C&C Alternatives New Here + Some concerns!

[lo1989]

Hi Everyone,
Im new here, so sorry if this post is a bit jumbled! I am currently fostering two guinea pigs from a rescue I volunteer with. But, there seem to be a few issues I'm having. Here's where the problem is. When I agreed to foster the guinea pigs, the woman who runs the rescue had told me they never really get much attention or socialized because she has so many other animals to tend to at her home, they kind of got ignored. So I decided to foster them so they can get the care & attention they really need, and they are coming out of their shell quite well!

The issue is their cage. Before I took them, the woman who runs the rescue picked out a cage for them from the pet smart, & it looked SO much bigger in the box. The two guinea pigs are really big as it is, so they don't have adequate room. She supplies what I need to care for them.

But it seems like when I pick out what they need (I get the things they need during the time I volunteer from the Pet Smart & she'll pay) which, is always the basic minimum because I don't want to put a hole in her wallet, it seems to be too much, as little as it is.

For example, I picked out a $12 Care Fresh bag & some food last week, which I try to stretch because they go through it so quick, she told me it was kind of adding up to be too much, mind you, I get it every other week. So at this point, I really cant even bring up the cage situation to her, because she already spent so much on the one I currently have. When they were at her house, she & another volunteer told me they were being kept in a medium sized dog crate, & using news paper and puppy pads as bedding, which sounds pretty messy so I opted for the care fresh, plus I think its healthier.

I plan on texting the other lady tomorrow who's also in charge, and seeing if maybe she has a solution, or could help out in some way. I would LOVE to make a C&C cage, but right now that's quite impossible due to me having very limited funds at the moment. I try and give them as much playtime when I get home in the evening so they can stretch their legs, but I feel SO SO guilty throughout the night or while im out during the day. I guess my question is, what should I do if she cant provide a larger cage? Any advice would be greatly appreciated, & sorry this is so long! Thank you!

 

[orville363]

To save money on the bedding you could find a fabric store around you or even Walmart and buy like 2 yards of fleece ( cost between $5-$14 a yard) wash it a few times with laundry soap ( do not use laundry softener) this lets the urin soak through but it will stay dry on top . Then lay a layer or two of towels in the cage and the fleece fabric on top . The pigs love it and you can just wash it when it starts to be to dirty or starts to smell

 

[R5 plus]

If you have an extra shower curtain or vinyl tablecloth, and can find some cheap grids (check Craigslist, Freecycle, friends, family, thrift stores, you get the idea), zip tie the grids and set up floor time for most of the day. Use cardboard boxes for hideys. Use fleece throws that you have already or buy some cheap at the thrift store.

Maybe you can even ziptie the grids to the pet store cage.

If you want it to be a more "open" situation all the time, you need something under the fleece. Uhaul blankets, an old mattress pad, old towels.

Since they're fosters, unless you plan to foster more, I don't think I'd worry about coroplast.

 

[Hhbean]

People also use wire shelves to extend their store bought cages...they can be zip tied to the existing cage. When we were new to piggies we zip tied grids to their cages and had a vinyl tablecloth for a base with newspaper on top of it. Newspaper doesn't absorb the pee so I was changing it out all day long. Here is a picture of their old set up:
Sorry I can't get the picture to download

 

[Hhbean]

Here it is!

 

[2198lindsey]

My first cage was only $20 to make, and it's big enough for 3 girls. I got grids at Bed Bath & Beyond with a coupon for $15, went to the Dollar Tree, where everything's $1 and got a mattress pad and clothespins and pinned the mattress pad to the girds. Got fleece at Walmart for $2 a yard and used some old towels from around the house. Worked out great.

 

[foggycreekcavy]

It sounds like the biggest issue here is with the rescue not giving you enough money/supplies. When I have foster homes, I supply any bedding, food, hay, etc. that the foster home needs, with the exception of greens/veggies. I also supply the foster home with a C&C Cage.

It sounds as though this rescue is not very cavy savvy. I hope you can find some grids or wire shelving or something and try one of the suggestions given by others in this thread.

 

[aubrey]

I got my grids for 8 bucks for 22 grids at the thrift store. And use a shower curtain for the base instead of coroplast! I set up a 3x4 c&c for $10.

 

[CavySpirit]

I agree the rescue doesn't sound very cavy savvy. But I have to say, I never gave my foster homes any money for supplies (or very rarely). There was never enough money for that luxury. My foster homes stepped up to provide the needed food, supplies, maintenance and cages. The only thing I offered was if there was vet care needed, I would probably cover or help cover that with my discounted rates at my vet.

Not all rescues work the same way and it doesn't necessarily mean they are not a good rescue.

If she agreed to provide supplies and she's new or inexperienced with guinea pigs, then she probably didn't realize what she was getting into. But generally speaking, most rescues are very cash poor. When I had extra supplies or cages or coroplast to give away, they definitely got what I could give. But my fosters were also already very experienced guinea pig people and so already had and knew what they needed.

