C&C - Grids/Cubes/Connectors

  • Thread starter Thread starter GPQ
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Nicolethehylian said:
I know there's been loads of replies on here but I don't know what is still relevant, I really want to build my two little girls a cage, I didn't realise just how small the one p@h sold me :( where's the best place in the UK to get the mesh cubes and correx? :)
Click to expand...
Hi there. There are several places, as you will see from previous posts! I get my kits from www.candcguineapigcages.co.uk as they supply complete with ready cut correx sheets and have always been very reliable and helpful. As I am slightly disabled I rely on websites and kits just ready for me to build. They may not be the cheapest though so shop around. You will not regret a c and c set-up as guinea pigs seem to love them! Get the largest that you can afford and have space for and watch them play! Good luck.
 
AuntyC said:
Hi there. There are several places, as you will see from previous posts! I get my kits from www.candcguineapigcages.co.uk as they supply complete with ready cut correx sheets and have always been very reliable and helpful. As I am slightly disabled I rely on websites and kits just ready for me to build. They may not be the cheapest though so shop around. You will not regret a c and c set-up as guinea pigs seem to love them! Get the largest that you can afford and have space for and watch them play! Good luck.
Click to expand...

I ended up finding some on Amazon and you're right, they love their new cage so much! I can't believe I brought them such a small cage in the first place :( 20141120_174213.webp

I'm still waiting for the correx but at the moment I'm using plastic sheeting from work. I've had to put cardboard round the edges because Lily decided to stick her head through the bars :(
 
Nicolethehylian said:
I know there's been loads of replies on here but I don't know what is still relevant, I really want to build my two little girls a cage, I didn't realise just how small the one p@h sold me :( where's the best place in the UK to get the mesh cubes and correx? :)
Click to expand...

Check out candcguineapigcages.co.uk, I'm getting mine from the re because I'm terrible at making things from scratch! I'll probably still buy a pack of grids (30 for £25 off eBay) for storage and extending for run time etc :) but I'll still be spending less than £100 on it all which is probably the same as a small shop cage!
 
Nicolethehylian said:
I ended up finding some on Amazon and you're right, they love their new cage so much! I can't believe I brought them such a small cage in the first place :(

I'm still waiting for the correx but at the moment I'm using plastic sheeting from work. I've had to put cardboard round the edges because Lily decided to stick her head through the bars :(
Click to expand...

Haha, I replied to your comment from the start of the week as it was the last one I saw! The latest comments only loaded for me after replying so I apologise :D

Looks great though! :)
 
Alyy said:
Haha, I replied to your comment from the start of the week as it was the last one I saw! The latest comments only loaded for me after replying so I apologise :D

Looks great though! :)
Click to expand...

Aww thanks for the advice anyways! The cage is even bigger now!

20141122_191243.webp

The Correx is quite high, but again it's just so Lily doesn't get stuck again! Just waiting to get a fleece liner for them and it'll be complete :D
 
We bought our grids on eBay but they sell them on Amazon too. :)

I few tips now that we have set our cages up, based on our personal experience...

