Reviewing YOUR gerbil enclosures

[@rebeccawoods3868]

I love how gerbils use there lil hands to eat

[@PetConnectionInternational]

I know, they're so precious 🥰

[@Laura-xn2uh]

Thank you for including my cage! They were eating oats in the picture. I have a wooden wheel to upgrade from the plastic one but I just need to plastikote it before I put it in. Thanks for the ideas about scattering their food on the platform and including hemp in the bowl, definitely going to try those. I'm currently on the lookout for a coconut as my previous gerbils loved them but I can't find any in local pets at homes for weeks now.

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Thank you for sharing it with us! Awh, oats are great too, you'll have to give peanut some peanuts some time because 🥹 and no problem, glad the ideas could help! I have linked a couple of coconut hides in the description, if they help in your hunt? ☺️

[@animalcrossingnerd8142]

"ThE sAnD iS lIsTeD aS bAd BuT i DoNt HaVe AnY pRoBlEmS" is like saying "i know Lions are dangerous, but my pet lion hasn't k!lled me yet"

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Or: "I've smoked for 30 years and haven't gotten cancer yet"

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Thanks to everyone who shared their enclosures, it was really fun seeing how everyone sets up their enclosures, and of course seeing the adorable gerbs too! 🥰 If you want to know how I set up my own enclosure, check out this video next: 🎬 kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHqphp2IhdyZqqM

[@evaluise22]

Thank you very much for the tips, I'll add some hanging toys. The gray mouse is Frederik, unfortunately Milou is a little bit camera shy :-).

[@PetConnectionInternational]

You're welcome, thanks for sharing your awesome set up with us 🥰 And Frederick was adorable! I'm sure Milou is too when you see him 😄

[@AAa-cx2lo]

Great video!!

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it ☺️

[@MayaPatch]

Hi, I'm from Italy and i got the peekaboo tunnel from AliExpress 😁 i also bought the secret tunnel too and connected it to the peekaboo one. They're not even so expensive!

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Oh that sounds good ☺️

[@humslicecat]

ty for you videos, i am planning for a gerbil for my next pet so ty so much

[@PetConnectionInternational]

You're welcome, and good luck with your new gerbs! Make sure you get two and not just one, I have loads of videos about basic gerbil care and the start up supplies you'll need as well as lots of other stuff, hopefully they can help you out with your research ☺️

[@humslicecat]

@@PetConnectionInternational , I am planning on getting two anyways! ty

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Ah that's good! ☺️

[@gamechannel356]

good sis keep it up

[@BILLIE_C]

Hii didn’t know where to ask this question but was wondering if you could let me know if the BUCATSTATE metal cage I’d suitable for gerbils ? Looking to upgrade and wanted to know if that was an option!! Thank you so much for all your help x 🥰

[@PetConnectionInternational]

If it's the 100x50x50 one it's a great size for them, I have heard it may be a little flimsy and you'd need to watch the gaps in the acrylic for chewing as well as ensuring there's enough ventilation in the room with the lid not being fully meshed. I haven't tried it myself, but it seems like a viable option to me 🙂

[@sarahwilliams6488]

My daughter really wants to get some gerbils so I've been doing my research and I've been finding your videos really helpful, thank you. I was wondering where you get the large storage boxes you have used for your DIY enclosure - I've been struggling to find any big enough...

[@PetConnectionInternational]

You're welcome, I'm very glad you're finding them helpful 💚 For my enclosure, I have a guide showing how I made it with everything I used linked in the description: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5Waanyum9xkkLM I do recommend going for glass though if you're able to, it's much more secure than plastic, and you can get much larger sizes (you can often pick them up fairly cheaply on Facebook marketplace), I usually only recommend bin cages as an immediate, temporary upgrade when gerbils are already in an enclosure that's too small, and funds are limited for a full upgrade, I'm planning to upgrade my own to a glass tank once I can save up to build the topper, hopefully in the new year ☺️

[@AshyBee-be3lf]

hi, I was wondering what sand you recommend? I have been using the friends farm one, I didn't realise it was bad until now.

