Ferplast Ratatout Cage Opinions?

[ellenstacey]

I have four gerbils who happily live together - currently in a Savic Habitat XL cage. However their bar chewing (and kicking of bedding) is getting a little frustrating in the living room!

I am looking at the possibility of getting a glass tank to allow more burrowing and less chewing but struggling to find easy buyable options in UK. Could I get some thoughts on this cage: www.amazon.co.uk/Ferplast-Ratatout-Cage-45-9-Litre/dp/B00BEH390G

Definitely not suitable for rats but seems like a decent gerbil option. Slightly reluctant in terms of price but if it keep some peace and the bedding in then I don't mind investing!

[ellenstacey]

Just to confirm - the larger option of the two is the one I'm looking at

[catnut]

you could use an aquarium, new or used, and you could buy a top that fits it-usually in the reptile section or buy online, just make sure to measure the tank, and that would be much cheaper, that is really pricey to pay on that site. I wish they had suction cup bottles here, I had to buy a flat water bottle holder and glue Velcro to the tank and holder so it will stay on the tank. I also have made my own top but may need to buy one for my small tank, I am fostering a single male gerbil and I need to give back his cage soon.
tammy

[rhianna]

That's an awful lot to pay for a tank of that size. Like catnut suggested, you can get a tank and lid for a lot cheaper. Check ebay and local classifieds for people selling used tanks, or you could even get a new on in the pet store, but that'd be pretty expensive as well.

[GerbilUK]

Hiya, just to add that I am in the uk and have recently bought a three foot aquarium with mesh lid and a two foot six aquarium also with homemade mesh lid. One was from eBay and one from preloved. They cost the grand price of £15 each and one of those the lady delivered to me! So it is possible. You just need to keep checking.

I also got a two foot tank free by advertising on freecycle. I made a lid from it with chicken wire and some wood which probably cost me £10 in materials. I love the tanks, they have so much more room and there is no mess. I use the brown carefresh bedding and the habitats look quite natural with some hay and logs/twigs etc chucked in. I scatter feed twice a week and use metal water bottle holders which are about £7 from amazon. The only thing is I have to check that they don't pile the bedding up against the water bottle or it will get wet. If this starts happening I just take some bedding out.

Cheers

[GerbilUK]

Oh just to add, I have had a cage similar to that with the black metal ladder/platform arrangement in it, one thing I found was that the gerbils insisted on weeing on the surface, and it soon began to smell. In fact I find that with the pets at home gerbilariums too, they sit 'upstairs' and wee and it sticks to the bars and down the walls and that's what smells first. Another reason why tanks are better!

Having said that, there's nothing to stop you simply taking the metal bit out of that tank. It does look a very attractive tank, but depends how much you mind paying and whether you want it straight away rather than checking eBay for weeks. Hth