and searching for food.” – Jo, community support team manager at Woodgreen
Do you have rabbits or guinea pigs? Their all-important space could come from something you have already.
Outgrown Wendy houses and unused sheds can often be converted into ideal accommodation, often at a fraction of the cost of buying new.
Pet runs can also be made at home, working out much cheaper than buying ready-made.
Need help getting started? Check out our advice articles on rabbits and guinea pigs (with handy videos, too!).
Remember, it’s very important to make sure your pets’ housing is safe, suitable, and the right size.
Do you have a hamster, gerbil, rat, or mouse, who needs a sand bath? Use an empty cereal box to make a giant sand tray. They’re free and much bigger than pricey shop-bought ceramic trays! Then, add hamster-safe sand.
Looking for more tips? Visit our page on how to save money as a pet owner.
At Woodgreen, our dedicated team of behavioural and training specialists offer expert pet advice online, on the phone and in person – helping at every step of the pet ownership journey.
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