Curious Paws- Solar System Treat Wheel

Now your pets can rule the universe at both microscopic and macroscopic scales! This is a turn-style puzzle: they spin the lid to reveal hidden compartments of food beneath. The base connects to any of the other puzzles in the series, so you can mix and match your collection.

While I try to keep my models as true to the source material as possible, I did have to take more artistic liberties than usual for this one. One difference is the scale of the inner planets. I think it looks better with them larger than they should be, but I've included two options for printing in case you prefer them to be more accurate. If you’re curious about the other discrepancies, I’ve listed them below. I’d love to see someone remix the model and refine it further. After all, science is built on improving each other’s ideas and discoveries :)

No tools or additional hardware are required for assembly. I print the outer planets separately so you can use different filament colors or paint them before attaching—they snap into place on the pegs in the lid. To assemble, set the lid on the base and screw the Sun into the center to secure it. Start by tightening the Sun just enough to hold everything together. Once your pets understand the mechanism, you can tighten it further to increase the resistance and raise the difficulty.

While coating isn’t strictly required, if you plan to use these regularly for food, I recommend sealing the prints with a food-safe resin to reduce bacterial growth in the natural pores of FDM prints. I typically apply a thin coat with a disposable brush and whichever food-safe resin is most affordable at the time of purchase.

Printing Notes

- Saturn and the Sun require supports. - Adding a brim to the smaller planets improves bed adhesion. - Two lid options are included: one with the inner planets scaled to twice their proportional size relative to the outer planets, and one scaled to six times their diameter. Choose whichever aesthetic you prefer. - A print pause is included in the lid file so you can swap filament and print the orbital lines in a contrasting color. (The inner planets will also change to that color.) Model Discrepancies Compared to the Real Solar System

- The inner planets are scaled relative to each other, and the outer planets relative to each other, but the inner planets are enlarged compared to the outer planets so they’re visible. - The orbital distances are scaled relative to one another, but not in proportion to the planet sizes. - The orbits are shown as perfectly concentric circles on a flat plane. - The Sun represents only a thin surface slice and is not scaled to meaningful measurement. - Saturn’s tilt has been adjusted slightly for stability.