Upper Levels This is how to build a second story - Guinea Pig Cages, Care, Store, Photos of Guinea Pigs and More Forum!

**jdomans** · #1 07-12-06, 06:37 pm

If you click on my name and go to my gallery, you will see 12 photos of how to build a second story for your cage. A picture is worth a thousand words.

**jdomans** · #2 07-29-06, 10:22 am

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3 (using zip/cable ties)

**jdomans** · #3 07-29-06, 10:23 am

Step 4

Close up of grids:

**jdomans** · #4 07-29-06, 10:24 am

After cutting any grids you must file them down:

Step 5:

**jdomans** · #5 07-29-06, 10:26 am

The ramp is made so it can be raised and held up with a small bungee when cleaning the cage

**jdomans** · #6 07-29-06, 10:28 am

Making litter boxes:
We fill the bottom layer with Yesterday's News

Then a top layer of kiln-dired pine:

We cut out a slot for the fiddlesticks to fit in:

**jdomans** · #7 07-29-06, 10:28 am

Finished litter box:

**jdomans** · #8 07-29-06, 10:30 am

Jackie, hang on as I am going to shoot a quick video and put it on photobucket. Give me a few minutes and take a look.

**jdomans** · #9 07-29-06, 10:45 am

Here is our cage as of today:
Designing a cage - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Please note that we have rescued two babies and the inside colored grids are for baby proofing. We are also in the process of a garden theme.

**jackie158** · #10 07-29-06, 10:53 am

Wow, look at all those pigs! I want to pignap them all! Thanks so much for putting this up. Is it ok if I can make something simular to your second floor? I like the ramp.

**jdomans** · #11 07-29-06, 10:55 am

I have no patent on it my dear. Have fun!! LOL

**fashion victim** · #12 10-12-06, 08:48 am

How or where do I suspend the second floor (loft)?

**jdomans** · #13 10-12-06, 08:54 am

In the pictures we use zip/cable ties and it is on the top of the bottom grids that run across the back wall. I am sorry I don't know how else to explain it to you. Look at the pics again. They show it all. Because it is so long and the litter box so heavy we have a full and a partial grid below to support it. Again attached with zip ties.

**fashion victim** · #14 10-12-06, 08:58 am

oh! OK! Thanks, I understand now. I'm not sure if I'm going to build a second floor because I plan on making a huge (4x7) first floor but I'd like to know how to just in case. Another thing I'd like to know: if I make like a playpen out of the grid squares, how many squares should I use in terms of height?

**jdomans** · #15 10-12-06, 09:04 am

I have PMd you.

**luvub40** · #16 10-12-06, 11:03 pm

Please excuse my idiocy, but exactly what do you cut the grids with-when I go to Home Depot I need the name of it. And also, did you file it down with some sort of pedicure tool or can I find that thing in Home Depot also?

**jdomans** · #17 10-13-06, 06:31 am

Oh my I hope your nails don't need that file! I can't tell you the name of the file. It is one out of a pack of various sizes of files. They are two sided files. Just take a grid in with you and have someone point out what you need to file the cut grid down with. As far as cutting them, just a pair of mediumish wire cutters is all you need. Bolt cutters are not necessary at all.

**peppererwin** · #18 11-19-06, 08:58 pm

Wow this post has helped me so much! Also in the video I saw that you have hanging baby keys, so thats okay to do that right?

**Memory** · #19 01-07-07, 06:43 pm

What do you make the ramp out of exactly? What's that brown stuff? Did you just bend the cubes to make it, and then attached it with cable wires. Sorry, I just didn't really understand that part so well...

**jdomans** · #20 01-07-07, 08:47 pm

Step 5 is the ramp which is made from 2 grids bent at a 90 degree angle and then zipped tied together. The brown stuff is a $3 doormat from Wal-Mart that we cut and the zip-tied to the grids.

"Thank you, jdomans, for this useful post," say these 2 members:
Astrantia (03-01-08), Livie (11-12-06)