Connectors Do you use zip ties or connectors that come w/ the grids?

[FuryanGoddess]

A few mos ago, I spent a lot of time looking for grids... turns out they had them right up the street at Sears. So I got them now and am working on a new cage design... w/ the connectors... it looks like it leaves a pretty big gap, not that a pig 'should' be able to fit through, but still.. they could try and get stuck? So, zip ties or connectors?

 

[Catahoula]

How old are your pigs?

The gap left by the connectors shouldn't be a problem. My youngest is about 4 months old and she can't wiggle her way through. The space between the connectors is actually smaller then the grid squares themselves.

 

[FuryanGoddess]

lol I guess you got a point about the grids... dahh... I tell you what... some times the old brain just doesn't work *sigh* ok... back to building

 

[pinky]

Either work fine. It's easier to disassemble if you use connectors but I find that if you bump the cage, they come apart sometimes. I used some of both on my cages. I planned to use all zip ties but I was reusing my coroplast base which would have been to large to fit with zip ties since I originally used connectors. The zip ties seem a little more sturdy.

 

[HannibalLecter]

I use both, as connectors wear down after a while. After a mishap of me thinking I could sit in the cage while cleaning, I'm never building a cage without both. Just a real pain when you want to rebuild the cage later on.

 

[nicholelynne]

Both! I find that the connectors hold the grids together in a nice straight line, and solid corners, where the zipties will let them flex a little into other shapes. But the connectors alone arent strong enough, cause they tend to pop off unless you reinforce them with plenty of zipties. You can find more connectors online if you look, I find they are much cheaper on ebay than through normal stores, I bought a bag of 24 a while back, to make my cage stronger. lol

 

[Llamasomething]

I find connectors look a lot better than zip ties, and make things easier to take apart as far as cages go.

For a floor time area/outdoor play pen I have a stack of grids zip-tied together, and the tie act like hinges so I can fold them into a small pile and put them away when I'm not using them, and they're super easy to set back up into any shape for a play pen when it's time to come out of the cage.

 

[FuryanGoddess]

I'm having a hard time getting all the connectors snapped in all at the same time. I think I might zip tie and see how it goes...

 

[GuineaPigPosse]

I use to use just zipties, but found that they would break easily so I have gone back to using connectors when I expanded my piggies cage to 3" x 6". I haven't had a problem with the connectors popping off.

 

[zaylea]

I used both. The whole thing is assembled with connectors, and they're even used to attach the cage to the stand. Then, I zip tied around all of the joints. That thing is solid and not going anywhere. Few reasons (just my opinion of course):

1) They look better than zip ties alone. A lot of cages I've seen with just zip ties don't seem to have the walls perfectly straight and that would... bother me.

2) Connectors make construction a little easier. Particularly if you're playing around with different designs. You can snap it all together and then go through and zip tie afterwards.

3) The stand is on a wood floor, and the connectors on the bottom made a good place to stick felt pads to. If it were on a carpet, I imagine the connectors would make it easy to slide the cage out of the way for vacuuming.

 

[SurfingPigs]

I use connectors for building the perimeter of my cages, but I prefer zip ties for anything I don't plan on pulling apart. My favorite use of the zip ties is to connect a lot of grids together to make a floor time pen, so I can accordion them out to make a large perimeter, and fold them all together for storage.

 

[Hhbean]

It appears that I'm doing the same as many of the posters here, using a combo of connectors and zip ties. I like the connectors for the corners of the cage and the zip ties for the rest of the grids. I LOVE using the zip ties for their floor time grids because I can just fold and tuck it behind the couch. I use the connectors and zip ties on a few grids I have on top of the cage for their fleece forest because they would pop out without the zip ties and droop without the connectors:crazy:

 

[pinky]

What size zip ties are you using? I've never had a problem with zip ties breaking. In fact, I've found them to be so strong, it's hard to even cut them off. Zip ties come in different sizes and strengths. The 8", 20.32 cm ones are extremely strong. A single one can hold up to a 2" diameter and up to 75 lbs.

I use to use just zipties, but found that they would break easily so I have gone back to using connectors when I expanded my piggies cage to 3" x 6". I haven't had a problem with the connectors popping off.

 

[GuineaPigPosse]

What size zip ties are you using? I've never had a problem with zip ties breaking. In fact, I've found them to be so strong, it's hard to even cut them off. Zip ties come in different sizes and strengths. The 8", 20.32 cm ones are extremely strong. A single one can hold up to a 2" diameter and up to 75 lbs.

Not really sure of the size. When I would move the grids to clean their base (coroplast), they would break if the grids shifted in the wrong way. Guess I'll have to get stronger ones.

 

[FuryanGoddess]

I used straight zip ties as some of the cage is still the older shelving. It's all done.. they seem real happy. Still need to get some Coroplast or even another batch of grids, but we could do w/o those. I have fleece down now, as we are out of bedding and I'm hoping to have a 'kitchen' area to cut back on poop and pee.

They rumbled, and chattered and marked, Lord did that smell but right now they're all sleeping so they appear to be happy and hopefully can coexist w/o anymore major fighting

Pix

 

[FuryanGoddess]

First one is old cage, then the new one. Darwin, Gumball and this other one is Mr. Dad.

 

[C. Cole-Chakotay]

I use both the connectors and cable ties for my cages. The connectors are more pleasing to look at and the cable ties give the cage more security and stability.