Size: Considering cage rebuild...

[ferndalezoo]

I have 4 boars who presently share a 3x5 cage with an upper deck. They get along okay, but pretty much stay in their original pairs. Also, lately I have found 2 superficial, but sizable wounds on my "dominant" boar which I suspect are from the others jockeying for position. I have enough grids and enough coroplast to rebuild the cage as a 2 level cage, each 2x5 with no upper deck, which would allow me to split them into pairs. This would also make cleaning the cage easier, I think, but would mean them going from a 4-boar 3x5 to a smaller cage shared with only one other pig. Anyone have opinions on which is better?

[ferndalezoo]

Well, we decided to give the rebuild a try, since it didn't mean needing or using anymore grids than I already had, and if it doesn't work out, I can switch it back...

[lissie]

I'd love to see your new cage. I hope everything goes well for the pigs. I've never had to separate my pigs before.

[ferndalezoo]

I took some pics, and will try to get them up. We ended up with the bottom cage being a 2x5, and that is now populated by the two long-haired guys. We are also experimenting with switching to aspen bedding down there. The upper level is a 2x4 (will eventally be a 2x5,but I was 4 grids short of making that happen), and that is the realm of the SkinnyPig boys. They were emphatically unhappy on the aspen, so they are back on fleece. Everyone seems to have adjusted well to the change.

[angiekay]

Ha! Unhappy on the aspen, that's funny, picky pigs, they want what they want right? Glad you got it worked out!