Coroplast Cage JUST out of corroplast

[Nessy]

Hi there, sorry to ask, I'm new to the forum and new to keeping guinea pigs, in fact I haven't got any yet.

We plan to get a pair of piggies, hopefully rescue piggies, some time this summer and have been spending time researching. Now I would like to build a C&C grid cage and WOULD be able to fit a 4x2 except that it will live under shelves and I have to build around shelf supports, meaning cutting into the grids and I'm not sure that I can do that. I have looked into making a custom cage out of wire mesh which I did for a hamster cage (the same size - 55 inches (140cm) long and on three levels, though the levels would be very different for a piggie cage) and to be honest I don't want to do that again. As I say the base would be the same size as a 4x2 grid and I would add a shelf at the back to make a top level.

So my question is this - If I made a cage out of corroplast could it be that the piggies would chew it? There's absolutely no way that I would ever risk such a thing with any other rodent, but it appears to me that the piggies don't chew their corroplast. Piggiepigpigs (who has a whole host of videos on YouTube that I've found very useful) has used corroplast-only cages and lovely well-kept animals (as seen on her website - though I'm not promoting her, I don't know her, I'm just pointing out that it's been done and has been done by a thoughtful and experienced keeper), so I'm tempted to think the answer is yes, and I have no doubt that it works for her piggies. However I would feel absolutely dreadful if one of mine was a chewer and escaped and got injured.
Have any of you tried this, do any of yours chew their corroplast?

Of course I will put in chew items such as wood hides and chew treats etc in there, along with other enrichment, they will have floor time and in the nice weather outdoor time in a large run.

Also we are looking after someone else's guinea pigs in June and this will give us a chance to know for sure if they are the pets for us, but I'm pretty sure they will be and I like to plan ahead....

Many thanks - Nessy

 

[KaileighRussell]

Hey Nessy - first off I'm glad that you're doing so much research now!

As for the cage - yes you can do a cage out of just coroplast, the walls just have to be higher (thus why people use C&C grids). The standard wall height is about 6' (give or take) and the grids ensure guinea pigs don't get out. If you're using any toys they can jump up on or climb onto I would say make your coroplast sides at least 8', more if you still think it's too low. PPP has great GREAT cages, I just worry about them being raised and the pigs can put their paws up on the sides!

I would say it might be tricky to get a water bottle attached but PPP has a great set up with her water bottles you could steal with pride!

Good luck!

 

[HannibalLecter]

Welcome Nessy!
The main issue is circulation, you need a larger cage for only coroplast to work well as you'll need higher sides.
The risk otherwise is the pigs breathing in their own waste, which would be an increased risk for potential URIs & bacterial growth.

 

[Nessy]

Aw thanks ever such alot Kaileigh for the friendly, quick and helpful reply.
It's nice to know that I can make all or part out of the coroplast as it makes things so much easier in the designing and making. I may have the front made from clear perspex panels. I am planning on making the sides 14 inches high, around the same hight as the C&C grids.
Thanks once again, it's very much appreciated and I'll be sure to let you know how I get on when the time comes...
- Nessy

 

[Nessy]

Ah, thanks Hannibal. So how about I make the back out of coroplast (as that is the area that must fit around the shelf supports) and the front and maybe sides out of C&C grids?

 

[SimbaDC650]

on gp's chewing on the coroplast it depends on the height but also the pig.

 

[Nessy]

Hi again, I would just like to thank you all once again for your replies and help. Having taken everything you have all said into account I have gone for a custom-made cage made from stiff wire mesh in a semi-open design. Basically the dimensions are almost the same as C&C cages. The two front doors will be C&C grids., it will be lined with Corroplast/Correx just like C&C cages. As I say the only reason I didn't go for C&C in the first place was because of fitting the grids around the shelf supports. It's more expensive than Correx alone but certainly worth it knowing that it will be safe, secure and will have plenty of air-flow.

