Cage Please help me design a cage!

[Piggly12]

Thanks for the reply!

Don’t worry about the hash tags (?) I did that too

I am in Australia and we don’t have those shops, so I ordered them of guineapigsaustralia.com so that will be of no help to you I don’t know much about the coatings, but someone else probably will. Could someone please tell me if these https://www.amazon.com/Whitmor-6070...&qid=1427297105&sr=8-4&keywords=storage+cubes are ok (for future reference/cage expansion)?

Thanks!

 

[80s_piggies]

Thanks for the reply!

Don’t worry about the hash tags (?) I did that too

I am in Australia and we don’t have those shops, so I ordered them of guineapigsaustralia.com so that will be of no help to you I don’t know much about the coatings, but someone else probably will. Could someone please tell me if these https://www.amazon.com/Whitmor-6070...&qid=1427297105&sr=8-4&keywords=storage+cubes are ok (for future reference/cage expansion)?

Thanks!

The grids I have are Whitmor and they are the 9 opening grids, not the bigger ones that Target has started to sell which aren't safe anymore. I got mine at through Walmart, but it looks like these are the same manufacturer so they should be the same and work for future expansions for you.

 

[calliebingo48]

80s_piggies how much was the grids at Walmart. And how big is the L cage?

 

[Piggly12]

Thats weird! I linked to amazon.com but it came through as ‘overstock’?

 

[PeanutnCookie]

@calliebingo48 they are I believe $30 for six cubes (23 grids). But they are cheaper at Bed Bath and Beyond $20 for four cubes and two extra grids (19 grids). If you google search storage grids there might be a choice that says that walmart sells four cubes for $20. I went to the walmart website and it says there is a sale, so you might want to check that out.

 

[80s_piggies]

80s_piggies how much was the grids at Walmart. And how big is the L cage?

I got 4 cubes for 19.99 through Wal-Mart.com. 17 grids. They don't carry them in my store but site to store is free so they were ready for pick up in a few days with no shipping costs.

 

[calliebingo48]

Thanks! I'll check it out

 

[Piggly12]

Hi again!
I am still in the design stage.

I was having huge trouble concentrating on my homework this term when my pigs were in the same room, so Mum and I have decided that either I ask dad to try to figure out how to extend our wifi system to my bedroom and move my desk there, or I keep my desk in the playroom near the wifi and move the piglets to my room. Our wifi currently does not reach my room very well, so I have to work in the playroom.

Until we decide if anything can be done about the wifi, nothing much can be done where liners or cage building are concerned , because the rooms are different sizes so will require different designs. I am still hoping to get a total of 8 grids running space, or s connected 2x4s.

This is what I have for my possible bedroom plans (for if we can’t do anything about the wifi):



And here is what I will probably do if the wifi gets fixed and we move my desk (will replace desk with other shelves in pic)


(same room, different angles)
Thanks for all your previous suggestions!

 

[Piggly12]

Sorry for no updates; here is one now:

Design changed (again) and approved by Mum.

Cage is moved and expanded and corflute is cut (most stressful time ever - trying to score it!)

Fleece is unfortunately not wicking, so I am using just towels and a couple of mini-fleeces.

Guinea pigs are in, they don’t seem to know what to make of it, as there wasn’t much popcorning or many zoomies. When one of them goes to the other end of the cage, they all follow. I think that they won’t do proper zoomies or popcorns until there is a firm surface underneath them, as the towels were a bit lumpy and skid a bit.

Picture of grid frame - will add pictures of finished cage tomorrow, then more pics when fleece wicks (hopefully soon!)

 

[Piggly12]

Sorry, the design wouldn’t load. Here is the final design (until the next upgrade, however there is no more space in my room)


It is a 2x8 with 2x2 loft. It will house my 3 piggies (sisters). The pigloo things are just an example of a house, I don’t actually have them.
The weird looking bed-headboard thing is actually a dresser/chest of drawers at the end of my bed, and the tall thing in the corner is a tall shelf thing from IKEA.
Does anyone know any good threads/sites/youtube videos that say how to make a liner with different coloured sides that go over the edge - covering all the coroplast/corflute? I have looked, but can’t find one I like.

 

[frNzR4evr]

when you say eg. 2x5 this refers to the number of grids, correct?
so how wide is one grid, by which I can know what size to cut my cloroplast cage bottom?
ie.if 1 grid = 12in = 1ft, easy peasy, eh? the stuff is expensive up here (Canada)
$35 for a 4'x8' sheet, which won't fit into my car, so they offered to cut it for me
I think I read somewhere that the 9-square grids (8 holes too big, babies can get heads stuck)
are actually 14", which means for a 2x3 cage I'd need a 28"x42" bottom, correct ???

