|
|
Post by infinity on Jul 25, 2014 1:31:39 GMT -8
Recently I have been considering making/getting a Bin cage,
due to the fact its really way easier to find a large storage bin than a tank.
Also its wayyy easier to transport to my house.
But I rarely see people on this forum who use bin cages, why?
What are the pros and cons of both?
|
|
|
|
Post by Jazzable on Jul 25, 2014 9:44:16 GMT -8
I use a bin cage.
Pros:
- Lighter
- Cheaper
- Easy to customise (mine has wooden shelves which I attached by screwing them through the plastic from the outside)
Cons:
- Not so clear (the plastic is slightly translucent so you can't see into it quite as well)
- Possibility of chewing (especially if there are ridges in the edges or lid)
- Generally a bit less aesthetically pleasing
|
|
|
|
Post by reesesturtles on Jul 25, 2014 10:07:53 GMT -8
I was a big fan of bin cages until one of my gerbils chewed a hole through one, ran off, and was never seen again. I had another gerbil who also chewed through his bin cage but thankfully didn't run off. I still have a couple bin cages, but now I use them primarily as play bins, for split caging, or as transport habitats. They came in really handy during a mite infestation when I was having to change out my gerbil's bedding almost daily for several weeks. So even now, I still have uses for bins. For permanent habitats though, I now rely entirely on tanks with or without toppers. Nearly all my tanks I acquired free off of Freecycle. Tanks can be heavy and cumbersome though, and not as easy to dump and clean. But certainly more secure. I'm actually looking more into acrylic tanks these days since they are half the weight of glass ones.
|
|
|
|
Post by Nightingale on Jul 26, 2014 2:10:50 GMT -8
infinity - Never used a bin cage (I could not find bins of the right shape and size) but the research I did tells me that plastic can be somewhat harder to keep clean than glass, so you may need to clean out a bit more often to prevent the bin from smelling. Not sure how true this is, though. Everything else has been mentioned, I think.
reesesturtles - Oooh, let us know how that goes please? I despise how heavy glass tanks are tbh so an alternative they can't chew through would be heaven.
|
|
|
|
Post by johanne on Jul 27, 2014 0:31:27 GMT -8
We have been using a lot of bin cages for many years, as do many others. We only have a few tanks; too awkward to clean and move. Some bins have ridges that can be chewed and escape can occur depending on where they chew (chewing through the bottom when bin is on a solid surface: still no way out). Escape happens so incredibly rarely that we don't give it a second thought. Bins give us the freedom to keep all the gerbils we want. If there is technically some slightly increased possibility of cleanliness issue, we haven't encountered it. Our bins smell just as fresh after 8 years use as they did when we bought them. But, at the end of the day it's a personal issue. Some pros and cons mean more or less to different people.
|
|
|
|
Post by lilsmacko on Jul 27, 2014 15:54:53 GMT -8
Recently I have been considering making/getting a Bin cage, due to the fact its really way easier to find a large storage bin than a tank. Also its wayyy easier to transport to my house. But I rarely see people on this forum who use bin cages, why? What are the pros and cons of both? i wouldn't recommend using a bin cage because it stinks a lot ha ha secondly it's loud when they burrow at corners and unless you have a topper on top of the bin cage i wouldn't do it because the gerbil will feel enclosed with no view of real time and it's surroundings. it's better to have a glass tank + topper because gerbils can go on topper for fresh food and fresh water at all times. also they will know when it's day or night through the tank glass view. with bins they have no way of knowing. i HOPE this helped you... |
|
loxy
Member
Carer of Gerbils
Posts: 65
|
Post by loxy on Jul 29, 2014 12:56:34 GMT -8
I made a tank out of a 84 litter Really Useful Box which is FANTASTIC. I don't know what plastic they use but it's hard wearing, there's no ridges to chew on, lightweight, doesn't smell at all. I modified the lid by cutting out the central square and fixing a mesh in place of it with a thick wooden frame. The mesh is good for hanging water bottles off and gives plenty of ventilation. As it's semi transparent they get plenty of natural light in the tank and they can definitely still see me as they react when I pass by a good 2 meters away. Been using it for 4 years now and it's just as good now as when I first made it  |
|
