Animal Proofing Something High Enough - Guinea Pig Cages, Care, Store, Photos of Guinea Pigs and More Forum!

**amdw1092** · #1 08-02-09, 01:22 pm

I just built a new cage for my 2 guinea pigs and its 3x6 with a top and lid because i have 2 cats and a dog, but without thinking about it its sometimes to hard to get the piggies out and do daily cleaning (vacuuming the poops). I have the cage in our old office room that we dont use anymore but it doesnt have a door to the room, and I want to take off the top and the lid so it would be easier to do everything, I need some ideas to block off the room from my cats and my dog, Im not really worried about my dog because she doesnt really bother them anyway but Im mostly worried about my cats because cats jump high, so I need something high enough to block them out of the room. Any ideas or anything will help !!!
Thank You

**Peggysu** · #2 08-02-09, 02:14 pm

I don't recommed taking the lid off. It's to risky. One thing you could do is that when you are in there to clean you could take the lid off then, but put it back on when you aren't in there.

**amdw1092** · #3 08-02-09, 02:18 pm

but the top is zip tied and then I only have a small lid that doesnt let me do much.

**SnowFlower** · #4 08-02-09, 02:57 pm

I would personally redo the lid and zip-ties rather than remove the whole lid. I am one of those horror stories where I was under the impression my dog wasn't interested in the piggies, but he chewed thru a closed door and killed a pig that was in quarantine. I would never risk that again (and my pig in quarantine was in a pet shop cage with a lid...) you can never be too sure about your animals. Cats and dogs are predators and guinea pigs are prey. Even the sweetest dog/cat that has never attacked anything may temporarily be overcome by their instincts and attack your little piggies.

It should be relatively easy to do, many people in here and on the photo galleries have closed cages and seem to find it easy to clean. Some people don't have the lid as an access point but zip-tie a side of the cage to make a flap that will allow you to slide out the entire coroplast tray for cleaning - and they secure the flap with either binder clips or something similar.

Good luck finding a solution! I understand the desire to make it as easy as possible to clean.

**amdw1092** · #5 08-02-09, 03:19 pm

Ok thank you Snow Flower, you just made me think of something instead of creating a door or whatever, i can just make the top one big lid and that will make it so much easier and I dont have to worry about the other animals getting in .
THANK YOU !!!

**guinea12** · #6 08-02-09, 03:28 pm

I put a baby gate in the doorway to the room where I have my guinea pigs. That way I can have a cage without a lid, my dog can't get in, and the door isn't always closed leaving the room stuffy.

**akstrohm** · #7 08-02-09, 03:36 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by guinea12

I put a baby gate in the doorway to the room where I have my guinea pigs. That way I can have a cage without a lid, my dog can't get in, and the door isn't always closed leaving the room stuffy.

This is risky, and I recommend you make a lid. Please read the previous posts in this thread from Snow Flower.

"Thank you, SnowFlower, for this useful post," says:
Peggysu (08-02-09)