# Best cage/tanks types?



## -libby-

I have heard a lot of different type of living space for mice, some prefer glass tanks, other plastic, other people are using converted fish tank and others bins... and some hamster cages... In your opionion what is better? please give pros and cons as im trying to decide what to get when i get my mice... I would like to get a trio of females...


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## Rhasputin

Bins, or tanks.
Easy to clean, only 2 parts (cage, and lid).

Bins are good because they're light, but you also have to spend time to make them, and buy supplies.

Tanks are good because they're sturdy and can't be chewed, but are heavy to lift, and not as easy to clean.


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## Roland

-libby- said:


> I have heard a lot of different type of living space for mice, some prefer glass tanks, other plastic, other people are using converted fish tank and others bins... and some hamster cages... In your opionion what is better? please give pros and cons as im trying to decide what to get when i get my mice... I would like to get a trio of females...


The answer depends on the direction of the question. Best for the mice or best for the owner?
Mice love to run, dig and climb.

The best cage from the mouse-view is the biggest cage available, with several floors, toys, wood to gnaw and so on.

From the lazy owner's view, with little interest in the wellbeing of his animals but keen to reproduce many of them, tiny lab cages (Macrolon) which are easy to clean and need little material to fill in, are best.

It depends...

I try to find a way in the middle: http://www.repage7.de/member/drofi/aboutthemousery.html

Best regards, Roland


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## Jack Garcia

I had one of those fish tanks with the triangular corner levels built into it (I don't know what they're called), and it was outfitted with a space for a ladder to be hooked in, a place for a wheel to hang from the ceiling, and all that. It was originally meant for a hamster, I believe. It basically looked like the Ritz for mice. But believe-you-me, it was_ the_ most difficult cage I've ever had to clean. I gave it away because I just couldn't deal with it. With even just one mouse, it was a real pain to clean (because it didn't come apart).

I use bins, which I think are a middle-ground. You can find them really long and wide, to give a lot of floor space, but short (6-7" tall) so that you can stack a couple dozen.


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## -libby-

Roland said:


> -libby- said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have heard a lot of different type of living space for mice, some prefer glass tanks, other plastic, other people are using converted fish tank and others bins... and some hamster cages... In your opionion what is better? please give pros and cons as im trying to decide what to get when i get my mice... I would like to get a trio of females...
> 
> 
> 
> The answer depends on the direction of the question. Best for the mice or best for the owner?
> Mice love to run, dig and climb.
> 
> The best cage from the mouse-view is the biggest cage available, with several floors, toys, wood to gnaw and so on.
> 
> From the lazy owner's view, with little interest in the wellbeing of his animals but keen to reproduce many of them, tiny lab cages (Macrolon) which are easy to clean and need little material to fill in, are best.
> 
> It depends...
> 
> I try to find a way in the middle: http://www.repage7.de/member/drofi/aboutthemousery.html
> 
> Best regards, Roland
Click to expand...

see i have no interest in breeding just 3 pet females... When i mean the best i mean the one that is good for the mice... i dont mind all of the hard work cleaning but i dont want a hard cage to clean so that i miss bits and they get ill...

Could someone explain this bin idea as i dont understand it...


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## Roland

Since it is clear now that you want the best for your mice, perhaps you will get some ideas here. These cages have several floors:




























Best regards, Roland
Chilloutarea Mousery - Tricolor , Splashed , Merle , Recessive Red
The place where science meets fun!


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## -libby-

wow those are pretty impressive cages... im a bit worried about getting a wooden cage... would they not chew their way out and wood is hard to clean also... what is the minimum size requirements for three females?

I quite like the tanks... these are talked about in gallons so what gallon tank would be good for three females?

Im going to the local pet store tomorro to have a look at the choice of cages they have there... our local store is very good and our last mouse lived till 3 years ish just under and she was a pet store mouse... i have a had a quick look around and i think i will have to buy from a pet store as i can not find a breeder in my area...


