If you have a pet mouse, you may want to create a maze for it.A maze can teach you a lot about your mouse's behavior, and is fun and easy to build.To get started, you have to decide what kind of maze you want to make.You can create a maze that's perfect for your mouse.
Step 1: Think about the purpose of your maze.
You will need to think about what you want to learn from the maze before you start designing it.Different styles of mazes will teach you different things about your mouse's behavior.You may want to know how fast your mouse can complete the maze and whether or not it improves over time.You would want to build a maze with one end-point.You may want to know more about your mouse's preferences.If you build a maze with more than one end point, your mouse will be able to choose which one it prefers.
Step 2: Pick the type of maze you want to build.
You can choose the style of maze that best suits your needs once you have decided what you want to learn from the maze.There are five basic designs that you can choose from for your maze.There are two basic designs you can choose from if you want to build a maze.A classic maze is rectangular and has a number of paths that turn into dead-ends.It is possible for the mouse to have more than one choice at each intersection.Alternatively, you could build a large maze.This design requires the mouse to turn either right or left at every point where one T connects to another.One choice always leads to the next T and the other always ends in a dead-end, which makes it easy to calculate how many mistakes the mouse makes along the way.If you want to build a maze with multiple end-points, you can either use a T-shaped maze or a Y-shape maze, which will look like the spokes on a wheel.
Step 3: Do you want your maze to be challenging?
Some mazes are simple and consist of a few twists and turns, while others are more complex.If you want to challenge it with a much more complicated design, you should consider whether or not to start out small and give your mouse an easy maze.Adding branches and dead-ends along the way can make a maze more challenging if you are building it with a single end-point.If there is a way to get out of the maze, it can have many twists and turns.You can make the maze more challenging by making the corners sharper.T-shaped mazes are more difficult for mice to navigate.Adding more than two arms to your maze is possible.
Step 4: Take out your maze design.
Once you've decided on a basic design for your maze, it's time to start drawing.An accurate representation of where the different paths will lead is what your initial drawing needs to be.Double check that the maze has a solution once you're done with your drawing.You wouldn't want your mouse in a maze.
Step 5: The platform should be constructed.
A flat piece of cardboard is the same size as the maze you want to build.This is the floor of the maze.If you start with a cardboard box, you can leave the sides in place so that you don't have to attach exterior walls later on.
Step 6: You can draw a maze on the floor.
Now that you know how big your maze is, it's time to draw out your design on a piece of cardboard that will be the floor.It will be easier to assemble the maze if you draw your design out.If you make a mistake, use a pencil to erase your lines.Make sure the paths are wide enough for your mouse to fit through.
Step 7: Attach the walls by cutting out.
You can make the walls of your maze with a separate piece of cardboard.You will need to measure the length of each wall, use your scissors or knife to cut a piece of cardboard, and secure it in place with hot glue.You should mark the interior and exterior walls of your maze with a pencil.You don't need to lean over the exterior walls to attach the interior ones if you start from the center.Make sure your walls are the same height.Hot glue is a good choice because it dries quickly.Hold the wall in place until the glue has hardened.Glue along the corners where the two walls meet.Extra stability will be provided by this.
Step 8: There is a reward at the end of the maze.
If you want to get your mouse to find the end of the maze and solve the puzzle, you need to reward it with something.Food is usually the reward, like peanut butter.You may want to add two different rewards if you are using a maze.You could put peanut butter at one end and cereals at the other to see which one your mouse prefers.Some people don't want to add a reward.If you want to find out if your mouse has an innate preference for turning right or left, you should let it run the maze a few times with no reward.
Step 9: Put a lid on it.
Adding a transparent lid to your maze will prevent the mouse from climbing over the walls.A piece of hardware cloth or a thin sheet of plexiglass can be used.Whatever you use, make sure it is transparent so that you can see the mouse through it, and that it has a good amount of air in it.The top doesn't have to be secured.It's easy to remove it when you put your mouse inside, if you just rest it on top of the maze.If you find that your mouse pushes up on the top to try to escape, you can place something else on top of it, like a book, or put some pressure on it with your hand.If you add a top, make sure the walls are high enough so that your mouse can easily navigate the paths.If you don't put a top on your maze, you should build your walls high enough to discourage the mouse from climbing out.
Step 10: Consider using wood.
If you want your maze to be stronger, you can use wood instead of cardboard.You can build your maze the same way, but you will need to use a saw to cut the wood and hold the walls in place.Mouse can chew through cardboard so a wooden maze will last longer.It's important to make sure that the walls are sturdy so that they won't fall down and hurt your mouse, if you are using a material heavier than cardboard.You might want to use screws or nails.
Step 11: You can try using blocks.
Building blocks are a fun way to build a maze.If you want, you can stack them on top of each other.If you have a base plate that is the same size as the maze you want to build, this will work well.This will make sure that your walls don't fall over.You probably won't want to draw your design on the base if you choose this method.You can easily change the location of your blocks if you make a mistake because there's no glue involved.
Step 12: Use something other than glue.
If you want to be able to change the layout of your maze frequently without using blocks, you should consider attaching Velcro strips to the bottoms of the interior walls and the floor.cardboard will still be used as your main building material if you choose this modification.If you want to change the location of the walls, you will have to add more Velcro to the floor.If you want your walls to stick to each other, consider adding Velcro to the sides.If your mouse leans against the wall, this will give you extra stability.
Step 13: Your maze should be decorated.
You can make your maze a little more personal by decorating it.Make your maze just the way you want it.You could glue colorful construction paper to the outsides of the maze and decorate it with markers and stickers if you used cardboard.You could draw on the wood with markers if you used wood.If you used blocks, you probably won't want to apply glue or paint to them, but you could still use construction paper to decorate the outsides.