Can Gerbils Be Kept In Plastic Bins?
Can gerbils be kept in plastic bins?
im getting gerbils this week and want 2 get those clear see through storage bins. and if so, how tall does it have 2 be for a gerbil to not escape? also i think ill get the most thickest bin and im getting 2 gerbils from petsmart…they only sell males but i much more prefer girls
and the sad part is that there isn’t any other petstores nearby or any breeders, or shelters except for a cat shelter ~personaly i don’t want 2 get gerbils from petsmart~
all answers accepted
if there are any breeders close
i live in CA, richmond hill

I had russian dwarf hamsters and after experimenting and doing a bunch of comparison shopping I found that plastic bins by far give you the most bang for your buck! The hamsters or gerbils in your case get way more space then they would in a 10 gallon fish aquarium or ‘hamster haven’.
I always used the clear ones with colored lids, 3 foot long by 2 feet high (something like that). Unless I was moving them around I would leave the lids off. Just be careful not to put anything high enough that the critter can jump off of it and get out of the bin.
Now that I think of it… I also used a drill to make two holes where I could attach the water bottle… worked really well! The bins make cleaning so easy too!
Good luck!
you CAN, but its not good for them, its too humid that way even if you put holes in it. and itsn’t healthy for the gerbils. i suggest you get a 10 gallon aquarium, they are a good size for gerbils and are spacious. and cost under $20. or try getting them on http://www.craigslist.com hope this helps.
No. Not enough ventilation. Ammonia from their urine can build up quickly and make them ill. Having an opening up the top or just one side ( If you turn the bin side ways ) is not enough. Plastic is not suitable in the hot weather and will trap the heat.
Yes, you can keep gerbils in bin-cages, but the bin can’t have any edges they can chew on, and you need a lid. You can’t just get a tall bin. Gerbils are *very* good jumpers.
But this is probably a moot point, since gerbils are illegal in California. I don’t understand how petsmart could be selling them.
“(a) It shall be unlawful to import, transport, or possess alive animals restricted in subsection (c) below except under permit issued by the Department of Fish and Game. Permits may be issued by the department as specified herein and for purposes designated in Section 671.1 subject to the conditions and restrictions designated by the department. Except for mammals listed in Fish and Game Code Section 3950 or live aquatic animals requiring a permit pursuant to Fish and Game Code Section 2271, no permit is required by this section for any animal being imported, transported, or possessed pursuant to any other permit issued by the department. Cities and counties may also prohibit possession or require a permit for these and other species not requiring a state permit.
[...]
(c) Restricted species include:
[...]
(J) Order Rodentia -Hamsters, Field Mice, Voles, Muskrats, Gerbils, Squirrels, Chipmunks, Woodchucks, and Prairie Dogs
1. All species (D), except:
a. Ondatra zibethica(Muskrats) -Not restricted under conditions set forth in Fish and Game Code Section 2250;
b. Domesticated races of golden hamsters of the species Mesocricetus auratus and domesticated races of dwarf hamsters of the Genus Phodopus not restricted;
c. Domesticated races of rats or mice (white or albino; trained, dancing or spinning, laboratory-reared) not restricted;
d. Domesticated races of guinea pigs of the species Cavia porcellus not restricted; and
e. Domesticated races of chinchillas of the species Chinchilla laniger not restricted.”
– http://weblinks.westlaw.com/result/defau…