Is it Safe?: Would my piggies be safe with other animals?

[kennerzzz]

Hello, everyone!
I am going to rebuild my cage to 4x4 grids (quite the upgrade from my 2x4) to house my 2 piggies (and hopefully a 3rd (id prefer to adopt, but you have to remember that getting one from the pet store is also helping it. pet stores usually have terrible living conditions!)) I built a 2 grid high stand for the 2x4 cage to sit on, and even though its sturdy, its starting to sag quite a bit, so the 4x4 will be on the floor. I have 2 other animals in the house: a cat and a dog.
My dog (a "chiweenie" (toy chihuahua/miniature dachshund mix)) is actually petrified of the pigs! I know that all dogs have instincts, but he rarely is around the pigs anyway.
The cat is quite a complicated matter. Again, I am fully aware that even though she is OK with the pigs, she may not be all of the time. My cat is very..."needy." She has to have company around! So when I was on vacation in Florida, I had a friend drop by twice a day to feed the cat and the pigs (the dog was at a dog hotel...he barely lasts 2 hours without us!) and she said every time she showed up she found the cat sitting in the cage. Knowing my cat, it is because she was very lonely and needed company. She has never showed agression or a want to play with the pigs (she actually just walks right by them after a quick glance or sniff during floor time).
OK I appologize for the long explanation. On to my question:
Should the pigs be fine on the floor in a cage without a lid? I just want to do what is best for them. Thank you!

[xDardentlove]

To be safe I would have a lid. You never know how your other pets may act behind closed doors or without you there. In your presence they may act like they don't care but without you there they may be completely different. They are smarter than we'd like to think=) I know my dog does it.

[Paula]

Whether or not you need a lid is something that only you really know the answer to, because she's your cat, and you are the best judge of her behavior. That said, I would always have a lid on my pig cages even though my cat is terrified of the pigs. Animal behavior is impossible to predict. Better safe than sorry.

Originally Posted by kennerzzz

(id prefer to adopt, but you have to remember that getting one from the pet store is also helping it. pet stores usually have terrible living conditions!))

I agree that buying a pig and getting him or her out of a terrible pet store living condition would be a positive step for that one pig. But buying a pig from a pet store does so much more than help that single pig. It opens up a space for the pet store to go and get another pig to put right there in its place. It also supports the breeders that supply the animals, who are creating more animal lives day in and day out when there are so many homeless and needy and many times facing euthanasia in shelters. I understand the pull to "help" the pigs living in terrible conditions in pet stores. But buying and "helping" that one pig hurts so many more pigs, and there's no justification or rationalization for that once you know better.

[kennerzzz]

Thank you for the insight on that, paula! I never thought about it like that!

I am probably going to get a top for it, even though the cat and dog aren't usually around the guinea pigs. My biggest fear is that the walls of the cage won't be able to take the weight of the lid without support. I was going to make a lid out of those wire shelves with the lip on the edge so it is secured around the other side of the cage.
Any suggestions on how to support the lid? Thanks!

[redd1800]

I would make a top - even the most placid, sweet natured pet can turn on an other species surprisingly fast.

[Paula]

Originally Posted by kennerzzz

Any suggestions on how to support the lid?

If you use zip ties to support your cage, it should be very sturdy and able to support the weight of the lid.

[meghannmariexx]

With dogs or cats(maybe), theyre hunting instincts get going and they can not really control it, so I would be careful with them around your Guinea Pigs.