 

[frNzR4evr]

@Piggly12 teehee I am picturing one piggy going to one end and all the other piggies following... is it always the same one who "leads the exodus", or does it vary randomly? My guy is freewalking the upstairs today first time ever, he barely explored the room we set him down in, found a nice hideyhole under an ottoman tucked under the piano and boeuf! he's been lying down there contentedly ever since.

It was so cute when we first put him down he marched right over to one side of the area rug, turned around, and had a nice luxurious pee on the hardwood floor, as if he was trained to do it

 

[lissie]

@Piggly12 That drawing looks amazing!

when you say eg. 2x5 this refers to the number of grids, correct?
so how wide is one grid, by which I can know what size to cut my cloroplast cage bottom?
ie.if 1 grid = 12in = 1ft, easy peasy, eh? the stuff is expensive up here (Canada)
$35 for a 4'x8' sheet, which won't fit into my car, so they offered to cut it for me
I think I read somewhere that the 9-square grids (8 holes too big, babies can get heads stuck)
are actually 14", which means for a 2x3 cage I'd need a 28"x42" bottom, correct ???

Grids are 14", unless the ones in Canada are different.
For the coroplast, you have to leave some space for the sides to fold up. If you're using 4mm thick coroplast, the tray will be 27"x41". Once you fold the sides up, they will be the right size for the cage.

See this page for how to build the cage.
https://www.guineapigcages.com/howto.htm

It is better to build the frame before cutting the coroplast. See the 2nd step on the link I posted.

 

[frNzR4evr]

bless you for your prompt reply, I think it was 3mm that I ordered. Your link is spot-on what I needed

 

[Piggly12]

Thanks @lissie!

frNzR4evr:

teehee I am picturing one piggy going to one end and all the other piggies following... is it always the same one who "leads the exodus", or does it vary randomly?

Yes, one decides they want some hay, or water, and heads down to the other end, then the others follow. You know how they walk a few steps, then pause then walk, etc.? When the leader stops, the others crash into the one in front’s bums! They have all been the ‘leader’ at one time or another.

They don’t seem so nervous now, as they venture down to the other end on their own. I hope that when they figure out it is their cage, and not floor time, they will popcorn and run laps. How do you get the piggies to enjoy floor time?? Mine just huddle in their houses the whole time, which they could do in their cage! I have seen ClicknCavy’s pigs racing around their carpet at top speed, they don’t seem scared of people at all! Mine run for cover when someone enters my room. We can’t put them on carpet as we are renting and someone would have a fit if they peed on it. Are they scared of the tile floor do you think? I put towels on it, but they slip around. What could I do instead?

 

[Piggly12]

Loft is not done yet, I still need to cut the corflute.

 

[Piggly12]

Hi again everyone!

I was thinking, would it be a good idea to raise my cage up a level, on a stand?

What do you guys think?

I know it would make them higher, and make people seem less like giants.

My concern is that it might be harder to clean, as I currently sit in the cage (I know, I’m crazy!) to clean it and smooth out the towels, and that it might be harder to reach them if it is higher up as I would have to reach over the side grids.
However, ATM I have to get down on my hands and knees to stroke them/pick them up, and if I do not descend slowly enough towards them, they skedaddle.

My waist is about 2 grids high, so I would just be able to bend over 90 degrees, and reach them in the higher cage. Maybe this could be fixed by having fold-down grids on the front?

The other question I have is what to do with the loft.

Option 1)
I could raise the loft as well as the cage, so it would have 2 grids high storage underneath, like this:

I would have to buy 3 sets of 16 grids, (Aussie $90) but would have about 6 left for fleece forests, hayracks, playpens and such (which would be awesome).
However, it would be hard to reach into the loft to clean. I might be able to solve this by having fold-down grids on the front.

Option 2)
The other option would be to lower the loft to the floor, and make it a basement:
It would mean I would use exactly 2 sets of 16 grids from guineapigsaustralia, and would be about $60, but would have none left over for fleece forests etc. (But I could always buy some more)

It would be almost impossible for hay to be tracked up the ramp from the kitchen, but the ramp would take up a lot of their kitchen space.

I have a bunch of pocket money saved up, as I rarely spend money, and when I do, it’s only about $5-10, so cost wouldn’t really be a problem.

Opinions please guys!!
There are +’s and -’s for each model, and I need the help of those of you who have kitchen basements on the floor, cages on stands, and cages with 3 grid high floors (opinions on how easy it is to clean those areas)

Thanks! (and sorry for the HUGE post)

 

[lissie]

I like option 2. Having a kitchen lower than the main cage will help keep hay contained.

 

[lissie]

For 3 grid high cage, I love it. It's much better for my back than the 2 grid high.

Since grids are so expensive, why don't you try to build a stand with wood? You could also find used tables from classified ads. Or get some tables from IKEA.

 

[3littlepigz]

Wow! I love option two!!