I need some help with my cage layout. I did something without thinking!

[Laurenashley85]

Hello everybody!

Brand new member here! I've been a fan of this site for years but have never thought to join the forum!

I have just built my two boars a very spacious 2x6 lower level, 2x4 upper level c&c cage. They are absolutely loving it! But I totally didn't realize that after all of my hard work, I was going to have a problem! It seems that I didn't think about how I was going to CLEAN this humungous cage!! I use fleece for the bottom and bedding for the top (as of now, will probably switch to all fleece within the next week or so). My only problem is, that this cage is so big...and the upper level takes up more than half of the cage, i can't get in there to get anything in or out...i can't even get to my pigs!!

I've decided to take off all the zip ties that are holding together the very bottom of my cage so that I can lift the grids upwards for cleaning (only for the bottom level). So far I've only done it for two of them, but I think i'll have to do it for most in the coming week. This is especially since I can't even reach the back of the cage. I guess I'll have to remove some zip ties from the side grids as well so that I can lift them when needed. Does anybody else have any ideas? it's such a pain and I hate that the very bottom is not secured together...even though I don't think it's 100% necessary since the top of the bottom level is nice and secure.

[Toadies]

In the photo galleries, there are some ideas as how to make, secure, etc. doors for multiple levels. Hope that helps.

[i-love-nev]

How about:

Make the top level 2x3, change the bottom to bedding and the top to fleece and then every 3-4 days you can just get a big broom and sweep all the bedding up to the open side of the bottom and clean it like that? Then have the top for sleeping quarters with beds e.t.c. (Beds and fleece is more likely to need changing more often anyway.

[jabberwock]

Could you zip tie one side of the bottom layer (probably the 6 grid side) together and then fix it so it hinges along the long edge? Secure it at each end to the rest of the bottom layer in a way that you can undo to let it down (or just keep using zip ties if you're happy to cut them and replace them every time you clean out). Then you can slide the coroplast and bedding out.

Is your bottom layer at floor level? I found it easier to clean my bottom layer out once I put the whole cage on a stand made out of grids - before I had to lie down on the floor to reach in but now I can do it kneeling down.

[wheeek]

If you have extra grids, you could make the cage three grids high, leave the middle level empty, and leave out some grids on the outside to get in to clean.(sorry if it is hard to understand this.)

[guineapigluver1]

You could try using a bulldog clip for a latch for doors, there pretty cheap.