I have sent my cage demensions off to someone who will very kindly cut and file the pieces for me. My original plan was to wait until the Summer after I had looked after someone else's piggies, just to be absolutely certain that they're the right pet for us (although I am very confident they will be), but I've brought the date forward because I have just been offered an unwanted, lonesome one year old pig by a friend of a friend. My friend thinks it's a sow but we don't know yet. She's taken care of it while the family went on holiday and tells me it's a firendly little thing. Anyhow it's the same old story, it was one of a pair bought for the kids, kids lost interest, one died, remaining piggy got left in a hutch in a shed.... It's fed and watered and goes out in it's garden run, but it is basically now unwanted and Dad is willing to rehome it. He is just going to check with the kids to make sure....I hope the kids are willing to let it go! Sorry, 'it' seems disrespectful but like I say I'm not sure at this stage whether or not it is a sow or boar. Anyhow I just can't say no, knowing that it has a lonely and rather boring life right now.... They'll give me the hutch, run and accessories too, so they should hopefully be nice for those lovely sunny days out on my lawn
I most certainly plan to get a youngster as a friend for it, once my local (and very good) pet shop has double-checked the gender of it. They'll sort out the introduction for me to make sure the pair get on. I really hate the thoughts of it just sitting around lonely.

Anyhow, I'll keep you all updated. I'm off to buy a bunch of fleece pads, pockets and tunnels.....

Thanks again.

 

[Nessy]

Thanks spy9doc. Yes I've read and read and read, which in a way makes it clearer and in a way makes things more confusing! I've come to many decisions over the past few weeks, such as getting snuggly fleece beds/cosies/tunnels, and have read some great ideas about toys. I'm just in a muddle really about which bedding to opt for but I guess that at the end of the day trying things and seeing which works best for me is the way to go.... I'll post in the proper section about it though!

 

[scruffytufty]

my pigs are chewing my coroplast, its driving me insane!! i put cardboard and such in there but nope, they are determined to ruin my design ^^

 

[Nessy]

Ah great minds think alike! Thank you once again Spy9doc.
When I built our hamster cage I used mesh and Correx/Corroplast, and I used something similar on one exposed edge. It was actually an edging from a fish tank but it worked in much the same way, designed to gip the top edge of the glass to make it look nice, it gripped the Correx very nicely.
I have thought about those grippers you can get for creating little presentation booklets (again they're very similar and they slide on and grip) but I never thought about frame edges. What a good idea!

I think I will wait and see if mine are chewers. At least I know that with the wire mesh they will be kept secure and they cannot chew their way out. Once again thank you.

Like yours mine will have a loft. It runs the length of the back edge, minus two ramps, making it (as in usable space) 45 x 14.24 inches, which is a smidge over a 3 x 1 grid set-up. Again like you I intend this to be the messy hay area. The downstairs floor space is 27.75 x 57 inches, which is the same dimensions as a 2 x 4 grid. It will be furnished with a couple of wooden hides (wood for them to chew on), inside each will be a fleece cosy bed. Also there will be at least one tunnel. I was going to buy a bunch of fleece tunnels and cosies, but I actually have lots of fleece from when my younger son and I used to make cuddly toys together (he loved using the sewing machine when he was young). I had a sewing session yesterday and things are coming along nicely, so I intend making a variety and swapping them around as they get dirty (a variety to keep them interested). I know what I would love to do - like pretty much everyone on here if they could, I would guess - I'd love to have a cage at least twice as large and put lots of these things in, but I have to go with the space I have.

I do have a question though if I may, for all of those who have contributed on this thread. My plan was to buy a baby from our local pet shop to go with my adopted piggy. Now I know our petshop owners well, they're a lovely family who keep pets themselves and they're a small business in it for the love of it as much as they are to make a living. They get their piggies from a carefully selected breeder who cares for and handles their guinea pigs well. A colleague of mine bought a pair from them last Summer and is delighted, so I have confidence in them. However the down side is I have the feeling that they may want to sell me a pair of them, even though they know I will already have one. The up-side is that they are happy to make the introductions for me. Another downside is that I know there are lolts of gpigs waiting for a second chance in rescue centres and it's very sad.

