My pigs are jumping out of cage

Shekinah · Aug 26, 2011

I have had 3 piggies for about 8 months now. They have never tried to get out of their cage before. It's 6X2 with an extra L shape on the end of 1x2. A few days ago, my husband came home to find one of the pigs sitting right beside the cage on the outside of it. She was scared and let him put her right back in. I was very confused. Nothing was damaged or flipped over, and none of the pigs can fit through the grid spaces.

Today I came in to feed them breakfast, and I only saw two pigs in the cage. I looked everywhere for the third and found her hiding underneath the stand where I keep their food and stuff. I have NO IDEA how they are getting out or why. She took a little bit to coax out and get her back in, but then I saw her make a dash for the corner and jump/climb up the grid where I have a tea towel binder-clipped over the corner as a mini roof/decoration. I'm assuming that's how she jumped out before, as it seemed very natural for her to attempt that. I gasped, "no!" And she stopped and ran back to hide in her pigloo.

I am worried and don't know what's going on that they are wanting to escape after all this time having no issues. I'm wondering if maybe they feel they don't have enough places to hide? I have three hidies, one for each of them, but maybe they want a little more? It's just so weird. Has anyone else had this issue? Everything I read on here when I went to build the cage 8 months ago always said they love their homes and won't want to get out. I'm really scared they are going to get hurt or get somewhere I won't be able to retrieve them. I'm going to buy another box of grids and double up the height, I think.

lissie · Aug 26, 2011

Have they been fighting? I had one of my boys climbed out of and intro area (built with grids). He was scared of the other pigs, he climbed onto a litter box and jumped out.

CavySpirit · Aug 26, 2011

That's a new one on me. Climbing up a towel tent.

They love towel tents, so rather than removing them, I'd get a few extra grids and cable tie them to the corners where you have the towel tents, just extending the height of the wall a bit so she can't climb over.

It will stop the habit and you can probably remove them in a month or less.

Shekinah · Aug 26, 2011

I'm not sure if they have been fighting or not. They seem normal, but who knows what they were doing while I was sleeping, ha.

I'll add some extra height for sure

Thanks!

LightningPig1 · Aug 26, 2011

This happened with Thunder. Brownie would trap him in the corner and Thunder would get so scared he would jump/climb out and escape! I was so worried when it happend so I just zip tied two grids in the corners so that it was two grids high just in the corner like CavySpirit said. It worked fine and never happened again.

faye_arv · Aug 26, 2011

How high should the sides be so they can't escape? I'm building a cage and no one has answered this question for me

CavySpirit · Aug 26, 2011

faye_arv said:
How high should the sides be so they can't escape? I'm building a cage and no one has answered this question for me

If you are building a C&C Cage, then just stick with the standards you see here. The walls are all about 14" high, the size of one grid, but the plastic only goes up 6 inches.

Shekinah · Aug 26, 2011

Ya, I have been home with them all day keeping an eye out, and they seem to be pushing each other around more than usual. They're probably just fighting a bit.

I fixed their cage up and also added a "fleece forest" in the opposite corner as well as a new tunnel. They seem so intrigued running back and forth through them both. I think it'll keep them more occupied for a little while anyway than trying to jump out.

Thanks for the re-assurance that it isn't anything too serious.

faye_arv · Aug 27, 2011

CavySpirit said:
If you are building a C&C Cage, then just stick with the standards you see here. The walls are all about 14" high, the size of one grid, but the plastic only goes up 6 inches.

We don't have C&C cages here :-( It's going to be all from scratch although I"m looking at my options...so 14" is a good height for a cage?

Thank you,

Faye

kathlaaron · Aug 27, 2011

Yes ! Normally, 14 inches is the perfect height. Ohhh man, I am sorry that they don't have C&C cages there in Greece.:sad: Do you think that hardware stores or department stores in your area sell storage cubes and zip ties ?

faye_arv · Aug 27, 2011

Sorry, I may have made a mistake...what are C&C cages? I meant that they don't sell storage cubes, (the square mesh wire that you connect any which way you want)...zip ties we have. I've thought of making a simple frame (like a book case laying down without the shelves) with thin wood so it won't be heavy and adding bunny wire to complete the 14 inches. They also have a plastic here that comes in long sheets that is (ridged) I don't know the correct word for it...anyway, you cut half way through this plastic and bend it to make the bottom of the cage and the sides then add the bunny wire to add height. I also talked to me dad and he says that there is a company that makes cages near where he works, he's going to talk to them on Monday and see what comes out of that. I've found rabbit cages that are 1x0,40 and 0,3 m height but they are all wire cages and closed at the top...I like the personal touch. I trying to do the best for my girls

The suspense is killing me, it's Saturday and I have to wait till Monday morning...Ugh!!!

kathlaaron · Aug 27, 2011

Well the C&C cages are made with "grids" also known here as "storage cubes" and they are heavy wire square grids that need to have 9 squares across and down. These can be found here in the U.S.A at some department or hardware type stores. The "mesh" type of storage cubes can also be used, but I feel, it is harder for the piggies to see outside of their cage environment. So do you have department or hardware stores that carry the grid type of storage cubes ? ( 9 squares across and down)

The kind of plastic that you are talking about is called coroplast, and that is the base which we many of us use for inside their cage. What does the bunny wire look like ? Do you mean like chicken wire ? Could you post a photo of what kind of wire you were thinking of using, I am just wondering if it would be safe for them...

Just thinking outloud here....If you are thinking about using a bookcase...you wouldn't need grids/storage cubes/bunny wire if the bookcase is deep enough( like at least 14 inches) therefore, sides high enough, you would only need the coroplast, I would think.

Though, finding a way to attach the water bottles may take a little bit of ingenuity. However, if the top needs to be closed due to other young children/dogs/cats then this bookcase idea would not work, there would not be enough air circulation or ventilation. If your piggies don't get enough air circulation, it creates the "perfect storm" for germs to breed and illnesses to develop. So, keep that in mind when building your castle for your sweet piggies, o.k. ?

I look forward to piggy and cage pictures ! Good luck !

faye_arv · Aug 27, 2011

Unfortunately the grid type storage cubes haven't reached Greece yet :-( Chicken wire is softer and closer together than bunny wire. Bunny wire is safer, tougher than chicken wire. I'll attach pic. I don't intend to use a bookcase I was trying to explain the frame idea.
This is bunny wire : Google Images

I was given some very good ideas, I like something like this (see pics towards the bottom):

https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/europe-asia/63954-good-morning-greece.html#post563890

I would like to say that I have been to many different types of forums, for bunnies, for hamsters, for turtles and now for guinea pigs...this is the first time I have seen such elaborate doll house like cages! They are all so beautiful!!

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My pigs are jumping out of cage

Shekinah

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CavySpirit

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Shekinah

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faye_arv

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CavySpirit

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Shekinah

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