Bin Cage questions

[redhed]

Hi there;

The gerbs (4 females) are currently in a biggish tank with topper, which seems to suit them very well.  However, it's not very mobile and we have an apartment we decamp to in the holidays.  So I was going to put together a bin cage jobbie which I can put in the car and cart them up the motorway in and then they can live there for a few weeks at the other end.  

So, there is going to have to be a *bit* of a space compromise, ie it can't be as big as the tank (or it won't fit in the car, huge though the car is) but I want it to be big enough that 4 gerbs can live cheerfully enough in it for a few weeks.  They'll be in it for the summer as well, so the max stay would be about 6 weeks.  So, the first question is what size Really Useful Box would you recommend?  

The second question is that at present the tank has an "upstairs" bit in the topper which they seem to quite like for food and sand bath and stuff.  Could you suggest anything to create an equivalent area in a bin?

[keldamouse]

Hammy happenings has a bin cage with topper diy. She built it for 2 gerbils for traveling for a month.

hammyhappenings.wordpress.com/a-bin-cage-with-topper-travel/

I would suggest getting the absolute biggest box you can fit in your car. For 4 gerbils you'd ideally want to have 40 gallons. Looking at the website it looks like they have a 145 litre Really Useful Box and I would use that if it can work for your space constraints.

[redhed]

Thanks Kelda - really useful link and lots to think about!

I don't think I can fit the 145 litre box in the car, alas.  I'm going to struggle to get the 84 litre box in... the issue is that though it's a big car, I have 3 adults, 2 children, a wheelchair, a dog in a travel crate and all our luggage (inc various medical paraphernalia) to get in as well.  And in an ideal world I like to be able to see out of the rear view mirror...

I guess it raises another question... how long can gerbs travel in a smaller container?  They came home from the breeder in one of those little travel things (like a plastic handbag with ventilation)  We will be driving for 5 or 6 hours, with a stop.  If they travel in their handbag, I can use the empty bin to pack bits of the luggage in, which would make a HUGE difference to fitting it in the car. Obviously no-one (rodent or otherwise) wants to spend half a day in a handbag, but it has the advantage that we can take them into the services with us when we stop, offer water frequently etc. so there are up sides as well.  

[keldamouse]

well I think that you can a good plan in place. It sounds like you can just put them in a largish critter carrier for the car and then set up a bin cage when you are at your vacation location.

Maybe one this size would work for just the car ride: www.amazon.com/Lees-Kritter-Keeper-X-Large-Rectangle/dp/B0002APZOY/ref=pd_sim_petsupplies_4/186-2450810-2813967?ie=UTF8&refRID=08B8AV2E5JEJCEV9367D

It is a good plan to just load up the bin cage with other supplies so you can fit more in your car. I'm sure that 5-6 hours in a smallish carrier would be okay. I think as long as you can fit a hiding/sleeping house thing, a bit of room to move around and stuff to chew they would be okay for 5-6 hours.

Also I've heard that you don't want a water bottle in the moving carrier/cage. Use a piece of cucumber or carrot for moisture and then when you stop but in the water bottle. Hope you have a good trip.

[redhed]

It all went very well in the end.  Had some difficulty getting hold of the wire mesh (Amazon supplier went quiet and then discovered it wasn't in stock just before we needed to travel...) but the local farm stores had some stashed in a corner outside.  I ended up "sewing" the mesh to the lid with galvanized garden wire rather than using cable ties.  Am hoping this will be a longer-term solution.

The gerbgerbs (sorry, DD2's name for them, and they are her gerbils so I guess she should know) were OK on the journey - a bit surprised by the noise in the service station, and had no interest in the water they were offered, but seemed settled enough in the car.  

They love the bin tank.  I think they prefer it to their "real" one (a gabry 80)  

I have had one GENIUS idea, though, which has been v helpful.   I used the soldering iron to drill holes all around the rim of the box where the lid rests on it, at about 10cm intervals.  That means I can use more gardening wire to fix things inside the cage, without having to suspend them from the wire or make holes in the box.  And because they are all round the rim I can move things about or add them whenever I want to.  I got a (small) steel roasting tin with handles and suspended that at one end.  I've put food and sand bowls on it and brought the ladder from the gabry up with us.  The bottle is suspended on more wire at the other end.  

Rubbish pic (sorry, left the flash on) but gives you the idea.