Cage Please help me design a cage!

Thanks for your replies! @lissie, good idea about the tables! I personally want to use the grids for the base though, as if I ever redesign the cage, I will be able to use them too. Also, my cage takes up so much room already, and I doubt I could find a table that fits perfectly. If it juts out a tiny bit further into the room than the cage, it will take up even more of my 50cm or so walkway space. Plus, I’m a perfectionist (if you hadn’t already guessed haha) so I want it to all look finished and intended, not lots of different materials combined.

I am actually leaning more toward option 1), as this is what the kitchen would look like with a ramp:

(a bit cramped)

I was thinking about putting a box of paper pellets in the loft, and having a fleece ‘doormat’ on the other half:

It would also mean that I could store my hay underneath.
Maybe flip-down sides could work...

I don't know if you have something like this there. The depth of the table is perfect for C&C cage. Some people use these and cover them with table cloths.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-6-Centerfold-Table-Multiple-Colors/33148258
https://www.walmart.com/ip/6-Foot-Folding-Table/7679241

I cannot see your attachments from the last post.

I have some ideas for your ramp. This would not take up too much space.




Also drew your cage on 2 grid high stand. You'll get tons of storage from this option.


The bottom part of the ramp is a bent grid zip tied to the side of the cage. Like this.
(broken link removed)

They look like good ideas for a ramp!

I like the look of that tall cage you designed! However it makes it look even huger than it already is, and a certain 2 people (parents ) would probably not appreciate it if it looked any larger... Plus, our landlord would probably go: WHAT ON EARTH IS THAT?

With the ramp idea, I don’t really want to bend grids, as you can’t un-bend them if you want to use them for other purposes...
However I will your idea to my mum and see what she thinks

Sadly, we don’t have Walmart here, or bed bath n beyond (for grids).

This was the first attachment from my other post:
basement kitchen:


Loft kitchen with bedding box and ‘doormat’, and hay storage underneath:


Ramps would’ve sides of course.
If I were to do a corflute ramp (I have 1 2x4ish sheet left to cut the loft from, and to cut a ramp and/or hayrack out of) what height would I need to do the sides? I was thinking about 3 or 4 inches?

Thanks for the great replies @lissie! Also, thank you so much for taking the time to make the whole cage design!

P.s. What measurement do you use for your grids in sketchup? I use 355mm, but that doesn’t allow for the gaps between grids, so my cages always end up miles smaller than they actually would be!

You're welcome!

For your design, what if you move the ramp to the back, then put the hay rack on the right. It should free up some space.

I use 14" for the grids. They are only accurate if you don't use connectors. For connectors, you'll have to add about 1/4" gap.

Thanks (again) @lissie!
You mean like this?


I guess another option would be to do it like this instead:


However, one of my concerns with doing a 2x2 basement is the fact that my crazy piggies (in their 2x4 with loft cage) loved racing down their ramp at the speed of light (or almost, anyway), so I’d be afraid that they would go charging down then go SPLAT on the wall at the bottom:


An alternate idea might be to do something like this (thanks @pigger123):




However, I have no idea of how this could actually help with the ramp situation. Also, I have 3 female piggies, do you think a 2x8 with 2x4 basement might be a leeeeetle bit overkill?
Also there would so much fleece washing and poop scooping involved, it wouldn’t even be funny, so, on second thoughts, this probably isn’t an option . (sigh.)

If you inset the ramp into the upper level, it will leave more space after the ramp on the bottom.

Thanks @pigger123, but will I have to cut a grid? I don’t want to alter any of my grids, so that I can use them all for a cage if needed. Is it possible to do it without cutting a grid?

I won’t be able to reply again until friday after school (australia time), but will reply then.

You would have to cut a grid unless you wanted to just leave off that entire grid. I don't know whether that would compromise the stability of the cage at all.

You don't need to cut the grid. If you're using 4mm coroplast, it will be strong enough. Just leave off that grid.