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Either plain, undyed, calcium free reptile sand, or you can use children's play sand (bake in the oven @200°C for 2 hours, then sieve out the larger pieces first) ☺️

[@AshyBee-be3lf]

@@PetConnectionInternational ok! thank you so much! :)

[@PetConnectionInternational]

No problem ☺️

[@kaleluk31]

I am confused. I don't want to use a big glass tank, I'm told wire cages are bad. I have wooden 4ft x 18 x 18 inch vivarium but I'm told there bad because the gerbils will chew it up. So I don't know what to do. If I can have in a vivarium I need to put in a very low light blub I there because it would be total black in there

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Why don't you want to use a glass tank?

[@kaleluk31]

@@PetConnectionInternational I don't like them . Most enclosures I've seen for sale aren't 4ft long but 2 or 3 tier.

[@kaleluk31]

@@PetConnectionInternational when I look for enclosures online there either wood, or metal cage, I never see glass tanks and I never see the 120cm plus. I lots with tiers but like 60 or 70cm at best so I don't know what to do

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Well glass is the only totally secure way to house gerbils, plastic and wood tanks can work for a time, but they're not recommended long term because gerbils can chew out of them if they really wanted to You can use the wood enclosure if you wanted, provided there's a way to have at least 10-16 inches of bedding for their burrows, and I'd put them in a totally secure room with the door remaining closed at all times just in case they do chew through it (they can chew through it very quickly if they really want to), and check the outside edges very frequently for any signs of chewing. And be prepared that you may need to upgrade to glass at some point for security

[@kaleluk31]

@@PetConnectionInternational when looking for gerbil enclosures to buy, not one time have I seen a glass tank for a gerbil. Usually wood or a multi tier metal cage. But they normally don't have a base deep enough. Also I've not seen a 120cm long gerbil enclosures. Usually the ones for sale are between 60 and 100cm and multi tier. I'm in the uk . I notice alot of people use glass tanks. But here in the uk they don't. These "diy" cages have a metal cage on top and a plastic tub on the bottom. Both levels not 120cm more like 70cm at best. I'm just confused what to do

[@friedshrimp9914]

My gerbils have a standard size hamster cage from pets at home (when we bought them they didn’t have any gerbil cages for sale and we were scared the gerbils would be sold quickly-) I don’t have enough money for a proper gerbil cage as I’m quite young and don’t have a job. They seem to be happy but don’t have as much bedding as they should :/

[@PetConnectionInternational]

As a low cost option to upgrade, you could use the top of your hamster cage and attach it to a large storage tub to make a DIY gerbilarium like mine ☺️ Here's my guide on how I made it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5Waanyum9xkkLM Hope this can help 💚

[@friedshrimp9914]

@@PetConnectionInternational Thank you! I will look into this. My mum is kind of against me spending another £50 or more for a cage but I’ll see what I can do 😅

[@friedshrimp9914]

@@PetConnectionInternational turns out we don’t have a drill and my mum won’t let me spend any money for a cage unless it’s £20- ;-;

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Okay, I think the only alternative would be to keep an eye out on Facebook marketplace for a second hand one, and maybe ask around in the Facebook gerbil groups to see if anyone has one spare that they wouldn't mind selling to you ☺️ Until then to give them some more burrow space in what you've got, you could add some cardboard to the inside of the cage as walls to cover the bars so you can add more bedding without it falling out everywhere 🙂 Then I would also make sure you get them out for free roam time, ideally every day if possible, you could use cardboard and duct tape to make a makeshift playpen, you could also use your bed (watch they don't jump off) or a clean and dry bathtub, then you can add a bunch of cardboard hides and diy toys to keep them occupied, I've got a video with some diy toy ideas that may help: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kKOcnaeVhtp7ntE

[@friedshrimp9914]

@@PetConnectionInternational we have a ball pit playpen that we use for them currently, if i put them on my bed they tear it up (they are obsessed with eating fabric-) and same with cardboard inside the cage, I’ll try to see if they like to free roam in my room with a hamster ball 😂 - also i try to make new toys for them most days but they ignore them LOL Thanks for everything!

