Bins okay temp cages for gerbils?

[Chaos]

I'm getting a bit nervous with the pups getting older and not having enough homes. So I plan to scour garage sales for tanks or cages, but I do have a bunch of large sterellite bins here. Bins are actually great cages for hamsters since they're large and lighter than tanks. I asked someone about it and they told me the pups may chew through the bins, but surely not if they're only in there for a little while. I have some leftover hardware mesh from when I made my hamsters cages. I cut the top out and put hardware mesh over the hole. Do you think this would work for gerbils, or will they really chew out?

[cassi]

I use a tub as a permanent cage for my gerbils. They haven't chewed out yet and it doesn't look like they will. Just don't give them anywhere to start chewing (like holes for waterbottles) and they won't be able to chew out.

[Moldypotato]

Some clear sterilite bins that are both high and large would be greatr as temporary homes or permanent. A good method for good ventilation would be to cut out a large square over the middle of the sterilite bin lid, get some metal screen and staple it to the lid, or find some way to keep it connected to the top of the lid. I forgot another method that would be very useful for keeping the screen connected... But a metal screen where they can't reach would do great.

[cassi]

I used a hot glue gun to attach the hardware cloth to the lid and then put some duct tape over the sharp edges (from where I cut the hardware cloth) to keep my hands safe.

[SBonnier]

Hi Chaos, I thought I would post you a pic of my gerbil breeding pens. I've used these clear bins for about a year now with no chewing whatsoever. But, I tried using them on syrian hamsters and within a week, they had a hole at the bottom of one!! I hang all my bottles inside and attach the wheels to the hardware cloth on top so they don't tip it over constantly. These have worked out great for me!! :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v498/sbonnier/5ad788bc.jpg

[Cornflakes4ever]

One of my gerbils chewed all the way through a sterilite bin.. so I put him into the aquarium and moved the other gerbil into the bin, and covered the hole up, and she hasn't even tried to chew through it!

[Cornflakes4ever]

SBonnier~ I thought breeding pairs were not supposed to have wheels in their cages? Also, aren't you not supposed to use runged wheels like that? I'm just checking, they may be the mesh wheels, which are safe (I do believe.)

[SBonnier]

SBonnier~ I thought breeding pairs were not supposed to have wheels in their cages? Also, aren't you not supposed to use runged wheels like that? I'm just checking, they may be the mesh wheels, which are safe (I do believe.)

Hi Cornflakes, I leave the exercise wheel in with the breeding pairs until the pups start to move around. Once they start becoming mobile, I take the wheels out so the parents don't hurt the pups with it. But I think it's important for the female to have exercise until her pups have reached that stage. It's helps prevent them from gaining too much weight during pregnancy and actually keeps them in better shape for delivery of their pups.

All of my wheels for the gerbils are the 7.5" mesh wheels. The only open wheels go to the syrian hamsters.

[Chaos]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I like your set up SBonnier. I'll definately be making a few bin homes then!

[callimico]

They're what I use to house pups(and when pups are being adopted longer distance I send them in 29 gal sterilite bins with holes drilled in the lid), I have one for males, one for females for the 5-6 week stage until they're old enough to be adopted. I cut out the center of the lid and stape mesh over it, and hang wheels from it (got the idea from Sbonnier to :wink: ). They make great homes, deep bedding gives them tons of room to burrow, and they LOVe the rounded corners- plus they're much lighter and easier to clean out then the tanks. They can sratch up the sides after awhile, in certain places, but not enough to actually dig out. However one of my pups would stand under the mesh lid and do a blackflip up so he could cling upside down to the mesh- trying to chew on the side of the plastic lid. :rolleyes:

[Chaos]

Hey I think I have one of your bins! Wendy sent a bin full of bedding and stuff, and I wondered why it had holes drilled in the lid. ;)

[callimico]

lol- yeah that's it :grin:. I sent Gamble & Harley in one, and Sagwa & Bo (his ordinary name, she gave him Dongwa as a show name for the virtual later on, but didn't have a chance to enter, lol I got confused at first) in another. I like that type since they have locking sides and are spacey for the pups. I was worried about poor circulation and didn't think I'd drilled enough holes, but had no mesh to convert the bins myself (and it was only for a couple hours, since she had tanks at home).