Would three piggies be too many for my cage?

I have taken note of those who have suggested going to a local rescue for a companion. My original plan was indeed to get a pair from a rescue, but I am not sure about choosing a companion from one because they will most likely only have adult piggies and from what I've read so far this may mean they could be more likely to fight each other.

Does anyone have experience of introducing adult pigs to each other please?

Thank you once again.

 

[Nessy]

Hi again Spy9doc

Thank you once again. With regards the last picture, if you imagine that the top is not L-shaped but just a straight line at the back then it looks like mine. I have thought about making it L-shaped and I have left scope for it to expand in that way, but I need to see how it works without first. Imagine that the two far corners of the upper level are where the ladders start to go down, and the ladders end up at the near left and near right corners at the bottom. I did that design with two ladders, one at each end so that the piggies can do a circular run up one side and down the other while chasing each other about (should they want to). However it does mean slightly less space at the top level as a result. I like the thoughts of having the ladders going down to the corners as I feel it's less obtrusive in the bottom level that way (if that makes sense).

My friend thinks the guinea pig in qestion is a sow, but we are not certain of this. I will get her sexed of course before getting a companion, either my local pet shop or a rescue centre will do this. I understand about the forum being pro-rescue. I am too in my heart but if there's not a suitable friend for this piggy to be found at a rescue I will probably go for the pet shop option, as they have been very careful about the breeder that they have chosen to supply them. They really are just a one-off store run by a family who keep pets themselves (inclusing guineas). They take just a few young guinea pigs each year in the Spring from the very local and small-scale breeder who cares for and handles the piggies well, so I won't feel bad about supporting this particular breeder.
I was careful too when we got the hamsters. I wouldn't want to buy from a pet store chain for the same reasons as with guinea pigs - the animals are just kept as baby producing machines in small cages.. just such a boring and stressful life for them, and the babies often don't do so well. I chose a local breeder for the hamsters, one who keeps them as pets but is known and respected in hobby-hamster circles. (There's generally not much in the way of rescue hamsters around here). We went to see her and the hamsters and found them in lovely conditions with lots of enrichment etc...
Anyway what I'm trying to say is I realise this is pro-adoption, and this is what I will try to do because I agree with it, but I have no ethical qualms about choosing stock from the local small scale breeder using the pet shop as a middle-man because I know the family and know that they genuinely care

There are not many rescue centres around here without travelling far, but as it happens my local RSPCA has recently had an influx - 14 piggies taken in by another rescue centre and housed at my local due to room. What state they are in I don't know. Perhaps they came from a hoarder or a careless breeder? I will try there but I do have to be cautious I think. I wonder if they have been neglected or abused, I have to weigh my feelings in my heart about giving a poor soul a second chance to be happy, against my head saying that it's temperament may be hard to manage for a first-timer like me.

The other thing I need to take into account is timing. Assuming this particular adoption goes ahead as it should I don't yet know when. If there's no suitable piggies in the adoption centre then I will not want to wait until one turns up, knowing that my current piggie is lonely. However if this adoption does not go ahead then I am willing to wait for a rescue pair.

I hope that all makes sense. I just want to be honest about it.

With regards to my guinea-pig turning out to be a boy after all then yes I am willing to give him the snip and house him with a young lady, if that is what it takes to find a suitable cage mate. I have read that a neutered bore will often house well with a female.

Basically I am very keen to resuce this lonely little piggy, and I really want this adoption to go ahead for her/his sake, and am keeping my options open with regards finding a cage-mate. I truely does depend on who is suitable at the time, whether that be from a rescue or from the local breeder via the pet shop.

