Gerbil split cage method help

[u/Golgizombie]

Hello

We sadly had to have our gerbil put to sleep today, leaving his brother on his own. He’s only 9 months old and we are keen to get him a friend. He lives in a Bucatstate cage and I was hoping to find a ready made one as my DIY skills are none existent.

I’ve looked on Etsy and have found acrylic cage dividers for fish - would these work? I’m not sure how to keep it secured.

My other idea are c&c grids with extra mesh added on, but again, I’m not sure if it would be solid enough.

I would happily buy something ready made but I can’t find anything fit for purpose.

Thanks for reading.

[u/Serious-Note9271]

The barrier in the picture wouldn’t work as there is a gap around it which they can climb through.

It is honestly very easy to DIY a divider. Build a wooden frame, nail a metal mesh grid to it, and you are done.

This is a video showing the process:  https://youtu.be/SJDAXF9uwlY?is=SVGKo_7fXL0e2L-P

When I built mine I even skipped some of fancier parts. Literally wooden frame, metal grid mesh nailed to it, and that’s it.

Have even seen people skipping the wooden frame and simply taking a metal grid mesh and taping its sides to the walls of the tank. 

[u/Sinjazz1327 → u/Serious-Note9271]

Can confirm I did the taping the mesh to the tank - worked beautifully. Needed careful monitoring so they don't chew/get stuck on the tape, but did the job.

[u/Golgizombie → u/Sinjazz1327]

Ooooo ok. I feel my DIY skills are more at a taping things to other things level. What type of tape and mesh did you use?

[u/Golgizombie → u/Serious-Note9271]

Thanks for your reply. I heard the Bucatstate tanks are hard to fit frames for due to the lid. I’m worried about getting it wrong and the gerbils getting to each other before they’re ready

[u/HamInATrenchcoat]

It needs to go all the way to the lid! I have a little escape artist who kept climbing my diy barrier and SOMEHOW getting across 🥲

Use 1/4” or smaller chicken wire, and I used layers and layers and layers of gorilla duct tape! I also used bendable metal craft wire to keep the wire secured to the metal mesh lid. i had a wooden frame, but it really didnt do much since I had to modify it so much hahaha

If you can, get a piece of wood or metal the size of or smaller the depth of you tank to make sure its snug to the bottom of the cage! Its a very, very easy access route, and you cant monitor it as well under the bedding. :] gl op!!

If you go the wood route, just make sure thw wood is completely untreated, not stained, etc.! ^{^}

[u/Animegerbil]

You’ve already gotten good advice so obligatory “thats a weird looking gerbil” lmao