Camera in a gerbil cage

[ConnieW]

How do you all feel about cameras in a gerbil cage? I know it isn't necessary but might be fun. 
I had an extra magnetic 'spy' camera I don't use any more from my hamster cage so I set it up in my
gerbil cage. It will only see what they do on most of the topper, I know most of what they do is under bedding anyway...
but this might be fun to see them when I am not around.

It is in the corner of the cage 4 inches horizontally from the edge of anything they stand on and 6.5 inches of the floor of the topper. I don't think they can 
reach it to mess with it but I will watch to see if they even notice it. I have never seen my gerbils climb the cage bars.
Also the camera is always on the charging cord 
and it is secured via a silicone magnetic wire holder holding it to the top of the cage bars so it won't slip down.


Here is a pic of the view the camera gives me.  I store extra stuff for them on top of the cage for now. 

[tanzanyte]

LilyandDaisy has a camera set up from what I remember. It's a great idea to be able to see what they get up to when it's quiet and there's little around to spook them.

I don't think I'd be keen on putting it inside the enclosure as they're inquisitive things and are likely to scale things just to chew the cable, especially if it turns out to be a texture they like. With it being hooked up to power I'm not sure it's worth the risk. I've watched my gerbils stretch to reach twine on enrichment toys attached to the bars just to chew through it, or other objects and it's amazing what they can reach when inclined to do so. One of my old cages had bars and whilst most of the time they didn't climb them, I spotted them doing it occasionally.

You can always put it outside the bars and see if it still picks up a reasonable view inside. Whist it will be slightly obscured by the bars it will hopefully still be able to focus inside.

It'll be great to see some of the videos if they are getting up to anything interesting or cute.

[ConnieW]

This morning I was able to move the camera to the very top corner of the cage. So far they are ignoring it.

[LilyandDaisy]

Yes, I have an Amazon Blink Mini camera but I tend to only use it when I want to keep an extra eye on the gerbils, such as when they're ill or soon after introductions. Otherwise it's just too much work sifting through all the random clips of gerbils doing ordinary stuff to find the funny clips. Not to mention all the clips that are just me turning the room light on/off which triggers the motion sensor.

I either put the camera outside the tank, or if the tank has a topper I might put it inside but in a top corner like you so there's only a tiny amount of wire inside the enclosure and they can't access it.

[betty]

I used to love watching my overnight footage - but like L&D said - I got too obsessed at first and then bored of all the normal stuff that it triggered.

Some great footage though sometimes - but it was sapping my life away at the time (when I really should have been doing more important stuff: can't wait until I retire or we get another lockdown!!).

[ConnieW]

I moved my camera to the upper corner of the cage. Neither gerbil has displayed any interest in it. I found a piece of metal and wedged it in the corner of the cage tightly so the magnetic camera would have a good view. The charging wire comes out the top of the cage down to a power source. Works great.



This is the view from this camera



I can see what they do on the upper level. It is nice.