C&C Extending my cage...

I have seen many other cages on site that have a tub of sorts for the "kitchen" area. I don't see why it wouldn't work.

*I am no expert on guineapigs and a new owner myself so please don't take just my advice* =]

You don't need to buy new coroplast. New 1x2 box from existing coro should work fine. Make sure there's no gap between the new box and the old box. You wouldn't want to have pee and poo stuck between the boxes. I learned that the hard way.

Ah. So if I tie the boxes or zap strap the two together tightly it should be fine? Or will I have to seal the gap with silicone?

You can overlap the coroplast by a little bit and then secure it with packing tape or duct tape.

Two pigs (especially males) should have a full 2x4 area to run around in. I wouldn't section off anything into a kitchen area unless it's going to be a 2x4 running space plus a 1x2 kitchen.

I don't have room for a full 2x4. It isn't physically possible to fit that length in my room D:

If I made the addition so there wasn't any door to it and it was just added in and attached, would that be fine? They could use the full space by running in an L-shape...

If you cant fit a full 2x4 than how about a 3x3? (I am assuming your exhisting cage is a 2x3) 2x3 is kind of small for 2 guinea pigs let alone 3 especially if they are males. Males need more room than females. A 3x3 would be a good size for 3 guinea pigs. Another great way to do it is go to local walmart/pet store and buy 2-3 litterboxes (one for each piggy at least) The smallest size works great for me. They are about $2 at my walmart. I put in carefresh, shredded paper, compressed paper pellets like yesterdays news, compressed wood pellets, aspen, and/or any combination. Then top with hay. I clean it everyday or every other and fill it with hay when empty. That way they have their poop pee and eat spot plus have lots of space to run around.

I'm only going to have 2 piggies. xD Did I make a typo somewhere?

I will have 2 males in a 2x3 with a 1x2 extension for their beds/food/hay/water. So essentially a 3x3 but with one cube missing because i don't have enough stuff.

that sounds fine, right?

Oh! I just BARELY have room for a 2x4. Good thing I got rid of my old dresser this morning.

For two males you need at least a 2x4 of space for running. They really can't have any less, and some males actually need a 2x5 or more. If you don't give them this space, they are likely to fight, especially during puberty. A 3x3 is bigger than a 2x4, so you can do a 3x3 instead of a 2x4 if you prefer.

After you have that, you can add a kitchen onto it. So you could do a 3x3 plus a kitchen or a 2x4 plus a kitchen, which would make an L shape. Or you could add the kitchen as a loft instead of an add on to the main level. If you don't have room for this, then don't make a sectioned off kitchen area. Just have a 2x4 or a 3x3 with food, hideys, etc. in the middle so the pigs can run around the edges.

Bah, this is all so complicated. I don't have enough grids, space, or coroplast to make a 2x5. And not enough grids or coroplast to make even one grid of a second floor. Not too sure I want to spend another $35 on a box of grids so I can use 3 of them.

But if I don't get another piggy my Stanley will be sad and lonely forever.

Could I do something with a kitchen area like, in a box (Or 2 boxes, one for each pig) in teh center with running space being around them?

Oh options, whatever happened to you.

A separate kitchen is really not necessary. Just make a 2x4 (or 3x3) cage--each is 12 grids. Then put as many things in the middle as you can. Towel tents will help save space too, and the pigs love them.

In the future if you have the space and grids you can add on a separate kitchen area very easily.

I recomend a 3x3 over a 2x4, way more space. In fact a 3x3 is almost equal to a 2x5, it's 12.25 sq ft, Which tops the 10.5 sq ft of a 2x4.

I want to have a kitchen area though because my Stanley enjoys jumping in his food dish, flipping it over and spreading the food around everywhere. I'd rather that mess contained in one area xD

For now a 2x4 is all I have enough supplies for. I'm one grid (And a bunch of coroplast) short for a 3x3 and NEED to have the roof completely covered in case my cats get in to the room that the pigs are in. Stanley is definitely not fully grown yet so maybe I ill completely rebuild the cage if they seem to outgrow it later in the year, but a 2x4 will have to do for now. They will get PLENTY of floor time and I just finished completely piggy proofing my room.

A 2x4 is fine for now(in fact technically it's fine forever), But Bigger is always(or whenever possible, in your case) better!

Llamasomething said:

I want to have a kitchen area though because my Stanley enjoys jumping in his food dish, flipping it over and spreading the food around everywhere. I'd rather that mess contained in one area xD

For now a 2x4 is all I have enough supplies for. I'm one grid (And a bunch of coroplast) short for a 3x3 and NEED to have the roof completely covered in case my cats get in to the room that the pigs are in. Stanley is definitely not fully grown yet so maybe I ill completely rebuild the cage if they seem to outgrow it later in the year, but a 2x4 will have to do for now. They will get PLENTY of floor time and I just finished completely piggy proofing my room.

Click to expand...

I understand that a kitchen area is nice (I have one), but it's not essential. It is essential that they have enough space.

A 2x4 and a 3x3 take the exact same number of grids (unless you were going to use them for a lid too, which I wouldn't do since there are better options), so I don't know why you say you don't have enough grids for a 3x3. I suggest you draw everything out.

Younger pigs need as much or more space as older ones--it has nothing to do with outgrowing it. A 2x4 is fine, but don't section off part of it for a kitchen or you risk having problems with them getting along.

I use them for a lid as well. I had limited funding, and using linen shelves costed more, and seemed impractical because if I wanted to extend my cage (Like I am now) the shelves would be too small for a lid.

&Okay. It's partially sectioned off right now while I have my one young pig, and I'll remove the coroplast sticking out so that it's completely open before I get my second pig. I have enough scraps that I can make 2 small boxes to put in the center of the cage to contain the food dishes/litter areas for them with plenty of space for running laps around them.

Thanks for your help!

I JUST HAD A BRILLIANT IDEA.

If I still had my kitchen area sectioned off, but instead of a door only in the center I had tunnels going on each side next to the walls, and then the door in the center with my box of hay accessible from both sides (So basically a bunch of tunnels) that would allow them to run laps through the kitchen area allowing them to have a 2x4 running space, but still have that section to keep all of the food in?