Possible Floor Plan

Okay, given the input I received in my prior post, I think I have a solution that will benefit all three piggies when I build my C&C cage.

I'm going to do three 2x4 compartments at first, with the actual dimensions of the structure at 4x6. Napoleon's compartment will be perpendicular to the girls' compartments - side by side in preparation for being reunited. I thought this would be the most sane use of grids, since Napoleon's 2-grid-high wall then is only 4 grids long. Each compartment will also have a 1x2 grid loft at one end, with Katty & Princess at the end farthest from Napoleon. I'm thinking I'll put a roof on Napoleon's loft, too, just to be safe.

For the ramps, I'll use the bendable logs (fiddlesticks?). They're used to those being around already, and they're pretty safe to boot. I'll put Princess' and Katonia's ramps right next to each other.

I thought that each loft would be fine with just two supporting grids - one in between the two floor grids, and one across the front of the grid beside the ramp (so piggies can go in under the ramp but not beside it, if that makes any sense). Then I thought that the enclosed space under the loft (it's going to be 1x1) would be wasted if I left it empty, so I was thinking I could leave the outside grid "open" - like a door - and put their timothy hay in there every day.

Does any of this even make sense?

At some point, probably while Napoleon's still recovering from his surgery (which he will hopefully be getting at the end of the month), I'll take out the dividing wall between Princess & Katonia, so they can get used to living together in wide open spaces again. At this time, the floor plan will not change at all.

Once Napoleon's certified "safe" for the girls, I'll change the floor plan by taking out his dividing wall and making one big loft for them all to share.

For the big loft, I thought I would leave the girls' now 1x4 loft and just move Napoleon's loft over. There would then be two parts (not separated from each other at all): one 2x2 and one 1x2. The ramp would be on the inside grid of the 1x2 part. The piggies would still be able to run around under the loft via the space under the ramp, but again some of said under-loft space would be sectioned off to hold hay.

With this design, I leave myself enough grids at the end to be able to put in a divider and re-create Napoleon's isolation section when Princess gets spayed. There's also enough left to build a whole other cage if I needed one (I shouldn't - I have three store-bought cages right now).

I currently have two igloos and one set of logs (fiddlesticks). When I build the C&C cage, I'm going to get another igloo and two more logs, of course.

I also have two larger water bottles and one smaller bottle; a bunch of those resin dishes (I used to think getting a new guinea pig gave me free license to buy new bowls... what a waste of money); a wire in-cage hay rack; and a plastic out-of-cage hay rack. I also have a corner litter box.

I think I'm good for water bottles, and I'll use the hay racks for their veggies. Princess prefers to use the litter box, so I'll put it in a corner in her compartment and just move it a bit when I open things up to includ Napoleon. Maybe Princess will teach Nappy and Katty how to be more polite about "doing their business".

I'll keep the igloos on the bottom floor and feed them in the loft, except for their hay - lots of people apparently put the food in the loft to encourage exercise, and I think that's important! But I'll keep the igloos on the main level, because Princess in particular has a penchant for flipping them. (She then runs around like a crazy woman when I go to fix it for her, apparently trying to figure out why she can't hide.)

This is long, so I'll shut up now. Just looking for some more ideas or suggestions for setup and structure!

I spent half an hour looking for coroplast today, at a hardware store, and couldn't find any. I'll have to try a sign store next.

-Janna & the triplets