# Bin cages - help?



## chloey (Aug 16, 2019)

I have two (possibly three) huge industrial deep plastic containers. They'd be perfect for turning into bin cages and could be stacked/connected with tubes to create a larger or taller space.

My question is - which animals can happily live in these? Would rats thrive in a bin cage or would they miss out on the climbing that wire cages offer? Hamsters, gerbils, mice, degus? I'm not sure at all!

Obviously I won't be getting a pet just because I have a few spare tubs  but I'm planning to keep an eye on our local shelter's fb pages and I'm open to giving some a home if I can provide a good enough enclosure for them

Thank you!


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## ForestWomble (May 2, 2013)

chloey said:


> I have two (possibly three) huge industrial deep plastic containers. They'd be perfect for turning into bin cages and could be stacked/connected with tubes to create a larger or taller space.
> 
> My question is - which animals can happily live in these? Would rats thrive in a bin cage or would they miss out on the climbing that wire cages offer? Hamsters, gerbils, mice, degus? I'm not sure at all!
> 
> ...


Hi,

Personally I don't like bin cages at all, but I do know that lots of people do keep hamsters in them, you'd need to check it carefully for signs of being gnawed on though as hamsters can, and do gnaw though plastic! 
Gerbils love to jump and climb and dig and I don't think a bin cage is right for them either, they are great gnawers too, so again you'd need to keep a careful eye out for gnawing.
I haven't had any of the other pets you mention so maybe someone else can answer re those, but out of those three I am aware that degus are also huge gnawers and being bigger it'd be easier/faster to gnaw through a bin cage.
Mice might be OK, but yet again, watch out for gnawing.

From my own experience, if you really wanted to go down the bin cage route, roborovskis might be the best choice, I've only owned one and of course they are all different, but she wasn't a big gnawer, so migt be the 'safest' from that point of view.


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## chloey (Aug 16, 2019)

ForestWomble said:


> Hi,
> 
> Personally I don't like bin cages at all, but I do know that lots of people do keep hamsters in them, you'd need to check it carefully for signs of being gnawed on though as hamsters can, and do gnaw though plastic!
> Gerbils love to jump and climb and dig and I don't think a bin cage is right for them either, they are great gnawers too, so again you'd need to keep a careful eye out for gnawing.
> ...


Thank you so much for your help! I'm not deadset on a bin cage (or even more pets, though I definitely have the time and would love more). I just thought they were a pretty good hack as long as it's good for the animal's wellbeing. I hadn't really thought about how easily chewed plastic is though


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## ForestWomble (May 2, 2013)

Your welcome. 

Tanks are good or I've seen a lot of videos of people turning IKEA furniture (the detolf) into a hamster cage. 

Zooplus sell cages for a good price as well.


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