Best cage solution in small space

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Parsnip

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We are thinking of getting a couple of guinea pigs. Primarily these will be the kids’ and they are old enough to help care for them now, age 11 and 9. However I’d quite like to have guinea pigs too and will no doubt do most of the caring.

We are lacking in space and hoping to move in the next 12 months. Right now we have a small space we can put them inside (too many foxes to risk outdoors). It’s a trapezoid (triangle with the pointed top cut off) shape. Roughly 5ft (150cm) wide tapering to 3ft (90cm) with 3ft 6in (110cm) sides.

Initially I was thinking of a smaller two tier cage/hutch with separate play area. Now I’m wondering if we can build a C&C cage to best fit the irregular shape and a smaller cage for cleaning out and vet trips only. Any idea if this is possible and if this is enough space or if there’s something else to consider? We will have storage outside for hay/food/bedding eg.

Thanks.
 
:wel:

A c&c would be ideal for an irregular shaped space.

In terms of the space needed
(it’s only the ground level of a cage which counts towards the size, upper levels are bonus spaces but don’t add additional space)
Two sows need a welfare minimum of 8 square feet, but 10 square feet is recommended
Two boars need 12 square feet. They are more territorial and just need more space!
Anything beyond those sizes you can offer is fantastic.

Member Gallery: C&C cages/homemade cages
 
Thanks. We’ve already been eagerly watching videos and finding photos of cage sets ups. It’s amazing all the different options. Hopefully we will move and can improve the space in the next year.

I ordered a six cube set from Amazon so I think that’s 23 squares to play with. Cable ties and correx can be picked up locally. It’s about £30-40 all in. So just a cage for temporary use (£10-30 on eBay) and an outdoor storage box (£25) for all the supplies before we home the guinea pigs and all the accessories and consumables.

I need a good guide on how to build the cage and cut and fold the correx. I guess we will have to cable tie the corners and probably have overlapping grids. Otherwise it will be like a stepped pyramid shape - 5x1 then 3x2 or 5x1 then 3x1 then 2x1.
 
Thanks for that link @TinaY - think i will treat myself to some proper fleece cage liners. I have used fleece blankets for almost 10 years now and they do the job fine but it would be good to have something that was an exact fit!

My house isnt big either - mine are housed in the kitchen which is my biggest room. They are well away from the food prep area and it's always worked well for us to have them there.

Think they like being near the fridge:))
 
You’re welcome 😊 . I can imagine being close to the fridge gives them a lot of satisfaction 😂.

I’ve been using towels covered with an Ikea fleece blanket so far because we’re still fighting ringworm and it’s terrible. One of my boys digs into it no matter how I put it and no matter how many hiding spots they have. The cage looks like a hurricane swept through it a minute they are released into it. 😆 so yeah, also really looking forward to starting to use the fancy liners soon- for now we just have a beautiful cage setup that no one has ever used🙃.
 
Oh no. I did hear that they will start making bigger ones too, might be a good idea to ask when that will happen. Otherwise I found a few bigger ones on Etsy (different seller obviously), I can share that too if you want.
 
I think we may have found some piggies in a local rescue. Other rescues have full waiting lists. Eeek. And I’m almost just as excited at getting a tracking number for the grids. I’m looking forward to figuring out the best layout. We may have enough for a 2x1 loft too. I’m going to use disposable bedding initially and then possibly will have to make our own liner due to the odd shape. I’m trying not to get too ahead of myself buying all the accessories and will wait until they arrive and we learn what they, and we, prefer.
 
We made our cage. Cutting the correx was the tricky part. It turned out longer than expected, 1.2m max length plus the 15cm sides, therefore it wasn’t a single piece of correx. We used a lot of duct tape in one corner. When we move house we will make a regular shape and upgrade the correx.

I built a loft but need to figure out the best way to make the ramp safe before it’s available for them to use. We ran out of grids so can’t use them. The correx liner for the loft is temporarily a hay box underneath. I’ve lined the cage with newspapers as advised by the rescue but we will explore other options I’m sure. I have some pee pads and a hammock arriving today and we will build some more hiding places from the cardboard boxes.

Piggies will collected soon!
 

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That's looking really good! The C&C was definitely the best option for such an odd shaped space
 
Guinea pigs are settled in, a few more hiding places have been added plus hammock. Also ordered a cosy tunnel bed (I worry they’ll be cold when the temperature drops next week) and pop up play area.

I suspect I’ll get the sewing machine out and try making fleece items myself. My husband is concerned about the increase in rubbish so more laundry is preferable.

Thanks for the links. I will get planning on the ramp. A square gutter would be good but they come in 3m lengths!
 

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We have a functioning ramp and loft reinforced with wooden battens. They love the hammock (they haven’t peed in this) and bed/tunnel (wet with pee). I want them to use the loft for eating but they are still quite scared so we are giving them food and hay where they hide. Although they have moments of running around and a little popcorning from one so far.

They don’t seem to drink much. They have two large water bottles, one upstairs and one down, they are now both covered to make them feel safe. They do love the veggies though.

We aren’t going to pick them up for a while so they feel safe and get to know us. We will hand feed and talk to them.
 

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The boys have been fighting and have been separated. The dominant one, Steve, forced the other, Kevin, to stay in a cardboard shelter the other side of the cage from the comfy tunnel and hammock. If Kevin came out Steve chased him back inside, chattered his teeth and growled at the doorway. Kevin lunged at Steve from inside the box. A whirling ball of fur ensued.

Steve is having time out in a smaller cage tonight. Piggie prison. He has a small cut on his lip. Kevin is in the photo and was found with cuts this morning. I’m thinking of ordering more grids to build a "big, beautiful wall" and extend the loft to make more room. I’m told they should be ok longer term and this is a testosterone spike, they are around the 4 month mark and I can see their testes have descended.

Kevin was so much more active and relaxed on his own. He loves running around the cage so a shame he was forced into to hide. I’ll put them back together when we can watch them and rotate which is put in the smaller cage until the wall is built or they stop fighting.
 

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I’m so sorry to hear that.

I am afraid that if they have had a full on fight, then their relationship is now unlikely to work.
If you wish to attempt to put them back together it needs to be done on neutral territory and you need to be there with a pair of oven gloves. I’m sorry to say that after such a full on furball fight where injuries have occurred , things are likely to escalate into another fight again rather quickly. We do not advise rebonding after such a fight as their bond is most likely broken. Sadly they will need to live in separate cages permanently.
Adding a loft doesn’t add extra space as such, its a bonus, but doesnt make the cage bigger. Each piggy will need a cage measuring a minimum of 120x60cm but 150x60cm is best. This measurements are for the single level.
 
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I’ve split the cage and built an extra loft. They have 5 and a half square feet downstairs and a 2 ft square loft each. While it’s smaller than ideal, I’m hoping it’s temporary - either they get along (as the rescue beloevesor we move to a bigger home in a few months. The human children also need more space.

However, they are both so much happier and more active. Steve is getting very tame and enjoying lap time, he gives us licks and nibbles in return for strokes. Kevin is still shy but allows occasional head rubs in the cage and is starting to enjoy lap time strokes inside the cuddle sack. I bought a few toys to entertain them and they can still interact (teeth chatter at each other) through the grids.

They are lovely, even my husband is coming round to having them.
 
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