Upper Levels To Loft or not to loft?

I've had both and prefer the no loft. I've had 4 different set ups: 2x6 with 2x1 loft, 2x7 with 1x7 loft, 2x7 with a 2x2 loft and 2x7 no loft. I find the no loft easier to clean and my girls do more laps with the no loft set up.

Ditto. Have had both, and have gotten rid of the loft. Easier to clean, easier to reach them, etc.

It depends. A kitchen area makes ALL the difference when using fleece in the main cage. And if the kitchen area happens to be a loft, it's still preferable.
My pigs enjoy their loft & I like the exercise they get from running up & down, as well as the break they get from one another when one pig is upstairs & the other downstairs.
What I dislike is how hard it is to clean & reach in with a ramp, and how dark it is under the loft. The ramp also takes up running space & everything looks a lot bigger when I take the loft out.

So kitchen areas are worth it no matter what, but it may be better to add them to the main cage instead of a loft if you have the space.
It also took quite some time for my pigs to use the ramp, they wouldn't use it at all until it was completely covered. Pig's aren't natural climbers.

Thanks guys. I think I will stick with one level as that is what they are used to and they have been with me for almost 3 years now. I was just curious if others thought a loft would be better for them and it seems like it isn't worth it judging by the replies. Thanks again. I really appreciate it!

My 3 old girls have a 2x5 with a 2x3 loft. I love it. Yes, it's hard for me to bend over to clean underneath (the 2x3 is offset) but I've been using a vacuum with a long handle. But my three girls love it. I usually find Kitty up there, but sometimes it will be Emma. And when I'm pigsitting I just close the ramp and put the pigsitting pigs in the top cage!

I love having lofts. I have one in my girls and foster boys cage. The girls really like running up and down their ramp. I put all their beds on their top floor and keep the bottom open for running. In the boys cage I do the same. Litter pan and beds on top floor. I didn't want the ramp taking up space so I made their ramp like this
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The loft in my girls cage doesn't make it any harder to clean or catch piggies but it is up higher so there is more space between levels. I can also step into the girls cage. It does make it a bit harder to clean the boys cage but I think its worth it.

Well, if you think about it, a 2x10 with a separate kitchen area shortens their running space to 8 grids. If you put a 2x2 loft, all they have to do is run around the ramp but they have 10 grids on the bottom (which is awesome)! I have a 2x6 with a 1x2 loft but need a 2x2 if I want to turn it into the kitchen area...it's just too tight up there with 2 boars to rely on it being the food source. I'm about to add a 2x2 loft where the one section is hanging on the outside of the cage, I've seen it done with proper support and it doesn't make the cleaning more difficult as the entire thing over the cage would be.

As for the ramp, I would recommend thinking about it coming from the middle of the loft down to the main level, this way you're not taking up lap area. My boys just move the ramp to the side so it's always crooked, I wish it were it in the middle.

@mmas4 Is that a piggy bedspread in your cage? Do you like it?

@SeeSpotSit They would have a 2x10 either way. If the kitchen is on the main level, the cage would be expanded to a 2x12 to accommodate.

Oh wow! Well how about that for a huge cage! I guess the only thing to add is, if your pigs will go up the ramp it is good exercise. But I would probably just go with the 2x12, even though I love lofts.

All piggies are different, but here is what I encountered with my loft:

They loved running up and down, so that was never an issue. I had the kitchen up top, but then they decided that it was fun to go under the loft to the very back corner and potty there. So there I am, climbing/reaching back under this 2x2 area to constantly clean out the poo. I ended up putting a litter pan back there then, too, since they opted for a second bathroom, so suddenly I was left wondering what I had really gained other than a new tricky spot to clean.

I also found that my daughter could no longer just walk around the edge of the cage and reach in to pet the pigs. The potential to slip while leaning over was not a risk I wanted to take. She spends lots of time sitting next to the cage, petting them and feeding them treats, so the one level really works well for us.

I have an offset 2x3 loft over my 2x7 and I love it. I would go for a 2x3 or even 2x4 loft is you can swing it. Only the 2x2 is over my cage, the 1x2 sits onto my desk.

I LOVE my kitchen. Cleaning the cage is now a billion times easier.

Just because I'm me,

What about a 2x12 with a 2x4 loft?

That would be rad

cfoster1966 said:

@mmas4 Is that a piggy bedspread in your cage? Do you like it?

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Thats not my cage but my ramp is just like that so I used it as an example.

I have what some might call a bed spread and I like it

@spy9doc Yes! I also love how you've moved the ramp in a bit with protection. I will definitely do that with my new loft! How do you plan on supporting the extra grid width for the new loft?