Cage Cage layout ideas needed

barbaramudge · Jul 13, 2015

Not for the actual cage, that's already built, but for the most efficient placement of "stuff". We built pappy a 3x3 under Colonels cage so he has lots of space till we get all the neutering done. It just seems like once you get all the gear in there, there isn't a good "racetrack" for running. Because it's under Colonels cage I tried to place hay and food and water near the front. I think I need to get something better for hay though. Just picture a basic 3x3 square. How would you place things for him to have the best running room but still semi close to the front so it's not to hard to reach his stuff? The front wall opens up and the Coro slides out for cleaning but I wouldn't want to have to open all that up every time I feed/hay him. He has a hay tower, pellet dish, water bottle, covered grid tunnel and veggie dish. Do you guys all take their veggie bowls out of the cage between feedings? I just keep trying to think of a good way to set it up and I'm blanking out. Thanks in advance for your awesome creative ideas!

Lagertha · Jul 13, 2015

@barbaramudge I would definitely take the veggie bowls out between feedings! My boars temp cage till he is in the clear to be with the girls (almost 4 weeks post neuter!) is a 2x3 and I have his hay manger in the front right corner with his water bottle next to it. I have his covered grid tunnel in the middle angled toward the mouth of his hidey hut (in the far left back corner) and aiming toward his food, and his litter tray in the far back left corner. I keep his pellet bowl near the center of the cage so it isn't in the way and just put his veggies in front of him instead of in a bowl. So far this set up seems to give him a perfect track around the cage and he sprints around like crazy! He'll even use his litter tray as a jump xD
I'll take a picture tomorrow of the set up

it's midnight here and our normal house lighting isn't the greatest so I'll need daylight

barbaramudge · Jul 13, 2015

After 3am here. Right now I have his covered tunnel centered towards the back wall, his water on the left side close to the front with his pellets next to it and his hay on the right front corner with his veg bowl next to it. I guess I feel like the outer edges should be clear for race track use but then I wouldn't have anywhere to attach his stuff. So I'm wondering if I should but all his stuff on just one side or if it's all in the various corners will he just cut the corners to run laps? I'm using carefresh bedding right now because we're going on vacation again in a few days and his dishes just sink into the bedding. He's got a lot of room but he doesn't really run much. Not sure why cause he's only a year old. I just want him to be happy!

Lagertha · Jul 13, 2015

@barbaramudge My pigs cut corners pig time, especially my girls. Even without there being anything in their way, they will cut corners. He might feel like he doesn't have enough traction perhaps? Since the coro is right under the carefresh? My piggies are on their fleece when they run laps. if they aren't on it, they don't run laps so maybe it's a traction thing!

barbaramudge · Jul 13, 2015

Maybe. We'll see what he does in a week and a half when he gets his fleece I guess.

Lagertha · Jul 13, 2015

barbaramudge said:
Maybe. We'll see what he does in a week and a half when he gets his fleece I guess.

let me know!

that's all I could think of. It doesn't sound like he is crowded at all and he definitely is young enough to do laps. Has he done them in the past?

barbaramudge · Jul 13, 2015

Not real zoomies but I always thought it was because he's so skittish and his playpen was out in the open. I thought once he had a nice big cage in a more secluded corner he would run more. Maybe it's just traction or maybe he just isn't a runner. We'll just have to wait and see I guess.

Lagertha · Jul 13, 2015

He probably will once he's more comfortable

He's probably still getting used to the cage too

I hope everything goes well!

pinky · Jul 13, 2015

I keep food dishes and pigloos away from the sides of the cage. I use corner litter pans for their hay. My cages are 2x5's for my pairs and a 2x4 for my single. My younger ones run laps a lot but my seniors don't. I think it's important to keep the space open close to the outer edges of the cage to give them space. My pigs even run through the hay bins sometimes or use them as a turnaround. My cages have half fleece and half bedding. They run through both sides.

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Cage Cage layout ideas needed

barbaramudge

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Lagertha

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barbaramudge

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Lagertha

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barbaramudge

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Lagertha

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barbaramudge

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Lagertha

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pinky

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