# Mice in gerbilariums? (gerbilaria? lol)



## LozzaUK (Dec 13, 2009)

Hi all,

Our ferplast olympia isn't working out for us, unfortunately - it's a bugger to clean and even when I leave the girls some familiar smelling items and bedding, they're marking all of it and leaving a real honk after 24 hours. We looked at the pets at home gerbilarium yesterday and we're in agreement that something like that (but not necessarily that one) would be a lot better as the mess would be contained at the bottom and they would have more room to run about, but would also be left with the wire at the top for them to climb on and for us to attach toys to. 

My question is, what would we use at the bottom of the tank? We use shredded newspaper for their bed (did try the paper bedding from pah as we're using it on the floor of the cage, but they chucked it out and took some of the newspaper from under the paper bedding lol ). I know that wood shavings and derviatives thereof are no good as they'll make the meeces poorly, but what else could we use? Would the pah bedding work? 

Or is this just a really dumb idea?!

Thanks in advance!


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## Myth (Apr 5, 2009)

I use wood shavings for my mice and my syrians and I haven't had any problems as yet and know others use wood shavings. 

*waits to be lynched by the anti-shavings brigade* :huh:

I also use cardboard squares which is OK but not great on absorbing and keeping down mousy smells but they get a good handful of it as well as a base layer of wood shavings. And on occasion a handful of wood-based cat litter just to confuse them - which is good for absorbing pee. As well as shredded paper and unshredded brown paper for nesting with.

Also use 'back to nature' pet bedding- like grey paper pellets.
Not too big on recommending this really. I like the stuff *BUT*
Have found bits of miscellaneous coloured plastic and what looks like tinfoil in the stuff a fair few times usually towards the bottom of the bag.
Glad I check and not just whap it straight in the cage.


If you're against shavings - down to personal preference - 
There's auboise and other wood type alternatives which I think are deemed safe. There's also Carefresh and other paper type beddings too which would be OK for filling a tank with.


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## Marcia (Mar 10, 2009)

I would suggest that you don't touch the gerbilarium. It breaks easily, it's seriously over priced and the bars are no good for any animal.


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

My mice love climbing on the cage bars but I just have a large rat cage for them, if you are doing this you need to break up any possible areas where they can fall and hurt themselves, I use tea towels as safety nets. I use Bob Martin recycled paper-based cat litter on the floor of the cage and ripped up loo roll as bedding, a lot of people use torn up strips of newspaper and they swear by that. Please dont use shavings as they can be really harmful to mice due to causing respiratory problems. As Marcia has said the gerbilariums are terrible and they should be taken off the market imo, if you want a cage/tank type of home for your mice you could possibly make one without the barred floors using a tank and a cage top.


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## Tigerneko (Jan 2, 2009)

I wouldn't put anything in a Gerbilarium.

The barred floors can be dangerous to little feet and tails and could result in your mouse developing bumblefoot, which isn't nice at all.

Also, the base of the [email protected] gerbilarium is plastic, so a determined rodent could chew their way out fairly quickly. The plastic will also stain and have nasty smells ingrained into it which won't be pleasant for you or your mouse because it will start to constantly stink, and if you think it smells bad - imagine how your mouse would feel having to live in it with no escape.

If you're really set on getting the gerbilarium, then at least try to cover the barred floor with plastic or wood or something, just to stop them getting their feet or tails stuck.

But if you want something to contain the sawdust, then i'd reccomend a glass tank. Either a basic glass aquarium (clearseal are the best) or try the Perfecto, which is specificially made for rodents. It's a glass tank with little glass ledges inside it for your mouse to climb on, they aren't cheap and they can be difficult to come across (eBay might be your best bet) but they're worth it if that's the kinda thing you're looking for


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## laurvystein (Dec 21, 2009)

Myth said:


> *waits to be lynched by the anti-shavings brigade* :huh:


^^ Ha ha ha! Agreed.
I also use wood shavings. I don't really see a problem with them.


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

laurvystein said:


> ^^ Ha ha ha! Agreed.
> I also use wood shavings. I don't really see a problem with them.





Myth said:


> *waits to be lynched by the anti-shavings brigade* :huh:


How about I whip you both instead...







:lol: :lol:

[email protected] safe paper bedding is fine for mice if that is what you were looking at. Again, I wouldn't use the gerbilarium for mice. You could use a tank fo your mice and use a cage top as a lid to give the somewhere to climb?


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## laurvystein (Dec 21, 2009)

zany_toon said:


> How about I whip you both instead...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ha ha pish-posh! Right now it's working fine with no complications, so I'll continue until I find something serious.


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

laurvystein said:


> Ha ha pish-posh! Right now it's working fine with no complications, so I'll continue until I find something serious.


Couldn't resist  Great if it works - I'm just too much of a coward to take a chance  Besides, it's hilarious watching my mice run around with paper bedding that's as big as them which is the real reason I buy it :001_tt2:


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## laurvystein (Dec 21, 2009)

zany_toon said:


> Couldn't resist  Great if it works - I'm just too much of a coward to take a chance  Besides, it's hilarious watching my mice run around with paper bedding that's as big as them which is the real reason I buy it :001_tt2:


I use tissue paper, etc. for Sebastian's bedding, and I find it hilarious when he stores it and shreds it!


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

laurvystein said:


> I use tissue paper, etc. for Sebastian's bedding, and I find it hilarious when he stores it and shreds it!


My mice try to "wallpaper" their tank. They never look very amused when I take it down and move it to ths top shelf. They spend ages throwing it off or putting it in their spaghetti junction to run it down the tunnels :crazy:


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## laurvystein (Dec 21, 2009)

zany_toon said:


> My mice try to "wallpaper" their tank. They never look very amused when I take it down and move it to ths top shelf. They spend ages throwing it off or putting it in their spaghetti junction to run it down the tunnels :crazy:


Ha ha! Maybe they aspire to be interior decorators?


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