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## racingmouse

libby, where are you in the US or UK? If your only looking to keep pet mice (as I do) your far better with a large barred RAT cage, but the bar spacing needs to be 1cm or less. Cages you can look into are:

Savic Freddy
Savic Ruffy (related to the cage above but not as tall)
Gabber Jolly Rat cage (this is my cage and I love it!) but not easy to find nowadays - check ebay!  
Marchioro Rene 72 or 82 (Italian made cages that collapse into their base)

Your looking for at least a floor space of around 27 inches long, by 17 inches wide, by 23 inches tall. This type of size gives three to six female mice a lovely home and space to play and climb. Bigger is better obviously, but if you want something you can manage and the mice will be happy living in, these are all good cages. Just bare in mind the Ruffy and the Marchioro cages are not as tall as the gabber and the Freddy cages.

The main point is the bar spacing. 1cm is the widest you would get away with for young to adult mice, but very young mice under six weeks of age might escape this bar spacing, so sometimes using a plastic tank for a week weeks if they are this young to begin with and then once they fill out, they can all be housed in the prepared barred cage.


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## -libby-

im in Lincolnshire UK... thanks i will take a look into these cages


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## geordiesmice

Why purchase a tank if it is a young mouse, buy one tank/ or cage to last its whole life it seems a waste of money to me.A bar spacing of 5mm will be ideal for a young to adult mouse or better still a tank with levels and a mesh lid.The choice is yours I have one cage and the two mice have been in it from when they left there mum.I prefer tanks you can view your mice better.


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## racingmouse

Cages do provide better ventilation and climbing opportunities though. Mice kept in a tank can get too hot in warm weather and although as Geordie said, you can get a clearer view of them, the mice don`t see it that way! I have a new girl here that was in a large tank previous to coming here and you should see her racing around my barred cage, climbing up the bars and using every orifice of the cage! She`s as batty as a fruit cake right enough!!! :lol:


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## -libby-

haha lol bless her... the only thing is... my mum is not a fan of mice infact she hates them so the less smell and mess the best... do you find with cages that the mice smells more than tanks or the other way round? and do the mice make more mess on the floor with bars rather than a tank? as i know my bird find it highly amusing to post bits of fruit and dirt through the bars of tha cage onto the floor for me to hoover up...


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## Bridgette Rena

Obviously a cage would create more mess on the ground then a tank. Since the tank is completely solid except for the top.

I personally prefer to make my own RUBS (as you all call them, hehe). I find it both the most affordable and effective method of keeping mice. The plastic is easier to clean and provides more ventilation then a tank and you can ensure safety of the mice and that they can't escape much better then a hamster cage... Since younger mice may be small enough to squeeze through the bars of some cages. They are also cheaper, at least around here. Some of the smaller hamster cages and tanks cost upwards of $40.00 here. You can make several RUBS for that price.


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## -libby-

May i ask what RUBS are?


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## Rhasputin

Really useful boxes. It's a brand of plastic storage containers with locking lids. Very sturdy. 

RUB is also used synonymously with a plastic tub converted to be a mouse bin, no matter what the brand of plastic container used.


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## racingmouse

You would`nt get anymore of a mess using a barred cage if your substrate (cage floor litter) is cardboard based such as bedxcel or Ecobed or similar. Shavings (if you have to use them) are naturally messy. But try not to use shavings if you can avoid them especially so in tanks as the build up of vapours from the phenols can be detrimental to a mouse`s respiratory system. Ventilation is crucial. In fact, you will have to get use to the fact that mice (especially males) do smell. Good husbandry is essential to prevent any ammonia build up.

Making a RUB cage or a BIN cage is fine, but most pet mouse keepers either cut away the sides and mesh them for better ventilation, or use suitable barred cages. Plastic BIN cages are just plastic tanks, so if you were to use this type of caging, you should consider meshing the sides and the roof and make sure it`s big. Mice that don`t get enough excersise or stimulation ger bored and fat! So if they are kept in smallish containers with solid walls, their lives are not as enriched. So think long and hard about the choice you make.


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## -libby-

how about a tank with a cage topper?


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## geordiesmice

I went to a food store this morning they had these stack plastic draws an all in one storage system you would just need to make ventilation in them, the draws were big enough to house a trio or more of mice. Once the draw was closed the mice cannot escape £14.99 for the set you can stack two sets of 4 on top of each other.


