C&C Alternatives Wooden/Cardboard Cage

[pinky]

You have to be really careful with wood. Deck wood is treated with arsenic and is very dangerous..... I had a second level to my coroplast cage and took it off because my guinea pigs were hiding under it. A second level is nice but they get plenty of exercise with a single level. Mine have been much more sociable since I went back to one level.

 

[hojun]

Thanks for your information. It's just that a second level looks cooler :3

 

[pinky]

Thanks for your information. It's just that a second level looks cooler :3

A friend of mine built a coroplast cage and added a frame so it looks like a house. The roof is hinged so she can open and shut it. She has cats so she added the top to keep them out. I don't know how to add the photo to this message but if you look at my photo gallery, you'll see it. It's a single level but very cool.

 

[Cogni]

You can easily make a second level for a C&C cage with grids; many people do that and you can check out the photo galleries under cages. But usually people only have a loft area, one grid wide, because if you cover too much of the first level you don't really get to see the piggies underneath that much.

I have 'portable' or movable lofts made out of grids. You cable-tie two grids to make a right angle, and then place a third grid as a 'floor' mid-way between them, or higher than mid-way if your piggies are bigger like mine and can jump a bit (or use a ramp); and cable-tie it firmly so that it is very stable, and use a support for the outermost corner of the floor so it doesn't tip over. I used a wrapped roll of toilet paper when my piggies were smaller and I had the loft floor lower. But now 4 inches is too low for them! Plus they started to butt the toilet roll out of the way with their little buffalo heads and that made the loft unstable. Now I have a 6-inch hard plastic support that I can attach to the loft floor corner so it is stable. (You have to get creative about using objects in piggie cage builds! )

As this loft floor, you have to either use the other kind of grid, the more mesh-like one, as the loft floor, and cover it with a towel and fleece; or if it is one of the regular grids, you have to use a firm flooring like coroplast under the fleece and towels. I have two of these portable lofts and I move them to different corners. The piggies like to jump on them and sleep up there. My piggies are rather large, so a loft floor the size of a grid is perfect for them. Other times, they choose to sleep under the loft.

The thing about using grids is, they are INFINITELY more flexible than building some solid cage. The cage can be reconfigured when you want to make it bigger or L-shaped or U-shaped or whatever, and when you take them down the cage walls FOLD like an accordion if you cable-tie them in two places along the side and pull the ties tight but not TOO tight. The ties form a hinge. I have many different lengths of cage wall that I have folded and ready for changes and portable cages when the piggies need to be taken elsewhere temporarily.

For example, I am out of the country now and the piggies have a responsible young student "nanny" staying in our place. When we discovered there were going to be fire alarm tests in the residential college I live in (a truly loud and horrible noise for the pigs), she was able to just take some folded cage walls I keep available, and spare bedding, and quickly construct another temporary 2x4 cage at her piggie-loving friend's apartment. Then she could move them there for the day. I just got the report about how they enjoyed their 'outing'. No need to take down the big cage.

Further, these cages are WAY easier to clean than any other kind. People use coroplast because it is light, sturdy and waterproof. You can roll up the soiled bedding, shake it out outside, wipe down the cloroplast with vinegar water, and put new bedding down - new, fresh and clean cage for pigs with little mess, in half an hour. If you really tried to use cardboard or wood, you'd soon see what a smelly mess you'd have on your hands.

I really think that many of the pigs that are rehomed are really given away because people find the traditional or makeshift cages they use a smelly nightmare to clean.

 

[hojun]

Thanks. Can you please help me answer these questions?

Does the coroplast prevent the guinea pigs from knocking the grid walls down?

I was planning to just use grids and coroplast, but it seems like the grids can be knocked down easily even with connectors.

I wanted to be able to lift the cage in order to clean the coroplast.

What happens if there is space between the coroplast edges and the cage?

How high should the bedding go on the coroplast or should it just fit neatly?

Do guinea pigs chew on the cable ties?

