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Post by yuzername on Feb 24, 2021 13:16:00 GMT -8
So I don't think I've seen any gerbil youtubers or any gerbil owners (excluding the uninformed ones with those tiny crittertrails cages) use the plastic tubes. Is it because it's bad/not fun for them or because they chew on the plastic or because you have no place to attach them (since most of you have aquariums and stuff). Basically I wanted to put a metal piece on the start and end of the tubes so that they can't chew on it, attach them to the side of the aquarium with like a piece of safe wood, make holes in the mesh so that the tubes can go in and out, and then make a giant thing that goes around the room. Are there any problems with that? I think it would be really cool but I want to know if it would be okay for them
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Post by LilyandDaisy on Feb 24, 2021 15:07:29 GMT -8
People tend to avoid this kind of setup as it's thought habitats with distinct or segmented areas can increase the risk declanning. It's very easy for the gerbils to divide the enclosure into separate territories. I wouldn't recommend it, primarily for this reason.
Other potential issues are:
- Poor ventilation. It could get very stuffy and unhealthy if they pee in the tubes.
- Lack of grip, especially on vertical sections
- Most tubes are quite narrow, and it may be difficult for a gerbil to turn around inside them. It would also be very easy for one gerbil to trap and intimidate another in a narrow tube where they can't pass each other.
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Post by betty on Feb 24, 2021 15:19:28 GMT -8
As above but also, they often become weak at the joints as if not checked VERY regularly. They often 'bend' open at weight-bearing points and gerbils get lost in the room or house. And - as with most things where gerbils are kept apart - getting lost for more than a few hours can also trigger a declan (depending on how stable your clan is and whether it is the dominant one that falls out).
Tubes look fun but yeah - pee and poo in the tubes (and subsequent sweating) would be the second biggest issue..
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Post by yuzername on Feb 25, 2021 7:52:32 GMT -8
Awwwwwwww this would have been so cool. I guess I could always have them set up apart from the cage but then, yeah that's too much cleaning for any one person. I'm thinking about doing a maze with LEGO bricks (I'll make sure they don't chew on them don't worry). I'm thinking of some other cool things that I can actually build for the gerbs. Any ideas?
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Post by LilyandDaisy on Feb 25, 2021 13:20:40 GMT -8
You can build lots of things with lolly/popsicle sticks and PVA craft glue. The Lego maze is a good idea but I would keep it for the playpen/free roaming personally (in case they chew it).
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Thea
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Post by Thea on Feb 25, 2021 13:28:12 GMT -8
Very good idea LiluandDaisy, but is PVA safe for them?
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Post by LilyandDaisy on Feb 25, 2021 13:33:11 GMT -8
Very good idea LiluandDaisy, but is PVA safe for them? School or children's PVA glue should be, yes. It's non-toxic in case children eat it. |
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Thea
Member
Posts: 1,012
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Post by Thea on Feb 25, 2021 13:39:05 GMT -8
I didn't think of that! Thanks for letting me know  |
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Post by yuzername on Feb 25, 2021 14:09:57 GMT -8
I was thinking about keeping most of this outside during supervised playpenning. Also anything craft stick related would work well since I have used about 20 sticks out of my 1000 pack box and I have lots of PVA glue.
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Post by Markpd on Feb 26, 2021 17:25:54 GMT -8
I used PVA glue to stick cork lining to the wheel and platform, as well as being non-toxic it seems pretty sturdy! I have an old Rotastak tower next to my boys main tank (nothing like most of the new Rotastak stuff), I use it as a temporary cage when I'm cleaning their tank. When I 1st put them in their they were panicking and freaking out  , so after that clean out I left the Rotastak right next to the main cage. They had already started to explore on top of 1/2 the tank lid when I removed the other 1/2, so they started exploring the Rotastak on their own terms. Although initially only Blake was going in their properly, and Avon would panic about what that noise was 'over there' and then hassle Blake when he got back. They both now like to explore it when I feed them in the evening and I do some spot cleaning in the tank. They also both bolt to it now when I take the cage lid off!  (and Avon no longer freaks out when he's over there, nor really hassle him when he gets back*). Err, anyway they have short vertical plastic tubes, so there's no issue with weeing in them or fumes, but they do try to chew it, the stainless steel end rings put a stop to that though! 
*A similar issue with brief separation in the sandpen doesn't seem to be resolving though, and I may have to stop them using it for a bit.
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Post by mygerbilprince on Mar 1, 2021 6:18:44 GMT -8
I put my gerbils in what I call their "exercise tank" (which is a crittertrail) when I am cleaning their cage, or sometimes I just let them run through the tubes for a couple minutes to get their energy out. But I have never left them in there for extended periods of time.
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Post by yuzername on Mar 1, 2021 9:40:05 GMT -8
Hehe Blake and Avon are so blurry (makes sense)
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Post by Markpd on Mar 1, 2021 11:35:05 GMT -8
Yea they were both bolting around |
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, so after that clean out I left the Rotastak right next to the main cage. They had already started to explore on top of 1/2 the tank lid when I removed the other 1/2, so they started exploring the Rotastak on their own terms. Although initially only Blake was going in their properly, and Avon would panic about what that noise was 'over there' and then hassle Blake when he got back. They both now like to explore it when I feed them in the evening and I do some spot cleaning in the tank. They also both bolt to it now when I take the cage lid off! 
(and Avon no longer freaks out when he's over there, nor really hassle him when he gets back*).
