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C&C Cage Expansion and Cleaning

thistlewriter

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I need some advice from those of you who have expanded your pigs' cage. I currently have two boars in a 2 x 5 cage, which they're doing fine in, but I'm thinking of expanding their cage to give them more room to run around in. I've got a few ideas for the expansion that I'm toying with, but at the moment my big concern is being able to clean the cage. I've thought of adding a 2 x 4 level on top of the current cage, arranging it so that the whole cage would form an L shape, but I don't know how well that would work for cleaning (the top level would be blocking off 2 x 2 of the bottom).

For those of you who've expanded your cages, what do you recommend as a good expansion that is easy to clean? Is adding another level easier, or is widening the cage easier? Thanks!
 

Snowdrop

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Curious about this too! I have two boars in a 2X4, which is not enough for them, so I was toying with the idea of doing 3X4 but then how do I reach far enough to clean!
 

spy9doc

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I have a 2x5 cage with a 2x2 loft and generally have two boars in it. I would expand the cage in a heartbeat, but absolutely have no room. Don't even consider a 1x anything loft, especially for two boars. For some reason they both seem to want to go to the loft at the same time and just get in each other's way. A 2x2 loft has enough room for a water bottle, pellet dish, litter box and hidey and is the perfect little penthouse apartment for one to have a break from the other. My cavies get more exercise running up and down the ramp than they ever do on the main level. Of course, it is optimal to have lots of room on the main level, but if you can't expand that, then the only way to go is up.

If you make your cage as sturdy as mine is, you can create an offset/overhanging loft that really doesn't require any extra support for the overhang. One could also put an offset loft at each end with a one-grid walkway between and still have easy access to the lower level for cleaning.

Here is a graphic of a cage with offset loft:
Offset loft design.jpg



And an example of the loft on either end (not my cage and not an offset loft). I believe that this person had a single cavy living on the second level and a pair on the main level which accounts for no visible ramp:
Double decker3.jpg


If it would be helpful, I can always post pics of my cage.
 

Snowdrop

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Thanks! I can't go out any more than the 4 squares (going to 5 would mean it would be in our walkway), so my only option is to go from 2X4 to 3X4. But I'm worried my short little arms won't be able to reach far enough to clean.

Or, doing a U shape? Like, 3 wide, 2 wide, 3 wide?

I currently have a 1x2 loft that actually seems to be okay, but only because the alpha of my two boys has claimed it as his own lol So he goes up, while his buddy stays down.

asdf.jpg
 

spy9doc

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Lots of people seem to like the U-shaped cage. Look through the photo gallery and you will find just about every imaginable configuration!
 
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