 

[pinky]

Thanks for your information. It's just that a second level looks cooler :3

I hope this works. I thought this cage was really cool.

https://s738.photobucket.com/albums/xx28/kavykeeper/?action=view&current=coolcage.jpg (<script class="js-extraPhrases" type="application/json"> { "lightbox_close": "Close", "lightbox_next": "Next", "lightbox_previous": "Previous", "lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.", "lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow", "lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow", "lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen", "lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails", "lightbox_download": "Download", "lightbox_share": "Share", "lightbox_zoom": "Zoom", "lightbox_new_window": "New window", "lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar" } </script> <div class="bbImageWrapper js-lbImage" title="th_coolcage.jpg" data-src="/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi738.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fxx28%2Fkavykeeper%2Fth_coolcage.jpg&amp;hash=46f1869a1bd7352034927645bcdb04fc" data-lb-sidebar-href="" data-lb-caption-extra-html="" data-single-image="1"> <img src="/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi738.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fxx28%2Fkavykeeper%2Fth_coolcage.jpg&amp;hash=46f1869a1bd7352034927645bcdb04fc" data-url="https://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx28/kavykeeper/th_coolcage.jpg" class="bbImage" data-zoom-target="1" style="" alt="th_coolcage.jpg" title="" width="" height="" loading="lazy" /> </div>)

 

[Duffinvt]

See my video. YouTube - ‪Guinea pigs with new fleece cage liner sewed by my friend Susie‬‏
FYI I use zip ties and not connectors.

 

[hojun]

Also Pinky, that's a cool cage but is it hard to see into it?

How many zipties per connection Duffin and do guinea pigs bite them?
And what is that new pad?

 

[pinky]

Also Pinky, that's a cool cage but is it hard to see into it?

How many zipties per connection Duffin and do guinea pigs bite them?
And what is that new pad?

No, it's not hard to see in it. She can flip over one side of the roof so it lays on the other side which also makes it easy to clean. The sides can be made to extend higher if more visual space is wanted. I just think it's a really creative cage the way it looks like a house. She has cats, so that was the reason she made it this way. I think she has three cages. She does rescues and can set up dividers in the cage if she has guinea pigs that don't get along.

 

[hojun]

Can someone please answer these questions?

Thanks. Can you please help me answer these questions?

Does the coroplast prevent the guinea pigs from knocking the grid walls down?

I was planning to just use grids and coroplast, but it seems like the grids can be knocked down easily even with connectors.

I wanted to be able to lift the cage in order to clean the coroplast.

What happens if there is space between the coroplast edges and the cage?

How high should the bedding go on the coroplast or should it just fit neatly?

Do guinea pigs chew on the cable ties?

 

[LightningPig1]

Does the coroplast prevent the guinea pigs from knocking the grid walls down?

I was planning to just use grids and coroplast, but it seems like the grids can be knocked down easily even with connectors.

No, the grids cannot be knocked down as long as you connect the grids well to the connectors. It is sturdy.
Another option would to have the coroplast edges higher, probably 7-8 inches high would be a safe height so the piggies won't fall off or accidently fall off. So in that case, you wouldn't use grids.

I wanted to be able to lift the cage in order to clean the coroplast.

I don't find that nessesary. If you need to, the best way to do that is just slide the coroplast out from the inside. If your using connectors sometimes it can be very tricky taking it out through the bottom.
It's easy to just reach and spray it and wipe clean. That's what I do and if you need to vacuum or clean under the cage just slide the cage out of the way.

What happens if there is space between the coroplast edges and the cage?

I'm not sure exactly what your saying but I think I have an idea. Most sign shops cut the coroplast to the dimensions you give them. Some charge extra, some don't. But it's not much. You just need to measure the perimeter of the grids once put together and use those dimensions and tell them, and that will be how big your coroplast will be and should fit perfectly. And just in case you have a misunderstanding, the coroplast is placed in the grid on almost all C&C cages.

How high should the bedding go on the coroplast or should it just fit neatly?

