Can my Gerbils breathe?

[elwinger]

Hello

I just got 2 beautiful Gerbils this Sunday and I fell in love with them.
Their names are Luna and Luni and since Sunday I've been next to the cage getting familiar with them and they're simply amazing... When I saw them at the Pet Store they were begging to come home with me!!!


I got them a Detolf cage yesterday but I don't have a DIY lid, so I just close the Detolf glass door when I go to sleep.. I am scared they're not able to breathe even though the door leaves at least a 3cm whole in between.

Shall I be concerned?

I also open it in the morning and leave it open, I only close it if I am not at home or if I am sleeping

[Pygmypuff]

You need to make a lid as soon as possible, as there is hardly any or no ventilation in the glass door. There is a good video on ErinsAnimals channel about how to make the Detolf lid, so maybe check that out?

[AmityvilleHams]

You should be very concerned!Not having proper ventilation can cause serious problems in the respiratory system for any animal,and 3cm in between is hardly the same as a mesh and wood lid across the whole Detolf and would never be enough ventilation for any tank style cage

[elwinger]

Originally Posted by Pygmypuff

You need to make a lid as soon as possible, as there is hardly any or no ventilation in the glass door. There is a good video on ErinsAnimals channel about how to make the Detolf lid, so maybe check that out?

Do you think I need a lid at all, though?
I read that Gerbils aren't great climbers and the beddings are not high enough for them to just jump out..
I also saw that some people don't use lids on their Detolf cages

[AmityvilleHams]

Lids are important no matter what.Accidents happen,and gerbils can definitely climb!

[elwinger]

Originally Posted by AmityvilleHams

You should be very concerned!Not having proper ventilation can cause serious problems in the respiratory system for any animal,and 3cm in between is hardly the same as a mesh and wood lid across the whole Detolf and would never be enough ventilation for any tank style cage

I understand, but the 3cm gap is on each side of the cage and it's across the whole cage that is 163cm tall, which is why I was wondering

[velma]

I think a DIY lid would be a good idea. I'd be concerned that the glass lid was not letting enough air in but also, the air that is getting in won't be circulating properly so will become a little stale as well as the risk of condensation. I don't have any experience with gerbils but I think they can be quite good jumpers? But I had tiny little roborovski hamster who wasn't supposed to be any good at climbing and he used to get everywhere so I'd always reccomend a lid as you just never know what they'll do! Most people here will only be able to speak from a hamster keeping perspective. i think there are some gerbil/exotic forums online that may be able to give you more relevant information.

[AmityvilleHams]

At the very least you asked to make sure,which is good With mesh lids you get similar ventilation to an open top tank,but it is a lot safer.Without good ventilation the cage will definitely get smelly and will eventually cause respiratory problems though,and those are the biggest concerns.It's still not as good as a wire cage or cage with meshed panels,but it is better than having a solid lid and only a tiny amount of ventilation.

[hamtarokid]

You could try to keep the substrate and toys very low so you can leave the door open while you build that lid ASAP. You don't want your hammies suffocating in there.

[Mollysfriends]

I have had gerbols for 7 years and they can definately jump. I had two young gerbils in a cage with a height of 1 and a half to two foot tall (I can't find a tape measure so this is an estimate. lily used to regularly jump from the bottom to the top and sit on the lid. They don't climb but they do jump. This is how they get from level to level. You definitely need air to get in your detolf and having a glass lid would not be good for them. If you can make a lid then I would do that to save having escapees in the house.