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## -libby-

ok so can someone get a me an aimage of these 'bins' as everytime they are metioned i image people keeping mice in dust bins or aka trash cans as americans call them which i know they are not right but i cant get my head around them...


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## racingmouse

A tank with a cage topper gives you both I suppose, but `gerbilariums` as they are known usually are not my personal favourites. Geordies idea of the stacking TUBS sounds viable, but you would need to think about how you would make holes in the bottoms for ladders/ramps to go through and basically cut out the fronts and mesh them. Could be done right enough and rather than just having the one TUB, you would have two or three stacking on top.

It`s really a choice of how you want your mice to be kept and whether you prefer to make cages or buy one that will last a lifetime. Adapting plastic boxes into cages can be cheap to do, but you still need to buy the wire mesh panels, the screws and washers and probably need a cutting tool of some kind. Might be fiddly if your not a seasoned DIYer!


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## racingmouse

There are photos of member`s RUB`S in the Environment section right at the top where it`s sais `Show me your set up`s`....or something similar! But be aware that many of them are way too small and are usually for breeding purposes, not for keeping pet mice in.


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## -libby-

yer im not really that great at DIY... i think maybe just buying one would be the best option... Im not too worried about price i will just have to save my pennies as long as the mice like it


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## geordiesmice

I dont have them racing mouse ,yes they are more for breeding mice in but you can put toys in th large em. The draws are quite large you could drill ventilation holes in them or replace a window in the side with 5mm mesh.


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## racingmouse

If you look in the Environment section right at the top, the first three pages gives an idea of what breeders use and some are bigger than others, but it gives you an idea of what the Tubs/Rubs are and how they are adapted from mere plastic boxes, into something usable. Although you can`t really see through them as the perspex is a little misty in tone.


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## -libby-

i still think i will stick to buying a cage i think from my point of view it may be easier!


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## geordiesmice

The Gerbilariums I agree with Racingmouse the bars spacing in them, smaller mice can escape I found that out when I first bought and bred some spiny mice the youngsters escaped and there very hard to capture.The stacked draws to fix mesh you would have to fasten the mesh with ties and the only problem there is chewing.Lab cages are good the large ones I have them to breed in but there expensive. I mainly keep my mice in tanks plenty of room, good viewing your mice with ventilated lids and they cant escape.At the end of the day you will choose what you want what suits you,hope you get exactly what you want.I have some of the expo faunariums the large ones for mice there made of strong plastic, there only fault is if a mouse climbs up the water bottle they can chew very easily a hole in the lid and escape.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/laboratory-rodent ... 53dba36b82


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## -libby-

would hamster cage be ok... it has a plastic bottom half that is white... Plastic top half which is clear and then a small section on the top which is wire (where the door is)... my last 2 mice lived inside it and they never escaped... im assuming if i cleaned it thouroughly i could use it again... all all comes apart for cleaning...


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## geordiesmice

yes that would be ideal.


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## -libby-

i might just use that then and get a critter keeper plasic tank for when im cleaning and playing ...


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## geordiesmice

I have three of those tanks you mention there is plenty room in them good choice.


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## -libby-

i will kit it out with lots of tunnels and toys for them to play in while im cleaning out its something different for them to look at and do whicle im making them clean XD


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## racingmouse

Do you mean a Savic Rody tank or a Ferplast Duna with the grid in the plastic lid? Not too sure if that`s what you mean or not or something bigger like a Gabber Rex tank? If it`s one of the smaller tanks (like the Rody or the Duna) three mice would go mad in there because of the lack of space! Honestly, these are fine for cleaning out purposes or holiday/emergency cages, but not for permenant housing.


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## geordiesmice

Im thinking of the duna racing mouse I have had 3 for a while now.It has a level where you can attach a wheel the drinker fits from the outside plenty room.I use mine for a doe and a litter.


