Having truble with second level

I ziptide my second story and it's holding up great!

Yup, you can ziptie the second level together. If you are making a 2nd level that is more than 1 grid wide, you may have some slight sag where the grids connect in the middle of the loft. You can prevent this sag by using something like a stick, paper towel roll, or piece of pvc pipe to act as a leg under the loft and support the center better.

Maybe you are doing this already - but just incase - make sure you still use the connectors aswell as the zipties. This will make the whole structure more stable. It is a bit of a fiddly job - but if you can zip tie all the grids together - not just where the second lavel meets the first - then you will have a solid cage. Use one tie one hole down at the top of the grid, and one at the bottom of each grid for best results.

I have used large shelf brackets to try to reduce the second floor sag. Think I am going to have to resort back to a cardboard pillar - as there is a definite bow where the 1 x 4 meets the 2 x 3. (I took the tube a away as somebody found it a great place to pee! Have yet to see a piggy lift it's leg! lol

My whole cage is zip ties. I have a seconde level almost the whole size of the bottom. I have one grid holding the second level up where it was sagging. I will try to upload some photos for you. good luck!

Thanks everyone. We are heading out tomorrow to pick up some zip ties. I will post pictures when It's all done.

I only used zip ties on my cage. I didn't use the connectors at all. Also when I had my 2nd level 2 grids wide I used an old broom stick as pillars. I just cut it and sanded the paint of it and washed it. Occassionally, I caught them nibbling on them. I redid my cage again this weekend and made the 2nd level only 1 grid wide. They only ever went up there looking for veggies and the lower level was too dark anyway. Now I don't need the supports.

I have zipties and connectors on mine to be sure it stays bc the connectors don't hold all that well for me. I have a 2x4 cage with a small hay loft but I am thinking about expanding the 2nd level too. I want to give them more room but I want to be sure I can reach around to clean it well if I add on to the 2nd level. Good luck with yours can't wait to see pics.

We finished it! Our second level is 2x2 we manged to use zip ties to hold it all together. We did have a sag when it was only 2 grids but by the time we put all four up it soupted itself. We also have one grid by the ramp that helps souport as well. We will start to look into adopting her a friend very soon now that we have a big enough cage

Congrats be sure to post some pigtures!

I redid some things to the boys cage and added on their 2nd level. I got a box yesterday that I used underneath for some leverage and ziptied the rest. They love the box and so far Bogart has been up there the most mowin' down on the hay.