Opinion Please

[JennG]

Ok I currently have 8 girls. One day I'd like to be at nine when I find my himi but anyways...

My current cage is an L shaped cage. One side is a 2x6 connected by a 2x4. The 2nd level has a 2x3 overhanging the 2x4 area and a 2x2 on the right hand side of the 2x6. There's a full grid size bridge connecting the 2 upper levels. Here's a pic to visualize it:



Heres a closer pic of the left hand side (before the connecting bridge):


And the right hand side (before the connecting bridge):




Ok enough rambling. My question is: I'm thinking of redoing my cage (again). I'm thinking about doing a 3x6 on the bottom with a 2x4 on top on the right side of the 3x6.

So, would it be easier to clean if it were on the ground? Also, will it be big enough for eight girls (possibly nine later)?

Thanks for your input. I'm getting a new sheet of coroplast this week. If I don't redo the cage, I'm going to redo the coroplast on the 2nd level since it's pieced together.

Thanks for all your input.

 

[PiggySlave]

My experience with a 3 X is that it is a lot harder to reach the back corners. I had a 3 X 6 and my 6 foot 2 inch hubby had a hard time cleaning it. So we changed it to an L shape 2 X 5 with a 2 X4 to make the L shape. So much easier to clean now. I can even reach all areas without help from hubby, and I am in a wheelchair. I can't do the floor thing, so can't comment on that. Hope you get it worked out. Good luck with your new cage.

P.S. Do you have any larger pics, so that wa can better see your present cage setup and the bridge?

 

[BabyGrl]

Your cage looks horrible. Don't you ever clean it? Okay i am just kidding obviously =). I had a 3x6 and unless you are going to put it in the middle of the room there is no way you can reach across to clean it unless you have go go gadget arms. It is much easier to have it on the floor and you can walk in it and clean it. That being said now that I have my pigs in seperate cages that are up on tables I really like it alot more. I don't have to bend down and crawl around to corner them to pick them up and I feel like I can interact with them better. But that is just me.

 

[Harleigh]

We have a raised 3x3 with a 2nd level 1x3. The only reason it is easy for us to clean is that my husband pulls the coroplast out and walks down to the dumpster. I do have to say that it gets difficult at times to corner the little men when they get back in the back corners.

 

[JennG]

Ok here are some more pics of the cage close up. Hopefully they won't be TOO big.

Here's the right side of the cage:


Here's the left side of the cage:


Here's the 2x3 that overhangs the 2x4 on top (the kitchen area):

 

[JennG]

Here is the middle of the connecting bridge for the two upper levels:


And another pic:


And what the 2x2 looks like:

 

[Giplet]

I think the cage is perfect as it is.

 

[JennG]

Thanks Giplet. I just bought a full sheet of the coroplast and I'm thinking I'll just fix the 2nd level so it's 1)all one piece and 2) the entire cage is one color.

 

[jdomans]

Jenn you don't want to have to stoop over the floor to clean the cage. I love mine being on tables and storage underneath. I think your cage is great as is. If anything, I am thinking (and maybe you will too) about one day having it a horseshoe shaped. Of course it wouldn't be rounded!

 

[ErdTirdMans]

Yeah, bending down to clean the cage doesn't sound like a big deal at first since it's such a relatively short process, but I started to get annoyed with my cage being on the floor. Why put it on the floor when you can save yourself from all back strain?

Plus, I remember reading somewhere that having it raised off the floor is a little better for your bond with the pigs. You won't look as monstrously tall to them if it's off the floor. On top of that, my gas heating vents are on the floor and, since I'm in a rowhome, there's pretty much no way for me to put the cage on the floor without my pigs dealing with a hot, dusty breeze every hour or two in winter. Don't know if that has any implications for you, but I pretty much can't put my cage on the ground.

 

[BabyGrl]

Jenn how is the cage revise working out for you? Aren't you done yet? Slowpoke. lol

 

[bromers]

Yep how is it going I was going to suggest the floor because you can climb into it if you have to. I came to this idea by drawing it confusing my brain.

Its going to look really good.

 

[JennG]

Well, I'm just going to replace the patched up coroplast on the 2nd level this weekend and extend the 2x2 on the upper level to another 2x3 that hangs over the 2x6, maybe...I'm still not sure.

I don't want to put it on the floor because their cage is in the basement where my son's room is and I don't want them on the floor where it could get chilly. I figured their also safer from the 2 1/2 yr old.

 

[WEAVER]

I agree with you Jenn, don't put your cage on the floor with them being inthe basement. My cage is on the floor and I love it and it make is easier to clean because I just drag the pans out, sit on the floor and change the bedding. But I do not have floor heating and cooling (mine is in the ceiling).

If I was you, I think I would do a larger bottom like a 2 x 6 or 2 x 7, I would have your ramp come up the middle of the cage going to the upper level so it would be available easily to all of them. I would have the ramp come up the middle of the floor (like I currently have) and when they enter the upstairs that would be a 2 x 2 than I would make a 1 x 2 walkway (like my hayloft now, but yours would be a hallway), entering into a 2 x 3 kitchen area. To do that you would have to have 2 x 7 bottom level. I love that set up (if I keep adding piggies that will be mine someday). The reason I like that set up in on the bottom level you would have a 2 x 1 open (Next to the 1 x 2 walkway) to have easy access to the bottom cage to vacuum and that kind of stuff without having to pull out the front grids.

I know this is confusing, but for nine pigs it would be PERFECT. You would have:

2 x 7 main living area
1 middle ramp leading upstairs under the floor in a 2 x 2
2 x 1 hallway
3 x 2 kitchen area

I am sure that no matter what you decide on your pigs will love it

 

[JennG]

WEAVER-Would a 2x7 be big enough for them on the main floor? Right now I have a 2x6 by 2x4 L shaped cage. I guess I'm alittle confused. Can you draw me a picture or something? Thanks.

 

[JennG]

Ok I still haven't done anything with my cage. I have this huge piece of coroplast sitting behind my current cage. I'm still debating on what I'm going to do. My son wants to change his room around, so I'm trying to decide the best fit for everything. Maybe this coming weekend, I'll tackle it. I'm measuring and remeasuring to see what would fit where.

 

[jdomans]

Jenn, whatever you do make sure you can reach back into all the corners with ease. I have one corner that I can't reach and I end up putting wet paper towels on broom handles to try to clean that area up as much as I can. The other day I tore into the cage and laid most of myself in to reach. This cage will have to stay as is until I move next. I will go for a horseshoe/double ended L next time with a 1 by across the top or maybe just a long fabulous double L cage. Not this for sure.
The corner out of reach:

Clothes pins keep the cage accessible now.

 

[BabyGrl]

Thats it I am coming by and stealing it if you are not going to use it. You lazy bum!

 

[JackSpicerRules]

Stop changing your cage! lol It's fine the way it is! We need to keep you occupied.

Are you just bored, or is this a life-or-death situation?

 

[JennG]

JSR-It's a life & death situation, of course. TeeHee! I just like to switch things up. I need to rearrange my living room, too. I get bored with the way things are in the house, I try and rearrange every 3-6mons.

And BG, the girls are protecting their sheet of coroplast.