Cage Rediculously hard to do... am I missing something? - Guinea Pig Cages, Care, Store, Photos of Guinea Pigs and More Forum!

**Smudgetoffee** · #1 10-25-09, 10:13 am

So I've just finished my first cage (spent all day yesterday doing it too, not as easy as made out...), and I'm quite disappointed to be honest. A lot of the grids and connectors have broken already and the cage feels flimsy.
Filled it with fleece today, and it's near impossible to bed it down properly. It moves and comes out of place very easily, and I can't get it to fit on the top layer because it just won't sit properly, full stop.
Is there something that I'm missing? Because I can't get the fleece in properly as it is, and I'm not doing this twice a day.
Thanks

**SheriMartini** · #2 10-25-09, 10:19 am

Hmm... maybe you can take a picture so we can get a look to see what is going on?

I know it was a bit difficult to use the original connectors my cage came with... it was a tight fit to get the grids in. But the second set of grids I got, the connectors were a lot easier to use. As far as fleece goes, it is a bit of a challenge to get it just right. Do you have the fleece sitting inside the coroplast, or does it fold over the sides?

**Smudgetoffee** · #3 10-25-09, 10:52 am

Seems with teamwork it can be done, my bad. But I've got another problem - they really don't like the ramp. They've never been on one before so it's understandable, but they get half way up then run back down, any way to tempt them up it? (I've tried food

)
I had to buy 2 sets of grids, both of them are by Seville and they're both really horrible.

**rahunter** · #4 10-25-09, 11:21 am

I had a hard time getting mine sturdy w/ just the connectors, it took a couple of weeks to get it "just right". I have zipties at weak points that seem to pop out each time I mess with the cage. As for the ramp, try putting lettuce pieces along the ramp then thier "dinner" at the top. Until my piggies got used to the ramp, I would always put thier bfast and dinner up top.

**MissSofi** · #5 10-25-09, 11:21 am

It usually takes a while for cautious piggies to muster up the courage to
use a ramp...give it time, once your piggy gets all the way up he should get really confident about the ramp.

**princesspoppy** · #6 10-25-09, 11:42 am

Mine seemed a little unstable when i first made it. I never used connectors or cable ties before. I really had to push hard on the grids to slot them into the connectors. As for the fleece. I had to experiment a lot. I used upto 40 binder clips on my 3x4 to attach the fleece to the coroplast. The pigs always found a way to dig under the fleece so now i just lay it onto of the coroplast and they don't dig.

Would it be possible to post a picture ? It maybe easier for us to help you out. Don't get discouraged. It's trial and error.

**Smudgetoffee** · #7 10-25-09, 12:01 pm

I'll be back with pictures later, because we let our pigs in for half an hour and they've... ransacked it

I have a video of them doing it too.
We've come to the decision that, because our grids are weak, the top floor will be reduced from a 2x2 to a 1x2 (another connector gave out, luckily the reinforcement cable ties kept it from collapsing).
Right now, I need to work on the ramp, and a way of fastening the fleece easily.

**blackarrow** · #8 10-25-09, 12:05 pm

It may be that you'd be better off chucking your particular connectors and going with the cable ties.

It might be helpful if you linked us to the video.

**DEBSPIGZ** · #9 10-25-09, 12:27 pm

You really should be reinforcing ever connection with one of those durable zip ties. They're very strong and the cage won't come apart if you have these in place too.

**akstrohm** · #10 10-25-09, 01:01 pm

Just use the cable ties everwhere. You can use connectors too if you want, but they're not necessary. Cable ties are much stronger.

Why do you need to fasten the fleece down, and why do you plan on putting it in twice a day? I only change my fleece once per week, and most pigs don't burrow so you can just put the fleece down without any kind of fastener.

It can take many days or weeks for pigs to get comfortable with a ramp. Make sure you have food and water on the main level. You can't expect them to start using it right away.

**Buddy4** · #11 10-25-09, 01:10 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by akstrohm

Just use the cable ties everwhere. You can use connectors too if you want, but they're not necessary. Cable ties are much stronger.

Why do you need to fasten the fleece down, and why do you plan on putting it in twice a day? I only change my fleece once per week, and most pigs don't burrow so you can just put the fleece down without any kind of fastener.

It can take many days or weeks for pigs to get comfortable with a ramp. Make sure you have food and water on the main level. You can't expect them to start using it right away.

There are videos on YouTube also that I watched. They helped a lot.

**Buddy4** · #12 10-25-09, 01:15 pm

As far as the fleece goes, I don't use the coroplast, I just lay down a layer of plastic (I use a shower curtain and some big trash bags), a double layer of towels, and then the fleece. I lay the fleece layer over this, and sit the cage on the top of it. They seem to pee in one particular corner, as well as in the kitchen, so I add more towels to under that corner. I have a kitchen area set up, so it keeps the hay confined to one area. I am currently on the 4th design of our original cage, as it is always a work in progress. It seems that every time I change it around, they like it better. I did away with the second level, because for me, it was hard to clean. (currently I have a 3x4 one level)

**Smudgetoffee** · #13 10-25-09, 04:11 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackarrow

It may be that you'd be better off chucking your particular connectors and going with the cable ties.

