C&C: How can I convince my husband to make a C&C Cage?

[sdpiggylvr]

So I have two female guinea pigs that are currently living in two connected pet store cages. (I know, I'm ashamed that I even bought them, but let's move on...)

I found this website recently, and I have found out that I need to make my pigs a 2x4 C&C Cage. I know where to get the supplies and know what I'm going to do, but there's one big problem - my husband thinks the pigs are just fine.

Which they are NOT! They need a bigger cage. What information can I show him that might change his mind?

How can I convince him?

Thanks in advance!

[Tessa Bea]

I would hope that almost any info you can find around here would convince him... :/

I'd write down a list of all the points you want to make and practice your speech to him.

Some things I would point out are that guinea pigs in larger cages are happier, have a better quality of life, and are less likely to get sick or become depressed.

[MapleOwl18]

Tell him they're easier to clean.
" Easier to Clean

Believe it or not, a larger cage is much easier to clean and keep clean than the smaller pet store or commercial cages. You can read other people's experiences in the Testimonials and find out more about how to clean the cage on the cleaning page. And an easier to clean cage for you means you'll love your guinea pigs that much more over the years."


I hated dumping out woodchips and missing the trashcan. This is also why I use fleece for my bedding.



They'll smell better to because they're not clumped in a corner living in their own poos, and that they'll need fewer vet visits.

[JD In Van]

At the same time switch to fleece. Show him how much nicer they'll look and how much better they'll smell.

Encourage him to join the forum and read more online about them?

Also tell him about how much more active and interesting they are when they have proper space.

[Peggysu]

Just show him this site, or while he's at work construct a cage.

Although I would really suggest showing him this site and also explain how much easier it is to clean and keep clean.

[momof1kid3piggi]

It seems odd "convincing a husband" in stead of the usual trying to convince the parents... but I'd do what peggy said, show him the site, Make a pro and con list and maybe even construct up a cage when he isn't home.

[Paula]

It's a far simpler matter than it is when a kid is trying to convince their parents, because in this case you're both adults and you've taken these animals into your home. Now you're obliged to do what's best for them, which includes building them an appropriately sized cage, as I'm sure you already know.

If he won't build it for you (them) what's stopping you from doing it?

[SheriMartini]

I guess it's just cause I'm a sassy pants... or maybe a control freak... but I'd do it anyway!

(Obviously if it is going to cause serious relationship problems my sassy-pants-ness advice can be completely ignored! haha!)

[sophistacavy]

Thank you Paula, for saying that. I was thinking that the instant I read the trying to convince husband part, and I'm surprised no one has mentioned it until you did.

Sdpiggylover--This isn't the place for relationship advice, and you sound like you're fine with the way things are, but you can't let your husband have so much power over you like that, especially when it could be endangering live animals that depend on people like you and your hubby to provide the most adequate care out there for them. Why can't you build it yourself?

[sdpiggylvr]

It's not that he's controlling me - no, no, no, he just doesn't agree that they need to live in a larger cage. He thinks they're "just fine" in their cage and they are supposed to live in pet store cages.

Basically, I need to persuade him that they DO need to live in a bigger cage and the CAN'T live in a small cage for the rest of their lives.

Capeshe?

[Peggysu]

Originally Posted by sdpiggylvr

Basically, I need to persuade him that they DO need to live in a bigger cage and the CAN'T live in a small cage for the rest of their lives.

Capeshe?

You're both adults, how much persuading do you need? I mean it's easy just seeing the cages. My boyfriend thought I was nuts when I built these cages and now he's pretty much sold on them because my piggies are really entertaining in a big open cage. They are also very interactive and love to run and popcorn all over the place. Have you shown your husband the gallery? Those pictures are great. Also for the price of one pet store cage you can build your own cage at least four times the size. The bigger the cage the easier it is to clean and keep clean. It doesn't smell and you won't have to clean it every day.

A pet store cage is so small that they pretty much have no option but to lay in their own urine and feces. They may choose to do this in a big cage, but they aren't forced to.

It's pretty much a no brainer when it comes to building a nice big cage. You and your husband would enjoy them much more and see their personalities blossom.

[blackarrow]

So leave aside the "it's going to be better for the piggies" arguments and focus on things which affect him. Such as, it's going to look a lot nicer and neater to have one single large cage than two patched together, and it will be much easier to keep it clean and odor-free. They will also be more entertaining when they are able to scamper around more freely.

And I'm guessing you mean that you need to convince him that one needs to be built, not that you are trying to convince him he needs to build it for you, right? They're easy to make.

[3cdnpiggies]

I am confident that you can build the cage on your own, without help from another person!

[Ash-Ro060708]

When my husband was young, he had guinea pigs, you know one guinea pig in a store bought cage and when it died in a year or two, his parents would just go buy a new one.

