# Which bin for gerbils? And the rspca are rubbish!



## purple_x (Dec 29, 2010)

Ok my nearest rspca have quite alot of gerbils just been brought in and they have 2 that have been there over a year  Usually I wouldn't be too bothered as at least they're in rescue and not in bad home right....well I've had animals from the guy who fosters the small furries and he keeps them in an unheated shed and the poor gerbils when I last saw them were in small tanks with about 1/2 inch substrate, no toys or cardboard and that was it 
Now on the website it says they're giving the gerbils away in 'normal cages' not tanks, surely this cant be right?

So as me and my brother love gerbils we are going to take a few of them, we have the space and money to care for them.

Anyway would this bin be suitable?
SAMLA Box - transparent, 79x57x42 cm/130 l - IKEA

Or would this one be better?
Go Shopping - Really Useful Boxes - 145 litre Really Useful Box

They are very similar in size and I'd like to go for the cheaper one but just wonder if maybe the plastic will be thinner.
What do you reckon?
I've tried looking for tanks but cannot get my hands on any.

Oh and how many gerbils would comfortably fit in the bins? As the rspca have a group of 4.


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## holly1 (Aug 10, 2010)

I got my clear tank from pets at home.No lid,I made it from mesh wire.
I think it was £35. 30 inch.I have 3 girls in mine
Have a look on here Aquarist Classified Adverts. Buy, Sell and Swap Classified Advertisments: Tropical Fish, Marine, Inverts, Malawi and Tanganyikan Cichlids, Discus, Koi, Tanks & Equipment.
Or ask on freegle/freecycle.
You might get a cheap 2nd hand one


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## Acid (Aug 8, 2011)

the first is roughly 28 gallon and the second is roughly 31 gallons so theyd be roomy enough i think youd manage 4 in there nicely but i heard that gerbils are really good at chewing through plastic so you might have to buy a glass one

id go for the really useful box though over the other one as the description said it comes in an extra thick version which might hold them in


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

i would go for the second RUB's are made of much tougher plastic, and there are less internal grooves for them to get their teeths into

i doubt a gerbil could get through a RUB, they are strong enough to hold cars (one under each tire) 
and i often stand on them in the animal room to reach the tops of cages XD. they are VERY strong


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## purple_x (Dec 29, 2010)

Thanks everyone 
I have asked my family to buy me a RUB each for xmas! So that means I'll end up with 4/5 hopefully.

It's a shame I cant mesh the sides as then I could stack them but because gerbils will need so much substrate I'll have to mesh the top, ah well.


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

you could always get some thick planks of wood and lay them across the top of the bins, so you could then stack the next bin on the wood and not block air flow, as a thought


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## purple_x (Dec 29, 2010)

hhmmm yeah that could work couldn't it, I'll have to see how I go.
I have space for them not stacked but if I end up with 3 or 4 lots of gerbils then they'll take up loads of room.
I'll be moving house soon from a 3 bed to a 2 bed so even less space!


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## GerbilNik (Apr 1, 2011)

holly1 said:


> I got my clear tank from pets at home.No lid,I made it from mesh wire.
> I think it was £35. 30 inch.I have 3 girls in mine
> Have a look on here Aquarist Classified Adverts. Buy, Sell and Swap Classified Advertisments: Tropical Fish, Marine, Inverts, Malawi and Tanganyikan Cichlids, Discus, Koi, Tanks & Equipment.
> Or ask on freegle/freecycle.
> You might get a cheap 2nd hand one


I would say if you do consider getting the one above - it's only really suitable for a single or a pair of Gerbils. Having three in there would get a little cramped after a while (it's fine as a temporary measure).

I agree the RUB's are the best. I use the 84L for pairs of rescues, and know a few people with the 145L for 3 or 4 Gerbils and they are a nice size and very tough. AS the excess plastic is on the outside it's "virtually" impossible to be chewed through. I've never had any of mine chew through them and have been using them for a few years now.


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## purple_x (Dec 29, 2010)

I refuse to go in [email protected] so wont be getting anything from there.
I will keep looking on ebay for 3ft tanks but on the years I've been searching I've only found 2 so I think it will def be the RUB's.
I'm glad to hear they are pretty much chew proof.


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