I tried that, but the walls wouldn't sit straight, I've sorted most of them now anyway. It's just awkard to do.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DEBSPIGZ

You really should be reinforcing ever connection with one of those durable zip ties. They're very strong and the cage won't come apart if you have these in place too.

I've run out unfortunately, got more on order. There's 2 underneath the top deck and 3 around various other weakpoints of the cage.

Quote:

Originally Posted by akstrohm

Why do you need to fasten the fleece down, and why do you plan on putting it in twice a day? I only change my fleece once per week.

Really? that surprises me, I thought it'd start smelling quick. I take it you clean or hoover it every so often? I might buy a portable one for that purpose.

Quote:

and most pigs don't burrow so you can just put the fleece down without any kind of fastener

Erm... one of mine - Ginger - is the minority! there's a video of him doing it actually - he'd follow the wall from one end of the cage to the other, and pop out by the food spot... he'd also follow Smudge around, growl at him, try and mount him and well, just generally annoy him.
----------
Pics/thumbnails below (Try and ignore the other stuff in my room, I'm in the process of having a move-around... there's also no fleece on the bottom at the moment):

The whole cage, 2x5 with a 2x1 upper deck (some may remember my thread on 3x4 vs 2x5 - I ended up doing a 2x5 due to spacial limitations and design problems, as well as budgetary requirements).
The ramp is up in this image, it is velcro tied when I clean it.

The top deck. This uses the same size fleece as the one on the bottom, but it's folded many times - so as you can imagine it is VERY comfy.
The wires have since been cable tied.

Under the deck: I know you're not supposed to fence it off, but the upper deck sags otherwise (rubbish cube set).
There will be hay and water clipped to the panel to eat on the compartment side - there will also be a litter box in the right corner.

I still have a dilemma with the ramp here. I can't get the towel to stay in one place - do I need office clips? Are they safe for the piggies? Problem is, Ginger will try to eat anything and everything, and is always the one who ends up in trouble.
As it stands, it's just two mesh panels covered by a towel. Could get some anti-slip material and sandwich it in the middle, perhaps?
Thanks
PS - the 3 image limit is very annoying.

EDIT: forgot to add, my camera kicked the bucket - I got 1 film off it though. Used another camera to take the pictures. Film: (sorry for bad quality) is Ginger under the fleece.
Imageshack - dscn1771

**javim121** · #14 10-25-09, 04:21 pm

I like that under your bed. very good way to save space. I will say i worry about the guitar and speaker though, looks like it will be loud.

**Smudgetoffee** · #15 10-25-09, 04:24 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by javim121

I like that under your bed. very good way to save space. I will say i worry about the guitar and speaker though, looks like it will be loud.

I use headphones

**akstrohm** · #16 10-25-09, 05:28 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smudgetoffee

Really? that surprises me, I thought it'd start smelling quick. I take it you clean or hoover it every so often? I might buy a portable one for that purpose.

If you're using sufficient underbedding and prepare the fleece properly before use, it should not smell enough to have to change it more than once or twice a week (assuming you have a suitable cage size). I just sweep it about once a day. Even after a week I don't notice any smell at all.

fourfurrykids · #17 10-25-09, 05:54 pm

I have a two story cage and to keep it sturdy I ran a wooden dowel underneath it towards the front. Supports the upper half with no problem even with all four on it. I used left over cloroplast for the ramp and to keep it sturdy I ran two extra dowels on the back, down both sides. Then I added popsicle sticks to the front for traction spaced about an inch apart. My piggies love going up and down the ramp for their veggies. Maybe this will work for you...

**princesspoppy** · #18 10-25-09, 06:02 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by akstrohm

If you're using sufficient underbedding and prepare the fleece properly before use, it should not smell enough to have to change it more than once or twice a week (assuming you have a suitable cage size). I just sweep it about once a day. Even after a week I don't notice any smell at all.

Dido. I vacuum or scoop poop twice a day and change the fleece once a week. Sometimes twice it's really messed up. The pigs drag the hay all over the place and kiock the carefresh out of the litter box and looks messy.

**blackarrow** · #19 10-25-09, 07:37 pm

Wow, I actually think that looks great.

Yes, you can attach your fabric to your grid ramp with binder clips, but I would put a piece of coroplast along the bottom unless the fabric was really thick, or you might get a foot stuck through.

What worked for me to stop burrowers in their tracks (prior to getting bedspreads for them) was to make flat coroplast "inserts" for the bottom of the cage just smaller than the inside, and to binder clip the toweling/fleece to that and drop it in. The others are right that you shouldn't have to take the whole thing up for a wash more than once a week - just sweep or vacuum up the poop about 2x daily and it will be clean and comfy for them.

**fieryone** · #20 10-25-09, 08:34 pm

I have attached the fleece with binder clips which works well, but lately I've been tucking it under the towel layers. I use 3 layers of towels (4 in some spots) so it's heavy enough to hold the fleece down when tucked under. I have burrowing pigs and they haven't been able to get under it either.

I think the cage looks great.