Is Wood Wrong?

[onyx979]

Hello everyone,

I have made my lovies their cage out of Wood, Window Screen and 2 inches of well ventalated pine shavings. I was wondering because it was made from wood, is that bad for my lovies? There is wood across the bottem, then 3 garbage bags (the cage is 7 feet long) then the screen, then 2 inches of well ventalated pine shavings. The execess shavings is to protect thier feet from the screen. Now i have been watching them to see if the are chewing the wood. they are NOT The wood is pine but not pressure treated and not stained or altered in any fashion. When i get my camera up and running i will be adding pictures.

Please give me your opion on the materials use to made this cage.

Thanks, your Friend in Cavey Care
Onyx

 

[Ly&Pigs]

If the pigs can get to the wood to pee on it, it can have consequences later. You said your cage is 7 ft. long, how wide is it? There is screen on the bottom? If you have protected wood on the bottom you shouldn't need screen there as well as they could get their nails caught in it if they move the shavings.

 

[onyx979]

The cage is 7 feet long and 2.5 feet wide. There is wood on the botten, then I placed 3 garbage bags to cover all the wood, and then i added the screen ontop of the bags so that the piggies have NO chance of getting to the plastic. To protect their feet from the screen i added 2 inches of well ventalated pine shavings.

Is this ok?

 

[dagwellismypigy]

No, get rid of the screen on the bottom ASAP. Not good at all. Pine is no good either. Unless it is kiln dried. Aspen is the best woodchip bedding. Fleece may be a good option for your cage. Maybe you could put some coro plast on the inside of the wood.

 

[guineagurl]

What exactly is this screen your talking about? maybe wire?
If its allready there, could you add something solid over the wire base so they can't possibly move the shavings to hurt their feet on the wire? even thick newspaper would work as a base for the shavings.
I think we really need a photo so we can see exactly what you are talking about.

 

[onyx979]

I'm using screen that you would put in windows to keep the bugs out. The newspaper sounds like a great idea! i will do that right away. Thank you so much. i'm using the screen so that my babies won't get to the plastic bags that are being used to protect the wood floor. When i get my camera working i will be posting pictures of the cage.

 

[guineagurl]

Good idea, post some picture's. I don't think screens would be strong enough to hold all that weight would it? Pigs+ paper+bedding+dishes+hidy holes etc?

 

[onyx979]

Ok, for some reason my brother-in-law still hasn't sent me the pics we took this weekend.

From the bottem of the cage i will explain the set up

1) pine 2x4's as braces

2) pine 1x3's placed on top of the braces

3) 3 black garbage bags to protcet the wood

4) 1 big strip of screen to stop the babies from chewing on the bags

5) I have added 3 inches (was 2 but i added more to insure that they can't reach the screen) of well ventalated pine shavings.

6) piggies, hidy holes, dishes ect ect

the way i ventalate the pine is i take it into the dining room (where i have a HUGE window) and i place all the shavings in a HUGE black rubbermaid container and every so often i mix them well so ventalate the fumes. I do this for about a week.

I would use fleece but with all my kids i don't have time to be vacuming the fleese ever few hours to get all the poops off, and my hubbie also doesn't want pee'd fleece in the washing machine. So i make do with what i can afford and the time i have. Please don't forget i have 6 kids all unde rthe age of 10. I really am doing the best that i can for my babies.

Your Friend in Cavy Care
Onyx