When we first rescued our 2 oldest boys, they were living in a large plastic dog kennel(that they were in from their last home). I wanted to get them a bigger cage but I didn't want to get one from a pet store, that's when I found this site. The very next day I went out and spent $40 on cubes, built it when my husband was at work(it was a 2x3 at the time, so I didn't want to go crazy with it and send my husband into shock haha) Then when he saw how much room they had, how easy it was to clean and play with them he liked it.

Now when I made it a 2x4 with a 2x3 upper level one night when my husband was sleeping, he was a little more surprised then! But he loves it(I think his parents think we're crazy for having such a huge guinea pig cage though! )

[gooberific]

My hubby and I discussed getting a pet, and knew we couldn't take in a dog right now with the pet deposit and "pet rent." That's the most ridiculous thing in the world, pet rent. Anyway. I asked him if we could have guinea pigs, because I think they're adorable and they are big enough to be petted by my son's little hands (he was 2 1/2 at the time, but the size of a 4 year old -- a year later, he's the same size as the average kindergartener).

I started on research first, because I couldn't believe how expensive things were at the pet store. I found this website because I wanted to build my own cage cheaply.

I went out and bought the stuff we needed. I had him help me find a coffee table at Goodwill and move it to our apartment, and built the cage on top of that. He couldn't believe it was so big. I showed him the main site that details WHY cages should be so big.

Once we adopted two furballs, Lt. Dan and Sarge, he thought they were entertaining and was okay with the idea. While he was at work, I expanded the 2x4 cage. My parents still think it's too big, but they understand WHY. My dad still views them as disposable, and my mom and I went 'round and 'round about vet care, then she understood I love my pigs as much as she loved her dogs. Hubs had to understand that part, too.

Basically, hubby was fine with everything so long as *I* was the one who takes responsibility of the pigs. When I'm sick, he does an awesome job cleaning up and taking care of them, and agrees it's much easier than he remembers a pet store cage being. Sometimes he helps me swap bedding because he has longer arms.

[MapleOwl18]

My husband initially thought it sounded huge, but when I built it one day while he was doing something else he came back and thought it was awesome. Most people don't have a good idea how big something is until they see it. I'd just put the grids up where I wanted them as "testing out the space." This way you also make sure you have enough space. Tell them if it doesn't work out you'll use them for storage, and that your just testing the idea.

Then once he sees its not going to eat all your living space, you'll have your cage half built already. After he's done looking at it I'd be like "well I guess all I need to do is the coroplast now" and see how he reacts." Don't ask him for permission or rub it in his face that he was against the idea initially. You can do that about a week or so later, once he sees how easy it is to clean, especially if you use fleece. Build the rest of the cage with coroplast, a tape measure, a box cutter and packing tape, and add pigs.

[pigsmakemesmile]

Just go and build and have fun doing it!

[heartpiggies]

OMG you girls are terrible LOL. She shouldn't just go out and buy a bunch of supplies and then build something in THEIR house without it being okay with her hubby too! It sounds like he just needs a little more time and information to get used to the idea. I definitely do not think think it's a good idea to cause a rift between yourself and your partner over a cage. If he doesn't want to pay for it/doesn't want it in his house, well, that needs to be taken into consideration. Of course the piggies need an appropriately sized living space! Luckily, that can be taken care of pretty much for free with random things like cardboard boxes and blankets. But I completely understand where she is coming from wanting her hubby to be on board. If it turns into a resentment, she may end up having to get rid of the piggies altogether.

[MapleOwl18]

Originally Posted by heartpiggies

Luckily, that can be taken care of pretty much for free with random things like cardboard boxes and blankets. But I completely understand where she is coming from wanting her hubby to be on board.

I don't think this is the best type of cages and could conceivably lead to the piggy getting out, and into areas that include power cords, stairs, and ant traps. Much less finding piggy poos in all sorts of interesting locations.

However, buying grids to try out an idea and then using them for storage if it doesn't work out, accomplishes the objective and removes one less barrier to building the cage. Most humans with exception of maybe professional bus drivers cannot tell distance and size from reading numbers. You tell them 4 square feet and they think 4ft by 4ft or 16 square feet. That's why I recommend put it in to gauge how big it is and if it fits. If it doesn't fit use it for storage.

As for him not wanting it in his house, he already has 2 crappy linked petstore cages, honestly there's not much smellier and harder to clean than that. When I was in gradeschool, my piggies were in petstore cages and let me tell you that was not fun. Especially when the bedding went behind the trashcan when you were dumping it in the garage garbage can. Or when you would accidentally bump into something in the house on the way to the garage garbage can, and poo and wood chips would go all over the floor. Ewwww I would never go back to that. Fleece and C&C cages all the way.

[heartpiggies]

Originally Posted by MapleOwl18

I don't think this is the best type of cages and could conceivably lead to the piggy getting out, and into areas that include power cords, stairs, and ant traps. Much less finding piggy poos in all sorts of interesting locations.

I don't think it's the best type of cage either but it's better than a tiny pet store cage. Of course, if she doesn't have the materials and skill to make an escape proof cage then it's not a good idea. I'm sure she can fingure something out if her hubby is absolutely, positively against the idea of a C&C cage.