Upper Levels Upstairs and downstairs kitchens or just move both hay racks and food bowls to one

[lost_lover]

I have two males in a 2x4 with a 2x2 loft that they are both comfortable using. Before I got them I decided to get two of all the food sources so that there would be less reasons to fight. So I have a pellet bowl, hay rack, and water bowl both upstairs and down. Just one salad bowl but they seem good sharing that and I am usually watching when they each their veggies.

I am in the process of switching to fleece, the amount of carefresh this cage uses is comical, even though I do not have to completely empty it frequently. My friend and I are planning a sewing day to get things going. I want to have a decent idea of how I should layout the cage though.

I am not crazy about the idea of making the whole second floor a kitchen since the bedding sliding down the ramp is already and issue with bare coroplast at the top and a mountain at the bottom. I like that the two feeding areas are so far apart in case one is really grumpy but setting up two kitchens seems a bit like over doing it and now that the fight to be top pig is over I have almost no arguments. Quick chatter from Taco and Nacho gets out of his way on his own. I could just put one 1x2 in and move both hay racks and bowls to opposite sides. I would water on both levels, so if anything a 3rd bottle would be added. That on the first floor would be closer for them but if I put it in the loft it would not take away from running space and they can both very easily go up and down the ramp.

Opinions please.

 

[Traysea]

I have 3 girls in a 2x4 with a 1x2 kitchen. I usually just keep it all in the kitchen. Sometimes I put the pellets upstairs but I always have the hay in the kitchen since that is the point of having a kitchen. My upstairs is fleece for the same reason, stuff gets everywhere and all over the ramp. I like my kitchen under my patio so I don't have to see the mess. I have all my water bottles on the opposite side of the cage with extra padding in that area to absorb the wet. I would say make it easy on yourself and just set up the one area for the kitchen. If you see one guarding the food you can put some pellets in a small bowl elsewhere, I used to have a corner potty i used as a small kitchen, that would work for a second water bottle and small bowl of pellets.

 

[lost_lover]

Starting with one, then seeing if I need two is probably the more sensible option for me.

I do not mine looking at the mess from the kitchen, if anything it will keep me more on top of knowing when it needs to be changed out. However do you still think downstairs is best? Making a side door under the loft is on my to do list to make the area easier for me to access.

What did you make your kitchen out of? I like how the coriplast ones in the cage store are the right width to slide right in, but cutting and entrance to a cheap litter box would be super easy and very inexpensive.

 

[Zombie Queen]

I have a 2x6 with a 1x2 loft used as a kitchen. I have the girls in this cage and I don't have any issues with fighting over space so far. I have a suggestion for your sliding fabric on the ramp though! I had the same problem too untilo yesterday. I remade the cage. The ramp...I bent 2 grids at the 3rd squares on both sides. I found that cutting the inner squares helped the grid not to snap. Then I put carpet like just a smidge too big and shoved it into the grid. It's stable and the girls LOVE it! Zip tie the grids together. I got a square of industrial carpet with a stiff underboarding (underthe fabrric of the carpet) which helps. I got it for a dollar at the dollar tree.

 

[Traysea]

I got my kitchen from the cage store. I will say that I find moisture under the kitchen when I clean out the kitchen each week. I used velcro to close up the flaps so that might have something to do with it. It would be the best of both worlds to find a litter box that fits the cage well (and in my case is translucent so it matches everything else LOL) I love how my patio fits, I don't love that with wood pellets as bedding I can't pull it out and dump it because it's too heavy and the coro flexes.

I think it is actually easier to have the kitchen on the top level, it's easier to clean it out and top off food. I tried doing it in my patio and the pellets and sawdust got tracked all over the cage. Besides even though my cage is now 2x4 all my full cage fleece liners are sized for a 2x3 cage, so I need the 1x2 kitchen to fill in that gap. If I do a second pad it adds another load of laundry to my day because I use a small portable washing machine for my pet laundry.

The cool part about a cat litter box is it would be much easier to lift and dump. I really should look into one for myself. Right now I have to scoop the kitchen out using a dustpan and it kills my back being hunched over cleaning out the cage.

Starting with one, then seeing if I need two is probably the more sensible option for me.

I do not mine looking at the mess from the kitchen, if anything it will keep me more on top of knowing when it needs to be changed out. However do you still think downstairs is best? Making a side door under the loft is on my to do list to make the area easier for me to access.

What did you make your kitchen out of? I like how the coriplast ones in the cage store are the right width to slide right in, but cutting and entrance to a cheap litter box would be super easy and very inexpensive.