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Post by AndreaS15 on Dec 19, 2005 15:49:15 GMT -8
Has anyone made a permenent Split cage for 2 or more gerbils? What did you use, how well does it work, and do you have a picture?
I am considering making the 55G tank into a 3/way permenent split cage. I want it to be easy to clean, and probably have levels.
Any tips, hint or links would be much appreciated.
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RW
Member
When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure. Puppy 6/6/07
Posts: 530
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Post by RW on Dec 19, 2005 20:49:20 GMT -8
I've used permanent split tanks on different occasions for gerbils who wouldn't pair or who had declanned. I have a three-way permanent split in my 75 gallon tank right now: It's a little more crowded than I like, but I give the boys extra out of tank playtime to make up for it. Here are some others I've had: 30 breeder 40 gallon 75 gallon, 2-way split As far as how they work, I've never had one not work. The gerbils I've had living in them have all done very well. The boy living in the center section of the permanent split tank I have now is a real problem child. He loves other gerbils, but they don't like him, and he can't be kept on his own because he gets very depressed. I put him in the middle section between two other adult males and voilà!--it worked like a charm. He's lived in the permanent split tank for over 6 months and he's a happy boy. RW
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Post by AndreaS15 on Dec 19, 2005 21:29:00 GMT -8
Thank you!!! Your 3 way split is exactally what i'm thinking about doing! Your habitats are wonderful! Can you tell me what you used as the split, and how you put it together? Looking at your pictures the tank I have must be a 75G also. I was kind of just guessing at the size since it was given to me (free is always good). Did you also maek the lids? I have to figure out how to make a good lid too.
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Post by RitzieAnn on Dec 19, 2005 23:00:11 GMT -8
I think your tank is only a 50 or 55 Andrea... Eric's mum has a 55 with fish, and yours is shorther in length, but a little taller. I'd be surprised if it were a 75. Um... maybe you can measure your ten gallon, to find the square... then measure the big tank to find the square, then divide the small tank into the large tank... that should work.
By the way RW, I love the split cages. Mine is just a 10 gallon with a wire 10 gallon lid on the diagonal.
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Post by coloradogerbils on Dec 20, 2005 13:54:21 GMT -8
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RW
Member
When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure. Puppy 6/6/07
Posts: 530
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Post by RW on Dec 21, 2005 6:14:38 GMT -8
Andrea, I saw from your other post that you're probably not going to do a permanent split with your boys, but thought I'd answer for anyone else who might want to try one. My 75 gallon is 48" long, 18" wide, and 21" tall. My super talented husband, who designs and builds all my gerbil equipment, made the lids for the 75 gallon tank from aluminum window screen frames and metal window screening, plus all the dividers. The dividers are made of aluminum channel and ¼" hardware cloth, a lot like Kylee's here: homepage.mac.com/kyleekay/tip-of-the-week/tip053103.htmlI've never yet had a gerbil get through this type of divider. I'm doing a pre-intro split tank right now, too, with two agouti boys I got last month from a rescue. Here's my split tank for them: I don't usually give gerbils in a split tank wheels and houses. They got their wheels back because after a few days, they both got bummed out and depressed and needed something to do other than sleep. The houses are an experiement. While they were in quarantine, both boys always slept in their houses. When I put them in the split, they were sleeping as far apart as possible and not in each other's nests either, so after a week, I had my husband remove the sides of the houses next to the divider. Now they sleep in the houses, nestled up close to each other and have been much more interested in visiting through the divider. RW
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Post by AndreaS15 on Dec 21, 2005 19:07:39 GMT -8
It did thank you! My Tanks a 50G RW, thank you for all your help and information. I hope my B/F will help me with this starting next week (X-Mas is this weekend, i'd start now if i could LOL). I'm probably going to split the tank, and have 2 on one side and one on the other. My idea is to have the divider slide up so i can use it as a whole tank if I want later on. But we'll see what happends. What size is the picture in your last post BTW? Thanks again!
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Post by kimsgerbils on Dec 22, 2005 2:50:21 GMT -8
I have a 29 gallon I used for a while to permanently split cage 2 grumpy old males, but they ended up pairing I also have a 15 gallon I use for regular split caging... that way it gives each occupant more room instead of the diagonal in the 10 gallon. I love your setups!!! Very cool, dividing the larger tanks I have a 33 long (same size as 55 gallon... 48" long, 12.5" deep, and 13.5" tall) that I was considering splitting in two with plexiglass or glass to house 2 separate pairs...