You might need some wood to support the cage if you are going to open the door on the basement.

(broken link removed)

My Mum and I have decided to go with the 2nd one in post 64, with the raised loft, because it a) lets me keep the hay underneath, and b) it will be easier to sew a liner for, because it will be very difficult to sew a liner for a cage with inset ramp. We ordered 3 sets of grids yesterday, and I can’t wait for them to arrive.

Also, we only have 3mm corflute, which is a lot more bendy than the 4mm.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to sew a liner for the loft? I want to have half liner, half paper pellets, and I want the liner to go up the sides.

Thanks!

I actually ordered my coroplast 3mm, which I read somewhere is better exactly because it is easier to fold.

Update

We have bought some towelling for under the fleece. We only bought enough for 1 layer, as it’s quite thick, and was really expensive. I also plan on making A LOT of potty pads with the leftover towelling, so that we can just change them often and the fleece weekly. I just need to get the fleece for the sides, and then I can start sewing!! We also got some gorgeous blue and white zigzag fleece for making cozies. Textile Traders has soo much new patterned fleece now!! I need to buy ALL OF IT haha!!

I also ordered some iClick clickers off amazon, and they should arrive on Wednesday 27 May.

P.S. For all the Perth people on this forum, the new fleece at Textile traders (in Perth, anyway) is all 40% off so now is a great time to buy from textile traders

Do you mean bulldog clips?


I meant something like this:

They are used to help train animals to do tricks/useful things like hopping into their carrier. @ClicknCavy is awesome at clicker training, and this is her clicker training thread:
https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/threads/106442-Clicker-Training-Guinea-Pigs!?highlight=clicker

yep, I was thinking you meant bulldog clips, I never knew they had a name! I will check into this clicker training one day, I'm still getting the hang of bonding!

YAAAY!

The grids arrived yesterday!!

I will hopefully be assembling them this weekend.

I have sewn a towelling under-layer thing for under the fleece, and it actually folded in half to be almost exactly the width of the cage, so that it is actually a double layer.

I am in the process of sewing their fleece liner, which will not be attached to the towelling, because if I make more liners, I would have to make one towel layer for each, and that would be very expensive.

Hi again!

Sorry for no updates. Here is what it looked like after the original expansion (still on the floor):


This is it as it currently is, raised 1 grid off the ground with the liner sewn. However, it has the 1x2 loft that is shown in the final picture, which will be replaced with the full 2x2 loft and proper ramp with sides when I have a chance to cut it - probably this weekend.







Please excuse the mess!

Looks fantastic, @Piggly12! So much space to run around and so much space for storage underneath! Did you make the green and blue cage liner? It looks like it fits like a glove!

Thanks!!

Yes, I did make the liner. It shrank a little in the wash (we did wash it about a hundred times in 60 degree C water to try to get it to wick prior to sewing, but after it had been sewn we found that our machine could do 90 degrees on a stain wash and it shrank because of the extra heat).

I have to take off the front wall of grids to put it on though, but I’m really happy with how it fits!

It took ages for me to get the courage (and a weekend with not much homework) to cut it and sew it together. I followed this tutorial:
https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/threads/71625-Fleece-cage-liner-tutorial

Because my cage is so long, I just cut the fabric in 1 long lengthwise strip rather than piecing 2 bits together as it says in the following step, because I figured that the length would allow for enough stretch:

If you have a really long cage you'll need to piece two strips together.

Click to expand...

That bit I wrote about the stretch probably made no sense; I didn’t really know how to word it.

I plan to make another liner with stripy purple and blue fleece this weekend. I also want to make some pad things to go on top of the white IKEA hide huts, so they can be like bunk beds.

I will also hope to cut the proper-sized loft this weekend as well, as three guinea pigs do really NOT fit happily in one 2x1 loft! And to think that the loft is the size of some store-bought cages!
There is some very loud 'yelling’ if one is stuck in the corner furthest from the ramp, as they can’t get to the ramp without jumping over another pig.