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## SarahC

Perfectos are good if you do want to buy and can be bought from [email protected] or often picked up 2nd hand on ebay

Perfecto Small Animal Habitat
The third of a series of superior hand-made, glass, small animal habitats. Features a built-in adjustable ventilator, which permits the essential flow of air required to maintain healthy animals. Includes a shelf, a ladder, a regular Chube, full instructions, wood shavings, and free food. The Habitat features a strong, secure, sliding mesh top. Recommended by the National Hamster Council. rrp £62.95 24"x12"x


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## -libby-

okay... this tank is about 5 years old i have and is a lot like the cages racingmouse suggested but its none of those... it is quite big and i know it will easily fit 3 mice... it has some metal coil tubes rather than the plastic ones which they LOVED climbing on... a raised bit (there bed was under the raised bit) there are ladders in it and a wheel its a very nice set out... i will have a look to see if i can get you an image...


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## racingmouse

A photo would help identify the your cage/tank libby. If it`s bigger than the Rody or the Duna all the better. I kept a Roborovski hamster in a Rody tank a few years ago and although I have no plans on keeping hamsters again, I look back and remember how limited the tank was in terms of running space and basic climbing opportunities. At least for pet mice anyway. Breeding females probably benefit from these smaller tanks for obvious reasons, but pet mice definately appreciate more space if you can give it.


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## -libby-

ok im away from home at the moment and i dont know when i can get you an image when i get home and get it out of the loft i assume... From what i remember it is about 2 ft long maybe longer... its a long time since i had it out...


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## Tinkers Mousery

wow totally loving those cages!! they look amazing!!!


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## HollyUK

I just found this forum thread, very helpful thank you.

I'm just trying to choose a cage for 2 pet female mice I want to buy soon. (I've not kept mice since I was little, and they were in a small 1 level plastic container, not very big or exciting!)

I think a heavy glass tank will just be too difficult for me to clean out well regularly.
I have found some good size wire cages that have plastic bottoms to detach for easy cleaning, with 2/3 levels with tubes and things to climb. I don't mind a bit of spill out of food/bedding from the cage. I have ignored any cages with wire platforms as I heard these can be bad for the feet of the mice.
But most seem to be 8mm spacing... is this too wide for young mice? I might be getting mice about 5 weeks old. Would hate it if they escaped and I couldn't find them :-(

What do people think of these?
Blue 'Merry Go Round' Cage
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hamster-Gerbil-Mo ... 4157c17098

Ferplast Tube House
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

Hagen LivingWorld Exercise Dome
http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pet ... 40877#more

I am wondering if plastic would be better to avoid the wood absorbing any smells too much? I know mice need some wood to chew on so I would add wooden extra toys and twigs to the plastic cages. I share a small upstairs flat with my boyfriend and we will probably keep them in the lounge, so really want to try to keep smell to a minimum.

Thank you for any advice and help,
Holly


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## Galaxy

Hi Holly,

I just found your post. I am a pet owner of mice and I chose the habitrail ovo cages as they are plastic - easy to clean and there is lots of different ways you can put it together due to the tubes connecting each large space. I have 10 mice in this set up and they seem to love it. I found when I kept my mice in tanks that they used to eat the glue that held the tanks together and it didn't matter how many toys or interaction with me they had they still did it. Also as mentioned before they are heavy. I would not advise getting a roktastak. I had several fatalities with this cage. But this is my personal opinion - it is still your decision at the end of the day. If you want a photo of my habitrail - just ask!  Also as you mentioned the smell what bedding are you planning on using?


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## AnnB

Holly, the Hagen Living World cage looks a decent size for two mice. It's definitely a wise idea to go for something that's easy to clean but you could always coat any wooden shelves with a safe paint or replace them with plastic shelves.

8mm bar spacing should be fine for young mice, my cages have 10mm bar spacing and the only escape I've had was through a gap in the cage door fastening.


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## HollyUK

Galaxy said:


> Hi Holly,
> 
> I just found your post. I am a pet owner of mice and I chose the habitrail ovo cages as they are plastic - easy to clean and there is lots of different ways you can put it together due to the tubes connecting each large space. I have 10 mice in this set up and they seem to love it. I found when I kept my mice in tanks that they used to eat the glue that held the tanks together and it didn't matter how many toys or interaction with me they had they still did it. Also as mentioned before they are heavy. I would not advise getting a roktastak. I had several fatalities with this cage. But this is my personal opinion - it is still your decision at the end of the day. If you want a photo of my habitrail - just ask!  Also as you mentioned the smell what bedding are you planning on using?