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RW
Member
When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure. Puppy 6/6/07
Posts: 530
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Post by RW on Dec 23, 2005 17:50:07 GMT -8
You're welcome! My dividers aren't glued in with aquarium sealer like the one on Kylee's site. Sometimes the tanks are split and sometimes they aren't, so I need to be able to remove the dividers easily. I don't know if I can explain clearly how they're made. There are two pieces of aluminum L channel cut to fit inside the length of the tank. They lie on the tank floor against the long sides of the tank. They have a notch cut them and the aluminum is bent back to make a pocket for the divider to sit in. So the divider system is actually three parts--the divider itself and two long pieces of L channel. The top of the divider is attached to the plastic tank rim with small screws and most are made so the gerbils can't crawl over the top--either with a strip of thin aluminum attached flat to the upper part of the divider or a heavier piece of aluminum screwed to the top forming a T. If you want, I can take some photos the next time we clean tanks. It would be easier just to show how they're made than try to explain. If you were asking what size the tank is in the last photo, it's a 20 long. However you decide to arrange them, I hope everything works out well for your three boys! RW
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RW
Member
When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure. Puppy 6/6/07
Posts: 530
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Post by RW on Dec 23, 2005 17:56:46 GMT -8
Thanks, Kim. I've taken in quite a few older gerbils who'd been living alone for a long time before I got them. I'm pretty good at resisting cute pups and happy pairs, but a single gerbil with a hard luck story is my weakness. Seven of the 12 I have now fall into that category. Most had never even seen another gerbil since they were separated from their litter and sometimes it can take a while to find another same-sex gerbil they'll accept, sometimes they've been resistant to pairing at all, like they've totally forgotten they're supposed to need a friend. In those situations, I've found all of them have been happier living in a permanent split, where they can see and smell another gerbil, but he/she can't touch them or their stuff, than in their own separate tank. They mostly ignore the gerbil on the other side of the divider, which I found surprising in the first couple of permanent splits I did. No lurking around the divider, pining for the other gerbil, they just do their little gerbil things like the other gerbil isn't there. I've never tried a permanent split with pairs, but I think maybe someone on the AGS list has or did at one time. I think she used plexiglass for her dividers, but I can't remember for sure. RW
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Post by kimsgerbils on Dec 23, 2005 18:48:56 GMT -8
Yeah... I kept 2 pairs in my 29 split with plexi for some time, beware of plexi, they CAN chew on it... I removed the occupants and put my mice in there (they appreciated the climbing room more anyways) because they were chewing on the plexi and I did not want 2 clans to meet... Oh, and my "antisocial" male that eventually took to a cagemate, they were split caged for over 6 months... I had 2 retired breeding females kept in a split as well for 5 months before they accepted each other... Some gerbils take a few days, others take months to nearly years...
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Post by AndreaS15 on Dec 27, 2005 21:27:22 GMT -8
well i have figured out what i am doing now, just have to build it. I pick up a 45G tank this week, and so I will split the 45G and 50G into to split tanks. Then i will have Dakota & Peej split in one, and Jimmy and my loner female Shelby in another. I think this is the best solution. I have had the boys split, but let them be together for play time, and when i am home, but found they did chase a bit this past weekend. So I'm not going to risk it, letting them be together again.
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RW
Member
When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure. Puppy 6/6/07
Posts: 530
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Post by RW on Dec 29, 2005 15:53:52 GMT -8
Wow, Kim, did you switch them from side to side every day for those 5 and 6 months, or did they finally accept each other by just living together in the split tank for all that time?
RW
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RW
Member
When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure. Puppy 6/6/07
Posts: 530
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Post by RW on Dec 29, 2005 15:57:35 GMT -8
Andrea, I took some photos of my divider setups, if you want to see them?
RW
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Post by AndreaS15 on Dec 29, 2005 16:02:57 GMT -8
Andrea, I took some photos of my divider setups, if you want to see them? RW YES PLEASE! ! ! ;D
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