C&C: Convincing to build a C&C

[horsiecutie]

Right now, I have Pumpkin and Chex in a store bought cage. I feel really really bad about that and want to build a C&C asap- but I can't convince my parents that they need a bigger cage. Their responce was "They get along fine in the cage that they have" and they won't discuss it with me. Any advice? I just want whats best for my boys!

[leyley904]

Well, where is the cage now? If its in your room they may not care as much about how big it is. Maybe you could show them this site, and tell them that a lot of people here have said that their pigs are very obviously much happier and run laps and popcorn after they get a bigger cage, which is true. You could show them the cage minimum on this site. Hope this helps.

[Dichotomy83]

Do you have the space available for a c&c cage of appropriate length? Are your pigs sows or boars? I'd suggest nothing less than a 2x4. 2x5 would be even better.

As far as convincing your parents...the holiday season is coming up. Could you put it on a wishlist? The overall price for cubes and coroplast should be less than 50 dollars. Can you do odd jobs (babysitting, lawn mowing, dog walking, etc) to save up money?

In the mean time, be sure to get them out for as much floor time as possible!

[horsiecutie]

I have two boars and the needed space. I have gotten a "We will talk about it" so hopefuly thats a good sign. As of floor time, I give them 2 hours a day and on weekends it's sometimes more. I have to skip a day or two sometimes with the whole two hours but I take them out every time that I have.

[horsiecutie]

I'm still waiting for the cage conversation with my parents. I'm also going to move then out of their room (right over the garrage where it is VERY cold in winter and VERY hot in summer) to a landing over my living room so they stay more socilized and I don't have to go into a room to change their water and top off their pellets and give them veggies ect. and I can check on them more often.

[blackarrow]

Convincing things you may not have thought to bring up:

1. Bigger cages are easier to keep clean, and considering the amount that piggies poop, that's a wonderful thing, both for you and for their health.

2. More room = more exercise, more exercise = less risk of obesity, and less obesity = less risk of them developing impactions, which are more likely in boars than sows. I don't know about you but I would personally do a LOT to avoid having to manually disimpact a pair of guinea pigs!

3. Less risk that they'll get in a territorial battle and end up needing TWO cages plus a costly trip to the emergency vet.

[horsiecutie]

Thanks for all your ideas! I will show my parents this thread!