Cage building question

[Skyenoir]

I had built the new cage for my pigs, and I went and altered it because of a comment someone made that I had not thought about. I had made the top floor the same size as the bottom floor, and I didn't think about light not being able to reach the first floor because of the top floor blocking it. I felt it would be too dark down there. So, I went in and took out two panels on the top floor, so now it is more like a loft. I have a 2x5 grid cage, but on top only two of the 5 grids are 2 grids deep, the other 3 are one grid deep. So my question is this... On the three single grids, I put up side grids because I worried about my piggies falling down. Is this necessary? It makes the second floor seem more closed off and seems like a narrower path for them to run down than if there were no safety grids on top. The top floor isn't completed because I have to cut coroplast, so I don't even know if they will use the top floor anyhow. Does this make sense? I don't know how else to explain it. I would post a pic but I am not at home right now. Any help is appreciated, thanks!

 

[Ly&Pigs]

How about just doing a 1x5 loft on the top. It will be easier to clean plus let in more light and you would be able to see the piggies when they are on the main level better.

On the three single grids, I put up side grids because I worried about my piggies falling down. Is this necessary?

If you aren't sure whether your pigs will fall off, get pushed off or even jump off, it's better to have the grid railing up there.

 

[Funnygpigs]

I have read that g-pigs do not have depth perseption. This means they could step off of the side and fall with out realizing it till to late. I personally would have safe gaurds or rails in place. I think it is wonderful that you care enough about your pigs to ask questions about their safety! They must love you! :0)

 

[Skyenoir]

Well I don't know how much they love me, but I love them! I haven't had them for very long so they are still a bit freaked out and trying to get used to us. One of them hardly ever comes out of her pigloo unless she thinks she hears food. Then she is a loud as can be. I would never think that noise could come out of her since she is so timid.

They are much happier since I moved them into the new cage, though. It really is like night and day! And I don't even have the second level complete, imagine how happy they will be then.

 

[JennG]

I've recently adopted my first cavies. I adopted three. I'm so glad I got online to do research because I found cavy cages and started to plan my cage. I made some changes as I went but I did 4x2 on the bottom floor, a ramp to one side of my 1x2 (and this has a loft, then I did another 1x2 on the other side w/ a bridge connecting the two sides. I did put up "walls" and guard rails because one of my new cavies is blind and I wanted to keep her safe from falls. They all have their favorite parts of the "house" and its easy to clean. I have their food on the top floor and they can only access it by the bridge. I start my cleaning their and work my way over to the loft & ramp side. And then I clean the bottom. It doesn't take long and my kids can do floor time w/ the girls. Hope this helps. I really enjoyed building it and got alot of compliments from my friends!! Good luck & Have Fun!!

 

[Ly&Pigs]

What are your piggies names? I keep referring to them as the blind pig, the white pig and the other pig. Does the blind piggie have any trouble with the ramp or tunnel? Can she find the food ok?

 

[JennG]

She's having no trouble w/ finding the food. The first few days we would guide her by put the parsley or whatever veggie we were giving them in front of her nose but out of reach from her mouth. We'd guide her to the food area. Now she gets up there by herself. I'm alittle worried because she's gotten fat. She was chunkier then the other two but my kids fed them too much yesterday. I had to get on them about a schedule of when we feed them. Their doing better. I've even posted the rules. My girls' names are Angel (the one who's blind), Snickers and the white one is Snowball. But now I'm worried that Snowball is pregnant. I've examined all three girls and compared their bottom half to the pics on guinealynx and they're all girls but I could swear she's gotten bigger since Saturday and now there seems to "bumps" in that area unlike Angel who just seems to be fat all over. And Snowball is the one w/ the hair loss which is an indication. HELP!!!!

 

[Ly&Pigs]

If Snowball is an Aby, that would explain many things. Aby's tend to be much more fatter in the mid/hind quarters. Also if she has the whorls/swirls in her hair on her sides, it's normal and not hairloss. I hope you can get pictures soon. I think your pigs names are great!

 

[JennG]

I finished up my roll of film this evening. I'm going to try and get them developed w/in the next few days. I'm going to try and have a friend scan them into her computer and email them to me. (My scanner is down). She does have a few spots that are bald on her sides as well as the whorls/swirls. I just went and checked AGAIN to make sure they're all girls and I compared them to the pics. They're all girls but I swear there are at least two bumpy things on her sides that seem to move. What are some pregnancy signs?

 

[Ly&Pigs]

Weight gain, getting pear shaped, feeling movement in the tummy. It's sometimes hard to tell if they are pregnant without being able to actually feel the babies move in the tummy. I had a pregnant pig that I didn't even know was pregnant until she delivered and I got 3 sweet surprises. I hold my pigs in a towel because they tend to pee on me so with all the layers of toweling between me and Chatty, I never felt anything and she didn't get very big at all with them. She looked like she had gained a slight bit of weight but she sure didn't look pregnant by just looking at her. She didn't have the classic "bubble" look on her sides either.

 

[JennG]

Should I consider quarantining her from the other two girls? Right now they're all in the same huge cage but I could easily set it up where Snowball could have the upper deck and I could keep food down below for Angel & Snickers. Like I said, I've looked and looked and looked at all three of their underside and they're all girls. I would bet my life on it. I'm thinking she was pregnant when the other people dropped her off at the shelter. Any suggestions?? I think I felt movement but that could be my own paranoia??

 

[Ly&Pigs]

I wouldn't separate, it might stress her more.

Chatty gave birth with her three roomies in the cage and CoCo and Cherrybelle acted as aunties. I learned the day Chatty gave birth that Moppy was expecting too. 6 days later, another litter. One baby was dead when I found them and one was alive but only survived a few days.