It depends on what bedding you use. Most bedding's about 1-2 inches.
A newish popular bedding choice is using fleece. It works spectacularly, looks nice, comfy to little piggie feet, smells nice and very easy maintenance. And it's so clean!
Tell me if your interested and I'll give you more information

Do guinea pigs chew on the cable ties?

I use cable ties and no, Thunder does not chew on them at all, I don't think he even knows they're there. I don't know about other piggies though.

 

[hojun]

Thanks for answering all my questions! (If I was a cavy slave I'd thank almost everyone who posted in this thread)

If I use the grids, I would only need connectors between every grid at the top and none at the bottom?

The only fear I have left is cutting the coroplast to be fold-able. Are 3 inch walls per side good?

 

[Cogni]

1) the pigs cannot knock the grid walls down if they are all cable-tied together in a rectangle. My Badger stands up and leans his full fat weight (over 1400 grams) against the cage wall went he wants something, and there is no way that is enough to lift the opposite side of the cage up. Butting against the grids with his head won't do it either, if the grids are tied together securely. The right angles at the corners give a lot of stability. Many people use the connectors that come with the grids--these plastic, button-top things with slots for the grids under the button. Those add stability too if you push the grids securely into them. But I happen to find those very fiddly to work with. I can't connect and de-connect them quickly like I can with cable-ties (I call them zip-ties sometimes -same thing). For a long time I used them just at the tops of the corners, for added stability and perfect rectangular shape--the connectors do make the whole cage very neat and regular -- but I don't bother with them at all anymore.

2) People configure the coroplast in different ways too. Often people will construct a cage base that is like a big rectangular basin, by sharply scoring just one surface of the coroplast sheet (the lower surface) and then bending it up so there is a 3 to 5 inch high coroplast border around the whole cage bottom. (you cut the corners of course, so the coroplast can be folded upwards along the cut on all four sides, and then taped on the outsides).

Note well: For babies the coroplast sides should be much higher because they can fit through the grid holes! be sure to get the grids that have *9* squares on a side, because some of the newer grid sets have only 8 squares to a side although they are still 14 inches square. The square grid holes are therefore bigger. That is very dangerous--some full-grown pigs can get their heads stuck in those larger grid holes!!! Piggies have died that way!!


When people have these one-piece cage bottoms with sides, they either tuck the fleece up around the sides and clip it to the top of the coroplast with binder clips, or they leave the coroplast on the sides bare and just put bedding on the cage bottom. Some seem to have the grids fitted inside the coroplast, some outside. You should look at some of the pictures under Cages.
Look at DuffinVT's video again. Her coroplast appears to be on the inside (as I think most have it), meaning that the grids are outside the coroplast basin-shaped base. She has the fleece pad clipped to the sides, but at the end of the cage the pad as fallen down a little. Many pigs would take the opportunity to pull it the rest of the way down with their mouth and then sneak under the fleece and start burrowing all underneath it. Which is not good for them because it'll get damp and is not ventilated. But perhaps her piggies are not burrowers or her custom pad is to heavy for them to get under.
Duffin's type of pad is what I'd call Piggie-Momma's Delight -- custom-sized for the coroplast base it is used with, and the cotton pad and the top-layer fleece all sewn together into a single pad, easily flopped right into the cage base when changing the cage, and then instantly removable when soiled. You're on a budget, you said, and these made by piggie fanciers on this site and on Etsy, are somewhat pricey; but still cheaper in the long run than any kind of 'filler' bedding like Care-fresh or hardwood shavings. If you sew--this is definitely the way to go!! You can make your own to fit the precise dimensions of your cage. There are many instructions on this site and some are posted on YouTube.

I need things maximally flexible so I just have a coroplast border to keep my place neat (the pigs will otherwise kick hay and poops out of the cage if you have no border), and I wrap it AROUND whatever cage shape I have and tape it. I set the grids right on top of the flat base and fleece, and then place my border pieces around the grids and tape together with removable tape. If you need things really neat, it would take probably too long to make it perfect-looking like the basin-style cage bases that most people have; but when I have my configuration the same for a long time I can get it pretty neat-looking and tight around the grids even at the corners. The grids are resting on the fleece and the coroplast border is also resting on the fleece, but outside the cage, and there isn't any gap to speak of because the fleece meets the bottom of the coroplast border right outside the grid.
With the basin-type cage base (coroplast sides connected to the bottom, just folded up to make cage sides), there is no gap either.

