|
Post by Markpd on Jan 29, 2021 13:38:41 GMT -8
So after reading a few websites about apparently how much Gerbils like larger areas of sand vs a sandbath, and peoples posts here about separate play pens and bin cages, I thought I'd combine them. This is for temporary cage out time, not a permanent extension. I think my boys in particular are bad candidates for having multiple linked cages (more on that later), even if it's ok for some gerbils.
So I bought a 96 ltr box (75 x 38 x 41cm external dimensions) from ebay for £18 (the seller has now run out of that size). 25kg of children's play sand (by Tarmac) for £5.75 from a local landscape gardening suppliers (the slightly cheaper B&Q and Wickes had run out of 25 kg bags in my area!).
Ducting tube so they could make their own back and forth, in theory! I had wanted to get 3m of it (so I didn't risk falling short), as I didn't think 2m would cut it, but the seller only had 2 or 5m lengths for sale . In retrospect I should have asked them if they could cut me a 3m length (didn't think about that at the time!), and in actuality 2m would have just about been ok! So I ended up wasting money on a 5m tube (£40), when I could've just bought a 2m tube for £16!, and I now have a spare 2.5m of the tubing left!
Anyway I put about 2-3" of sand in the box (a little bit overkill in hindsight), which was about 1/2 the bag. Added a sandstone rock, a large stone, a coconut hut (3 for £15, sucked into a bargain!), grapevine branch, cardboard box and a spare bendybridge I had. Cut the tube to ~2.5m long, and made a lid out of some spare welded mesh I have.
Sandpen setup.
Prior to getting the sand I'd already hooked up the tube to the top of the left hand tank lid, and took the right hand lid off to let the boys explore . Blake as usual shot straight over to the Rotastak at 1st, with Avon close behind. A few minutes later Avon came out, and didn't even notice the tube and went back down into the tank! . Some minutes later Blake came out and explored as usual and found the tube (yey!), he went down it a couple of feet, then doubled back, then back in again and went a bit further, then doubled back again, etc until he finally got to the box! Fast forwards a few days, the sand's in now, the tube shortened and at a shallower angel, Blake runs down the tube in 1 go (he's pretty much used to it by then), gets to the sand, has a quick run around and then doubles back! Lol, thanks Blake! He does double back again to re-enter it though . Video hereIt would probably have taken Avon a couple of weeks to find the tube, so I caught him and plonked him into it's entrance, then he went in (and doubled back a few times like Blake, lol).
There's a longer video (4mins) of them both having a good explore here, if you're interested.
So aside from buying shorter ducting, 1 other thing I might have done differently if I was starting from scratch, would be to buy a box that isn't so tall, although it's handy it's that tall in one manner as it means they can't jump out of it (which was my reason for getting a tall one in the 1st place), but seeing as I made a lid for it anyway, that made it rather pointless being that tall, no big deal though.
A few problems showed up pretty quickly after setting this up, 1 was that Blake took a liking to the tube, he wouldn't just chew it, he actually tried to eat the rubber before I stopped him! I've mostly stopped him chewing it (so far) by laying the end of the tube flat (see 2nd photo vs 1st one), I think the low edge of the tube was bothering him (and Avon to a lesser degree). Last few visits he's barely touched it, other than to pull it sidewards occasionally out of his way! lol The next problem I found, once he got stuck into digging the sand, when he hit the bottom of the box, or the corner, he would obsessively dig , I haven't found an answer to that yet, other than just putting him back in the tank when he gets obsessed by a specific corner. And one other problem which has shown up in the sandpen (as well as the Rotastak), is that because Avon either just doesn't go there, or doesn't stick around for long, Blake appears to get it into his head that it's his territory. I say that because when Avon does show up, Blake is very 'pushy', especially in the sand pen, on one occasion he was vigorously sniffing his butt, humping him and scent marking him, that was by far the most I've seen him do that and on this occasion I blocked Blake from doing it anymore, Blake then chilled out after that. In the Rotastak I've noticed that if Avon turns up a few minutes later or more than Blake, they often have a quick wrestle and both butt sniff, then it's over. But last time they were both in the sandpen, not much happened, so I will keep an eye on it. But I may have to only allow one in at a time if the argy bargy gets too much and happens to often I think. If anyone has any good/better ideas on how to deal with the problems, I'm all ears!
