C&C Alternatives Trying to go cheaper in beginning

[BFGuru]

I'm having a hard time finding the coroplast and it looks like the cubes are going to eat a significant portion of the new cage budget. I was wondering about covering cardboard in the interim while I continue to save up for perfection. I have multiple oversized boxes and polyurethane laminate from when I used to make and sell cloth diapers. Would that work temporarily?

 

[peachyteen]

you could get a vinyl shower curtain to cover the cardboard, which would make it waterproof

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[BFGuru]

The polyurethane laminate is a water proof fabric as well. Just not as thick. It's the waterproof barrier of cloth diapers.

 

[BFGuru]

I live in Harrisburg PA. Which I thought it would make finding stuff like this and vets easier. Not so much.

 

[bpatters]

Have you tried places like Lowes and Home Depot? Ask for corrugated plastic rather than coroplast, and look in the area where they store plexiglass.

An even cheaper way to go is to use political signs -- most of them are made of coroplast. This is an election year, and there should be plenty of signs left over if you can locate where they're stored.

You can use anything that's waterproof as long as you keep it hidden from the pigs. They'll eat shower curtains, tape, whatever.

 

[BFGuru]

Thanks. I'll look. I'm gathering things slowly. I have a friend looking at Costco tomorrow for the cubes. If not I'll scour goodwill. I need to measure the closet where the cage is going to make sure it will fit. The 21 in wide cage just barely fits front to back, but I have about half the closet left lengthwise it's 40 in long. I'm that will work since we are limited with space (and I can close the cats off away from them). We can build up if need be too.

 

[bpatters]

Umm..... Closets aren't a good space for guinea pigs. They need air circulation, which they won't get there, and you won't be able to see them to interact with them, which is the whole purpose of having a pet.

As far as your cats go, cats and guinea pigs can coexist quite peacefully. Unless your cats have an overactive prey drive, they won't bother adult guinea pigs. Adults are too large to interest cats. Pups, on the hand, dart around like mad and look like mice, so the cats can go after them.

One other thing concerns me. If you're having trouble getting together the money for a cage, what are you going to do about vet bills? Exotic vets are scarce and expensive, and guinea pigs can downhill in a big hurry. Once one is sick, it's too late to worry about where you're going to get the money. Do you have a plan for saving money for medical needs?

 

[BFGuru]

I do have a plan. I just overspent on a store bought cage that's way too small. I do have one pup and one adolescent so although the door stays open to the closet, when I'm not there to supervise I can close the door to that room and keep the cats out. I'm also trying to spare cash so I can get them to the vet which is a higher precident considering how neglected the adolescent was.

So new cage is going to be slower going because I messed up with the original cage and can't return it now.

 

[BFGuru]

They're already here. We are doing the best we can. It's just been a couple weeks but like I say, when you know better you do better. As soon as you can anyway lol. I have them separated until we can get an appropriate habitat though.

 

[BFGuru]

Did just check Walmart no luck there. For being the capitol sure don't have many options. I may end up needing to order but wasn't a fan of the shipping costs.

 

[PiggyGrandma15]

Walmart.com carries them. They will ship to store for FREE and usually arriving in a day or two.

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[PiggyGrandma15]

You might have to order in the store to get the free to store shipping.

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[BFGuru]

Good to know. OK. Heading to vet forum now haha. The search engine here is bringing up no results.

 

[bpatters]

You can order online from Walmart (Whitmor grids) and have them delivered free to the store,

 

[BFGuru]

Great. If my friend doesn't find the eight cube packs tomorrow I'll order at Walmart. If I order site to store I can do one pack at a time I think until I have enough. Unless I hit a deal then I will load up. Snuggling now so I'm going to measure the space in a bit and be back with questions.

 

[mjalred]

Well, my mom and I took some campaign signs after a campaign was over since they were left next to a dumpster...

 

[bpatters]

Be sure to tape them where the pigs can't get to it. They love that stuff, and enough of it can kill them.

 

[BFGuru]

Oh yeah. I'm good at hiding tape. I was going to go with fleece bedding anyway. So even if some was on top it would be completely covered with towels and fleece.

 

[BFGuru]

Well, my mom and I took some campaign signs after a campaign was over since they were left next to a dumpster...

I haven't seen any, but I don't think we are allowed in our apartment complex to put up signs. How did you attach them to make it big enough?

 

[BFGuru]

OK. Back with measurements. The closet (double doors so pretty much completely open on one side and I may remove the doors if landlord says yes) measurements leaving an inch or two between the cage and walls on three sides for circulation is 21*64. If I use it all it will give us a little over 9 sq ft. I think that's large enough for two right?

I need a lid as well so I need to figure out how many squares I need to fit that space. Also, are there options for smaller grids as I think I read they are 14 inches and two across is 28 not 21. I guess I could overlap them on the sides worst case?

Which leads me to the next question. Just found these on Craigslist. I messaged the seller asking the size of the openings. And how many across they are, but it looks like 9 in this pic.

It would give 23 to start with yes?