Cage vacation home

Does your friends have kids or pets? If not it would be easier to grab a box of 9x9 hole grids from Bedbath and beyond and zip tie them into a run. You can use a shower curtain clipped to the grids for the base. I would also use bedding like carefresh so they do not have to wash fleece.

(broken link removed)

https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/showthread.php?t=86348

I think the dog playpen seems like a good idea. Although, I'm still trying to work on a solution for when I go on vacation this summer. Please let me know if this works well.

I would also make a care sheet for your friends, that includes vet contact and some basics. Just to be on the safe side.

That's quite expensive for the purpose.

If your friend doesn't have dogs or cats, you can make a cage from just coroplast. Make the sides are taller than regular C&C cage so the pigs won't jump out. You can use binder clips to hold the flaps together, and unclip them and fold the coro flat when not in use.


See this thread.
https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42577

lissie said:

That's quite expensive for the purpose.

If your friend doesn't have dogs or cats, you can make a cage from just coroplast. Make the sides are taller than regular C&C cage so the pigs won't jump out. You can use binder clips to hold the flaps together, and unclip them and fold the coro flat when not in use.


See this thread.
https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42577

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That's a great idea.

If you get a regular 4x8 ft sheet, it will make an equivalent of 2x5.5 grid cage with 10 inches wall. That's pretty big for a vacation home.

lunarminx said:

That's a great idea.

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I think so too. I haven't had the need to use it though.

@spudsthepiglet Thank you! I'm not actually going on vacation 'till July, so my feedback might not be in time to be useful for you - but if I go with that option I'll post feedback!

@everyone else - perhaps I should clarify. I wasn't looking for alternates - I understand there are some c&c options here, but I'm striving for something that will be a) easy/clear for friends to handle, b) highly transportable. But because I'm veering off the beaten path a tidge, I'd appreciate feedback from anyone who has tried this option - or from someone who can identify theoretical pig-issues I haven't thought up.

What kind of bedding do you plan to use in it?

It's possible for piggies to nibble holes in the mesh fabric and escape.

I second what @lissie said above. Beware of chewers,lol. I had a really nice pet carrier with mesh and in one trip to the vet (30mins) Dahlia managed to chew a significant hole on it.

lunarminx said:

Does your friends have kids or pets? If not it would be easier to grab a box of 9x9 hole grids from Bedbath and beyond and zip tie them into a run. You can use a shower curtain clipped to the grids for the base. I would also use bedding like carefresh so they do not have to wash fleece.

(broken link removed)

https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/showthread.php?t=86348

Click to expand...

This is exactly what I did (except I put fleece as the bedding) when I dropped my pigs off with a pig sitter for a week. They had plenty of space and it's so easy to transport the grids. If they are ziptied together, all you need are 2 velcro wire ties to wrap around the top and bottom of the folded up grids to keep them together and throw it in the trunk. I even fold up the plastic tablecloth and push that between the middle of the tied up grids so that it's all in one big transportable piece. Pigs were just fine.

lissie said:

It's possible for piggies to nibble holes in the mesh fabric and escape.

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That is why I suggest using fleece and not carefresh as the bedding over the plastic. You can also clip the fleece with the plastic to the bottom of the grids and then they can't eat through the plastic. BTDT and "Reeses' Great Escape" was the last one I will ever allow. lol <3

NJPKL said:

That is why I suggest using fleece and not carefresh as the bedding over the plastic. You can also clip the fleece with the plastic to the bottom of the grids and then they can't eat through the plastic. BTDT and "Reeses' Great Escape" was the last one I will ever allow. lol <3

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I wasn't responding to the post about using plastic to cover the floor.

I meant to say the pigs could chew on the mesh door of the Amazon dog playpen that the OP linked to in the first post.

Edit to add:
The OP is not looking for alternate solution and asked for potential issue with the dog playpen, so I was pointing out about the chewing.

@lunarminx - whenever friends take care of the pigs, I use paper bedding (I'm a fan of Kaytee's Clean & Cozy) so they don't have to deal with rigorous spot cleaning (my boys are pretty good about using their litter box for most of their messes, so I just ask friends to dump & refill that every couple days). Though, per chewing comments, I may consider a fleece lining - if I put bedding on top of fleece, it should be able to go a week between full cleanings.

@lissie - excellent point, and honestly why I was hoping someone might have tried this one before. I know piggies can be safely maintained by materials they could otherwise chew through if there's no point for them to "start"/get their teeth around - historically I've had generations of pig companions fare well in temporary cardboard homes during moves/etc and never had an escape. In the Amazon pictures it looks like the stitch flaps might be on the outside - which would make sense, as it'd be a point of vulnerability for chewing dogs as well - but the picture isn't high enough resolution to be certain. Unfortunately, this particular product/brand (which I like for size + having top and bottom) I hadn't been able to find in local stores. I suppose if stitch points aren't innately protected, I could throw in some fleece to create a smooth anti-nibbling surface? Or... Are the holes in the mesh itself large enough for pigs to get their teeth in to start? That would certainly kill the deal.

@MrsSuzy - did Dahlia chew from a possibly-exposed edge, or were the mesh holes themselves wide enough for her to get teeth in?

No, surprisingly not. The carrier was on canvas cloth with mesh windows. Somehow she managed to get her teeth into it and chew. But like I said, the other two never touched it.

lissie said:

I wasn't responding to the post about using plastic to cover the floor.

I meant to say the pigs could chew on the mesh door of the Amazon dog playpen that the OP linked to in the first post.

Edit to add:
The OP is not looking for alternate solution and asked for potential issue with the dog playpen, so I was pointing out about the chewing.

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Ah didn't realize the original poster was talking about the doggie playpen. Well it's good advice anyway. Hope it helps someone out there in their happy trails!

If you already have an excersize pen, you could use that and a shower curtain and save money. Plus they are easy to transport.