Cage size for two pigs

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vaughny

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So I'm getting a second pig for Ginger. I would have gotten one today, but the first pet store I went to had none. The other pet store I went to had three, two girls and boy... and both the females were pregnant. So I'm going to hold off until next month and adopt one of the baby pigs once they're ready to find homes.

Anyway, I would like to know how big of a cage is enough room for two pigs to share?
 
The cage size for two piggies is 2x4 if C&C or 10.5 square feet. :)

Before you buy from a petstore I would like you to read my blog I have just started.

http://plumplikeablueberry.blogspot.com

He was my first piggy I got from a petstore. Be careful when buying from there. :) Adopting is always best.
 
AmandaA said:
The cage size for two piggies is 2x4 if C&C or 10.5 square feet. :)

Before you buy from a petstore I would like you to read my blog I have just started.

http://plumplikeablueberry.blogspot.com

He was my first piggy I got from a petstore. Be careful when buying from there. :) Adopting is always best.
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Sorry to take over the board.

wow I just read your blog and thats so sad. He's very lucky you were the one to adopt him. The poor little guy. :(
 
Most people on here recommend 120cm cages but a couple of rescues I've looked at say 100cm is fine. I would agree to the 100 one as long as the pigs in it will get plenty of exercise outside the cage.

Amy
x

ps. Even if they have a 120 one they will still need exercise.
 
flintstones said:
RSPCA guidelines state minimum requirement for 2 pigs is 120. x
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Just wondering where you found that. I was trying to tell my friend that her 80cm cage was too small for two piggies and I couldn't find those details anywhere. Her piggies have both passed away now but if she got more it would be helpful to have a web page I candirect her to as I know she wasn't being intenionally cruel.

Guidelines for some rescues (eg. Bobtails) say that 100cm is big enough. Why does information on this differ so much depending on where you look?!

Amy
x
 
I've just found an RSPCA site saying 120cm so that is the RSPCA recommended cages. I retract what I previously said about 100cm.

Though I have to repeat, why does it vary so much depending on where you look?!

Amy
x
 
*Nibbles&Nugget* said:
I've just found an RSPCA site saying 120cm so that is the RSPCA recommended cages. I retract what I previously said about 100cm.

Though I have to repeat, why does it vary so much depending on where you look?!

Amy
x
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I tend to stick with the RSPCA guidelines, as I wouldn't want to live in a shoe box so nearly should my animals.

I guess people have there own perceptions of what is big enough.
 
*Nibbles&Nugget* said:
Most people on here recommend 120cm cages but a couple of rescues I've looked at say 100cm is fine. I would agree to the 100 one as long as the pigs in it will get plenty of exercise outside the cage.

Amy
x

ps. Even if they have a 120 one they will still need exercise.
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That is absolutely shocking - i can't believe rescues are recommending an 100cm sized cage as being perfectly suitable for two (especially boys). As someone who's got 10 pigs, i started out with a ferplast 80 cage and eventually upgraded to a 120 when i got my second pig, i can't believe anyone would feel comfortable about keeping two pigs in a 100cm sized cage - they are tiny! Thankfully all my pairs are kept in 150cm sized cages now - and that's the very least i would provide for a pair of pigs!
 
Sodapops said:
That is absolutely shocking - i can't believe rescues are recommending an 100cm sized cage as being perfectly suitable for two (especially boys). As someone who's got 10 pigs, i started out with a ferplast 80 cage and eventually upgraded to a 120 when i got my second pig, i can't believe anyone would feel comfortable about keeping two pigs in a 100cm sized cage - they are tiny! Thankfully all my pairs are kept in 150cm sized cages now - and that's the very least i would provide for a pair of pigs!
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I suppose its all a matter of opinion. My piggies only sleep in their cage over night then are out all day so I personally believed there 100cm cage is big enough. I find myself getting more and more confused the more I look into it though!

Amy
x
 
*Nibbles&Nugget* said:
I suppose its all a matter of opinion. My piggies only sleep in their cage over night then are out all day so I personally believed there 100cm cage is big enough. I find myself getting more and more confused the more I look into it though!

Amy
x
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So based on your opinion your 100cm sized cage is only good enough for your pigs to spend several hours in? Otherwise if you genuinely thought it was acceptable, it would be their permanent home wouldn't it.....

in terms of other sites - the information given can be confusing/conflicting and not just with regards to cage sizes - everything from basic care through to acceptable foods...
 
Until a few years ago 100cm indoor cages were the biggest that were available, they were very expensive and not that easy to find. They were the cages used and recommended by rescues as they were bigger and better than most other cages available at the time.

Now that the Animal Welfare Act has been introduced, and the guidelines researched and established, the recommended size is now 120cm, it is also adopted by the RSPCA.

The availability of cages that size is far better now that the demand for that size cage has made it commercially viable to produce in large enough quantities so that the price makes it more affordable and the sales have rocketed.

The majority of rescues have also adopted the guidelines, but as they are not law, just guidelines, there will be some that have not.