  • The sides don't need to be more than say 3 inches/10cm high. Any higher and the piggies can't see out over the top, which must be quite boring for them!
  • We didn't get on well with the connectors - the grids kept popping out of them constantly and didn't feel secure. We've used cable ties instead. We've supported the lofts with wooden battons so they don't sag.
  • I agree that 4mm correx is the minimum you should get unless you build your cage on a tray/shelf or something. 4-6mm is ideal.
  • Slide binders are brilliant to stop piggies nibbling the correx. They can be a bit fiddly to slide on but worth the time and effort. Make sure you buy them wide enough for your correx thickness. We got 100 on eBay for about £10 and haven't used anywhere near all of them. We also got blue ones as we have white grids and correx, so the cages look a bit more funky. :)
  • We cut some slots in the correx just below the binders and used cable ties to tie the binders/correx/grids together - this prevents the correx from falling out of the grids if you need to move the cage, and it stops the binders from popping off during cleaning.
  • You can make a lid for a C&C cage really easily - just cable tie the 'back' of the lid (one of the longest edges) to the top of one side of the cage, and then use bulldog clips or small karabiners to clip the remaining sides to the cage. In fact you could even use bulldog clips on all four sides of the lid, as they could easily be used to form a hinge along the back.
  • The correx is really easy to clean. We use Megazorb or Carefesh in our cages and we just have to sweep it out, and then we use an antibacterial spray on the correx once a week. You can also stick lino/vinyl tiles on top of the correx is you want added strength and durability.
  • We have three pairs of piggies in three separate cages. Unfortunately they don't get on well enough to live together (even though they get on great when we hold them or when they are running around our living room - they just refuse to share beds!). C&C means that they can all still live 'together', next to each other, and still see/talk to each other. They have all settled in really well (we have three recent rescue piggy additions to our herd) and they are really happy because they have extra company.
  • C&C grids are really versatile. We use our spare grids to create a giant pen for them to run around in downstairs if they're not able to 'free range', and we've even used them in the garden on a nice day when they've been supervised (I wouldn't leave them alone outside in a C&C pen as we didn't make a lid for it). We even used some grids to make a temporary 'baby gate' when our new rescue dog unexpectedly came in to season and wasn't allowed upstairs on the carpet. We just cable tied them together and then strengthened them with some more wooden battons, then tied them to the bannister post. Easy peasy!
I really love our C&C cages - they give our piggies so much more room to run around, and they're so much happier in them than they were outside. If anyone hasn't got them yet, and is considering buying them, I say go for it! :)
 
I no longer have my piggies :( and am selling my grids and connectors.

I have loads of them, if anyone is interested, please PM me :)
 
I have 2 boxes worth of B&Q grids free to a good home - collection please in Southend, Essex
 
The only thing I would say is be careful of the size of the squares - it says the grids measure 38.1cm each, which is bigger than a standard C&C grid (33cm) and I *think* there are 9 internal squares? (I've made myself cross-eyed trying to zoom in on the pic on my phone and count them!) Which would mean the inner squares are around 4cm each (3cm in C&C). I've heard of piggies getting their heads stuck in the grids if the squares are too big so just be careful if you're buying them and make sure the inner squares are a suitable size. I think there's guidance somewhere on the forum about what sizes are ok for piggies. Not saying these are unsuitable, just to be cautious. :)
 
Amy Bugg said:
The only thing I would say is be careful of the size of the squares - it says the grids measure 38.1cm each, which is bigger than a standard C&C grid (33cm) and I *think* there are 9 internal squares? (I've made myself cross-eyed trying to zoom in on the pic on my phone and count them!) Which would mean the inner squares are around 4cm each (3cm in C&C). I've heard of piggies getting their heads stuck in the grids if the squares are too big so just be careful if you're buying them and make sure the inner squares are a suitable size. I think there's guidance somewhere on the forum about what sizes are ok for piggies. Not saying these are unsuitable, just to be cautious. :)
Click to expand...

  • Each set includes twenty 14'' (35.6 cm) square interlocking grids
I've bought these grids from this site on several occasions (not as cheaply uunfortunately!) and I can assure everyone they are the usual size. No idea what they mean with those overall measurements unless they are including connectors.
..
 
PiggyOinkOink said:
Oh..I ended up spending about £100 for 3 sets of these at Wayfair and now see a week later the price dropped 30%! :o(

The price on these seems to fluctuate quite a bit and this definitely was a bargain price!
Click to expand...

I nearly bought some myself a couple of weeks ago when the price was significantly higher but I was also watching some on ebay so I held off and ended up getting them at the lower price. I've bought the same grids from wayfair several times now and the price has been different every time. Very frustrating!
 
Just bought this from eBay

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=231603650534&globalID=EBAY-GB

Intend to make a 4 x 2 with a 1 x 2 loft, all going well. I think I'll have 2 sections left over so I might consider a 5 x 2 base as long as it's not too big for my daughter's bedroom.

