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Post by Markpd on Sept 9, 2021 2:37:25 GMT -8
Mochi I Really do want to get a bigger tank!!! But my dad thinks this cage size is fine. He also thinks the Pet store only sells stuff good for animals..... So that's always a little tricky!Perhaps you could ask your dad why he thinks it's big enough? Finding out why could enable you to find info to the contrary. As far as cages go anyway, most petshops only sell what's easy to sell to customers (something that's cheap and doesn't take up much room), they typically don't aim for optimal cage sizes for pets. Proving that is tricky though, for Hamsters it's relatively easy as their have been studies into cage size and the amount of stress/boredom behaviours they show. This article refers to that study. While of course Hamsters and gerbils are different animals, they are similar enough (similar sized rodents who are both burrowers) that you could use that as evidence, that and their is plenty of research on gerbils natural habitats and group ranges. Yes we are talking about US gallons. I honestly didn’t realize that other countries had different gallon measurements but I that does make sense since it’s a different measurement system. Heh, yea, well whilst the system used by the UK and US both derived from the old British imperial system, apparently the US stuck with the 'liquid' gallon (and yes bizarrely we had different gallons for different products! wth??) and the UK used a different one. I think Canada and Australia use the metric system now? (I've just read that Canada seems to be similar to us in the UK, they use both, although officially they are metric, more or less!).
Anyway, a US gallon is 3.8 lts, an imperial gallon is 4.55 lts. That's partly why our MPG figures look better, that and we don't have loads of humongous size V8s! lol
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Mochi
Member
Snickerdoodle and S’more: Adopted on April 9th, 2021
Posts: 199
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Post by Mochi on Sept 14, 2021 18:18:20 GMT -8
Thanks so much for the article! And sorry for the late response!!
They seem to really like all the bedding I put in their tank this last change. It’s filled pretty much all the way to the brim. I cut just a big enough hole in the mesh for the bottle, which is VERY convenient! I’ve seen some people build their own toppers? Is this hard??
Another thing- If I cut the mesh for an opening into the topper, won’t they cut themselves???
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Post by Markpd on Sept 15, 2021 2:32:23 GMT -8
Is it hard? Depends how good your DIY skills are As for cutting the mesh for an opening, it won't cut them as long as the edges where the wire is cut are smoothed over.
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Mochi
Member
Snickerdoodle and S’more: Adopted on April 9th, 2021
Posts: 199
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Post by Mochi on Sept 23, 2021 17:45:19 GMT -8
YAY!!! Looked at some old DIY topper threads and I THINK….. I'll be able to make one to my liking! With Poplar wood? Is a 20 gal suitable??? It really is all I have right now but I recently watched a video on gerbils and the lady said she would be embarrassed to keep her gerbils in something that small!!! I really try to give them a great home!! But I can't buy the HUGE expensive cages. (As I would like to)
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Post by PipSqueak on Sept 23, 2021 18:07:48 GMT -8
Try to see if there are any tanks in your area on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist. There was nothing in my area so I just bought it new. Some stores will have $ per gallon sales so a 55 gallon tank would be $55. I got my 29 gallon tank on this sale but there wasn’t one when I got my new tank but it still was on 40% off so I only paid around $90 for it, still expensive but better than the regular price. Just look out on any second hand tanks or tanks on sale.
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Post by Markpd on Sept 24, 2021 11:16:54 GMT -8
YAY!!! Looked at some old DIY topper threads and I THINK….. I'll be able to make one to my liking! With Poplar wood? Is a 20 gal suitable??? It really is all I have right now but I recently watched a video on gerbils and the lady said she would be embarrassed to keep her gerbils in something that small!!! I really try to give them a great home!! But I can't buy the HUGE expensive cages. (As I would like to) Good to hear you might be able to make a topper . I can't remember if you already have your gerbils or not, if not then you could wait until you get a bigger cage before getting them. If you already have them, then from what I understand gerbils will do ok in a 20gall, especially with a topper (20gall is considered the minimum), and you can still get them a bigger tank later on.
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Mochi
Member
Snickerdoodle and S’more: Adopted on April 9th, 2021
Posts: 199
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Post by Mochi on Sept 24, 2021 11:25:41 GMT -8
Aw! YAY!! Glad to hear their tank isn't TOO small!! I'm really really hoping to get a bigger tank but right now 20 gal is what they'll have to settle with! I'm especially excited to build my own topper as I can add a door to the side instead of having it on top like a lot of toppers do.
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Post by Markpd on Sept 24, 2021 11:37:14 GMT -8
Would be good to see photos of the topper when you're done
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Mochi
Member
Snickerdoodle and S’more: Adopted on April 9th, 2021
Posts: 199
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Post by Mochi on Sept 24, 2021 11:38:56 GMT -8
If it isn't too hideous…. My DIY skills are a work in progress… But building this topper didn't look like much of a challenge! Hopefully it won't be…..
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Post by Markpd on Sept 24, 2021 12:06:32 GMT -8
Lol Photoshop?
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Mochi
Member
Snickerdoodle and S’more: Adopted on April 9th, 2021
Posts: 199
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Post by Mochi on Sept 24, 2021 12:08:30 GMT -8
Pfftt! I would never!!!! *quickly looks up photoshop classes*
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Post by Markpd on Sept 24, 2021 12:12:40 GMT -8
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Mochi
Member
Snickerdoodle and S’more: Adopted on April 9th, 2021
Posts: 199
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Post by Mochi on Oct 6, 2021 5:12:13 GMT -8
So the gerbils are moved back in! Seem to be doing fine at the moment. Hopefully the topper will be finished this weekend! But they have been doing something I'm really concerned about.. There is a plastic "thing-a-ma-bob" on the inside of the lid. XD (My explaining skills are not exactly something I'm proud of) Well they keep chewing it. Mainly Doodle... Does this mean they are bored and want out?
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Post by Markpd on Oct 7, 2021 10:34:14 GMT -8
Hmm, shouldn't really have plastic in the cage that's chewable, if they swallow any bits it could be hazardous. It could be a sign of boredom, I can't remember what you said (if you said) what things you have in their tank. Can you give us a refresher? (or tell us which post you told us). I know with my boys (who I've just had to split again), that whichever gerbil goes in the side with no wheel (until I get another wheel), chews the mesh divider much more, as well an any card there, they also seem to dig more too.
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Mochi
Member
Snickerdoodle and S’more: Adopted on April 9th, 2021
Posts: 199
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Post by Mochi on Oct 15, 2021 13:13:28 GMT -8
I put in tons of cardboard everyday, they have two chewable wood bridges, a huge cardboard and hay "tube". They did have their wheel in recently but Snickerdoodle is a BIG chewer even though she is the smaller of the two. XD Smore is a little lazy… Their bedding goes up to the lid but they dig it away so they can chew.
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