Stacked 2x4s HELP!

[pigsforlife]

I broke quarantine early by 2 days and tried to introduce Ella. Nuetral area, pile of veggies in the middle and all hell broke loose. Lily was a real mad woman and chased Ella non-stop stressing Ella out to the point of sloppy poops. Seeing this and the fact that Lily then took a big hunk of hair out of her back I took her out. Ella is back by herself and I am remodelling their cage. Lily, Rosie and Buttercup down the bottom, Toffee (who loves Ella) up the top. I am planning a 2x4 stack, but with a limited amount of connectors I have to watch how I use things. My questions. Firstly, how would I go about making a "door" so that I can access the bottom floor? Secondly, how would I go about supporting the top floor? I *should* have enough grids to do a bottom underneath the corflute on the top floor but dont know how to go about supporting it (especially as I will not have enough connectors for underneath).

[paula.m.moore]

Originally Posted by pigsforlife

Firstly, how would I go about making a "door" so that I can access the bottom floor?

Get a grid and with bolt cutters, cut off all four corners. Then zip tie that grid to another and "latch" it on one side with a binder clip or something. This is my cage and if you look at the grids beside (to the right) the water bottles, you'll see what I mean.

Originally Posted by pigsforlife

Secondly, how would I go about supporting the top floor? I *should* have enough grids to do a bottom underneath the corflute on the top floor but dont know how to go about supporting it (especially as I will not have enough connectors for underneath).

If you zip tie the grids to the other grids it will be strong enough. I zip tied each grid 3-4 times on all sides to the grids around it.

You can send me a private message or whatever if this doesn't make sense and I will try to explain it better. This is the fourth cage I've built and I've rather learned the hard way what not to do as far as doors and supports between the levels.

[cavyinhawaii]

You can ziptie the grid at the top and not connect it anywhere else. It makes a flap type door.

[Ly&Pigs]

I have a stacked 2x4 with a 2x3 on top and it only uses zipties. One end of the cage has doors that swing open to remove the coroplast trays and it allows me access to the lower floor for easy feeding. I use no support at all for the top level. You can see pics of it if you click the camera icon under my info.

I have 3 pigs in the 2x4 area and 2 pigs in the upper 2x3 area.

[pigsforlife]

I have sorted out the doors. On the front row of 4 grids, you go in one grid, then I used cable ties (as a pose to connectors and cable ties) to act as a hinge, and did the same on the other side. Then I used 2 twisties in the middle to join them together. This allows me plenty of room to reach in and grab a pig, or change bedding. I have worked out I probably wont have enough grids to use underneath the top floor, so have purchased some wooden poles to use to support the top floor, then the C&C will go on top. We shall see how it goes, and thankyou for your help!