I also noticed that the price of this item has crept up. It was £19.99, then £24.99 and now £26.99. It is still a great buy so move quickly if you're interested in buying it.

I'm hoping to source correx locally at a reasonable price.

I'll keep you updated and will add photos when I have everything I need and as I build the setup.

Thanks again to the members of the forum who have taken the time to share their setups and point me in the direction of c&c parts (at a fraction of the price I was initially looking at!).

Gordy
 
Last edited:
£26.99 for 30 grids, connectors and cable ties is a bargain! The prices are going up and up for C&C, it's a great find! Thankyou!
 
A few quick questions for those who have c&c setups with more than one level -

1. Is there a preferred layout i.e. if you have fleece, hay and/or bedding do you put the "messy stuff" on the higher or lower level? I'm thinking if the messy stuff is on the higher level the boys are more likely to drag it down with them?

2. Is it a good idea to divide the lower larger level into two areas, a messy area and a cleaner fleecy area with the loft also being a fleece area?

3. The fleece I'm using is starting to smell really bad after only 24 hours. The paper I've got below it is also wet in the same timeframe. Is it a case of adding extra layers?

Thanks for your help.
 
Hi GordyC :)

I'm sure others will come and post their opinions soon :)

Some people do separate area's, like have a kitchen for their piggies with the hay, food, water, I'm thinking about doing it as well.

In regards to fleece, people tend to use puppy pads, mattress protectors etc. under the fleece. I used to use mattress protectors but I now use fleece liners :)
 
1. Is there a preferred layout i.e. if you have fleece, hay and/or bedding do you put the "messy stuff" on the higher or lower level? I'm thinking if the messy stuff is on the higher level the boys are more likely to drag it down with them?

Personally I would be tempted to keep the kitchen area on the floor, or an hay loft :)

2. Is it a good idea to divide the lower larger level into two areas, a messy area and a cleaner fleecy area with the loft also being a fleece area?

I have done this before and it worked really well, I made a separate box floor from correx with a hole cut for the door and it stopped the mess going around the rest of the cage.

3. The fleece I'm using is starting to smell really bad after only 24 hours. The paper I've got below it is also wet in the same timeframe. Is it a case of adding extra layers?

Paper sadly doesn't have fantastic absorbancy or odour control. I agree with kerrie, puppy pads and mattress protectors are good. Also a lot of members used towel underneath, including me, which creates a fantastic moisture locking barrier.
 
Thanks for your quick replies.

I think I'll pull out a few old towels and try that next, underneath the fleece.

The paper was more of an indicator as to whether or not I was putting enough layers down and also where the boys preferred toilet(s) were.....it seems everywhere! Lol

I'll keep trying......But I'm looking forward to a new c&c (prob more than the boys! Lol)
 
Hello again folks!

I'm sitting doing my sums re the amount of correx I'll need for my C&C cage. It's my intention (at the moment) to create a 4x2 with a 1x2 loft.

Looking online at various measurements, I think I might only need one sheet of 8ft x 4ft correx.

This is my first attempt at making this setup. I'm trying to keep Mrs C happy by keeping prices as low as I can so I don't want to be buying extra sheets of correx I don't need. I do understand that extra correx may give me options such as dividing the base into rooms and the fact that I may make an odd mistake or two (measure twice cut once hopefully!).

What's your thoughts, one sheet or two?

Thanks again.
 
:DIf you are very careful, one sheet should be enough for a 2 x 4 and loft. Perhaps work it out on paper first? :tu:

Or you can get everything you need from "CandCguineapigcages.co.uk" . They cut and score the Correx for you, so all you have to do is fold it and tape up the corners.
 
Finally made my C&C cage. It took forever but I and Piggies are happy with the outcome.
Everything cost me about £280 including the Vax Gator Pet. I still want to get some fleece accessories for the spoilt ones!

20150717_223557.webp

20150718_001200.webp

20150718_001142.webp

20150718_001111.webp
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top