I think your last question was about whether pigs chew on the cable-ties--I keep the connected part outside the cage, and I generally clip any excess. I have never seen my pigs biting a cable tie, but the part they have access to is very small. I occasionally cut them open and reconnect the grids in a different way, and I leave just enough slack to make a moveable hinge and to get a sharp point in to cut the tie when needed.

Now please look at all the pictures! People are very creative on this site and do all sorts of things but the basic ideas of the C&C cage are all similar and best seen rather than read.

 

[LightningPig1]

Your welcome

If I use the grids, I would only need connectors between every grid at the top and none at the bottom?

Are you talking about the second level? The second level, since you already have the connectors top and bottom of the first floor then yes, you will only need to use connectors for the top of the second level since you will be using the same connectors for the bottom of the of the 1 level as the 2 levels bottoms connectors meaning they will be sharing the same connectors.
If your talking about the 1st level then yes, you will need connectors at the bottom and the top.

The only fear I have left is cutting the coroplast to be fold-able. Are 3 inch walls per side good?

It's not hard at all really. You just need to get a box cutter or razor blade and perforate the coroplast. Some times doing it in the right places so it's not uneven can be tricky and you need to be extra careful when you perforate it. But it's hard to make coroplast that flimsy so that it will bend easily without braking it so I wouldn't worry about that.

Yes, 3 inch side walls are fine but if your using bedding and not fleece the guinea pig(s) will fling bedding easily out and you will have a nice mess to clean up . . . everyday!! So it's better to go taller if your using bedding. 6 inches is usually a good height. If your using fleece, any height is fine.
Here's official instructions to make a C&C cage -
How to Make a C&C Cage

Good luck!!

 

[hojun]

Thanks. I was talking about one level by the way thanks though.

 

[Cogni]

LightningPig has given you exactly the link you need, for a simple step-by-step guide to making a one story C&C in 'classic' design.

I just saw this post by SurfingPigs about her/his(?) new pair of abbeys, and I recommend you have a look to see how a one-story with a loft and a ramp would work, in case you upgrade some day:

https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/introductions/62536-pair-abbys.html

 

[kaite13]

The particle board is smooth, we didn't apply anything to it.

 

[hojun]

kaite13, I heard particle wood releases formaldehyde, check previous posts.

 

[VoodooJoint]

All types of plywood, particle board and MDF contain harmful glues and chemicals. They also, like all woods, also absorb moisture and become a breeding ground for bacteria, molds and fungi. They should not be used without being aired-out/aged (to remove all surface fumes) and fully covered to make them waterproof and safe for the animals. Linoleum or vinyl peal and stick tiles can be used to cover the wood to help make it water resistant but make certain the edges are not available for the GPs to chew on.

Wood also costs considerably more then coroplast does. Add into that the cost of tiles, tools, hardware and labor and the cost becomes very high indeed.

Coroplast can be bought new between $10-$20 a sheet (with plenty left over for second levels, hideys, etc..). OR you can possibly find it for free by using old election and promotional signs. That's how I get all of my coroplast. Try posting on craigslist that you are looking to get some old, large election signs for a project and you may bet lucky.

Grids aren't all that expensive and allow the GPs more view of their surroundings and more airflow then solid sides. Personally I tend to use white wire closet shelving mostly because I can get it super cheap or free from the side of the road or from my local building supply recycling center. Search for builders recycling centers near you and look there for your cage supplies.

Look at my gallery. My cage cost under $7 to build AND I saved a ton of stuff from ending up in landfills.


That's my first cage. My cage is new any improved now as the last election provided me with lots of big sheets of coroplast which I used to redo the cage.