Cage Questions

[xoceltic]

Well, after looking through the galleries for ideas for the cage I'm planning to build, I've come up with a few questions. Any information would be a lot of help, as this is the first C&C cage I'll be building.
First is a bedding issue. Is it cheaper to use fleece for cage than shavings? If you use fleece, do you have to throw it out every time you clean the cage, or do you just buy a few pieces so you can put a new piece in and wash the used one?
If I build a 3 x 3 cage with a 1 x 3 loft, would that be enough room for two boars to have plenty of space to themselves?
I think that's enough for now. If I have more questions, I'll add them later.

 

[Poohbear]

yes your cage size is big enough for 2 boars. With fleece you just buy maybe 3 diffrent fleeces and then when one gets dirty you shake it outside to get the extra poopies off and then you put it in the washer. Then you start putting down the other fleece while the other one is washing.

 

[dagwellismypigy]

yes fleece is alot cheeper in the long run.

 

[xoceltic]

Okay. Would One sheet one coroplast be enough for the 3 x 3 part? I'm planning to put carpet in the loft/upper level.

Thank you guys.

 

[Poohbear]

I think it will be. I do not know how big a sheet is.

 

[suzy_99]

The sheets that I can get are long enough for a 2x4 cage but they would not be wide enough for 3. You will have to call your local sign places to see their dimensions. Also, I would be careful with what kind of carpet you put on your scond level. Mine love to chew anything that is longer than what is used as a floor mat.
I use fleece myself and I have saved and incredible amount of money, so in my opinion it is a great bedding. I just find that it stinks if you use towels under the fleece. I now just put a thick layer of newspaper underneath.

 

[xoceltic]

Hm. Well I think it always comes in 4' x 8' sheets unless you have it cut. I think that would be 4.5 feet both ways, adding the 6 inches for both sides. I wanted to make a decent sized, square cage for my piggie, because it would fit a lot easier into the space I have for it. But if need be, I'll make it rectangular. That is, if I can't find coroplast cheap enough that I could afford two sheets. So far I've gotten to talk to one person out of all the sign shops I called, and he told me that it would be $20 per sheet. So hopefully I can find a shop that will sell it for less.

 

[suzy_99]

That is just a little expensive. I pay $20 a sheet here in canada, so that would be about 13 or 14 dollars american. That is actually a better price then i have heard from a lot of other americans here, I won't expect that you will find it much cheaper anywheres else.
Luckily, I had a humongous old election sign in my basement so I just used that. You may actually be able to call around and see if there are any old signs that you can buy (as long as they are in good shape; mine was).

 

[DaCourt]

Don't forget...fleece alone will not work. You will need something under it to soak up the wetness. The fleece is just to keep wetness away from the pigs.

 

[Ly&Pigs]

For fleece you can have the sides 3" tall. My cage is a 3x4 and I was able to use a 48" wide by 62" long piece of coroplast. The inside measurements of my bottom were about 42" but I don't use connectors along the bottom of the cage. The grids are cable tied at the bottom and I used connectors on the top.

 

[suzy_99]

I don't even have sides on my fleece cage. I simply got fleece that was large enough that I could just use the cage itself to hold the fleece down. I find this works better than coroplast myself, because they have yet to be able to move the fleece around like they did when I had the sides. I also no longer have coroplast under fleece. I just use a vinyl tablecloth and it has been working great so far and it is so easy to clean.

 

[dagwellismypigy]

Hm. Well I think it always comes in 4' x 8' sheets unless you have it cut. I think that would be 4.5 feet both ways, adding the 6 inches for both sides. I wanted to make a decent sized, square cage for my piggie, because it would fit a lot easier into the space I have for it. But if need be, I'll make it rectangular. That is, if I can't find coroplast cheap enough that I could afford two sheets. So far I've gotten to talk to one person out of all the sign shops I called, and he told me that it would be $20 per sheet. So hopefully I can find a shop that will sell it for less.

Since you are in Pa, you could probably go to (broken link removed) , depending on where you live in PA the shipping is free and the price is extremely low, I wouldn't get it if you have to use fed-ex though.

 

[xoceltic]

Wow, thank you. I found some for $5-$6 on Harbor Sales. Now all I have to do is talk to my parents so they can order some after they get paid, either this week or next week.

Thank you for the help. All of you.

 

[dagwellismypigy]

no problem, good luck with the cage!