[@friedshrimp9914]

I need your help ASAP, my gerbil (Stitch) since moving cage has started chewing the bars often, he does this in both the new and the old cage. I doubt the paint on the metal is safe for gerbils to consume. He’s been doing this for almost a week now, I’m starting to get worried (they have 2-3 logs for chewing, small sticks, cardboard ect and go out in the other cage or playpen most days for exercise) idk how to stop him from chewing :c

[@PetConnectionInternational]

How big is the enclosure? Bar chewing generally indicates a motivation to escape, Luna would do it in her old enclosure with the smaller topper, but since moving to the larger topper with free access to the playpen she stopped ☺️

[@friedshrimp9914]

@@PetConnectionInternational they live in the small gerbilarium from pets at home (so they have enough bedding to dig a lot of tunnels) but often ill connect both cages with a tube we made so they can freely go from cage to cage (the bigger cage has less bedding and more things to chew, explore, and overall more space to run) so it’s basically a backup for when I’m busy and can’t take them out in the playpen (they need constant attention in the playpen as they’ll eat the material 😂) even when they have the connecters between cages Stitch still chews :/ (i would send a photo but I don’t know how-)

[@PetConnectionInternational]

@@friedshrimp9914 no need to send a photo, I know what you're on about, and unfortunately that cage is miles too small, even based on the pitiful 20 gallon minimum recommendation that floats around online (that I STRONGLY disagree with), that tank only works out at around 9 gallons I believe, so that'll be why they're bar chewing, you'll need to upgrade to stop them, there's nothing you can do to make that cage suitable, even using the top as a topper I find too small (that's the topper Luna was bar biting, even with a 133 litre base). So ideally you'd want the topper from the savic xl or something bigger, but if you really can't afford to get that right now you'll at least need to upgrade the base tank, I've got a video showing how to make a cheap upgrade with a plastic bin that should help: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5Waanyum9xkkLM Then if you really have to use the small savic topper you'll need to add LOADS of enrichment, loads of hanging toys and things to chew, there isn't really enough room for a wheel either unfortunately, so I really do recommend trying to find a second hand topper that's bigger so you can fit the 30cm wheel that they need The base of the small savic does make an excellent playpen accessory though, I use my old one as a hay dig box ☺️

[@friedshrimp9914]

@@PetConnectionInternational it took me ages to convince my mum to get the small gerbilarium- i don’t think I can convince her to get anything else sadly. When I eventually get a job the gerbils will be top of the list 😂

[@PetConnectionInternational]

You could maybe find a second hand one on Facebook marketplace that'd be cheaper?

[@ieatbugs22222]

Is there anyway you can review my enclosure other than checking on my videos? I really want to know if mines at least OK for a gerbil

[@PetConnectionInternational]

I may do another review video at some point. The minimums that gerbils need are an enclosure that's 100x50x50cm or bigger (not including any topper), 25cm of bedding depth at bare minimum (40cm+ is much better), 28/30cm+ wheel and lots of things to chew like cardboard and toys, and you can also add some hides and tunnels in the bedding, even cardboard boxes can work as a low cost option. They also need access to a sand bath ideally 24/7, but if they're prone to infections (many albinos are), you can give it to them for 20 minutes per day to allow them to clean themselves 🙂

[@ieatbugs22222]

@@PetConnectionInternational thanks so much! I am making new card board hides and also two ceramic hides and if you ever plan on making a new review vid please let me know so I can find out how to send photos❤️

[@PetConnectionInternational]

@ieatbugs22222 keep an eye out on my community tab and Instagram, if I do another enclosure review I'll post about it there 🙂

[@mayaaa4414]

It was the day before cleaning day when I shared my enclosure that’s why there’s a mess 🫤 And they brought all of the toys downstairs and brought them into their burrows but I bring a few out when I clean the cage

[@PetConnectionInternational]

Ah that's fair, little agents of destruction that they are 😆