Cage question: 2x5 or 3x4?

Generally it is the sqaure footage that is most important.

Obviously you wouldn't want the cage too narrow (less than 2 grids wide) as this makes it hard for the piggies to turn corners at speed and makes it hard to put in fun toys) or too short to run laps (ie less than 3).

But other than this the bigger the better.

I can't be bother to calculate sq footage so I just work on the amount of "sq grids" floor space.
So a 2x5 is 10 sq grids, a 3x4 = 12 sq grids, and a 3x5 = 15 sq grids!

Thinking only of the pigs I would suggest the 3x5 if you can fit it, otherwise the 3x4.

Some people choose to stick to 2 grids wide because it can make it easier to clean (depending on where your cage is located, how complicated it is etc.) My cage is 2 1/2 grids wide and I have no problems - even though my cage is almost entirely blocked in.

It is fine to use more than one sheet of coroplast on the same level - I had to with mine. Just make two half bases and tape them together with the same sort of tape you use to do the corners.

Good luck with your cage!

A 3x4 is the equivalent of a 2x6. It's larger than a 2x5.

The important thing is providing the largest space you can provide for the amount of pigs you have. So if you have three boars, a 2x6 or a 3x4 would exceed the minimum recommendations of a 2x5.

I personally like 3x4's and larger because it provides larger space to run around.

With a 3x4, if you use fleece you can get a cage bottom from a full sheet of coroplast with approx. 3" sides. If you use shavings and want taller sides, you will want to get two sheets and tape them together on the bottom where they meet.

Thanks for the answers. I think it's going to be 3 deep then and then as wide as I can. At the moment, they are living in an outside hutch that I brought inside and I built a 3x4 around it for floor time. Except floor time seems to have become permanent lol

I am a bit concerned that the carpet will get ruined but then we are getting that carpet replaced and laminate flooring laid as soon as the hutch moves out. So any urine stains get thrown out with the carpet; I've put hay and fleece down as a temporary measure and the correx should be here tomorrow or the day after, so I figure I might as well let them have the freedom to come and go in and out of the hutch as they please. The problem I have now is: do I put the hutch in the new C&C cage to give them room to get out the way of each other? I think I will; I am aware of the hygiene problems wood poses but with regular cleaning and the big floor area, I will be able to keep such problems to a minimum.

They seem to really like the new setup and also enjoy hiding under the hutch together.

They were ecstatic with joy during their first floor time; I've never seen them so excited; popcorning like crazy, running in and out of the little fur tunnel, running round and round in circles, chasing each other round and giggling with pleasure! There were one or two problems with territory once the novelty wore off but they seem to have worked out their differences now; a little bit of rear end wiping, chin rubbing, tooth chattering and butt sniffing is as far as it goes, no fur has flown yet. But they do get very quarrelsome whenever I change anything with their home, which is why I want to put together a final, final arrangement in their new room for when they move later in the week. I expect they will squabble a touch but if the hutch goes in with them, they can keep out of each others' field of vision and have a larger area to use than would otherwise be the case.

The only change might come when I work out how to stack one cage on top of another to create a multi level C&C. For now, I think I'll keep any changes down to a minimum to save them claiming turf over and over!

Re: Cage question: 2x5 or 3x4? - update

Just had confirmation that the coroplast arrives tomorrow

I already have the fleece, so as soon as the coroplast gets here, it will almost be time for the big move! I've decided not to move the hutch because it is too much like hard work to clean inside it and under it so I need a few pigloos to replace the hutch sleeping compartments.

I also need to find a way to attach the water bottle to the cubes (they are a fine mesh so the bottle drinking spout will not fit through. Totally stuck for a solution at the moment so would appreciate any advice please.

So flooring, pigloos and water bottles to sort and then they are in their new home!

The only thing I worry about is their territorial behaviours, so I will need to sit with them a while. I'm hoping to provide enough hidy holes for them to get out of each others' way.

Ah, one other problem I've just thought of: I'm going for the 3x5 but the fleece fits perfectly into the 3x4 configuration. So I need to give that some thought; weighing down the edges seems to be the preferred solution on this site but the short edge will be a problem if they decide to burrow underneath it; I cant weigh down the whole length of it or it will make the extra cube space inaccessible.

SImon: I can elp you with a few problems there, as for the water bottle, you could always put the water bottle inside the cage, and attach it that way.

I wouldn't suggest getting all pigloos. It only alows one escape whole where as a box you can cut accordingly. I'm not saying to not get any pigloos but also try to include some boxes.

