Cage size for three girls?

[Teema]

Hi there,

I have just submitted an application form for a lovely little sow on the SSPCA website, again! We just recently rescued Pipsqueak from SSPCA to join pir girl Penny and they currently live in a 2x5 C&C cage.
Just wondering how best to expand this for a new arrival? I have seen some say 3x4 is best? Any recommendations would be great.

 

[Piggies&buns]

A 2x5 is the right size for three sows.
You could expand it if you want to but you dont need to as it already meets recommendation

Cage Size Guide

 

[Teema]

Oh really!? That’s great! Maybe we can think about expanding in the New Year then as I cannot seem to find anywhere just to but individual grids and the corroplast is so expensive right before Christmas (I just could not resist those little faces on the rescue website though).
Thanks so much that’s great news!

 

[LunaPig72]

I have three sows in a 6x2 C&C with a 1x2 loft - to be honest this is more space than they need but it was bought for a group of 5 originally. They love the space and they really love their loft, I would highly recommend adding one if you can. Whilst lofts can't count towards cage floor space they can be brilliant enrichment for a group and also provide extra space for them to have a break from each other if they need to. It's rare to find our loft empty (they have fleece liners and snuggle pods up there) and quite often I will find all three of them chilling out in the loft.

Personally I would extend cage length or do some kind of corner arrangement (ie. a 5x2 with a 3x2 at right angles to it) rather than extending to a big 3x4 because I would find the cleaning harder. But then again the pigs would probably love a 3x4. There are some brilliant ideas on here, on google or Pinterest to give you some cage configuration ideas.

 

[Teema]

Thanks for your advice, I think we would have the space to add an extra grid making it a 6x2, I did look into a loft but I can’t work out how they attach when my C&C is only 1 grid high if that makes sense? I’ll attach a pic. Perhaps we will keep the 2x5 but add a loft (but was then concerned that the ramp takes up their floor space?) Thankyou for your help!

PS this is shortly after Penny’s cagemate Thomas passed away hence why she’s just pictured here herself, we now have little Pipsqueak as well to keep her company.

 

[anyar.dris]

I have a 6x2 with 2x2 loft. You don't need to add a loft if you think it's not needed. I only have a loft because my piggies both love it as their bedroom at night or when we go out and they are left in the house during the day. Your cage is big already and they will have plenty of space to run around.

Here's my setup.

 

[Teema]

I have a 6x2 with 2x2 loft. You don't need to add a loft if you think it's not needed. I only have a loft because my piggies both love it as their bedroom at night or when we go out and they are left in the house during the day. Your cage is big already and they will have plenty of space to run around.

Here's my setup.

View attachment 236219

Aw this looks amazing! No matter what I do I always feel my cage set up looks rubbish! Pee pads always stained and caked in hair although washed every second day, hay dragged everywhere, fleece was an absolute no no it got so dirty so fast. Maybe it’s just cause my girls are SO messy, they just trash the place! I think I will consider a 2x1 loft when we get a third, it gives them a bit of breathing space and I think my newest girl Pip would love to hide underneath the loft. How do you attach the correx of the loft to the bars of the grids? Thanks!

 

[anyar.dris]

Oh that photo was taken right after I did a full clean. It was trashed too after 10 mins.

The correx are just placed on top of the grids and not attached to anything at all. So I can remove it if I want to. What I made sure of though is that there are metal bars supporting the loft (see attached photo) to make it more secure.



We bought our loft extension from C&C Guinea Pig Cages - Home - CandC Guinea Pig & Rabbit Cages and it includes all the grids, correx with ramp and the support bars. Although the 1x2 loft doesn't include the support bar, which you can buy from ebay, or you can even use a wood plank like I believe some of the members here have used.

 

[LunaPig72]

You can set up a low loft to fit inside one grid height but you will need grid bars to support it, I set ours up this way originally as I had an elderly arthritic pig at the time and didn't want the ramp to be too steep. I don't find the ramp takes away too much floor space at all to be honest, in fact my two baby pigs quite like jumping from the ramp and also snuggling/eating under the base of it.

Our cage is also from C&C Guinea Pig cages who are brilliant (it's worth noting that they will also sell additional support bars to existing customers although they don't advertise them on their website). We have a lid on our cage and the loft fits inside the lid. Have attached a couple of photos to demonstrate - should add that these were taken straight after a full cage clean and my girls too can trash a cage within minutes!

 

[flowerfairy]

I used to find the loft a bit of a pain to clean underneath. The guinea pigs loved going under it so it became dirty quite quickly!