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GPigMom34 · Jan 10, 2018

Stella is the first guinea pig that I got. Unfortunately I didn't do much research about adoption and got her from a pet store. She came home with a UTI (she's perfectly healthy now, thanks to my amazing vet). I affectionately call her my genetic screw up because of her extra toe on each back foot. She's a polydactyl.

Flower came a few months later. She was abandoned in a local pet store, the employees found her running around loose on the sales floor. My sister and Mom and Dad adopted her and surprised me with her. She's called Flower after the skunk in the movie Bambi, because of her black and white coloring.

I will have been a slave to Stella for 2 years in February 2018. And I will have been a slave to Flower for 2 years in July 2018.

Stella is a tri-colored (white, brown, and black) Abyssinian, and Flower is a black and white Abyssinian thought I would not be surprised to find that there is some silky in her too, her fur is so soft and sleek in some spots, especially her rump.

My girls are currently living in a Midwest cage with fleece bedding and puppy pads underneath. However, I am in the process of ordering a C&C cage. It will be 2x4 with a 2x2 loft. I've already ordered new fleece for bedding and a top/lid. I chose a mesh top/lid from piggybedding.com because I liked that it was not made from metal and could be opened up quite easily. It's only going to be on when I am not home as a precaution against the cat from getting too friendly in case someone accidentally let's her into my room.

Has anyone tried this type of lid before? If so how did it work out?

Also, has anyone put the coroplast together using a hot glue gun? How did that work for you in the long run? Was it better than tape?

GPigMom34 · Jan 10, 2018

This is the lid I am referring to, but they make one for the type of cage I'm getting with a loft.

spy9doc · Jan 10, 2018

GPigMom34 said:
Also, has anyone put the coroplast together using a hot glue gun? How did that work for you in the long run? Was it better than tape?

Your girls are adorable! I can't speak to the mesh top as I couldn't find a website of that name.

A high-temperature hot glue gun is probably my favorite craft tool, and especially for cage construction. You can put a drop or two of hot glue at every junction of cage and cage connector which makes for a really sturdy cage. In the event that you choose to remodel the cage, I have found that I destroy very few connectors when dismantling the cage and these can be purchased online without the grids.

The glue gun is invaluable in putting the coroplast sections together. If you have the need to cut your own coro, the hot glue is very good to fill in those too deep cuts or other mistakes. Just be sure that you are ready to make a permanent structure because there are NO second chances with hot glue. That's the negative of using it......one can't take it apart to remodel.

The positives of using the hot glue are that the finished product is more esthetically pleasing without using tape.......and your piggies can't chew any exposed tape, the seams will be waterproof and prevent leaking, and the structure is sturdy. The negatives are that the structure is permanent......no redo or remodeling at a future date. When using the glue gun, be careful not to actually touch the coro or you will melt it! Put the tip of the glue gun very close to the coro and drop a bead of glue on it. I find that using a wooden tongue depressor is a great tool for spreading the glue. You can find them under another name in crafts stores like JoAnn's or Michaels.

There is also another method that can be used to connect the sides of the coro, and that is to use industrial-strength sticky back velcro. That's an option if you think you may want to remodel in the near future.

The coro itself is often cut with a razor knife which for me is not an easy tool to use and control. I like the tool called a "coro claw" which you can find online. It makes perfectly straight cuts. Just be advised that it only cuts lengthwise along the direction of the coro flutes, but will not cut across said flutes........which means that you still need a razor knife for that. One can easily find info about the coro claw online. If that interests you, shop around for the cheapest price.
All the best with your project!

bpatters · Jan 10, 2018

Are you sure that lid would keep a cat out? My cat is pretty heavy and has sharp claws, and I can see that net disintegrating pretty quickly.

I don't know what you've got against metal lids, but closet shelving makes an awesome lid that would hold a small elephant.

GPigMom34 · Jan 10, 2018

bpatters said:
Are you sure that lid would keep a cat out? My cat is pretty heavy and has sharp claws, and I can see that net disintegrating pretty quickly.

I don't know what you've got against metal lids, but closet shelving makes an awesome lid that would hold a small elephant.

I don't have anything against metal lids, in fact I use one now, it's more so she doesn't see an opportunity to climb in for a cuddle. The lid is off 90% of the time so I thought a lid that could be folded into a small neat bundle would be easier to store, and easier to move on and off.

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GPigMom34 · Jan 10, 2018

spy9doc said:
Your girls are adorable! I can't speak to the mesh top as I couldn't find a website of that name.

