The maintenance is overwhelming with so many cages, and time is coming at a premium because I've had to take a second job, so what little time I have with the cavies is better spent on floor time and cuddles than vacuuming upteen times a day to combat smell issues. I'm also trying to reduce...

I am resolutely switching from fleece to aspen or kiln dried pine in all my cavy cages, and I had a question for those out there that are already using it: How far do the large bags (7000 cu. in) go? I've got eight 4x2's to fill, and I'm trying to ballpark how many bags I would need to cover...

Oh wow, you took on a handful! They're worth it, I think. Good for you! I didn't know anything about those in Owosso, I wish I could have helped. With Donna going to pop any second, I'm at capacity until we can get out of this tiny apartment next month.

Huh, I was in talks with that woman to rescue that cavy. No wonder she hasn't been calling me back. That's annoying. (Not annoying that you saved her, of course, annoying how disposable these animals are to people that she couldn't be bothered to let me know what was going on) No matter...

They learn very quickly how to keep their treats away from the bullies. I've got 2 bullies in my sow herd, and when it's time for evening vegetables, the whole herd disperses to line up around the outside of the cage for their baby carrots. I give them each a carrot, and they pull it through...

I've got three cats and we haven't had any problems. They love to watch the cavies very intently, and I wouldn't trust the cats alone in a room with an open cavy cage - not even for a nanosecond - but it's very doable. You just have to make sure that you build them a nice, sturdy cage with a...

You can treat it yourself, but you'd better read up on it first. Ivermectin can be deadly if overdosed. For your research, I'd start at Guinea Lynx: Guinea Lynx :: Antiparasitics Guinea Lynx :: Ivermectin Guinea Lynx :: Ivermectin Treatment Guidelines Guinea Lynx :: Ivermectin Topical...

I use a plastic spaghetti spoon like this to rake the cage before I vacuum. It gets about 95% of the hay up, and probably half the poopins too. Then all the vac has to deal with is tiny bits of hay, hair, dust, and the rest of the poops.

Wow, it's obvious that you put a lot of work into it. Generally, I'm not a big fan of change, but I'm already getting used to it by the moment. Thanks for the effort!

I don't suppose there's any chance of having a warning taken off your record if it was for an inappropriate gallery picture now that the rules have changed, is there? It's just floating there like a frigging scarlet A every time I go to my profile.

I used the grids to make my lids too. I use connectors and tons of cable ties all pulled very tight with pliars, and in my experience anything longer than three grids is going to need a support of some kind, so 2x4's and up. A spare grid bent into a V-shape will work wonders for support, and...

... you've had a bad day and your first instinct is to cuddle one of your piggies. Much to the consternation of your significant other. ...your cavies get the expensive laundry detergents and painstakingly precise laundry routines and the rest of your family is sick of you forgetting to put...

Actually, a 3x3 is even bigger than a 2x4 in terms of square footage, so I say go for it. I keep mine in 5x3, and they really seem to appreciate the extra width when they're running laps.

There might not be any point to quarantine them from one another no matter when they came into the shelter. If you're taking them home together in the same car, quarantine is moot anyway. Also, even if they're in different cages at the shelter, chances are they'll be in the same room. They...

Sandy: I live sort of close to you. Are these piggies females? If you're willing to split them up and naturegal only takes one, we might be able to do something. How old are they?

I can understand wanting to keep your pig(s) warm, but a setup like that won't have much ventilation, and the ammonia from urine can cause all kinds of nasty health problems, no matter how well you clean them. Do they have to live in the shed?

I guess that depends on what you mean by safe. If you mean structurally safe, there are lots of things you can do. Cable tying the gp cage to the top of the bunny cage would keep it in place, but it makes it awfully difficult to move the top cage for cleaning purposes or to catch the bunnies...

For rectangular litter boxes, we've got a great system: plastic paint trays. They cost about $1.99 max, they scrub clean very easily, they're the right height for piggies to hop right up in, and best of all, they've got a slight angle, so when the piggies wee in their hay, it runs down the tray...

Yuck, I had the same problem when I first started the fleece. With poopins AND hay. Maybe time for new fleece? If you buy it two or three feet longer and wider than you need it, you can tuck the fleece up over the outside of the coroplast. Then NOTHING gets through, except for urine...

I go to that exact store several times a week. It's a fantastic store. I'm not going to condone buying animals from any petstore because I don't want to get banned from the forum, but I would think that - in terms of supporting or not supporting an individual store - you'd be better off...