That aside, Blake loves going in there now, he went straight to the sandpen 1st rather than the Rotastak today
|
|
|
Post by tanzanyte on Jan 30, 2021 9:05:50 GMT -8
This looks fantastic. I might have to see about doing something like this for our boys.
With regards to the ducting, I use the ancol concertina tubes so I can change the gradient (when they get older they struggle when it's quite steep), and I use duck tape to join multiple tubes together. I also wrap some thick cardboard around the end and tape that further up the tube, that way they can really only chew on the card. Sometimes they just get a bee in their bonnet about chewing the end and I was worried with it being plastic.
I've witnessed both our girls and boys pushing one another when battling over who is grooming who, both inside their habitat and out. They would do the same sniffing and grooming sometimes outside, especially with my girls if Vanilla had been out for ages and Bubbles came to check things out. It was usually seconds and then they got on with other things straight after. Thankfully it was never anything more. I imagine this sort of thing probably happens in the wild anyway when you think that their burrows can be long with lots of different exits.
|
|
|
Post by Markpd on Jan 30, 2021 10:44:48 GMT -8
Thanks Yea that's true, and good to know , and your girls got on well to the end didn't they? (that reminds me, can you post that to my clan survey thread?).
What I will try to do (at least in the near term), and I managed today, is when Blake goes down there I catch Avon and put him in the tube so they at least get their together at similar times, and Avon realises he's there so that when he goes back to the cage he's not freaked out by 'some animal over there' making noises, as he was yesterday, which when he bolted and then thumped freaked Blake out, who then decided to stay in the tube an hour!
Good point about cardboard on the tube, I was thinking wire mesh, but then their would be sharp ends inside the tube, which is no good. I'll see if I can find some really tough cardboard! Blake definitely had a bee in his bonnet about chewing the end today! He'd chew it, I'd click my fingers and say no, he stopped, then seconds later he did again, this time he ignored my click+no, so I touched with my finger, and he stopped for a few seconds, then he did it again and this time ignored my finger until I physically pushed him back! Lol, stubborn little bugger! I eventually stopped him by moving the tube back on top of the ramp, weird! lol
|
|
|
Post by tanzanyte on Jan 30, 2021 11:23:57 GMT -8
My girls got on great to the very end, despite being so different, but perhaps that's what helps? I'll post to your thread next.
I shouldn't laugh but I can imagine Blake going up and down and being filled with indecisiveness about it being safe to go back and play in the sand! I'm sure Avon will get used to it, and not worry so much once he gets more used to the sounds that Blake makes whilst down there.
If you ever work out how to get them to stop chewing it, let me know. Sometimes they won't chew it for ages, and then all of a sudden it's their favourite thing to do. It drove me mad which is why I came up with the card. I just save any corrugated box I get through the post and cut it in lengths and leave it to wrap round once they've got through the last one. I have been wondering if there is anything better that is likely to last longer than corrugated card but for now it's the easiest to fit, and is relatively easy to get.
|
|
|
Post by Markpd on Jan 30, 2021 18:47:24 GMT -8
Yea it is funny how they go back and forth, the funniest thing is when they decide to double back right near the top of the tube, most ungainly! lol and assuming they don't drop down a bit! Well, tonight they mostly ignored the tube since I put it on top of the ramp, I expect it's a temporary thing! I was wondering about putting wood around the tube mouth, and I've just remembered that I've got a 76mm hole cutter and that's about the size of the tube! Now I just need a piece of wood.....
|
|
|
Post by tanzanyte on Jan 31, 2021 6:15:59 GMT -8
That would be perfect! Let me know how you get on if you do manage to find some wood to fit.
|
|
|
Post by LilyandDaisy on Jan 31, 2021 16:26:03 GMT -8
Perhaps you could find a cardboard tube slightly narrower than the ducting tube. Then place it inside with a bit sticking out, so they're more likely to the chew the cardboard tube rather than the ducting. This tube is 7cm wide.
|
|
|
Post by Markpd on Feb 1, 2021 4:53:15 GMT -8
Yea funnily enough I was thinking of cutting off a section from the spare poster tube I have, I need to see if it fits 1st of course, anyway, thanks for reminding me
|
|
|
Post by yeti218 on Feb 6, 2021 18:36:56 GMT -8
This is really cool. I didnt know about gerbils liking larger sand areas.
