A small animal habitat in the form of, e.g., an automobile and a method for coupling respective halves of a small animal habitat. The small animal habitat includes a top shell portion, the top shell portion including a plurality of top wheel portions, each of the top wheel portions forming a top half of a respective wheel section. The habitat also includes a bottom shell portion, the bottom shell portion having a plurality of bottom wheel portions, each of the bottom wheel portions forming a bottom half of a respective wheel section. Additionally, a plurality of assembly rings are provided, wherein each assembly ring is configured to couple the top wheel portion to the bottom wheel portion of a respective wheel section so as to hold the top shell portion and the bottom shell portion of the small habitat in engagement.