Suzy x
 
Sodapops said:
That is absolutely shocking - i can't believe rescues are recommending an 100cm sized cage as being perfectly suitable for two (especially boys). As someone who's got 10 pigs, i started out with a ferplast 80 cage and eventually upgraded to a 120 when i got my second pig, i can't believe anyone would feel comfortable about keeping two pigs in a 100cm sized cage - they are tiny! Thankfully all my pairs are kept in 150cm sized cages now - and that's the very least i would provide for a pair of pigs!
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I actually was told at P@H that ferplast 100 is fine, and I bought two boys from them :(
but ever since i got the cage i feel like they need more room, especially when i'm in work :(

luckily they are still very young. 14-18 weeks and still fit in my palm :P
but i am currently looking to get a second cage to make it into a two tire cage. shouldnt be difficult but wish me luck :)
 
P&H will tell you anything to get a sale. There has been so many people on this forum that have bought a cage from them that is TOO small!
If you take the cage back, and say RSPCA guide lines (and most other Guinea pig Rescues) will not rehome a pair of Guinea Pigs to this size cage they will exchange it for you. Say 'It is not fit for purpose'. They dont have to exchange it but if and tell them all about the Animal Welfare Acts recommendation you have found out about since purchasing their tiny cage there shouldnt be a problem.

Remember the 4ft by 2ft is the MINIMUM recommended cage size for 2 pigs, I like to recommend no less than 5ft for pairs of boars, plus floor time playtime.

Remember Minimum size and not just recommended size - we dont want to keep our piggies in a toilet now do we, we want to give them a large fun place to zoom around in


:)
 
Pets At Home also told me that a ferplast 100 was the minimum recommended size as stated by the RSPCA - obviously i knew better and argued the matter with them - what do pets at home know eh? They also sold me a boar who turned out to be a sow, told me a sow is not fertile till they are 12wks old, that boars can be kept with sows until they are 8wks old - in fact the list is endless with the shocking advice ive been given in the past..

personally i wouldn't trust pets at home as far as i can throw them....

AnnaB said:
I actually was told at P@H that ferplast 100 is fine, and I bought two boys from them
but ever since i got the cage i feel like they need more room, especially when i'm in work

luckily they are still very young. 14-18 weeks and still fit in my palm :P
but i am currently looking to get a second cage to make it into a two tire cage. shouldnt be difficult but wish me luck
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The problem with pets at home is they will not be the ones picking up the pieces should your boys have a huge fight and one or both get seriously injured. As said above their only motivation is money - it isn't the welfare of the animals. Just because your boys were housed together at pets at home doesn't mean they'll stay together. I would be making every effort to ensure they stay the best of friends - and one of those ways is to give them as much living space as possible.

Your boys are just coming in to the hormone stage and so i would suggest getting a bigger cage sooner rather than later.....
 
Sodapops said:
The problem with pets at home is they will not be the ones picking up the pieces should your boys have a huge fight and one or both get seriously injured. As said above their only motivation is money - it isn't the welfare of the animals. Just because your boys were housed together at pets at home doesn't mean they'll stay together. I would be making every effort to ensure they stay the best of friends - and one of those ways is to give them as much living space as possible.

Your boys are just coming in to the hormone stage and so i would suggest getting a bigger cage sooner rather than later.....
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Thank you for the advise, I take the well being of my boys very seriously and i have another cage to be picked up a week today.

do you think a two tire (which i will make out of two ferplast 100 cages) be ok? or shall I just have one floor but ferplast 120 or even bigger?
 
AnnaB said:
Thank you for the advise, I take the well being of my boys very seriously and i have another cage to be picked up a week today.

do you think a two tire (which i will make out of two ferplast 100 cages) be ok? or shall I just have one floor but ferplast 120 or even bigger?
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where boys are concerned i would recommend a single level 140cm or 150cm sized cage at the very least - only because i know how much guinea pig love to run around :) plus with boys you want to allow enough space for the to get away from one another should the need arise.

two of my boys are incredibly close and will sleep/eat together, however my father and son pairing need the extra room that comes with a 5ft x 2.5ft cage as there can be times when they argue ;)

The problem with many 2 tier cages is that the top tier doesn't offer as much floor space as the bottom level as you have to take the ramp hole/ramp in to consideration.

on a two tier ferplast 100 cage you wouldn't get anywhere near 100cm in length for the top tier as you will have a gaping hole in the floor allowing for the ramp - essentially you still have a ferplast 100 sized cage with a fancy upper level - you wouldn't actually be increasing their floor/living space.
 
I would definatly say take the cage you have right now back(asap) and get yourself a ferplast 120 as a replacement.
Perhaps you could join the two side by side with a tunnel, rather than on top of eachother, that way there will be no floor space lost to a ramp, and they could even have sperate cages to get away from eachother! :) Just an idea.
 
I'm new to guinea pigs as some people know, I rehomed my two, and they came in a ferplas 120 cage ..... in my opinion, even that size is way too small , I'm changing mine as soon as financially possible .
 
I have found a ferplast 140 and getting it next week (fingers crossed)
Can't wait for them to be in a bigger cage! :)
 
AnnaB said:
I have found a ferplast 140 and getting it next week (fingers crossed)
Can't wait for them to be in a bigger cage! :)
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you are going to loove it :)) your boys will no doubt enjoy the extra space - remember to post loads of pigtures......
 
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