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Upper Levels Decorative Loft Front - Safe?

twinklingturnip

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Nov 22, 2020
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Hi all! I have been putting my cage together and thought it would be fun to make a front for my loft that looks like a little house, by doing things like adding a roof shape to the top, cutting in windows (small and safe ones of course), making the doorway to the ramp super cute with a curtain, painting on brick texture, etc. I was thinking of using the coroplast I am using for the bases to make this, but a balsa sheet outside the coroplast might be a good (and more removable) option? I would want it to be pretty secure to the bottom and sides of the loft, since it will be pretty much just a large decorated sheet affixed to the grids. i think i could achieve this by drilling some holes every few inches and securing to grids using zip ties. Does this sound like something that would be safe/work? Could I use craft paint for it if I don't paint anywhere the piggies could chew (around the doorway, or on the inside)? I don't have any soy paint or Cuprinol yet, but I would be willing to get some if it would be much safer.
 

ItsaZoo

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The ice cream truck is cute for a hamster. They are more agile than guinea pigs so they can climb and jump better.

If it were me, I'd make a prototype first from a cardboard box with a removable roof. I would cut the bottom out so it would be open on the floor of the cage. Otherwise it would be soiled very quickly because everything becomes a toilet with guinea pigs, and plastic would need to be cleaned daily.

The windows would be a concern since guinea pigs get stuck in things like that. But you could make it so the back door of the truck is open, and the driver's door is open. Then they could go through the truck, and if the windows were smaller they might not try to go through them.
 

twinklingturnip

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Yeah I was definitely planning on having the bottom open, and I don't think I want to go to the trouble of making it 3D truck shaped--I was moreso just inspired by the styling of the ice cream truck. I guess a more accurate word for what I am describing is a "facade", just a decorative flat layer outside one side of the loft. As for windows, I wonder if there is clear sheeting/mesh I could fill it in with. I thought about just making them high up enough to where they couldn't cause any trouble, but I suppose that would render them useless to the pigs (no fun) and in the case of it accidentally falling, I would rather there not be any holes for them to mess around with. If left uncovered, would the rule for windows be nothing larger than 1.5"?
Doing the whole 3D truck would be fun, but I feel like it would have to be fairly large to accommodate guinea pigs!
 
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ItsaZoo

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If they aren’t chewers I would think windows could be made out of the sheet protectors that are used in ring binders. That ice cream truck is really cute.
 
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