Thank you for your help. The Habitrail Ovo cages look great fun for the mouse but I don't think my boyfriend would be happy having such a bizarre looking thing in our lounge, they look a bit like plastic robot toys!  Same with Roktastak, they're just a bit too colourful and crazy looking for me! What do you mean by fatalities? Did the mice fall or get stuck or was the plastic toxic somehow? Yikes :-(

I'm still reading about the bedding issue, people seem to have lots of different favourites, so I've not worked out yet which is best for the mice and not too smelly.


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## HollyUK

AnnB said:


> Holly, the Hagen Living World cage looks a decent size for two mice. It's definitely a wise idea to go for something that's easy to clean but you could always coat any wooden shelves with a safe paint or replace them with plastic shelves.
> 
> 8mm bar spacing should be fine for young mice, my cages have 10mm bar spacing and the only escape I've had was through a gap in the cage door fastening.


Thank you Ann! That's relieving to know that 8mm should be okay! I'm inclined to go with this Ferplast one - http://www.petplanet.co.uk/product.asp? ... pf_id=8562 which I found cheaper there on pet planet. I hope that might be big enough? I think the Living World one I think is going to be a bit too big for the space I have available... but ugh I feel harsh as I should really get as big as possible for them. I don't really want to buy the wooden Living World one and then have to change it, so I will look out for a slightly bigger Ferplast style one before deciding.

Thanks again, very helpful


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## Galaxy

My mice got stuck and one of them was garotted. Thinking I had all my mice safely out of the rotastak I was putting the little poddy thing up the top back on and it had a wheel right next to the tube and my mouse Cadbury got caught and I didn't realise so when I came home from work that evening I found her dead and it was so upsetting because I was so sure I had seen her in the other cage. My rotastak was HUGE! I had over 200 does in it and it went right round my bedroom. It was really cool. But because of that dreadful accident I threw it all out. That was the worst thing that happened - the other mice died without my intervention. Just goes to show how careful you have to be and if you're in any doubt of where your mouse is - check again.


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## HollyUK

Galaxy said:


> My mice got stuck and one of them was garotted. Thinking I had all my mice safely out of the rotastak I was putting the little poddy thing up the top back on and it had a wheel right next to the tube and my mouse Cadbury got caught and I didn't realise so when I came home from work that evening I found her dead and it was so upsetting because I was so sure I had seen her in the other cage. My rotastak was HUGE! I had over 200 does in it and it went right round my bedroom. It was really cool. But because of that dreadful accident I threw it all out. That was the worst thing that happened - the other mice died without my intervention. Just goes to show how careful you have to be and if you're in any doubt of where your mouse is - check again.


Oh no, not good! Yes I will be very careful, and don't want to get anything too complicated. I'll stick to just having 2 mice. Can't believe you had 200, that's quite a commitment!


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## Galaxy

Yeah I know. I started off when I was 15 with 3 petshop mice and 3 rescue mice. By the time I was 20 I had over 200. Kept them in my Gran's huge shed and took me all day to clean them out. I had 8 4ft glass tanks for my mice with lots of shelves in and all connected via tunnels. It was really cool. (This was after the Rotastak incident!) And then I had about 15 bucks in their own separate tanks. Also they had their "airing" cages which I used to hang from a trellis by bungies. Plus I had seven rabbits, 3 guinea pigs, a cat and 2 golden hamsters. Used to hang my hamsters cages from the shed struts. And I was always making these amazing mazes for them so they didn't get bored.


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## AnnB

These are the cages my mice live in. The extra large gerbilariums are home to two small groups of girls and the Savic Bristol houses a single male.








I'm a huge fan of the extra large gerbilariums with their large cage doors. They are easy to clean and there's plenty of room to hang hammocks and rope toys for the mice. The large plastic tank also means it's more difficult for the mice to kick their bedding out.


