C&C Building our first cage

[Insanemomof3]

I just purchased a c&c cage. I'm thinking about how to set up the cage so it's easier to keep clean.I have two piggies. I bought the medium c&c cage with the 1x2 loft and ramp.I'm very excited to see it together. We are constructing a table to set it in. But do you set something under the carefree bedding to help keep the corrugated plastic clean? Maybe newspaper?I don't like the idea of fleece. I don't want to be washing those types of items.My piggies don't seem to chew on anything. I place the little wooden pieces, the toilet paper rolls but they don't seem to chew. Is that usual?

 

[sdpiggylvr]

The coroplast is meant to be the bottom of the cage; it is durable and will not absorb the urine. You don't need to put anything down to protect the newspaper. You could put newspaper down, but it's not necessary.

About the fleece: A lot of people like fleece better than disposable bedding, but some are the other way around. Since C&C cages are so large, it can easily get expensive to be using disposable bedding and having to change that much bedding each week. You may decide you like disposable bedding just fine. It's all about what works best for your situation. You might consider trying fleece, though. It's a really great bedding solution, personally! It saves a lot of money and the guinea pigs find it so comfy. If you find that you like disposable bedding just fine, that's fine too. Just trying to help make your role as the cage cleaner as easy as possible! If you have any questions or concerns about fleece, feel free to ask.

As far as the chewing, it's fine -- as long as your piggies have plenty of fresh grass hay at all times, their chewing needs should be taken care of.

Good luck!

 

[Onetwo]

News paper will stick to the coro and smell very quickly. Some people do choose newspaper but you will need at least an inch or two minimum of carefresh. Carefresh is pretty expensive. Washing piggy laundry isn't any worse than washing your kids peed and pooped clothes or bedding. Or your dirty sox. Did you know that your feet can sweat a pint in 24 hours? Thats a lot of germs and nastyness in your washer/dryer. You can always do a rinse cycle with vinegar in between your piggy and people laundry. Many people here do that...

 

[ThreeLilPiggers]

I read somewhere that you should put a couple layers of newspapers underneath the bedding and when it's time to clean the cage, you just roll it up and throw it away...sounds easy enough, huh ?? I'm finding that it doesn't work that easy though because when you roll it, the bedding comes out the ends of the newspaper 'roll' and gets all over, LOL ! So, I scoop some of the bedding out and then roll the papers up - it works but I'm thinking it would be easier just to scoop out the bedding and forget about the newspaper ! I just use a a regular dust pan and it works really well.

 

[Insanemomof3]

Right now I have the large pet store cage with the plastic bottom. I use care fresh and when I go to clean it dump it all out and sometimes there are spots of bedding and pee clumped to the side. I just hose it out. I won't be able to do that with this new cage. If you have one of these cages, have you had to replace the corrugated plastic part after a while? I've also noticed in the photos that sometimes people only put bedding in the second smaller level, where the food is? Leaving a fleece cover in the larger Lowe level where there is a tunnel and toys. Do the piggies learn to go where the care fresh is? Is it that they go directly after they eat? Most of the cage pictures look so clean.

 

[lissie]

Right now I have the large pet store cage with the plastic bottom. I use care fresh and when I go to clean it dump it all out and sometimes there are spots of bedding and pee clumped to the side. I just hose it out. I won't be able to do that with this new cage. If you have one of these cages, have you had to replace the corrugated plastic part after a while? I've also noticed in the photos that sometimes people only put bedding in the second smaller level, where the food is? Leaving a fleece cover in the larger Lowe level where there is a tunnel and toys. Do the piggies learn to go where the care fresh is? Is it that they go directly after they eat? Most of the cage pictures look so clean.

Some piggies will potty train themselves. Most will not. The eating area helps a lot though. Most do their business while they eat. But you will still find they poop and pee in other areas of the cage.

With fleece, you have to sweep the cage at least once a day to remove droppings. You'll need at least 2 layers of absorbent material such as towels, uhaul pads, zorb, mattress pads, etc under your fleece.
Here's a really helpful thread on how to prepare fleece.
https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/bedding/21568-fleece-project-study.html
Most people take pictures of their cage right after cleaning.

 

[LightningPig1]

When I used aspen and when I cleaned the cage, there actually was bedding stuck/pee stains on the coroplast and seemed impossible to clean but I didn't really care much since there's bedding over it anyways! Before I used aspen I used Carefresh. Carefresh did not seem to stain or get stuck to it at all. So I guess it depends on the bedding.

Now there is a way where you don't have to worry about any of this which is, fleece. I am currently using fleece and love it!! I recommend it over all bedding's and it just happens to be a HUGE money saver!! On average, people normally pay 400$ on bedding alone every year. With fleece you pay like 20$-40$ (depending on the absorbant material fabric that you would put under the fleece) for one year and you probably wouldn't have to pay anything for bedding the next three years!!

I have a kitchen (a big Tupperware container and I use pelleted bedding) and LOVE it. It helps the hay from getting on the fleece and he does most of his business in there which is a lot less work for me!! He does poop some in the part of his cage with fleece but it makes a big difference with the kitchen.

 

[Insanemomof3]

What is a kitchen? Is it what you call the loft area, where the food and water would be? And that's the place to put the care fresh? and instead of placing the care fresh on the corrugated plastic you buy like a shallow litter pan?I am reading the threads on fleece and how to use it now.

 

[lissie]

The kitchen is the feeding area. Some people have it on the same level with fleece. Some people prefer loft.
If you add a loft for feeding area, you should keep some food on the main level until they are used to the loft. Some piggies are afraid of ramps.

Here are some samples, click on the image to view details:






If you look through the gallery, you'll find more ideas.
Guinea pig photos and cage photos for guinea pigs - Guinea Pig Cage Photos

 

[Insanemomof3]

I was wondering if I have this right in my mind!
So I make like a fleece pillow case the length of the lower level (or where it ends up going) and after washing it 4 times, I stuff it flat with towels?
Then I only need to wash the towels every 3-4 days and then fleece stays in the cage? or do I make two and wash the fleece also?
My cage comes today!

 

[lissie]

You'll need to wash the fleece too. It doesn't have to be a pillow case. But if that makes it easier for you to change, go for it!
My new favorite under layer is uhaul pads. You can read reviews about them here.
https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/bedding/58123-review-uhaul-blanket.html

You can buy them here:
U-Haul: Moving supplies: Furniture Pad

You can sew them to fleece so the whole pad is one piece.
* Might be too bulky if you have small washer *

 

[Insanemomof3]

I just found 6 yards of the fleece at walmart in the sale bin for $2! I also went and purchased the u haul blanket. I know you said wash it three or four times to help the material wick, but do I need to dry each between each washing? After seeing how large the cage is I'm glad I looked at the fleece option.

 

[PrincessAngel]

Yes you need to dry between the washings

 

[Onetwo]

Wash with vinegar and no soap to get all the chemicles out so it can wick properly. Wash (with vinegar)/dry, wash/dry, wash (with vinegar)dry, Optional wash/dry again. Be sure to get a fragrance free soap (I prefer 7th generation as its all natural plant enzymes) and do NOT use fabric softeners or dryer sheets... Can't wait to see the pics of your cage! Yes, fleece is MUCH better alternative.