Lid or double grid height for young guineas (8 weeks)

[NewbieSooz]

Hi, I haven't bought my guinea pigs yet, but the nearby petting farm have young ones that are on sale, and will have had lots of handling. After reading loads of online sites, I have bought 20 14" grids (with 9 holes per side) and am making a C&C indoor cage for them. I'm making a 2x4 cage, and so don't have enough grids to double up grids all around (to baby proof), so when I get my correx (I'm from UK) board on sat, I will make sides 10" high all around to stop small guinea pigs getting heads stuck (I hear that this can happen?).

But then I read the threads saying some guineas can climb out of 1 grid high cages. My cage is on a table top, against a wall, but cos of a strip of edging around the flat's walls, my cage won't be right up against the flat wall. I also have a slanty roof (I'm in an attic flat). I can't double the height of the grids all the way around, as (1) I don't have enough grids, and (2) the slanty roof gets in the way.

So here are my questions. (1) If I double up the grids around the 3 outside edges, could the piggies climb over the 1 grid high bit at the back, and get stuck in the gap? (2) if I use the leftover grids as a lid (at least until they are 6 months old), could they get their heads stuck/escape through the 1 1/2 gaps in the roof? I also read somewhere that they like to climb on things, and I will put an upside down shoe box in for them to hide under, but was worried they would get into trouble with the roof if they climb on top?

When they get too big to escape like that, I will use the extra grids to make a 2x1 loft at 6" high. Thanks for anyone who can help!

 

[MrWhistles]

First off, do NOT buy your guinea pigs. Do NOT go to a breeder like the one you're going to. Please please PLEASE look into rescues in your area to get your guinea pigs. Look through Petfinder.com, craigslist(be weary of breeders). Where are you located?

Now that I've got that out of the way. As far as guinea pigs climbing out of they're cages. There are VERY few that do this. And those who do it, I would think would be very fit guinea pigs. Even my lean girl can't climb her grids. And a pudgy guinea pig certain will never be able to get out of his cage. Another thing that may help in aiding a guinea pig to escape, are short, climbable hidys. Guinea pigs that frequently climb ontop of their hidys have an increased risk of escaping. HOWEVER, guinea pigs are prey animals and most would rather stay where they feel safe; ie their cage. But if you see your pig IS hoping ontop of their hidys, you can usually secure the hidy into a corner/place a single grid ontop of that area.

You can see in this picture how I secured my girls pigloo. I secured their pigloo because if I didn't, the pigloo would be moved EVERYWHERE.


Now next issue, "doubling up the grids". Are you talking about making the cage itself(no stand) 2 grids tall? If so I think you're confusing the terms we use. When we mean double up the grids. We do this: Be sure to place the zip ties in the EXACT spots pictured. But I think I read that you were going to make your coroplast walls 10" tall, that should work fine.


I hope this answered your questions correctly. I was sneezing a lot and trying to read at the same time. Not really an easy thing to accomplish.

 

[NewbieSooz]

Ok so the double up thing to make the grids smaller - I don't have enough grids, so I was going with the higher coroplast. I was putting grids on top of each other to stop any possibility of escape, because the cage is on a table top, so would be quite a way to fall. I'll give some thought to your idea of securing climbable items to an area that I can make more secure, although I was looking forward to watching the piggies re-arrange their digs to suit them! I may turn the left over grids into a lid until I know what type of pigs I have.

Re where to get the pigs, I live in the UK. There are lots of adverts in the area about guinea pigs available, lots where people are saying that the babies are ready now, but how can I tell that the babies are not as a result of a pet shop mix up (wrong sexing at the shop leading to brothers and sisters mating) or that the people who are running the ads are not breeding the pigs in an unethical way?

Re adopting a couple, that is also an option, but although this sounds harsh, and I would provide vet care for my pigs, I don't have pots of spare money, so can't really afford to take on guinea pigs with underlying problems. I hope that I'm not going to be judged to harshly for that.

Lastly, the adoption places are really strict. Although my pigs would live in my 2x4 grid for most weeks in a year, as I live alone, when I go away I need to take them to my friends house, or with me if I visit my parents. For this, I was thinking of getting one of the larger pet shop cages, and loaning my friends some of the grids to make a run (so they could run for a part of each day). They don't have room for a 5' plus cage. I don't know if this would be a point that would stop me from being able to adopt. If any one has better ideas for what to do during holidays, please let me know.

Thanks for your help! I much prefer to get these things sorted out before they arrive, so I can have the best home I can make for them!

 

[lissie]

Here's a list of rescues in the UK. If you adopt from rescues, the pigs would have already been vet checked and treated for parasites.
https://www.guinealynx.info/rescue_organizations_uk.html
Rescue & Rehoming - The Guinea Pig Forum

You're thinking too much into the temporary cage for vacation. Most rescues won't even take that into considerations. They just need to know the pigs will be looked after when you're on vacation.

 

[MrWhistles]

As far as vactions are concerned. My best friend is able to spend nights at my house so the pigs and other animals arent stressed into moving to another place. Last time i did that my previous dog chewed up the sitters blinds. I also find they cope a bit better being in a familiar place even though their main person is gone for a bit.
Is there a person you can trust to stay at your home while your gone?

Lissie provided you good links on finding adoptables. Also, as far as money is concerned, what i do is i have a rainy day fund that gets $20 every paycheck. I also have CareCredit incase the costs are higher than what i have on hand. Im not sure if carecredit is in the UK. But any credit card should work as well. Just reserve jt for medcial funds only.

 

[Inle_Rabbit]

I bring a length of grids or a pet store cage when I travel with guinea pigs, which isn't often. The guinea pigs handle everything with relative ease. I think the most stressful part for them is the car trip, otherwise as long as they have their buddies and their things they seem perfectly at home. I am traveling to visit family with one of my guinea pigs that needs medical attention and I am just bringing the pet store cage. He should be fine for a weekend.

Rescues are going to care more about the everyday care of the GP than they do about the possible vacation. As long as the GPs are cared for either by a pet sitter or by bringing them along they rescue should be fine with that.

Best of luck finding the perfect new piggies!

 

[NewbieSooz]

thanks for all the advice. I bought a large fleecy bed for them today. Hopefully, it will fit 2 fully grown pigs as it is quite big - 14"by 18" i think. I think it was meant for rabbits, but it means they can bunk up and be cosy together. I am looking around the small ads for the area. There are a few ads for people wanting to pass on their pets. Do you tend to have one type of hay for them to play in and eat, or do you buy 2 types? I know lots of people have fleeces, and hay is kept to the hay racks, but I read somewhere they like to toss it around and play with it? (may have been on this website ;o) ) For 2 guineas, how much water do they get through a day - what size of bottle should I get? Are they happy to share a bottle, or should I get 2?

 

[T1ggerPigLuvur]

I would recommend getting two 16 oz water bottles. If you get two, they have access to more water every day (opposed to having just one water bottle). Also, it might help prevent dominance over the water bottles.

Also, it helps when you have multiple questions in one post to try putting them on their own separate lines. It makes it easier to read.

 

[Iklepink]

I use the 600ml water bottles and I have one per pig.
Where abouts in the UK are you?

 

[NewbieSooz]

There's a couple of girl piggies available in the next city over, 8 months old. When going to look at piggies in someones house, what should I look for/ ask about? I've never bought anything by a small ad before, let alone animals!

 

[NewbieSooz]

I live in Hampshire (South coast)

 

[Iklepink]

Ah cool I used to live in Gosport. If you can get there, Wheek & Squeek in Soton are brilliant

 

[NewbieSooz]

Yeah, I did try and visit them this weekend, but they are too busy.