I think ill get a bin and make a sand area in their playpen.
Thanks for the idea.
|
|
|
Post by Markpd on Feb 7, 2021 5:41:46 GMT -8
Blake's been loving it , with the tank lid off, and after a brief visit to the Rotastak, he'll hang around at the spot I anchor the tube, looking at me to hook it up, very sweet and funny when he 'asks' me like that! Oh and he jumps down the tube before I've even hooked it on! lol. Once he's in their he'll usually stay there until I take him out, Avon on the other hand hasn't gone in on his own will , I pick him up and place him in the tube, then he'll go down to it exploring for 5 mins or so and go back to the tank. I mainly do that so Blake doesn't think it's 'his' area (as well as reminding Avon about it), he gets bolshie when Avon comes in, but he's much less so if I bring Avon in soon after Blake gets there. I should probably do it the other way around, but Avon is hard to catch! I haven't seen either of them 'dive' into the sand, but I have seen them nose plough into it (unless that's what the German sites meant), and then shake themselves off , Blake in particular likes digging in it. As well as digging in the corner and trying to chew the end of the tube after a while (at which point I return him).
|
|
Thea
Member
Posts: 1,012
|
Post by Thea on Feb 7, 2021 13:55:21 GMT -8
Aww, so cute about the boys! I'm going to Wickes tomorrow to pick up a 25kg bag of sand, I wonder if I could do something similar with the 20 gallon but just smaller than yours...? Since I'm not using it!
|
|
|
Post by Markpd on Feb 7, 2021 14:08:33 GMT -8
Yea sure can, doesn't matter if it's a bit smaller, they can still have good rummage around in it, especially if you scatter a little food in there, which they soon bury
|
|
Thea
Member
Posts: 1,012
|
Post by Thea on Feb 7, 2021 23:55:00 GMT -8
Ok, I'll see what I can do! I saw Pippa rolling over completely in her sand yesterday, and that's only a flower pot that it's kept in, so I bet they'd love more sand
|
|
|
Post by tanzanyte on Feb 13, 2021 12:45:03 GMT -8
I'm thinking about doing something similar for the boys, but with a much shallower box so that they can get in and out of it themselves from their play area. We finally made a perspex enclosure and Max spends ages now digging at the corner of the perspex-grrrr! Whatever I try and put in the corner to prevent him he just pushes out of the way. He never did this with the cardboard surround so I just can't win, they either chew it or dig. Anyways I was thinking of putting a much thicker layer of substrate in for extra digging space but I'm now rethinking that the sand may be a better bet so that it's different for them. The floor in there is already covered with a small amount of substrate but they push it to the far corner.
Is Avon starting to like it more? and how long on average does Blake spend in there when he gets to go?
Also did you bake the sand? I don't know if I'm imagining this but am sure someone said you have to with play sand.
Last question...was the bottom of the box you bought on eBay smooth? I know you've put lots of sand in so it shouldn't be an issue, but I'm thinking that with a shallower box they may dig to the bottom and I don't want them hurting paws on the bottom.
|
|
|
Post by Markpd on Feb 14, 2021 8:55:46 GMT -8
Yea Blake digs in the corner of the sand pen quite often, although I think he's done it somewhat less recently. Avon is staying in the pen a little longer now, although he still hasn't ventured to the tube under his own will! But he's always been a long way behind Blake on that, Avon has only recently been regularly visiting the Rotastak when the tank lid is off, Blake's been doing that for months. Oh btw, here's a video showing how much Blake likes to go to the sandpen now! (after briefly going to the Rotastak). So far he's stayed in there until I've had to remove him, either because he's chewing the end of the tube or obessively digging in the corner (not so much now), or I need to get on with things, anyway, that's typically about 1/2hr, I know he would like to stay in there longer!
I didn't bake the play sand, my understanding is that it has already been cleaned so no need to do it further. [edit] Yep, see this page. As for the bottom of the box, I don't recall any sharp edges in their (and with that type of plastic I doubt that's possible), their is a dipped part in the middle with rounded edges, which you can see in this video at about 1 minute, that was taken before I put sand in it. I've only put 2-3" of sand in it (you can't have it too deep as dry sand doesn't hold tunnels of course), so they do dig to the bottom, if their were any flashing edges about I'd expect they'd quickly wear it out with their claws .
|
|