Split Cages

[RitzieAnn]

There are several ways you can go about making a split cage for your gerbils. The first split cage that I have is very simple. It's just a hard wire lid I purchased from a pet shop. I turn it sideways and slide it into a 10 gallon tank diagonally, then just add a lid for the top! Now, a 10 gallon split is pretty small, so this is just for those quick intros, usually when I'm introducing young gerbils, or if I have a declan and I need an emergency split until I'm able to transform one of my 20 gallons.

[RitzieAnn]

Alright. As promised- another split! I was the only one there at the time, so some pictures aren't perfect because it was hard to hold thing and take pictures too...

Wash out your tank- especially where the sealants will go. I use Clorox.


You can measure your tank if you want the split to be "exact"


Cut out your divider. Be sure you measure the INSIDE of your tank. a little bending may be in order for a snug fit.


I use a hot glue gun! Start out "tacking" the divider into place, then you can use a solid bead of glue along the entire side.



The sides are most important, and the bottom isn't *always* a flat fit, but always make sure you glue down the bottom as well to help prevent digging under it.






I've got reptile tanks with sliding lids, so I put a little blob of glue on the corner where it sometimes catches. I've never had a gerbil chew it off.


All my gerbs have cardboard tubes like this, and when I do splits, I like to have them meet at the divider. They sleep in there, and I like to get them sleeping near each other from the start.


I forgot to take a pic of the completed one I just made.. but here's a shot of another split. When I do splits, I don't usually have really deep bedding, but as you can see in the tank above- they usually have deep bedding!


This is how the tanks were right after the move. You can see 2 splits- the top shelf, and the bottom 20. The top split is wire, and they have lots of bedding, because I'm in no hurry to make that intro. The second one is plexiglas, and their's a pair of boys and a trio. The pair was moved to the empty tank, and the trio had the full run.

You can do the same divider with plexiglass. It's actually easier with Plexiglas because it's straight and doesn't bend on you! You can easily turn it into an intro divider by using a small drill bit and making little air holes. Just as long as the holes are too small for the mouth to grab onto.

[Markpd]

Here's another method for making a divider by legless.

Feb 11, 2008 14:08:59 GMT -8 legless said:

My new split. all i used is wire mesh a zip tie a staple gun and some old wooden shelves.
1. basic structure.


2.Without gerbils.


3. Gerbils checking out new home.



in this split i have Dad aka Snoopy & Son aka Rocky.