Cage Advice

FernEden

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hello, I hope this is in the right section!

If you've not seen one of my many posts (over anxious pig mum to be), I'm getting two girls next week!
I've just set up the indoor cage to see what it'll look like (still unsure about putting them in the hutch outside) and I was wondering if you'd be able to give me some pointers about if it looks okay and if I should change or add anything. It looks a bit plain to me but maybe with some hay and pigs in, it'll look fuller!

The cage is under the window but strangely enough, doesn't get put directly in the sun during the day and I can draw the curtains too. There will be a fleece hay rack above the purple corner look too but I may just fill that with hay instead! I'm also going to get another hide or two to put in :)

I was going to leave the run up 24/7 for them so they've got a bigger bedroom but want to know some opinions on the idea too :)

Also, if you're from the UK then I got my fleece from B&M! They have 2x 120x150cm fleece blankets for £4.99! It's basically just fleece you'd buy from a fabric shop and has a tiny bit of stitching round the edge, fits perfectly in a Ferplast Rabbit 120 :)

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Looks great, wow you're going to be a super piggy mum.
Over time you tend to move things around and find out what works for both you and your pigs to be honest.

I'm nearly as excited as you are now.

Considered any names yet?
 
I made a similar post to yours before I got my new piggies and was advised to cover part of the cage with a blanket just to give them some cover while they settle in. It worked well for mine. Even though like your cage, they had a hide area, they still felt nervous coming out for food etc with the cage being so open. After a week I was able to pull the blanket back more so they were less covered up and now I don't have a blanket at all, just some hide areas.
 
Looks great, wow you're going to be a super piggy mum.
Over time you tend to move things around and find out what works for both you and your pigs to be honest.

I'm nearly as excited as you are now.

Considered any names yet?
Thanks :) It just looked so empty but I suppose once there's hay and pigs in there then it'll look a bit busier!
It took me ages to settle on some names but I think I'm going with Florence and Betty haha
 
Looking great! So exciting!

My one concern would be the ramp in the plastic part of the cage... The wooden ramp is a good gradient but the ramp off the plastic hide seems too steep, now younger piggies may just jump up and down possibly but our oldies wouldn't manage that. I'd be inclined to remove the plastic from the ferplast 120 and put another wooden ramp in. You'll need to secure it though so it won't drop on any piggy heads

Can't wait to see your piggies in it! Thanks for the heads up on fleece :)

I would just fill the cage with hay and put all hides and water bowls in their run area.
Like this idea

I made a similar post to yours before I got my new piggies and was advised to cover part of the cage with a blanket just to give them some cover while they settle in. It worked well for mine. Even though like your cage, they had a hide area, they still felt nervous coming out for food etc with the cage being so open. After a week I was able to pull the blanket back more so they were less covered up and now I don't have a blanket at all, just some hide areas.

:agr:
 
You lot are so lovely and helpful! I was looking at the plastic "ramp" and thought it was a bit dodgy. I might replace it with some more playsticks like the other ramp I have. On one end it has two metal loops that I could use to zip tie it into place :)
 
It looks lovely - lucky piggies.
I think zip tying a playsticks ramp in place would be a great solution. It would also be much easier to lift up to clean that way too. And trust me - it's going to get messy under the platform!

My advice would be looking into cage liners that are cut to size (in he longer term). The way you have it is great and will stop burrowing (not all piggies burrow of course), but I think it might start to be a bit a pain to clean out on a regular basis if you have to unclip the cage top to remove the fleece.
 
It looks lovely - lucky piggies.
I think zip tying a playsticks ramp in place would be a great solution. It would also be much easier to lift up to clean that way too. And trust me - it's going to get messy under the platform!

My advice would be looking into cage liners that are cut to size (in he longer term). The way you have it is great and will stop burrowing (not all piggies burrow of course), but I think it might start to be a bit a pain to clean out on a regular basis if you have to unclip the cage top to remove the fleece.

I was planning on making them to size but my sewing machine needle broke and I didn't fancy handsewing haha. Definitely on the to do list cause you're right with it getting annoying, it was annoying enough to get in!
 
I was planning on making them to size but my sewing machine needle broke and I didn't fancy handsewing haha. Definitely on the to do list cause you're right with it getting annoying, it was annoying enough to get in!
Brilliant.
And you are right - definitely better not to hand sew unless you really need to!
 
Lovely set up for your new babies! I do have that cage as a temp/quarantine cage and I took the plastic ramp part out,..it was much too steep for pigs and one was way too content to live under it and it's more difficult to clean under there! Enjoy them :)
 
I also removed that ramp/hide area from my Ferplast cage. I didn't like the idea of having to un-clip the top of the cage every time I wanted to lift up the hide area. The ramp was very sleep anyway, as others have mentioned.
 
I also removed that ramp/hide area from my Ferplast cage. I didn't like the idea of having to un-clip the top of the cage every time I wanted to lift up the hide area. The ramp was very sleep anyway, as others have mentioned.

I've removed it and put some playstix in its place but I'm finding that it's not as structurally sound as with the ramp on. I tried leaving the ramp on but they spent all night huddled up under it, as soon as I took it off one came out to explore and the other is still hiding! Going to have a fiddle round with the platform because for some reason it isn't locking into the grooves on both sides that are provided so it's a bit flimsy on one side
 
I've removed it and put some playstix in its place but I'm finding that it's not as structurally sound as with the ramp on. I tried leaving the ramp on but they spent all night huddled up under it, as soon as I took it off one came out to explore and the other is still hiding! Going to have a fiddle round with the platform because for some reason it isn't locking into the grooves on both sides that are provided so it's a bit flimsy on one side
I have had this problem with the Ferplast cage too - the platform is not strong enough for the piggies to sit on if the 'steps' aren't in place as it needs some support...I did think about removing it altogether and just getting an alternative platform...a step stool or even a large carrot cottage! :)
 
I have had this problem with the Ferplast cage too - the platform is not strong enough for the piggies to sit on if the 'steps' aren't in place as it needs some support...I did think about removing it altogether and just getting an alternative platform...a step stool or even a large carrot cottage! :)

They're pretty tiny at the moment so it might hold up for them while I get something else sorted. The step stool sounds like a fab idea! I've got to watch it at the moment because the flimsy side is the side they hide under and the last thing we want is it caving in on top of another pig!
 
Little childs plastic stools make great hidies.

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I ripped the ramp part of the plastic platform out of the piggies cage as I was worried one of the piggies would get sick and I wouldn't be able to see her then eventually just removed the platform altogether as it was not ideal once Coco started to get her strong seasons and they were not able to have space from each other and they both kept using the platform as part of their zoomies track and Coco being the chunky (I mean a solid huge mountain not fat) lump that she is kept making it shake and dip, it was sure to end in disaster eventually lol.
 
So, just a quick update! This is pig cage 2.0! I completely took out the Ferplast shelf and replaced with a corner house which is easy to move, I added in the bridge (super secure so no trapped feet!) And I just put the hay in their purple box, they didn't use the hay rack I made. They don't use the ramp much, just climb over the side but I like it haha. I've moved all their bowls and water inside for now until they're more confident but they'll come into the run part now so I put veggies in it and they're slowly getting better with me! Lola is even jumping and running around every morning when it's breakfast veggie time!

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