New Cage with Ramp

I don't know if it's the light reflecting in the pic, but it looks almost like they glued coroplast strips onto the ramp for traction. If that's what they did, it will get dirty on the inside of the coro, and be impossible to clean. What about clipping fleece over it? I would think they would have great traction then. If the ramp itself is made of coro, it won't hold up very long, and I would think it would feel unstable to the piggies. Yes, it definitely needs sides, and I think the ramp is supposed to be 2 grids long. This ramp looks a little short, so it would be too steep. About the safety of the cage, I think it needs to be baby proofed for piggies 9 and 12 weeks old so they don't climb or get their heads stuck in the grids. So if you buy 1 box of grids for the ramp sides, use the others to overlap the side grids and make the openings smaller. You can remove it when they get older. Hope this helps.

Yes!! Defanitly add sides, Im not too sure if it is safe, try sliding the "steps" if they move I suggest removing that one and look at the gallery, see if you like any of the ideas. Also, you would have to extend the ramp, maybe try adding more coroplast to the ends. You would need to baby proof, maybe add chicken wire around the cage? Hope I helped!

-sarica

I am using JUST a plastic tube for a ramp between cages with supports underneath, and it works fine and the piggies love it. I would use a plastic tube (they sell extendable ones at most pet stores) and lay it overtop of that ramp in the picture.

I would certainly not use that ramp for any small pet. My girls like to "share" the ramp and that would end badly...

Heres what I suggest you do. Keep the ramp they made and sew (if you know how) or even just binder clip some sort of fleece covering. An old towel under a piece of fleece works great for traction on a ramp.
Once you have traction done, bend 3 grids in half as close as you can to the middle. With 2 of the grids bent, zip tie them to one another to make a rectangle type thing. With the third grid, attach it to them to make a ramp. You really only need sides on the top portion of the ramp as it will be at most 6 inches off the ground which is completely safe. The ramp will be the perfect steepness, very sturdy, and safe.

you could always make a safer ramp by adding grid tunnels around it

Thanks everyone. I didn't even think about baby proofing. I thought that was for baby piggies. I guess 3 months is still considered baby. Still have lots to learn, but enjoying the process.

Definitely gonna browse MORE pictures through the photo galleries and see what I can do with this ramp. I need a visual to go with the instructions. I did a search for "grid tunnel" and lots of pictures came up. I like the idea of the enclosure and still being able to see them. We'll see what I can find. Thanks again!

spy9doc said:

I know that many of you made ramps out of bent grids, but I didn't like them at all. Certainly economical, but I thought them ugly and they took up too much room in a 2x4 cage. Plus I had difficulty bending any two to be an exact match. Nah, no perfectionism here. :sarcastic

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I never said anything about them looking nice haha I agree with you. I think C&C cages are ugly so it doesn't bother me much to have a ramp.

But you sound like me, it bothers me until it's done perfectly. I eventually got my grids to match almost exactly though.

And everyone says a ramp takes up a grid of running space and such. Well, I just arrange their accessories in a way that they still zoom around and under the ramp with no issues. It's also elevated on a brick an inch.

zoenanai said:

Thanks everyone. I didn't even think about baby proofing. I thought that was for baby piggies. I guess 3 months is still considered baby. Still have lots to learn, but enjoying the process.

Definitely gonna browse MORE pictures through the photo galleries and see what I can do with this ramp. I need a visual to go with the instructions. I did a search for "grid tunnel" and lots of pictures came up. I like the idea of the enclosure and still being able to see them. We'll see what I can find. Thanks again!

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One of my piggies can get her head through the squares of my grids and she weighs around 400g and is approximately 4/5 months old, so I had to baby proof. As far as the ramp is concerned there's no way I'd let mine use it, I've learned the hard way just how short a fall it takes to do serious damage, that same piggie who can get her head through the grids jumped form 14 inches (that's just the height of your ramp and the height of 1 grid), she is now slowly recovering from surgery to repair a badly broken thigh bone, please take no chances, everyone wants their cage to look good, but safety has got to come first.

@M.and.F.Piggies - I knew from this picture that I could not use that ramp how it is. It scared me just looking at it...lol! It should be here Monday, so I have time to get ideas and gather supplies. I was up until after midnight browsing pictures on here. I found some really good ideas. I don't think I'm going to go with using a grid though because they are still small. I also found good baby proofing ideas.

Thanks for the advice everyone! You really don't realize how much you need to know until you start reading what others have experienced. Thankful for this forum.

That ramp definitely needs sides. If the far end is against the outside grids, then you only need to maybe add a grid on the other side but it needs some kind of sides.

Also, yes babyproofing is a good idea.

Got the cage set up today and started baby-proofing. I was unsure of what exactly to use, then remembered I had bought these plastic fences and they seem to work well to block the squares. I've started them on the areas where they have the most access to reach higher from the bedding (kitchen and litter box). Does this seem ok? I'll have to go get more tomorrow. Thanks!

Kitchen area


It worked well to cover that extra open space the grid didn't cover as well.


Lower level above litter box


Up close - above litter box


From the outside of kitchen area

I love your fleece! I bought it in remembrance of my best friend who just died so it is my favorite fleece! I just cleaned my cage and put the scooby doo one down!

Oh and yeah, it looks great from what I can see! Good job

I got the same cage off eBay! Love it.. But I did baby proof the ramp. I used 4 grids.. Cut two for the bottom.. Overlapped them and used a lot of zip ties. And for the top I bent two more in a tunnel shape.. Very slowly (I snapped one). Then I used a file.. Sanded down the rough edges.. Which are against the wall but did it to be safer I made the top go over the bottom base by one square and it sits on the top level. It is zip tied too! Lots of zip ties and some patients.. I also covered the coroplast with fleece and I can slide it out to clean my baby piggies are loving it! hope this helps!