Australia Big-W Grids

[thecarerescue]

Hey everyone,
Not sure how much this has been talked about in this forum.. but Big W now REGULARILY stock grids.
They are in the STORAGE section (plastic tubs, bins, buckets, etc).
Prices:
$12.88 for 13 WHITE grids
$16.50 for 16 COLOURED grids (4 blue, 4 green, 4 red, 4 yellow)

I have been buying grids from Big W for about a year now, and they are much cheaper than the Bunnings grids (and they are rapidly decreasing anyway, as as we all know, it is ex BBC warehouse stock). They have only recently (5-6 months) brought in the coloured grids, and they don't always have them but have STACKS of white ones.
This is coming from 3 stores in the Sydney area, I found mine in Westfield Miranda.

Hope this helps - go to Big W before you go to bunnings!

 

[Krysanthemum]

Can I ask, when did you find yours at Westfield Miranda? I checked there just three or four weeks ago, and they didn't have them at all. The guy there didn't even know what I was talking about. But it would be great if they had them, then I'll know where to look when I want to expand.

 

[Banana]

Yay! thanks so much ive been looking for coloured ones!!!

 

[LucyLou]

Hey is that you, Bree?

I might call the BigW where I work and see if they have them.

thanks for the tip!

 

[burlof]

Hi I'm new here and new to cavies. I just got my first two today. I am feeling a little overwhelemed actually and worried about it all but I'm sure it will sort itself out. See I ended up going to get two girls but came away with two boys. They are both very young. I just hope they get along and I am having nightmares already about them being sexed correctly. Some of the stuff you read on some sites that people post is scarey!

Anyhow regarding these cubes, just wondering how you guys make a base for them. Can you get that coroplast they all talk about easily here? I also read vinyl flooring is a good alternative. ATM I have an outdoor hutch but I want to make an indoor enclosure for cold weather or if they are inside late, easier than taking them back to hutch and getting attacked by spiders lol. I also want to make something up for grass time and was thinking of using these. I think the hutch will break my back moving it all the time. Any ideas?

I'm still thinking of names too ... Blaze, Chester (though that's very horsey!), Merlin, Cosmo ...

Is this is the only chat site around Aussie wise?

Michelle

 

[Banana]

Hi Michelle,

In terms of whether getting coroplast is easy it depends where you live. I'm in Sydney and it was pretty easy to find. In Australia it's actually called Corflute and most sign places will sell it to you.

I have my cage on a table with the corflute acting as the base, although i have part of the cage overhanging and to add extra support i used some of the cubes on the bottom. I know some people just use that as a base.

i think the main reason for coroplast is it is hardy, easy to clean and the pigs generally don't chew on it. I don't really know about vinyl flooring...

the cage is actually pretty lightweight once made. it's mainly just bulky. One thing you may want to think about if your piggies are going to be outside is what the temperature will be like for them. Guinea pigs can over heat very easily, especially in an Australian summer. www.cavymadness.com has a sticky in one of the forums about keeping cool in summer which is really good.

Anyway i feel i've just gone on and on, hope this answers your questions!

 

[burlof]

Hi Banana, thanks for the info. After I had posted that I did a search somewhere and ended up tracking down a local supplier... Corex Plastics is near where I live.

About summer, yes I am aware they are sensitive to weather extremes. The back part of our house is like a double story, under the extension and back decking it is very sheltered. It gets a few rays of filtered sun in the early morning then it's shade rest of day. I asked a few people about the position and they said it seems ideal because it will be cool in Summer and protected from winds rain and cold in Winter. Although yesterday with the temperature so high I popped in a frozen water bottle under the hay in the bed section. They spent most of the day there, I went back an hour or two later, it was like air conditioning in there, it was so cool lol. The block was still frozen at 6pm last night so that's a great idea. I will check out that forum you mentioned to see what other ideas there are.

Thanks,
Michelle

 

[Banana]

Ah if only my house were like that.... ha ha my girls have it better than i do during the summer, they get frozen bottles, a tile and the one fan we have is devoted to them....

 

[burlof]

Yeah it is a really good setup under there actually. Like an inside/outside all in one lol. I just read on that site about the tile so I'll keep that in mind, that's a good idea. So where else is there to hang out and chat >? There doesn't seem to be any Aussie sites except one but you have to be a breeder or club member to get into.
Michelle

 

[wizzard]

Hi everyone,
I have just joined up and I am in Melbourne. I have 5 guinea pigs,Wizzard , Charlie , Fairy Candy , Dip and Ziggy ( all girls ) and need to expand their home. So I have been studying up on possible designs and will be hunting down building materials over the holidays. Looking to build multi-level to save space as my girls live in our family room.
bye for now.

 

[RubyPiggie2]

Hi wizzard,
You will need to make a 2x7 cage for 5 girls. Personally, I like wider cages better. You can add more hidey houses and such and it won't get crowded. Maybe you could make a 3x6, or a 4x6. I have a 4x6 and love it. Just a suggestion.