C&C Alternatives My new cage

[Petlovr]

My cage has to withstand 10 feral cats , some of which are pushing 20 lbs, so I was afraid the cube grids wouldn't be strong enough, and went with the wire shelving. Here's my new 3ft by 6ft cage for the 4 "Guinea Girls". Even without the originally planned second level kitchen, they have a ton of space! I still have to tweak it, tho', since I mis-cut the coroplast. I stink at the math sometimes!


You can see my first piggies store bought cage on top. Poor Daisy...She lived in this for a long time :sad:. I can always use it in a pinch for quarantine or transport.

 

[lissie]

Your new cage looks great!

 

[SurfingPigs]

Talk about a sturdy and safe cage! Huge fan, great setup to keep your piggies from becoming the new cat toys.

 

[Inle_Rabbit]

It looks awesome! Nothing is getting into that.

 

[pinky]

Wow! I think it looks nicer than a cube cage. How did you connect the sides and attach the cover. Very nice.

 

[boofp]

very nice and sturdy

 

[Petlovr]

How did you connect the sides and attach the cover. Very nice.

Thanks! I took the shelving, and the short sides have the "lip" edge up, the long sides have the "lip" edge down. When the store cut the shelves for me, there were little edges of the wire sticking out, so I interlocked those little pieces and used white thick zip ties to secure it together. Since it's 3 feet wide, and the shelves are only 16 inches, there was going to be a 4 inch gap in the center of the lid. I bought a length of wood 4 inches wide and 6 feet 1 inch long so that it overhangs the short sides by about an half an inch, painted it white, and put the lid pieces on it so the "lip" edge overlaps the side. Does that make sense? I used zip ties to hold the wood and the lid pieces together. I do want to cut the lid pieces into 3 foot sections, tho', because the 6 foot lid is a little much to open when I'm trying to get their dinner salad in there. For the base, I wrapped a piece of 3/4 inch plywood cut to be about 2 inches bigger that the cage in heavy vinyl from the fabric store, and set it all down on a rectangular dinette table someone was getting rid of. It seems to be working well. No new kitty "squeak toys"!

I can't say it was any cheaper than a C&C cage, and I can't reconfigure it, but the girls love it, and my main concern was thier safety. All my cats are feral (wild) born, so that prey drive is really strong. Some of them were hunting before they were trapped and tamed.

 

[beachgurl_1988]

Don't worry, I miscut my coroplast too it has always been about.... 3 inches too short haha. When I get my new sheet I'm going to measure three times, think about cutting four times, and then get someone else to cut it hahahaha.

 

[Petlovr]

Thanks! It's nice to know you all think I did a nice job!

 

[Petlovr]

Hmmm......and you say you're "no good at math"?? Good job!

ROFL! Thanks!

When I get my new sheet I'm going to measure three times, think about cutting four times, and then get someone else to cut it hahahaha.

That's what I did-I had the store cut it this time! I'm using it as a frame right now to make sure the cage liners I'm making fit properly. Then I'll just set it in the cage.

 

[Sl and S]

ROFL! Thanks!



That's what I did-I had the store cut it this time! I'm using it as a frame right now to make sure the cage liners I'm making fit properly. Then I'll just set it in the cage.

i tried to make a cage liner today, but i can not figure out this sewing machine, haha. anyways, great cage.

 

[brigita]

Love your cage

 

[Petlovr]

i tried to make a cage liner today, but i can not figure out this sewing machine, haha. anyways, great cage.

I gave up on my old sewing machine, went to Wal Mart, and bought a new one. The new ones are so easy to use, I can't walk away from it!

 

[M.and.F.Piggies]

Your cage looks great, and extra, extra safe I'm really thinking when my girls are reunited and we build their bigger cage in its proper place in the corner of the living room, (to get it off the dining table), that I'm going for just one level, no ramps, no lofts, no excitement, cause I'm beginning to think my guinea pigs are part lemming, one already with a broken leg and now, one of the others has taken to jumping off the ramp over the side instead of walking all the way down, it's only 6 inches but I have a heart attack every time she does it.

 

[Petlovr]

This is the one I got-$139.00
[h=1]Brother 80-Stitch Limited Edition Project Runway Computerized Sewing Machine[/h]

Great so far!

 

[Petlovr]

and extra, extra safe

Yeah, the cats are all wild born, so I didn't want to take any chances with my "Guinea Girls"!

 

[potatoman]

Wow! That's a great-looking cage

But did you say 10 feral cats?! Maybe you should add some spikes, too. And probably a moat. J/K!

 

[suzilovespiggie]

Your cage looks wonderful! I too have cats and dogs. I also used the shelving so the animals could not get into it. Really good job. Very lucky girls.

 

[Petlovr]

But did you say 10 feral cats?! Maybe you should add some spikes, too. And probably a moat. J/K!

LOL. It's just the 5 kittens raising havoc now, the older ones have settled down quite a bit. They actually sit about 2 ft away from the pigs and watch them like it's animal planet! LOL
This is cat rescue, I guess. Next up, a bunny friend for Calvin Bunny, then getting all the pigs and bunnies into their own room, then fostering some more piggies. hmy: I have definitely. lost. my. mind....

 

[Senor Snicker]

I just built a cage similar to this today. I bought four 16"x6' pieces,one piece of 3/4"plywood,linouim,fleece and many many zip ties. I also wrapped the outside of the cage with a mesh material to try and keep my two cats from trying to reach their paws into the cage and "touch" Senor Snicker. The cage ended up being 27"x51" with three top doors so that cleaning would be easier. I also braced up the center with a piece of scrap shelving that I had left.