Size Making do with a VERY small cage - Guinea Pig Cages, Care, Store, Photos of Guinea Pigs and More Forum!

confam · #1 10-25-09, 09:06 am

This is my first day as a member, and I could really use some advice! We recently had 2 guinea pigs join our family, and they came with a 16" x 25" cage. I know this is a terribly small space for the two of them, but at the moment it will have to do. We live in a small house (4 people, 2 cats, 2 budgies, and an aquarium holding our pond fish for the winter), and simply have no room to build our new friends a bigger cage. I don't want to stick them in the basement where we rarely go, so they are in our living room in their very small cage...
Can anyone offer any advice on how we can make the best of this situation until we can get them a bigger cage? I'd really appreciate it!

**Paula** · #2 10-25-09, 09:56 am

Welcome to GPC.

The cage you've got your guinea pigs living in is a little over two and a half square feet and is essentially the same as you (and another person) living in a small bathroom. How would it work for you if someone told you that would just have to do until circumstances changed?

I understand you have a small home and other animals, but that doesn't really matter to your guinea pigs and I don't see any way of making the best of a situation where two animals are basically being housed in a litter box. Please, find a way to give them a larger cage.

**ferndalezoo** · #3 10-25-09, 10:06 am

If you can give them a bigger cage in the basement (if everything else about the basement (temps, etc) are suitable,) then put it there and MAKE THE TIME to go down and be with them.

I live in a small home as well. My partner and I share our 950 square foot home with our 3 chindren, 3 (large) dogs, 2 cats, 2 (large) lizards (one of whom has a cage the size of a good sized closet), 3 snakes, 2 frogs, a parrot, 3 degus, 3 chinchillas, 2 tortoises, a ferret, and 4 guinea pigs.

We MAKE it work.

I'm always concerned when people say "two pigs joined our family"... It sounds so passive. Unless they were abandoned on your doorstep like the proverbial baby-in-a-basket, they didn't "join your family". You, or your family, made the decision to acquire them. When you made that decision, you also make the committment to provide adequate care.

You can't "make do" with a wholly inadequate cage.

You need to figure out HOW to get them into a suitable cage, or rehome them to someone who can.

**blackarrow** · #4 10-25-09, 10:07 am

The only thing I can suggest is going and getting supplies for a bigger cage today, and if you really have no room in your house for a bigger cage, I'd suggest you start looking for someone else to take them who does. I'm sorry I don't have a more appealing suggestion.

**JD In Van** · #5 10-25-09, 10:12 am

I agree, I live in a 700 sq foot town house with 6 fish tanks and was able to find 8 sq feet for the pigs (though I did have to sacrifice the kitchen table to do it). You just have to be creative.

Even if you have to put them under the table or ontop of someone's dresser or build something funky (I wound up with the building something funky option). You can make it work to give them at least the minimum amount of floor space they need. You'll be happier (trust me, you're cleaning time will go down considerably) and they'll be happier.

**Ibbet** · #6 10-25-09, 10:19 am

I have to agree. Sorry but that is just way to small.

I managed to get my Hippie a Midwest Habitat which is the same as a 2x3 and our house is quite small housing 6 people and a number of different animals. His cage is in a kind of awkward position for us and it will need to be moved for Christmas because he is where the Christmas tree usually goes but we will make do because I refuse to have a smaller cage.

I am sure if you are creative you can find a place to make a bigger cage, your pigs will be much happier.
Also may I ask why you got them if the first place if you didn't have room for them?

**Rnd210** · #7 10-25-09, 11:45 am

About how long do you think that your 2 guinea pigs should have to indur living a litter box until you are capable or ready to give them the space they reguire, a week, a month, a year or two.

I am sorry but that is just wrong how would you like to be in a confined space with another person where you could not move anywhere to get away from each other when you wanted. Not to mention, but every time you moved you bumped into the other person or steped on the other person as if the two of you were stuck together and couldn't even turn around or move at all. That is essentially how it is for two guinea pigs that are in a cage that is too small for 1 pig much less 2 pigs.

Is their anyway you can set up a temperary playpen area so that they can be out of the tiny cage?
Even a kiddie pool would be better and they are only 6.99-10.99 at walmart.

**Dichotomy83** · #8 10-25-09, 12:29 pm

Honestly, if putting your piggies in the basement means that they get a bit less "traffic" and attention, I think it is more than worth the space you can give them down there. They really need that space to live in! You should make it a priority to visit them down there often.