As for the fleece, could you get somemore fleece just to add to the edges? I had the same problem until I found a baby blanket in target for a dolor that fit perfectly.

AnimalHouse36 said:

SImon: I can elp you with a few problems there, as for the water bottle, you could always put the water bottle inside the cage, and attach it that way.

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It looks like I'll have to do that but I'm still trying to figure out exactly how. Needs to be 100% safe so it doesn't fall. The advantage of being outside the cage is that at worst, it will fall onto the floor. And as I have more than one bottle, the boys would not go thirsty. But yes, it is simply not possible to fasten it to the outside so I need some way to secure it inside the cage. There must be a thread on here about that somewhere, so I'll search for it now.

I wouldn't suggest getting all pigloos. It only alows one escape whole where as a box you can cut accordingly. I'm not saying to not get any pigloos but also try to include some boxes.

Click to expand...

Sounds sensible. I also have a hidy hole made from wooden twigs attached to a pair of thick wires (haven't described it well there hehe), which provides a u-shaped tunnel that they can hide in or play in.

As for the fleece, could you get somemore fleece just to add to the edges? I had the same problem until I found a baby blanket in target for a dolor that fit perfectly.

Click to expand...

I probably will need to do this, just need to find a way to protect the overlap from burrowing.

Thanks for the reply, it is always good to get peoples' input!

for the water bottle can't you make a small hole in the mesh where you want the bottle to be? If you move cage around just use that mesh with the hole for the bottle area. Don't forget a flat brick for under the bottle for the water to drip on and for helping with their nails.

Harrys Dad said:

for the water bottle can't you make a small hole in the mesh where you want the bottle to be?

Click to expand...

An excellent idea! Sounds the easiest, quickest and safest solution.

Don't forget a flat brick for under the bottle for the water to drip on and for helping with their nails.

Click to expand...

Another great tip!

Thanks, I love those 2 ideas!

the hole part was easy the part of the brick was easier I got it from this site lol

And the boys move in!

Finally completed the cage last night with my wife's help. It took hours to mark, cut and stick the coroplast but we did it! We used an 8'x4' sheet and it was a pain to mark up, mainly because the rule I used was bowed, so I kept going out of line - got me angry as hell since I had to keep starting again The DIY shop was closed by the time we started, so we just had to make the most of it.

Anyway, we finally got the coroplast inside the cubes, put a layer of wood chippings down and then a fleece on top. In went 2 pigloos, a hidy house and a couple of cozies and finally, in went the boys. They still hate being picked up, so I had to use the old trick of putting hay and treats in the pet carry case and then carrying them off. It frustrates me because I want to be able to get them tame but they don't seem to want to know apart from when I appear with peppers, tomatoes or basil leaves and then they can't get enough of me lol They still refuse to be even touched though. So the move was quite time consuming; we started about 14:00 and finally finished around 22:00. An exhausting, but very satisfying, day.

I might need to take out one or two pieces of furniture because I feel the cage is a bit too cluttered for running around but I will see. They seem nervouse in their new home so I'm letting then get used to the whole thing.

Finally completed the cage last night with my wife's help. It took hours to mark, cut and stick the coroplast but we did it! We used an 8'x4' sheet and it was a pain to mark up, mainly because the rule I used was bowed, so I kept going out of line - got me angry as hell since I had to keep starting again The DIY shop was closed by the time we started, so we just had to make the most of it.

Anyway, we finally got the coroplast inside the cubes, put a layer of wood chippings down and then a fleece on top. In went 2 pigloos, a hidy house and a couple of cozies and finally, in went the boys. They still hate being picked up, so I had to use the old trick of putting hay and treats in the pet carry case and then carrying them off. It frustrates me because I want to be able to get them tame but they don't seem to want to know apart from when I appear with peppers, tomatoes or basil leaves and then they can't get enough of me lol They still refuse to be even touched though. So the move was quite time consuming; we started about 14:00 and finally finished around 22:00. An exhausting, but very satisfying, day.

I might need to take out one or two pieces of furniture because I feel the cage is a bit too cluttered for running around but I will see. They seem nervous in their new home so I'm letting then get used to the whole thing before I start trying to get them to know me again. Going to more or less leave them alone for a day or two to let them stake out their territory; no fur has flown yet and apart from a little bit of nose-nudging, they haven't squabbled yet. Maybe this is because the space is much bigger or maybe they were as exhausted as we were! But neither have they popcorned round like they normally do.

I solved the water problem by snipping out a few pieces of mesh with side cutters and filing the sharp edges down. They are using the bottle and it works, so I'm happy. Such a simple solution but only once somebody has thought of it!