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Post by kit06 on Sept 24, 2015 5:33:17 GMT -8
I have the following cage: www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/hutches_cages/gerbils_cages/189556 and am having a problem with the wooden levels in it. My gerbils won't stop weeing and pooing on them! I varnished them to stop the wee soaking in but now it just sits in puddles and the whole cage smells! I provided them with a large ceramic dish as a toilet, which they use a little but mostly it's all over the floors. Every morning I have to sweep up in there and wash down the floors. Is it possible to buy or make wire floors for them? Would this be bad for their feet? I don't really want them without floors as I like to put the food dish on them and their wheel too. Any ideas? |
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Post by theia on Sept 24, 2015 5:37:47 GMT -8
Try adding a sandbath to the cage, they should favour a sand bath over the levels for doing their toilet in, though it won't stop them peeing or pooing elsewhere it might reduce it enough to stop or reduce the smell. Wire floors are a no-no for gerbils it would hurt their feet.
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Post by asthehind on Sept 24, 2015 16:46:53 GMT -8
I don't know about gerbils, but with rats cleaning too often can result in increased scent marking to keep the area smelling as they want it. Could you try covering the area with bedding to absorb the urine?
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Post by blanknote on Sept 25, 2015 21:54:46 GMT -8
Would placing cardboard on the shelves work? I am using cardboard to cover wire flooring on my tank topper, and I only have to change them a couple times a week. (Although I have a tile on there as well, which they usually use as a toilet, and that one I wash usually every other day.)
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Post by eleda on Sept 27, 2015 14:51:47 GMT -8
is the ceramic dish on the highest level? making sure its up high might help as they like to go in places higher than their den. when i added a topper to my tank, my boys were always going in the topper instead of on the shelf in the tank that hey had used previously.
personally, I recommend against wire mesh - not because of their feet, though. my gerbils handled a wire floor fine without any noticeable problems. however, the wire was a HUGE pain to clean. it also started to rust a little from all the cleaning (or from the pee?) I've noticed gerbil pee smells horrible if its not well-absorbed, so cardboard might work nicely
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Post by blanknote on Sept 27, 2015 23:42:53 GMT -8
is the ceramic dish on the highest level? making sure its up high might help as they like to go in places higher than their den. when i added a topper to my tank, my boys were always going in the topper instead of on the shelf in the tank that hey had used previously. personally, I recommend against wire mesh - not because of their feet, though. my gerbils handled a wire floor fine without any noticeable problems. however, the wire was a HUGE pain to clean. it also started to rust a little from all the cleaning (or from the pee?) I've noticed gerbil pee smells horrible if its not well-absorbed, so cardboard might work nicely I have noticed the same about the pee smelling horrible if its not well-absorbed, but have never really thought about it. The tile starts to smell really quickly, but the cardboards seem to be fine much longer. |
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