**javim121** · #9 10-25-09, 12:58 pm

That makes no sense to me, my bedroom is 14x14 roughly. in there i have queen size bed, two tall book shelves and two dressers. i have three very large bird cages and a twenty gallon long tank foor my hammsters, a large dog bed for my pooch, and i still have room for the big c&c cage i just bought.

**CavyMama** · #10 10-25-09, 01:28 pm

Welcome to the forum, first of all :-) I'm glad you came to seek advice and are willing to make the living conditions better for your guinea pigs. It probably would have been a good idea to do research before bringing your pigs home so you would know what was needed ahead of time, but what's done, is done. No use crying over spilled milk.

You are correct, the current cage you have them in is terribly small. What kind of time frame are we talking about for how long before you can get them into a C&C cage; a couple of days? weeks? months??

Without knowing the layout of your house, it's difficult to make a suggestion for where you can keep them until you get the bigger cage. If the basement is heated, you might consider getting them some grids and making a temporary playpen. If you have other pets though, that might be able to get at them in the basement, I would make sure you have something to cover the playpen.

You can get grids from any store that sells organization supplies: Target, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Walmart, etc. Also, in the mean time, you can use a shower curtain (also sold at the above listed stores) for the bottom of the playpen. To connect the grids together for the playpen, you can use either the connectors that come with the grids or get some zip-ties, also sold at the above stores (it's one stop shopping! :-))

**Ama4884** · #11 10-25-09, 02:20 pm

Trust me you want to build a bigger cage. I have never seen my piggies so happy since I put them in their 2x4. After spending her whole life in a tiny store bought cage, my newest piggy Lucy had no clue how to act. She was popcorning everywhere. They will be happier, and you need to do what's best for them.

Go to Walmart, Kmart, or Bed Bath and Beyond for grids. Target grids are dangerous. Their heads can get stuck in the grids.

Your piggies will love a big cage, and they don't cost much to make. I think ours cost $40 and that's counting the fleece and towels. We had to shuffle our dining room around. We moved my boyfriend's computer desk and put the cage where it used to be. We don't have a kitchen table, but we are planning to get his mom's old one to set them on.

confam · #12 10-25-09, 07:18 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ibbet

I have to agree. Sorry but that is just way to small.

Also may I ask why you got them if the first place if you didn't have room for them?

We got them from someone who didn't have time for them. We, at least have them out for several hours a day in an 8' x 3' area, plus many 'cuddles' during the day. I like to think that we are giving them a life that is at least a bit of an improvement over where they came from. We have only had them for one full day.
I realize that they need a bigger cage (I don't know how long they have been living in this one - not their whole lives, I hope), and we are trying to do something about that. I thought that perhaps people might have some tips to help us make the next few days a bit more bearable for them until we can sort out an addition/larger area for them, not just criticizim.
Guess I came to the wrong place...

confam · #13 10-25-09, 07:22 pm

I am concerned about putting them in the basement, as it is dark and damp. Of course we would go down to see them during the day, but I thought it would be better for them to be upstairs with us, and truly a part of the family instead of being relegated to the basement like outcasts... but if that ends up being the only option we can come up with, I guess that's what we'll have to do.

confam · #14 10-25-09, 07:53 pm

I am hoping, actually, to be able to get out tomorrow to search for supplies. We are going to try to take our existing cage and make a second level for it. If that fails, we will build a larger cage that will go in the basement.
Meanwhile, I have made a raised hay rack, and also a suspended dish for their pellets so the cage floor is completely free for them.

confam · #15 10-30-09, 08:21 am

As of Wednesday (Oct.28th) we have a 2x4 C&C cage for our new friends. They are very happy; I don't know if they have ever been able to run before now, and they are certainly making up for lost time!

**rach08512** · #16 11-01-09, 10:03 pm

I'm glad the guinea pigs are happier now! And I'm sure they're going to be making up for all that lost time! Good work on getting a larger cage, hopefully the pigs can come out of their shells a bit more now and become a bit more active. haha I bet they're really excited about the new cage, good luck (:

**Tessa Bea** · #17 11-01-09, 11:54 pm

I am so glad that you were able to make them a nice big cage! I'm sure that they are much much happier in the new cage and getting lots of your time and attention than they were in the rest of their lives.

**Dichotomy83** · #18 11-02-09, 01:56 am

Im glad you were able to make a more suitable cage for them!! Im sure you will really enjoy seeing their personalities emerge now!!

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