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Cleaning Cleaning multi-level cage

fridzalone

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I'm planning to upgrade the cage, since now I have 7 pigs, 3 sows and 4 boars (Pikka gave me 2 unexpected litter). So now I'm thinking to make the cage into two closed multilevel cage with the upper for the sows. I would make an alternative grids with each grid length will be 70cm (the normal grids is 35,5 cm). The cage itself would be L shaped ( 1x3 grids and 1x1 grid) which is nearly about 2x6 and 2x2 for each level (makes it 2x8). I think it will be big enough for them, but what really bothers me is the height. If I make the grid 70x36cm would it be difficult for me to clean up the cage everyday since the height is 36cm. Or should I make it 70x40 cm or maybe 70x60cm to make it easier for me to clean up the cage. By the way, I clean up the poo with dust pan and broom everyday (I don't have hand vac).

For you who also have closed multilevel cage, how do you clean up the cage everyday?
 

bpatters

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how do you clean up the cage everyday?
With some difficulty. Each of my levels is 18 inches (45-46 cm), and the cage sits on a table that is about that high. I'm tall (5' 11"), and I can barely reach the back of the top level to scoop poop.

Three things may make it easier:

-- One, if you have to have a lid because you have animal such as cats, don't attach the top lid. If you can take it completely off for cleaning, instead of just folding it up, it's easier. Mine is attached, but won't fold all the way down because of the way I hinged it, so I can't reach into the cage from the back.

-- Two, whether your cage is on a table or on the floor, if it's on rollers, it's much easier to pull it out and reach into it from the back side. My next project is going to be rollers on my table.

-- Three, can you make it so that the front of the upper level folds down, so that you can get into it from the front instead of the top? That may be the project after the rollers for me, because the kids aren't tall enough to reach the top level, so I have to do all the cleaning up there. They're pretty good about keeping the bottom level clean, but it would be nicer (for me) if they could do the whole thing. :)
 

JennG

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My current cage is 6ft tall, 8ft long & 2ft deep and I'm 5'11". The top cage can be hard to reach in the corners but my piggies have a small step stool they like to hide under. I use this to reach the corners better w/out having to stand on my tip toes. That may help. Also investing in a hand vac may help as well. Not only to reach those corners but to make clean up quicker and easier for you.
 

fridzalone

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I have to make it closed cage because to make such a huge cage in my room, I have to get rid plenty of my things (table and some storage), and I'll use the tops of the cage to put some of my things. I think I will put some bricks under the cage so I can easily clean up, rollers maybe nice but I don't think I'm able to afford to build the cage plus rollers or table at the same time. And I'm Asian, so no wonder I'm pretty short (which makes it more difficult for me to reach the back of the cage). By make the grid 70x60 I was hoping I will be able to crawl inside the cage so I can clean the difficult spots, do you think it will help, or will it just be a waste?
 

bpatters

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You could certainly get in a 70x60 one-level cage. But you'll have to have a sturdy floor under it to hold youre weight if you put it up on bricks in order to have storage space.

What about making the front side(s) the door(s)? If it's a multi-level cage, you can always shoo the pigs to the other level to clean up, and that way you can reach all the way in. You wouldn't even have to make the whole side the door -- just enough of the grids to be able to reach all over the cage. I think there are pictures in the gallery here of cages with front doors.
 

fridzalone

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Wow, thanks for reminding me of my weight lol
I think I change my plan from with bricks to without bricks, leave the cage on the floor. Front side as a door is also my plan, and if I can make it stable when I open the cage, it could be another extra grids so I can pull half of the cage and clean them up without crawling inside the cage (I hope you get what I mean). And what I meant with multilevel is 2 separated cage (the bottom cage for the boars and the upper cage for the sows), so it's impossible to shoo them to the other level. But I think it will be nicer if I can make each cage have the upper level (maybe 70x70cm), do you think 60 cm will be enough to be divided into 2 levels or should I stay with 1 level/cage?
 

bpatters

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I'm not sure I'm understanding correctly how much room you think each level would have if you had two multi-level cages. 70x70 cm is only 5.29 square feet, and that's not even enough for one pig. So if that's the "big room" for each cage, then no, it's not big enough.

But one of your posts said that your grids are 70 cm, so if you make it bigger than 1 grid square, then yes, it might be big enough. Depends on whether the piggies have room to run.

Would you mind posting again the sizes of the configurations you're thinking of? Maybe I just haven't had enough coffee this morning...
 

fridzalone

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Okay I will explain it, and hopefully I explain it correctly (i'm not good at explaining things)

My grid measure will be 70x60 cm each. I will make it to 1x3 (with 2 grid on the other side) and 1x1 (it's an L-shaped) so they will have 1x4 (4 length and 2 width) or 180cmx140cm in L-shaped. And I will divide some part of the height (60cm) into two to make the upper level, I will use only 1 grid to make it easier to clean. But if it won't work, I won't make it into two level since one level is already big enough for 4 pigs. That's for the boars. And I will make another cage exactly the same size for my 3 sows, and put the sows cage above the boars cage. So the total height of both sows and boars cage will be 120 cm. My reason why I won't make the grid into 70x70cm because my height is only 150cm and it will make me difficult to reach top of the cage. :eye-poppi
 

bpatters

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You're doing fine at explaining, I'm just a little slow at getting it.

I think what you describe should work. But you might put it together loosely first (without reinforcing all the grids) just to see if you can reach into it and manage the pigs. If it works ok, then you can go back and nail everything down.

If you do make a 1 grid upper level halfway up the side, you might be able to get by without a ramp by putting a hidey where they can go from the floor to the top of the hidey to the upper level. That would give them more floor space.
 

fridzalone

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Me and my boyfriend decided to change the grid size to 80x60cm, and change the "will be cage" size into two 320x80 (L-shaped, 240x80 and 80x80) for my 4 boars and 3 sows. They will be happy because its pretty big for them, I'm really excited and can't wait to make the grids lol
 
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