An ordeal...

Nenna · May 28, 2008

It speaks highly of my love of my piggies that I did not give up on building their cages days ago. My hands are sore and red, I've got a cramp in my leg that wont stop and I've sweat buckets and sworn many many times much to the chagrin of my parents... who still believe that at 24 I have never sworn.

I just got my first apartment after finishing school and am preparing to move in. I have to leave my cats and dog behind because they don't allow them but I was determined to bring my pigs with me. My cage situation at home was well suited to them as my father had built it. It was, however, nailed to my wall and not suitable for apartment living. So, I decided it was time to go with a C&C.

I just got the Coroplast today and it was, by far, the easiest part of my cage assembly. The cube thingies (pardon my technical jargon) were another story altogether. I love them in theory, hate them in practice. I don't know if I was doing something wrong but I had to wrestle and fight with each and every one of them. I am building extra cubes under the cages for storage as my apartment is seriously lacking in that department and I was ready to kick the whole thing down days ago.

I'm coming to the end of my journey however and my hands and leg muscles can't be happy enough. I certainly hope the guinea pigs love the darn thing because they nearly had me admitting defeat.

Newpiggiemom · May 28, 2008

I know the blood sweat and tears (yes, literally) that go into building a C&C cage. And most of us crazy nuts (yes, me included) wind up remodeling 2 or 3 times after we finish the first. I have cut myself and bled, developed blisters and used a few words that I'm glad the kids weren't around to hear.

I'm sure your piggies will love it. Post some pictures when you're done.

Justin · May 28, 2008

Tell me about the blood and tears.

I am planning for my 3rd complete rebuild of my three story cage.

Anyway, good work!

PrincessAngel · May 28, 2008

I feel your pain!Last year when I first built my cage it took me 2 hours just to put a 1grid high 3x3 c&c together! Took me 8 hours to complete the whole thing. The first few times I made the cage the connectors made me want to throw the whole thing out the window! But after maybe the 5th remodle it was so much easier. Now I'm a pro at putting guinea pig cages big huge ones together in less than 2 hours.

Jane_G · May 28, 2008

Reading these stories makes me so glad that I have only one spot for my cage and only room for one level.

I know that if I had unlimited space I'd be rebuilding often!

Harrys Dad · May 28, 2008

I have only had the 3 level cage for less than a month and I am already wanting to redo the whole thing. Took me all day to do the first one.

Nenna · May 28, 2008

I've been working on their cages since Sunday, hoping to get the cubes all ready for when the Coroplast arrived. I assumed everything would go together easily and it would be a breeze. HA!

Actually, the second story of the cage went together very easily which I attribute to the use of zip ties instead of those pesky connecters. I think if I ever redo the cages, which I may considering they take up half my bedroom space, I'll stick with mostly zippies and only use the connectors where absolutely necessary.

Also, has any else noticed how much easier the colored cubes go together as opposed to the plain white ones? Maybe it was just me but those white ones were horrible to work with.

wickedrodent · May 28, 2008

Oh, come on now; you can't say that and not post pictures. lol

Nenna · May 29, 2008

Pardon the poor picture quality. Cell phone cameras just aren't what I'd hope them to be.

Their cages are in my bedroom/office/craftroom and takes up the majority of one wall barring about 1 1/2 feet and about half the other. If I were to take my apartment to scale with theirs, they have about twice as much room as I do

ptimist: Hoping to finish it all up by tomorrowas it's clearly still very unfinished.

wickedrodent · May 29, 2008

Wow, that looks great! Good job.

GuineaAddict · May 29, 2008

Wow thats amazing. I had enough trouble with my 2X3 cage. Eventually I'm going to add on..but good lord...I can't imagine how long it's going to take me.

Toadies · May 29, 2008

Nenna, bless your buttons. I had a good chuckle at your expense, I'm afraid, but I particularly enjoyed your relating your experience as I am embarking on a redesign this week end. I will be thinking of you and your valiant effort as I struggle with my project. Good job! No, great job!!

Cosmictadpole · May 29, 2008

Yes, the connectors are a REAL pain! They are difficult to attach and once they are attached, they fall apart very easily. I too found cage building much easier when I switched to mainly using zip ties. I am commiserating with you too, because I plan to rebuild my cages tonight!

guineapigluver1 · May 29, 2008

Oh yeah! Connectors are a pain in the you know what. Before I learned that I couldn't get pigs until after we moved, I built one, and I cried, pinched my thumb so bad it bled, and sweated a ton, my dad ws helping me, and he almost passed out he got so hot trying to get the grids into the connectors, thats why the necxt time I'm using zip ties!! The cage looks great!

StrawberryField · May 29, 2008

Wow, your cage looks amazing! I can't imagine all the work you must have put into it. As someone else posted, I had enough trouble with the 2x3 C&C. Not only were the connectors a hassle, but I had to decide to build a second level. It took me quite sometime to design the cage, (about a week or two) then another two weeks to actually build it. I couldn't decide how exactly to "attach" the second level. Or what kind of ramp to use. The first ramp didn't work too well and Basil was terrified of it. So I went back to the drawing board. Needless to say all the pain, exhaustion, and headaches that went into it was well worth it. Although the most difficult part was definitely moving the cage from my old apartment to my new place of residence. Dismantling a cage and carrying it down three flights of stairs, and then putting back together is not fun!

Nenna · May 29, 2008

Alas, it is finished and not a moment too soon as I'm moving in tomorrow.

The ladies cage is a 2x5 setup. They're were both hiding in the picture, camera shy I guess. (The hot pink thing sticking up is a zip tie I hadn't cut off yet)

My most awesome-amazing Hercules' cage is an upstairs/downstairs loft, 2x2 and 2x4 respectively. If you look in the back towards the left of the poorly covered ramp you can see Hercules chilling out. And in the front at the bottom of the picture at the end of the crinkle tunnel you can see Elvis, my mother's pig who visits Hercules on occasion.

gooberific · May 30, 2008

I totally hear you. I had to call my husband at work and demand he bring me home a pair of pliers because I couldn't get ours tight enough.

Yours looks SO nice... I wish I had that much space! lol

We have a table to support ours (thank you Goodwill and 50% off Saturdays for a $6.50 support so that I can use more cubes to build up and not for support!), but it extends over about 3" on each side, so it was kind of necessary for me to put a "bottom" on the frame.

I think I have calluses from the zip ties, though.

auburnmare5 · May 30, 2008

Maybe, over time, it will take less time to build as you have more experience?

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