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## cookiemistress

*AnnB*
How many mice do you keep in your gerbilariums? 
Ive been looking at them for my mice as they would have plenty of space to dig around and have toys in to, also ammonia wouldnt build up due to the wire top.

How many mice would a cage of the following size accommodate?
W52xD26xH52.5cm - smaller gerbilarium sold in pets at home


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## Galaxy

I was looking at the gerbilarium at pets at home but i was concerned about the metal ladder. It looked like it had some sharp points etc. I went for the mini duna for my baby mice who have'nt grown very big. I bought a Habitrail Ovo & although the mice love the tubes it is very time consuming keeping it clean (all those blasted tubes) but on the upside I now hoave a mouse cupboard & when my Habitrail is broken etc I plan to convert the mouse cupboard into a mouse house. I have the basics & it would look like Rolands cages back on page 1-2 but twice as wide. My husband keeps telling me I can't see the bigger picture and what I can visualise in my head wouldn't happen in reality but I think he's wrong (I've just given up telling him so). So anyone who has a hankering to get the Habitrail Ovo I would advise you not to. I personally don't think you can get the ideal mouse house anywhere.


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## Mouse Queen 96

I much beleive that tanks are the way to go. I have three 100 gallon tanks: #1 holds two female mice, #2 holds two female mice with 16 babys, and #3 holds nothing. I have two 10 gallons with super pet toppers: #1 holds a male rat, and #2 holds a male mouse. I have two 5 gallon tanks which are sick rooms and holding rooms, that are holding nothing.

They are easiest to design with sticks, tubes, houses, etc. Which makes it super fun for them, i think. They are very easy to clean, and i'd say bins and tanks are about the same. I remove the mice first, take out all the tanks supplies, vacume the bedding out, use a wet washrag to clean the bottom and sides, dry it, put clean bedding in, put supples in, and then add mice.


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## Galaxy

I thought tanks were great too but the mice I had before used to eat the silicone glue I never noticed that it hurt them or anything but it did kinda worry me that at some point the tank might fall apart. But that aside I used to craft & build underground burrows for them using twigs and hemp sacks with toilet tubes going in & out & then they had "trees" above ground. Regular jungle!


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## Mouse Queen 96

none are eating glue and i have had a few for over a year.  Guess i'm lucky then, im actually thinking about having a custom cage built. Since i'd like to keep all the does in my litter )))


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## Laigaie

I've also never had mice eat the glue out, though I've seen a fair few licking the glass. :shock: I absolutely love my tanks. It would take an awful lot to make me switch.


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## PiaLouise

Hey guys, any tips on which tank could comfortably house 6 females? I want less tanks but bigger ones if you know what I mean!


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## skeallzy

You can keep 5 does comfortably in a 10 gallon. I'd probably go a little bigger for 6 or more though.


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## PiaLouise

How big is a 10 gallon box in UK measurements?


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## skeallzy

Google tells me that 10 gallons imperial is ~45.5 liters? Is that right?


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## SarahC

an 18 inch x 12 inch x 12 inch aquarium holds 10 gallons.


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## ChuiiNezumi

A 10 gallon/ 37.9L 'leader' tank in the US is 20 ¼" (50.8cm) x10 ½" (25.4cm) x 12 9/16 (30.48cm)" and about 11 lbs dry. That's the average normal version people think of in pet stores and online.

For 6 does, and a possible buck you might try a 20 gallon Long (75.8L) tank which are also easier to find. Their dimension is 30 ¼" (76.2 cm) x 12 ½" (30.48 cm) x 12 ¾" (30.48 cm) and weighs about 25 lbs dry. They are twice as heavy and more bulky than 10s, harder to clean but much roomier. I usually wipe my 20L tanks out many times before a full cleaning in the bathtub.

Hope that helps.

*All cm measurements are without the fractions in inches.


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## PiaLouise

I am busting to make my own tank out of a big plastic storage box, can anybody link me a good ''HOW TO'' explanation? I am going to start breeding in bigger numbers so I want nice big tanks


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## PiaLouise

Any idea how many females can fit in this beast? it's 101 x 52.5 x 51 cm (LxWxH)

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pet ... ges/174238


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