C&C: Parents won't let me make a C&C Cage?

[rabbitsncavyluv]

With fleece you must spot clean daily though. Cleaning every 4 or 5 days isn't going to work well. I do layers of fleece and change the top layer at least every other day.

[Tdchewy]

If you have the money and the desire to build this cage, you should just do it. Your parents will get over it. Once they see the benefit, they may come around to the idea. Sometimes you just have to show people why you want to do what you want to and explain the health and happiness reasons to them. It's not like your trying to talk them into letting you buy something dangerous.
Good Luck!

[javim121]

How long does it really take to spot clean. I change the paper in my bird cages daily and it takes less than five minutes. So i would think that using a handyvac would not take that long.

[sdpiggylvr]

I know that with fleece you have to scoop out the droppings daily and that's easier than searching around in the bedding for the poop.

[ferndalezoo]

If you have the money and the desire to build this cage, you should just do it. Your parents will get over it.

This is TERRIBLE advice, in my opinion. Encouraging young members to defy their parents' rules and wishes and just do whatever they feel like doing?! Sure, their parents might "get over it", or the kid might just come home from school one day to find that the parents have dumped them at a shelter, or given the pigs away. There are ways to do this responsibly, and when a creature's LIFE is at risk is not the time to be impulsive.

I know that with fleece you have to scoop out the droppings daily and that's easier than searching around in the bedding for the poop.

Most people who use disposable bedding don't "hunt around for poop". Because of the way the pig moving around in the cage "stirs up" the bedding, the pig is never walking around in their own poop" the way they do with unswept fleece. Spot cleaning a cage with disposable bedding involves scooping out the wettest areas of bedding, and replacing with dry, if needed.

[JD In Van]

Originally Posted by ferndalezoo

This is TERRIBLE advice, in my opinion. Encouraging young members to defy their parents' rules and wishes and just do whatever they feel like doing?! Sure, their parents might "get over it", or the kid might just come home from school one day to find that the parents have dumped them at a shelter, or given the pigs away. There are ways to do this responsibly, and when a creature's LIFE is at risk is not the time to be impulsive.

I agree. You can not encourage minors to defy their parents. Educate their parents yes. But go behind their parents back no.

As for fleece yes it MUST be spot cleaned daily. It really helps if you can litter train too because if they're peeing in the litter rather then the fleece the fleece doesn't need a whole change nearly as often.

[Duffinvt]

Originally Posted by JD In Van

I agree. You can not encourage minors to defy their parents. Educate their parents yes. But go behind their parents back no.

As for fleece yes it MUST be spot cleaned daily. It really helps if you can litter train too because if they're peeing in the litter rather then the fleece the fleece doesn't need a whole change nearly as often.

JD, by spot cleaning, do you mean picking up poop, or somehow dealing with pee spots. If the pee, what do you do to spot clean?

[angiekay]

Originally Posted by Duffinvt

JD, by spot cleaning, do you mean picking up poop, or somehow dealing with pee spots. If the pee, what do you do to spot clean?

I think she means "spot" cleaning the poos only. Depending on how much yours use the litter pan for peeing vs the cage (on the fleece) then that will kinda be a factor in how often you do a total cage clean, I can go 6-7 days with my fleece/towel bedding and don't have any smells, unless of course I put my face right onto the fleece, yes you will smell it, but not in general when you walk into the room, no.

[JD In Van]

Originally Posted by Duffinvt

JD, by spot cleaning, do you mean picking up poop, or somehow dealing with pee spots. If the pee, what do you do to spot clean?

I vacuum up poops every morning and change out the bedding in their litter trays since my boys almost exclusively pee in their trays. I also put hand towels down under their towel tents (the only other place they pee) so I change those out then too if they need to be.

Since I've managed to now be catching about 95% of the urine in the cage between the hand towels and litter I could go a week with out changing the towels and fleece if I wanted to.

[Duffinvt]

Originally Posted by JD In Van

I vacuum up poops every morning and change out the bedding in their litter trays since my boys almost exclusively pee in their trays. I also put hand towels down under their towel tents (the only other place they pee) so I change those out then too if they need to be.

Since I've managed to now be catching about 95% of the urine in the cage between the hand towels and litter I could go a week with out changing the towels and fleece if I wanted to.

I do pretty much the same thing. They use a litter box for pee for the most part and I also put a square of fleece over a wash cloth and have that under their pigaloos. Here is what I do for a big set up. I put the "big" fleece over three folded towels, one on either end and one in the middle, as the pigs only pee in their litter box or at either end of the cage, never in the middle. Midweek, I flip up the fleece on either end, clean the coroplast and replace the towels. Also, I have cut short pieces of fleece to fit either end and sometimes put that over a towel making a large end pad that I can pick up, thus leaving the both ends of the "big fleece" clean. I can go a week without a big cleaning that way. All of these pads, towels go in a bucket with some white vinegar for a once a week wash.

[Sugar&Ellie]

The cage im using now is a 4ft long and 2 ft wide cage. I bought it from Petsmart for $300 dollars. My piggies like it but im in the process of building a larger cage because I might be adding another guinea pig to my mix!

If you have the money for it I say just build it at a friends house and bring it home while they're not home, set it up and show them what a difference it makes. If you dont have the money for it, I say save whatever you have and proceed with the plan. Tell them once you have it set up that if they dont like it that you will sell it and go back to their old cage. Once they see it and see how much happier your pigs are, they'll probably forget about why they wouldnt let you.

My Dad is helping me build mine because frankly, im bad at building!
but, im still trying to convince him that the spare room, where they can have a natural light source and gaze out the window will be alot healthier for them. But he thinks they stink and they shouldnt be anywhere but my room. FALSE! They get baths and I clean their cage once a week with light vinegar and water! But he won't budge. So im currently working on that. Maybe ill up my rent! He he.
Hopefully my advice works, I wish you luck!