Grids I am seriously done with grids!

I don't really have an issue with mine, do you use connectors too? That might help keep it a bit more sturdy.. I use the connectors and I zip tie the heck out of everything, and it's quite sturdy. The only thing that's a bit annoying is my top but it's still safe. My chloroplast is quite high on the sides so my pig doesn't really have any contact with the grids so I don't worry about her getting stuck or anything.

I've never heard of a zip tie snapping -- they're just about the toughest things on the planet.

And if you put them together with the spacer joints and zip ties, they're really pretty sturdy and not at all wobbly. How do you have yours fastened?

Agreed with jade_14 I use connectors and tons of zip tyes and I have a double cage on a stand. Maybe you need to upgrade to a better zip tye if they are breaking.

You do have to use the thicker zip ties. They usually come in the 6 or 8 inch length. If you're using the 4 inch ties, those are too small, IMO. Otherwise, I think the grids are a bit wobbly when they are stacked, so I used the white wire shelving. It's more expensive, but I feel it can withstand my 20 pound+ cat, if he decides to investigate, or a regular dog (not something totally determined). Someone had said they used a drop of high temp hot glue up inside the connectors, and she felt that made it much more sturdy, so maybe that would help you. Can you post a pic? Maybe we can see something else that can help.

9x9 grids are not that hard to find.

Sears and Walmart offer free shipping to your local store when you buy online.

Whitmor White Wire Storage Cubes, Four Cubes Interlocked - Walmart.com

Floor Standing 6-Cube Storage Unit- Stor-For the Home-Storage-Garage

Amazon also offers free shipping. (At least mine is, I have Amazon Prime.)
(broken link removed)

Ditto @bpatters, I've never heard of zip ties breaking...hmm...I've heard of people just using really high (14 in. I'm guessing) coroplast instead of grids. However, that would have very poor ventilation.'

What about a plywood and plexiglass cage? See here for some more alternatives: Alternative Cages - Guinea Pig Cage Photos

I have a mix of grids and wire shelving and my cage isn't wobbly at all. My first cage was crappy, but adding the wire shelving and using heavy duty zip ties made it better.

Zip ties come in different grades. The thinner ones will break. If you have more than one level, you need to have grids under each level and some sort of I-beam under the top level to keep it secure. If you do both of those things, your cage will be very sturdy and secure.

Yeah I got some better zip ties...I use the connectors too. I've had this cage for a couple of years now...honestly I just am done with it. I never have liked the way they look in the first place. I'm thinking I'm going to build a hutch for them with drawers, two levels, and swinging plexi glass doors with vent holes...the back and sides and top would be wood with some tiny holes drilled for air, and then I'd make the front all plexi glass with larger vent holes...then a cut out in the foor for easy cleaning...

I don't like how wobbly grids are even with tons of zip ties, so I use closet shelving. Because the bars are vertical my piggies don't chew on the bars as much and the gaps are smaller so it's more escape proof.

charliespet said:

Yeah I got some better zip ties...I use the connectors too. I've had this cage for a couple of years now...honestly I just am done with it. I never have liked the way they look in the first place. I'm thinking I'm going to build a hutch for them with drawers, two levels, and swinging plexi glass doors with vent holes...the back and sides and top would be wood with some tiny holes drilled for air, and then I'd make the front all plexi glass with larger vent holes...then a cut out in the foor for easy cleaning...

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Do what works best with you! Owing guinea pigs should be enjoyable, not a pain in the rear!

If you use connectors instead of zip ties, the cage isn't wobbly at all. It's VERY sturdy. And zip ties snapping? I can hardly even cut the durn things when I WANT to get them off. I need to use kitchen shears and even then, it's a project.

I use connectors, zip ties and I screw the whole frame to a piece of plywood. Just put a screw in the hole in the connectors. I even travelled with the girls in a 2 x 3 C&C cage in the back of our Rav 4. I had to raise up one end to make it level, but other than that it worked great. Her door was wide enough so we just carried the cage guinea pigs and all from the car to our daughter's house. The 3/8 " plywood holds everything together.

Yeah I think there are some great ways to improve the cage, I just don't like grids. I'm looking forward to making an alternative cage soon, something thats more compact and higher up, easier to move, etc....

I found some weird grids the other day at Petco:

Petco Premium Guinea Pig Playpen at PETCO

Not sure how well they hold up, but the bar spacing is smaller than regular grids.

LifeAsItMayBe said:

I found some weird grids the other day at Petco:

Petco Premium Guinea Pig Playpen at PETCO

Not sure how well they hold up, but the bar spacing is smaller than regular grids.

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This looks interesting. I'll have to go take a gander. I do enjoy building cages too tho...I built them for my pets growing up as well. I'm hoping to make their next cage with wheels so I can move it around the house to change thier persepective...

Here is a crude diagram of my hutch I'm planning to build, the front will be clear plexi glass that swings out like french door for each side. Holes will be drilled for air. There will be an upper and lowerl level, each side will be 4 x 2 or 4x2.5 and the center will be removable for when I get the boars nuetered. The coroplast is the blue area...it will have a cleaing flap, and the plywood bottom will have a latched cleaning door for easy cleaning. Back will be solid, the sides may have windows...

With plexiglass on two levels, I don't think you'd have enough ventilation on the bottom level, even with holes drilled. The top is open so the upper level might not be as bad.

charliespet said:

Here is a crude diagram of my hutch I'm planning to build, the front will be clear plexi glass that swings out like french door for each side. Holes will be drilled for air. There will be an upper and lowerl level, each side will be 4 x 2 or 4x2.5 and the center will be removable for when I get the boars nuetered. The coroplast is the blue area...it will have a cleaing flap, and the plywood bottom will have a latched cleaning door for easy cleaning. Back will be solid, the sides may have windows...View attachment 27214View attachment 27215View attachment 27216

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I was wondering if you could use wire shelving for the front instead of plexiglass? Just a thought.


I love the happy piggy pictures!