Where are you located? We may have some additional suggestions if we knew roughly where you are.

 

[lo1989]

Thank you all for your very helpful advice & pictures! What a fantastic setup! CavySpirit, you're definitely right, some of the rescues do not supply what foster homes need, but all of the ones I have previously, & continue to work with supply all of the necessities. The women who asked me to foster them knew full well she would still be the one supplying them with what they needed, as long as I gave them enough love & attention because like I said, they were basically being ignored. Its mostly a dog/cat rescue, & I know she supplies all of the fosters who have the puppies & kittens/cats with everything they need. In reality, shes not buying me anything she wouldn't have already gotten for them if they were still in her care, so the money issue on her part, stays the same, if not even less since Ive had them because I only get the very basics of what they'll need for the week. I must say they are a great rescue, but as you've said, not to savvy when it comes to the guinea pigs needs since they never have any coming in really. Two years ago someone dumped these guys on her & shes had them ever since so I cant say she's that new to having them. Also, like I said they didn't even have a regular setup, they were held in a dog crate using puppy pads mostly so when I got them, its not like they even came with all of the correct supplies, like a C&C cage. Thank you again for all of your responses, and CavySpirit, I am located in NJ

 

[lo1989]

Sorry, I was just browsing throughout the site a bit and have another question. Roughly, how much do you think a 2x3 c&c cage would cost to make? Would it be large enough for two? I feel like I'm caught between a rock & hard place. I asked the other women from the rescue if they still possibly had the dog crate in some hopes that it'd be a larger space for them because I'm getting desperate at this point, and she said she'll check if they still have it. But even so, I don't' think it'd be ideal for them to live in. This situation is really stressing me out because I feel like I cant even go to the people who are supposed to be assisting me, even just a little!:sad:

 

[R5 plus]

I don't know rescue "etiquette" so if I'm out bounds here, please excuse me. Would a guinea pig/small animal rescue be willing to take them under their "wing" so to speak? Even if you want to remain their foster, there could be benefits to be under a guinea pig rescue umbrella. There are 2 in NJ that I am aware of: Have a Heart in Burlington, South Jersey, and North Jersey Guinea Pig and Hamster Rescue in Morris County.

They would be cavy-savvy and perhaps the pigs would have a better chance for adoption. I chose not to look at a dog/cat shelter/rescue because I wanted access to cavy-savvy people for my first adoption. Also, most people don't often think to go to a dog/cat place for small animals.

 

[lo1989]

Hi R5 plus, Thank you for your reply. I'm not so sure if the rescue I'm currently with would be to keen on handing them over to another rescue. The woman had told me that I am their primary foster, but I would basically keep them until they pass on, because they are un-adoptable due to being extremely unsociable.

 

[lo1989]

Also, here is a playpen from cardboard boxes I made for them last month. They really don't use it to their advantage though, & kind of just sit in the same spot for hours!

 

[R5 plus]

If we live close enough to connect, you can have 8 of my (extra) grids. This should be enough to connect to your current cage and expand it to an appropriate size. When you have money available, you'll probably want coroplast for the bottom, but shower curtain or vinyl table cloth should do in the meantime.

I'll pm my general location. Let me know if you want to try and meet somewhere.

Just understand that if I do this for you, you will owe me your firstborn child. Grids are like gold.

 

[juliannimal]

If we live close enough to connect, you can have 8 of my (extra) grids. This should be enough to connect to your current cage and expand it to an appropriate size. When you have money available, you'll probably want coroplast for the bottom, but shower curtain or vinyl table cloth should do in the meantime.

I'll pm my general location. Let me know if you want to try and meet somewhere.

Just understand that if I do this for you, you will owe me your firstborn child. Grids are like gold.

Same here, if you live close to where I'm at I'll donate my extra grids. Actually, if you live close enough to connect I'd be willing to buy a new set of them. An extra $20 for some grids for rescue pigs certainly wouldn't kill me

The question now is, where do you live? lol

 

[Hhbean]

You might want to try placing a sheet over their play area. A few of my piggies would just sit frozen during floor time because they were afraid of the imaginary hawks were lurking overhead:crazy:! Once i made them a tent it was a whole different story. They might be unsure of the flooring also, my guys stop when they are at the edge of their blanket because they can't get good traction on the wood floor.

 

[katiem]

I must say they are a great rescue, but as you've said, not to savvy when it comes to the guinea pigs needs since they never have any coming in really. Two years ago someone dumped these guys on her & shes had them ever since so I cant say she's that new to having them. Also, like I said they didn't even have a regular setup, they were held in a dog crate using puppy pads mostly so when I got them, its not like they even came with all of the correct supplies, like a C&C cage. I am located in NJ

Sounds like they love animals but need some education. I am happy to help you and not I'm not too far away. Send me a pm. In the long run, you can help teach them what guineas need to be healthy and they will be an even better rescue.