Going back to the cage thank you for the diagram and the off-setting idea. I can't though. There's a solid wall at one end and if I have it any larger at the other end I won't be able to clean it as the furniture would block the end. I wouldn't be able to physically reach the end of it, and I can't move the furniture as the room is small and I have no other option but this lay-out (you'd know if you saw my house - lol. Sorry, I'm not trying to put a negative on your idea and thank you for suggesting it, I just cannot currently have it any larger. The only thing I could do is make the top level larger within the current cage dimensions, which I have scope for, but not by much, not without compromising the open-plan idea anyway.

Thanks again, you're a star! x

 

[1966KIMMIEKAYE]

BE CAREFUL... we went to an rescue to get two girls. We left with four. We couldn't bear to separate the three that were bonded. One more girl came in while we were there. If we didn't take her, she would have been alone. We just couldn't leave her. I can not be trusted at a rescue (We almost ended up with another dog as well).

This is our third week with our girls. They are wonderful. They all are adjusting to their new lives very well. I did lots of research too. This forum is priceless. Good luck with your new herd. I am sure you will fall in love with them as soon as you hold them.

BONUS: My daughter and dogs now eat more veggies because of the piggies.

Best of luck
Kim

 

[Nessy]

@spy9doc Thank you again. Your Chester and Maya sound like they're wonderful characters. Maya fallinga sleep in your arms must be super-cute, and Chester sounds like the perfect gentleman (or gentlepig). I'm always impressed by clever critters. I took a look at the link at your own set-up by-the-way, but I forgot to mention it yesterday. It looks really nice, both aesthetically and from a happy piggy point of view. You have lucky piggies!
Thanks also for talking all of this through with me. I should know tomorrow evening whether or not this adoption will go ahead and when, so I will be able to take it from there. I should then be in a much better position to find out details of those rescue pigs at the RSPCA and perhaps view them. If they are unlikely to make a suitable pet and cage-mate then I will have to be hard-hearted and turn them down, sad as it is. Like you say Spy, I need to be careful. My other option of the pet shop is still a good one, but only because the breeders and the pet shop actually care. I was chatting to them today in fact, just to let them know the situation. Their pigs will be there in a few days, they will be monitored for two weeks to make sure they're ok and then they'll be offered to those who have expressed an interest first (myself included). Their policy is to sell them in pairs or sell one only to go with another pig (such as in my case), but if it turns out that a sale would leave just one pig on its own they refuse the sale for the sake of that last piggy. Like I say, they care and I trust them, so which ever option I choose I feel will be an ethical one. There is also a third choice - the Pre-Loved site (do you have that in the USA?). This is where people can advertise their pets that they can no longer keep (or advertise anything else for that matter). There are obvious breeders on there, and there are those genuine ones who have to give up their pets. It's a place to find a new home without resorting to a rescue centre, but a disadvantage from my point of view is I may not have a chance to organise an introduction session and there aren't many people just advertising one pig. Anyhow, it's worth a look for me before I make that final decision.

@1966KIMMIEKAYE - yes things like that would play on my mind too. I know that I could go and just choose one, but hardening my heart to the rest would be a hard thing to do, and they would stay in my mind for a long time I think. But it sounds like you've done the right thing by those four piggies. I only have the room for two though unfortunately, so I will have to be harsh no matter what! Thanks Kim - Ness x

 

[Iklepink]

I got a new buddy for my boar from my local RSPCA just over a week ago. He's 16 weeks old so paired up wonderfully with my 2 year old Patrick. He had been advertised on their site for about 7 weeks as a lone pig - separated from mum and sister.

When I went to collect him they had finally managed to pair him up with another piggie there! He bore the marks of failed introductions I only had room for the 1 extra pig so I let the RSPCA lady get him out of his cage and I had to turn my back as I knew who his cagemate was (a gorgeous but dominant fellow I had also seen on their site) and if I had seen him in the flesh I would of wanted to take him too.

I am moving to a bigger house in the next couple of months so I have told myself that once I have moved and can build another cage if the other pigs are still waiting for homes then I will let them into mine.