Best gerbil cage - advice please do I need to upgrade?

[Reluctantadult]

Hi, first time gerbil owner here, just got 2 females at the weekend. I've got one of the smaller savic gerbil cages, and I'm already thinking I might need to upgrade. It doesn't seem big enough, once the house is in there etc. And the girls keep chucking shavings out of the bars all over the floor. I'm wondering if a glass tank is better. Can anyone advise? The downside of a glass tank that I can think of might be that it's more difficult to have to take the whole lid off rather than open a small door sometimes. And you can't put your fingers to the bars for them to sniff or take a treat, which might be worse from my daughters perspective.

Yes my tank is a 240L Diversa one. It cost about £230 I believe from Amazon, and the custom lid from Kirsty’s tank tops, was about another £50.

re platforms, I highly recommend a wooden platform under the wheel, especially if yours, like mine, like to burrow underneath their wheel! Makes it so much safer, as less risk of their burrow collapsing as they have dug too much!
also a terracotta flowerpot or tray is a great way for them to naturally wear down their claws, although for those who aren’t aware, it is perfectly normal for their claws to be quite long.
and finally although it should be fairly obvious, with the exception of items like their water bottle a wheel like a niteangel one. There should be no plastic in their tank because of how much they chew!

I think i need to get some sort of platform for their food and water access. Any suggestions?

Check out small businesses on Etsy, I think I purchased from happy Henry’s homes. They have platforms and multi chamber hides that slot together etc.

@Reluctantadult I use this stand in my tank (pic below) but it's quite big so you'd need to check tank dimensions, otherwise as @GerbilMum26 says Etsy has good options too. I can dig out links tomorrow if youre stuck www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-62262-Natural-Living-Shelter/dp/B000WFFZ94

@GerbilMum26 My tank is the one pictured below. Its used as an example through our rescue charity as the standard we want potential adopters to aim for. So definitely no plastic, 2 glass water bottles in case of a fail and separate areas for sand, wheel, etc so I don't have the problem of them burrowing under the wheel. Good tip about the terracotta for claw wear. I like the Diversa tanks as an alternative to Jungle Pets tanks, who don't deliver everywhere either.

@SilentHedges i’m guessing that you have a detolf tank? And yes i did originally look at jungle pets, but they couldn’t guarantee that they would deliver to where i am.

@GerbilMum26 Yes Detolf. I've used or seen almost all the popular tanks while fostering and owning. Falco, Marrakesh, DIY Aquariums, Jungle Pets etc, but the Detolf is a cheap hack at£70 (plus lids). Theres lots of space and its easy to pick up and move. Took trial and error to find a set up that works, but this one is hassle free. Tbh my Gerbils spend alot of time freeroaming in the house too.

How do you get them to come back? My gerbils free roam in a playpen for this reason...

@socialmedia23 Instead of a pen I usually section off a wire free room like a bathroom etc. My current Gerbils were rescue-adopted from young, so incredibly tame, and quite "dog like". They love to explore but always come back. As they've got older and a lot more relaxed, they have the living room, stairs, upstairs bedroom, and ensuite (wire free) to roam around in, I just section off the doorway with a "gate" (peice of wood about 18 inches high). They have access to a water bottle and food. When they want to go back in their tank, they stand at the "gate" or scratch at it and let us know, then jump into my hands. Sometimes they only want to be out for a short time, depends on their mood.

I'm working from home today and one Gerbil which was in my OH office and has just scratched at his door to come out and is now in my room. Socks only, we're super careful, and I make sure I know exactly where they are at any time, not recommended for anyone with kids.

Link has pics gerbilcare.co.uk/free-roaming-exercise/

What the heck!! How do I get my gerbils to be like mini dogs :)

OK, they're not going round the park on harnesses 😉 They were hand tamed from very young, now 3+ and slow moving and no longer skittish. It just wouldn't have worked with any of my other Gerbils.

@GerbilMum26 @SilentHedges would you possibly help me come up with a plan for how on earth I clean them out? I assume I take the lid off and start manually shoveling the material out. And at some point reveal some gerbils, hopefully not too traumatised?! Catch them and put them in their carry case?

@Reluctantadult yes that is one way of doing so, I generally do that about every 8wks in order to give their tank a thorough clean. In between then, every few weeks i will clean half their tank, so either the left or right side. That i find is less traumatic for them as they can stay in the tank, it’s just harder to do a thorough clean!
also depending on how long it takes you to clean them out, it takes me an hour or so. I found that it was better to get a plastic storage tub & drill airholes in the lid. Fill with used bedding and pop them in it with their water, food and a little house etc.

that reminds me, even when you do a complete clean, you should put some
of their old bedding back in, as it’s less distressing if their tank still has some familiar scents etc.

@Reluctantadult as @GerbilMum26 says, don't give them a full clean too frequently as they find it stressful. As a guide, for my Detolf I do it every 8 weeks, for a smaller tank (Falco/Marrakesh/DIY tank) every 6 weeks. If they are still in the small Savic awaiting their upgrade, then more frequently 3-4 weeks, unfortunately. If your Gerbils are not tame, then yes you will need to "unearth" them gently.

Spot clean the levels daily. Putting card on wood ledges can stop them getting soiled and you just change the card. Sieve any crud from their sand bath daily, rather than changing the entire sand.

As GerbiMum points out, it's incredibly important to re-use about 20% of their old bedding in their new tank, as Gerbils are scent based creatures and it's important to keep their surroundings familiar.

I show how to do a full tank clean here gerbilcare.co.uk/cleaning-and-tank-setup/

Thank you both! They are in their bigger tank now. Doing half at a time sounds like a good idea at least until they are more tame. One of them comes out to say hello and will climb on my hand very briefly (and has even stopped biting my finger!!!) The other one still hides mainly.

@Reluctantadult I had two rescues, 18 months old, who were completely indifferent and anti social for 6 months, and then decided one day to be tamer, and act vaguely like pets. Things improved massively after that. So there is hope for your Hidey and Bitey!

Oh brill I'm adopting those names!!!

@GerbilMum26 @SilentHedges and others can I ask advice on next steps with taming the gerbils? Both now come for food and will climb onto my hand. The grey one will tolerate a stroke and would let me pick her up I think. Where do I go next with taming then? Or is this it? I'm scared to get them out as that wouldn't be safe but I think ultimately that's what my daughter would like.

@Reluctantadult It sounds like you're doing really well. Gerbils are prey animals, they will never be cuddle pets, but will tolerate handling if done correctly and once they trust you. To be at the stage where Hidey and Bitey are coming for food, will tolerate a stroke and being picked up is, (and I don't want to disappoint you when I say this!) is actually pretty good for Gerbils. I mentioned before that my two boys were rescued as babies so are very tame, they will jump in my hands while on the loose etc, but this has been constant handling from young and they are now 3+. More on handling here gerbilcare.co.uk/handling/

Gerbils do need out of tank time, mine have it daily. Gerbils need the exercise, the stimulation and it helps with handling and bonding. I've written a section on free roaming time, link below, Ideally what you need is a wire/nibble free secure area, somewhere like a hallway or bathroom that you can section off with some wood/chipboard about 18 inches high. That way you can walk over it but the Gerbils can't escape. Give them tubes, brown paper, interesting things to explore. Any Gerbils I've fostered through my animal charity I've given daily free roam time so they are semi-socialised for their new homes. I will sit reading a book/interacting with them, which usually starts with them refusing to come near me in a panic and after a few patient weeks/months they will be climbing on me.

gerbilcare.co.uk/free-roaming-exercise/

Happy Gerbil-mas