A high-temperature hot glue gun is probably my favorite craft tool, and especially for cage construction. You can put a drop or two of hot glue at every junction of cage and cage connector which makes for a really sturdy cage. In the event that you choose to remodel the cage, I have found that I destroy very few connectors when dismantling the cage and these can be purchased online without the grids.

The glue gun is invaluable in putting the coroplast sections together. If you have the need to cut your own coro, the hot glue is very good to fill in those too deep cuts or other mistakes. Just be sure that you are ready to make a permanent structure because there are NO second chances with hot glue. That's the negative of using it......one can't take it apart to remodel.

The positives of using the hot glue are that the finished product is more esthetically pleasing without using tape.......and your piggies can't chew any exposed tape, the seams will be waterproof and prevent leaking, and the structure is sturdy. The negatives are that the structure is permanent......no redo or remodeling at a future date. When using the glue gun, be careful not to actually touch the coro or you will melt it! Put the tip of the glue gun very close to the coro and drop a bead of glue on it. I find that using a wooden tongue depressor is a great tool for spreading the glue. You can find them under another name in crafts stores like JoAnn's or Michaels.

There is also another method that can be used to connect the sides of the coro, and that is to use industrial-strength sticky back velcro. That's an option if you think you may want to remodel in the near future.

The coro itself is often cut with a razor knife which for me is not an easy tool to use and control. I like the tool called a "coro claw" which you can find online. It makes perfectly straight cuts. Just be advised that it only cuts lengthwise along the direction of the coro flutes, but will not cut across said flutes........which means that you still need a razor knife for that. One can easily find info about the coro claw online. If that interests you, shop around for the cheapest price.
All the best with your project!View attachment 83987

Thanks for the information. I think I'll use the hot glue gun as I have no plans to rearrange it.

If you ever get curious here is the link to the website I mentioned for the lid. The product itself is listed under products which drops down to Cages and the item itself is called Safe-pet lids.
https://piggybedspreads.com (hopefully I got it to link correctly).

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spy9doc · Jan 11, 2018

GPigMom34 said:
If you ever get curious here is the link to the website I mentioned for the lid. The product itself is listed under products which drops down to Cages and the item itself is called Safe-pet lids.

The link worked perfectly and the lid looks like what I had visualized. However, I agree with @bpatters in that I doubt that it would support a cat or other animals. Look through the gallery at closet shelving lids. I know that several people (including bpatters) use them and they are apparently pretty easy to set up.

GPigMom34 · Jan 11, 2018

spy9doc said:
The link worked perfectly and the lid looks like what I had visualized. However, I agree with @bpatters in that I doubt that it would support a cat or other animals. Look through the gallery at closet shelving lids. I know that several people (including bpatters) use them and they are apparently pretty easy to set up.

Thanks, I'll take a look at the closet shelving lids.
I never expected it to keep the cat out if she jumped on it, it was more for my piece of mind. The cat is NEVER left alone in the same room. Even if I leave the room to answer the telephone I make her leave and shut the door.
But maybe it would be better to go with the closet shelving anyway. I'll take a look and decide from there.

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GPigMom34 · Jan 11, 2018

bpatters said:
Are you sure that lid would keep a cat out? My cat is pretty heavy and has sharp claws, and I can see that net disintegrating pretty quickly.

I don't know what you've got against metal lids, but closet shelving makes an awesome lid that would hold a small elephant.

Thank you, I'll take a look at the closet shelving lid as you suggested. It seems like it could be a good option. Especially if small elephants decide to visit. Lol after reading your comment I thought of pink elephants tap dancing on top of it. Stronger is probably better and I'd rather be safe than sorry.

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GPigMom34 · Jan 21, 2018

bpatters said:
Are you sure that lid would keep a cat out? My cat is pretty heavy and has sharp claws, and I can see that net disintegrating pretty quickly.

I don't know what you've got against metal lids, but closet shelving makes an awesome lid that would hold a small elephant.

Turns out your right! I put the c&c cage together last night and I didn't end up liking the mesh lid. So I'm going to use something more solid. I'll use the mesh on the loft and something more solid for the bottom.

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lissie · Jan 21, 2018

You can use closet shelves for the lid. Get the shelves that are 16 inches deep. Home Depot and Lowe's can cut to the length you need. Make sure the length is a little longer than the length of the cage, so the lid doesn't fall into the cage.

You can zip tie the back one to the cage, then zip tie the front one to the edge of the back one that's in the center of the cage. This will make a hinge.

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