Advice needed on cage layout

[pollypocket]

Hi all I just wondered if any of you could help me with a few teething problems Ive got with my cage?
Looking through the housing pictures (the grass is always greener huh?!)
Ive noticed how tidy everyones cages seem to be.
I have my three pregnant girlies at the mo in a big long rectangle cage with a plastic base and wire frame.
They have vetbed as bedding and no hiding places.
At one end I put a big pile hay for them to run into and eat and the other end is veggies and dried food in a bowl.
They have water from a bottle but never drink it so I think I need to put a bowl or something down.
Ok so my questions are:
would a hayrack tidy the hay problem up (it gets everywhere and is difficult to get out of the vetbed after a while)
Wont they miss rolling around in it though?
Also food- is there a way of keeping it in a seperate area.
What about water-how can I manage the bowl situation?
Also would a litter tray help?
Sorry for all the questions but I just wanted to pick your brains:{
I did order a couple of bowls to to hang on wire inside the cage but even on the lowest wire there too high up for the girlies to reach.
Just a few minor probs but getting them sorted would be AMAZING!
Many thanks
Issyx

 

[Lisajazz]

What size if your cage Issy?

Just to get a feel for what you can put in it..

 

[KimberleysWheekers]

I have all my food/hay/water on the upper level of my Trixie 150's and igloos and tunnels on the base of the cage.

A litter tray will reduce the hay stuck in the vetbed a little, but they will more than likely still pull it all over the cage rolleyes

As for water bowls, they will probably get poop in it! So will need to be changed frequently.

 

[pollypocket]

Hi Lisa cage size is 4x2ft-any ideas lol?/
And is it true that you can really litter train gps?
I would be amazed!@)
Issyx

 

[Little Piggles]

Hi Issy, I don't know about litter training piggies, but if you put their hay into a litter tray, they can still jump into it and eat it too.

You may find they do still drag it around a little, but it should help to contain it more.

This is Willow snoozing in her corner litter tray. The hay in there is actually for eating, but it turned out to be a favourite place to crash out

If you feel you don't have much space for hidey places, maybe clip a towel or piece of fleece to the side of the cage and let it drape down. My girls love fleecy tents. This is Pippa peeping out..

Hope this might help

 

[pollypocket]

Hi Little piggies thats amazing!
I love that top pic too-everyones gps seem so chilled out compared to mine but hey their still newbies here))
Ok so corner litter tray but add hay to it instead.And you think they'll just jump on up into it?
(I have a tray as the bottom of my cage thats about a hand high)
I wonder if they'd scobble over it lol!pow-pow
Issyx

 

[Little Piggles]

All three of my girls jumped into it almost straight away, although Willow always had first dibs on it! Pixel was only a baby then too so yours should have no problems with them

There is a little hook on the top to clip it to the cage bars and keep it in place too... otherwise this happens rolleyes

|)

(they live in their hutch outdoors now so this had been relegated to their holiday home, just incase you were wondering about my past tenses )

 

[KimberleysWheekers]

Hi Issy

Are your three piggies in the one cage or in seperate cages? If they are in the same one, a 2x4ft cage is on the small side and with them all expecting, you could potentially have 15 (or more!) in one cage.

As for the rack rack/litter tray - piggies do love jumping in them and having a munch inbreeding

 

[pollypocket]

Hi yep cage seems ok at the moment-their not the biggest of mums to be but I'm thinking of seperating them anyway.
I know if one goes in to labour theres a good chance that will set the other two off-even if their not due for a little while.
I wanted to keep them all together as they were in such shock when they first arrived I couldnt bear to do anything that would potentially upset them more.
Of course I moved Blanche (the male) away from them as he looked like he was getting a hard time lol!pow-pow
Yes I think I'm going to gat a couple of litter trays at the weekend the-I need some more probiotic too.
Thanks for the advice though
Issyx

 

[keli]

If by the bowls on the wire you mean the wire food balls then I had this problem too.
The wire was too short for my pig to reach so i attached a cable tie to the cage and then attached the ball to it. hope this helps?
Here's a pic

 

[Tani]

Hi Issy!

I have the same problems although my cage is in 3 tiers. They have alot of space as there are 6 of them but OMG, within half an hour of changing their bedding, the place is full of poops and wee and it's disgusting again >>>

I have been looking at Cavy Couture (visit www.cavycouture.com - I think!) as they now do Correx 'kitchen' areas - which would be perfect if you had the room for separating their hay and food area as the sides are high and there is a step into it so the hay should hopefully stayed in one place.
I have ordered stuff from her before and it's all really good. Also thinking about getting a large luxury cage liner to make it easier to keep clean.

They will get used to drinking from the bottle and maybe don't do it alot while you are there perhaps?

Hay is the same problem although am sure Cavy C. also does correx hay racks so it doesn't all fall out! I don't have a C&C cage (i.e. with bars) so I can't hang one up and so far, I just use a heavy dog bowl but it does go everywhere!

My piggies LOVE rolling around and running through hay but I have bad hay allergies so I can only let them do that as a treat or else I can't handle them - so gutting!

Good luck!