Cage How to support a top level? - Guinea Pig Cages, Care, Store, Photos of Guinea Pigs and More Forum!

**mytrev4eva** · #1 09-24-09, 04:09 pm

I am building a 2story cage that is 28x28 on the bottom and an "L"shape on the top.
QUESTION ?
What is the best way to support the center of the left and right angels of the upper deck?
The corner connection sags and I am out of ideas on how to support that particular spot.

**YayPiggies** · #2 09-24-09, 04:27 pm

You could get a wooden dowel, a metre stick, or even a curtain rod and thread it through the grids and ziptie it to the grids at every possible opportunity.

**mytrev4eva** · #3 09-24-09, 04:34 pm

Thank You!!!
Your reply is very helpful.
"CLARIFY PLEASE"
You are saying to thread the "curtain rod" horazonally from the angle piont out to the sides?

Is there a need to do a vertical support where the angles meet?
If so what would you suggest?

**angiekay** · #4 09-24-09, 04:50 pm

My hubby angled a grid underneath the top level attached both to top and bottom with zip ties and it really works great, I have a 2 X 4 on top of a 3 X 5, which isn't really two story it's 3 story because there's an extra line of grids in between the two levels, so we can see and get to them much easier, without the top level "hovering" all the way over the bottom level.

OR, you could place a grid on the very top of the second level, zip tie it to the back and front, and that will pull it up and give good support too!!

Does that make sense?

**Ly&Pigs** · #5 09-24-09, 06:15 pm

Question. You have a 2x2 bottom, what is the size of the L shaped loft?

**mytrev4eva** · #6 09-24-09, 06:27 pm

2grids long and 1grid wide on both sides.

**Ly&Pigs** · #7 09-24-09, 06:32 pm

In case you didn't know, a 2x2 is way too small for a main level. It's not really big enough for a single pig. The minimum for 1-2 sows would be 2x3 and for boars would be 2x4. Upper levels do not count towards overall square footage. The main level must meet the square footage recommended for the number of pigs. This is due to a couple of factors. One being that ramps can take up space and another being that they need the room to run mad laps around the cage. They also have more room to get away from one other when you have multiples.

Can you make your bottom section larger so that it would meet size recommendations?

**Tessa Bea** · #8 09-24-09, 06:50 pm

2x2 is far too small! I'd expand the bottom first before worrying about a top level.

**MapleOwl18** · #9 09-24-09, 07:29 pm

Here's my initial 2X4 bottom for two piggies with a loft for a piggy who lived up top.

Here's a shot of an earlier version of it. The one grid overhang is nice because you really don't need a support, and you can still clean it As long as you anchor it to the sides and have something on top. Course I was still a little parnoid so I put an extra grid in anyway.

I actually like just having a one grid overhang because that makes it simpler to clean.

Don't worry though Mr. Butterscotch, who lived up top got a bigger area with turn around space after that.

**MapleOwl18** · #10 09-24-09, 07:37 pm

These cages were all made with this initial part which I made for my Linus piggy. I just kept on adding more coroplast and grids. I'm still using the coroplast from it today.

Course its much cuter with the piggy in it, and all nicely organized.

**MapleOwl18** · #11 09-24-09, 07:39 pm

Angie Kay I love your hubbies bracing idea with zip ties. Its like I-beams. You should post that in the Hot Tips section.

**angiekay** · #12 09-24-09, 08:59 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by MapleOwl18

Angie Kay I love your hubbies bracing idea with zip ties. Its like I-beams. You should post that in the Hot Tips section.

I did not think about it, I will do that, Thanks!!!

"Thank you, angiekay, for this useful post," says:
MapleOwl18 (09-24-09)

"Thank you, MapleOwl18, for this useful post," says:
angiekay (09-24-09)