Instructions for making PVC or ABS enrichment devices

Tools needed include:

        →  A power drill

        →  1/4",  3/8",  1/2",  3/4", and  5/8"  drill bits

        →  1",  1 1/4",  1 1/2" hole saw bits (these are special drill bits)

        →  Files and Sand paper for smoothing edges.

Please note:  ABS and PVC can be substituted for one another.  ABS is more brittle, but comes in Black.  PVC comes in White, Green, Purple, and Blue, but colors other than White are much larger in diameter and are considerably more expensive.  Short pieces can be obtained from scrap piles from obliging construction companies.

 

BOLT FEEDERS

Materials

1 1/2 " diameter black ABS pipe

Two 6" x 3/8" bolts with nuts

Wire or Zip ties to hang the feeder

Construction

Cut three 10" lengths of ABS.

Drill 1 1/4" holes on opposite ends of the top and bottom of each length.

Drill three 3/8" - 5/8" holes on one side of the pipe.

Join all three pipes at each end with a  6" x 3/8" bolt and nut.

The pipes are stacked and arranged so that the food can be manipulated through the puzzle in an "S" shaped pattern. Thus, the top hole of the top pipe is placed on the left; the top hole of the middle pipe is on the right side aligned with the bottom hole of the top pipe, and the top hole of the bottom pipe is placed to the left, aligned with the bottom hole of the middle pipe.

Drill two 1/3 " holes on top or on the back to hang the feeder.

Sand or file all of the edges smooth.

 

"S" FEEDERS

Materials

Two 12" lengths of 1 1/2" ABS

One 10" lengths of 1 1/2" ABS

Two 1 1/2" diameter U-joint

ABS glue

Wire or Zip ties to hang the feeder

Construction

Connect pipe lengths in an "S" shape, placing the 10" length in the center.

Drill three 3/8 - 5/8" holes along the front of each length to manipulate food through the maze.

Two 1/3 " holes drilled on top or on the back to hang the feeder.

Sand or file all of the edges smooth.

 

BROWSE FEEDER

Materials

One 2 ft length of 4" diameter PVC pipe

Wire or Zip ties to hang the feeder

Construction

Three rows of 1/2" holes were drilled along the length of the pipe for insertion of browse.

Drill one or two 1/3" holes to hang the feeder

Sand or file all of the edges smooth.

Stick browse in holes and down the center of the tube.

 

TUBE WITH BALL

Materials

24" X 3" diameter ABS pipe

Two 3" caps

One 2 1/2" dense rubber ball (such is used in Kong and Tuff Toys)

It is very important that the ball is considerably larger than the finger holes and  should be made of dense, solid rubber. Hollow balls can be crushed and pulled out of the finger holes and hard plastic can easily fracture and crack.

ABS Glue

Wire or Zip ties to hang the feeder

Construction

Drill five 5/8" - 1 1/2 " holes (the monkeys should be able to insert several fingers or their whole hand into the holes), equidistant along the 24" tube.

Drill one hole 5/8" - 1 1/2 " hole in the center of each cap.

Sand or file all of the edges smooth.

Slide the ball in the tube and glue the caps on the ends with ABS glue.

 

HANGING "T" AND RINGS

Materials

One 15" length 1 1/4 " PVC

Two 1/4"  PVC pipe caps

One 1 1/2" PVC cross connector

Several 1 1/2" diameter, 1½" to 3" length rings

Two 10" lengths of 1 1/2" PVC

One 6" x 3/8" Ring bolt with nut

One 3/8" flat washer

One 3/8" lock washer

PVC cement

Duco cement

Wire or Zip ties to hang the feeder

Construction

Glue a cap to one end of the 15" x 1 1/4" pipe.

Slide the cross connector and rings of PVC and ABS over the pipe.

Drill a 3/8" hole in the remaining 1 1/4" cap.

Thread the bolt through the hole.

Dab a small amount of Duco cement on the threads of the bolt (see close-up).

Slide the washer, lock washer and nut onto the bolt and tighten the nut securely. Dab Duco over the washer/nut assembly and glue this cap onto the pipe.

Glue the 10" lengths of 1 1/2" PVC into the cross connectors of the cross coupler.

Sand or file all of the edges smooth.

The rings can be slid around and up and down along the vertical pipe.

The cross pipe rotates.

Browse can be stuffed into the cross bar of the "T."

 

RATTLES

Materials

One 12" length of 1 1/2" diameter PVC pipe

Two 1 1/2" caps

Popcorn, beans, etc.

PVC glue

Construction

Glue a cap on one end of the pipe.

Pour about 1 cup of corn into the pipe.

Glue the remaining cap on the other end of the pipe.

 

TUBE WITH RINGS

Materials

One 2 ft. length of 1  1/2" diameter white PVC pipe

Several 1  1/2" to 3" lengths of white PVC and Black ABS

Two 1  1/2" diameter to 2" diameter PVC couplers.

Construction

Slide the 2" diameter rings over the pipe.

Glue the extender couplers on the ends of the pipe.

Five or six, 5/8" - 1  1/2" diameter holes (the monkeys should be able to insert several fingers or their whole hand into the holes) can be drilled equidistant across the top of the tube and food can be inserted.  The rings must be moved back and forth to gain access to the food.

Sand or file all of the edges smooth.

 

Additional enrichment items included:

A free-standing green PVC tube, approximately 10" in diameter and 2 1/2 feet long was set on the ground in the Colobus exhibit.  Food was placed in the center.  The monkeys could sit on it, push it around and go inside of it.

Two drums for the Mangabeys were constructed from 5 gallon buckets with lids (obtained from a donut shop; they had contained fruit fillings) and filled with about 1 lb. of gravel.  The lids were secured with zip ties or wire.  They could make noise by jumping on them, hitting them, and moving them.

 

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