Creating An Indoor Playpen- Liner?

Mikknu

Mikknu

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Jan 10, 2020
Messages
259
Reaction score
364
Points
350
Location
Nebraska, US
Hello there again.

I'm looking into creating a large playpen for my piggies if/when I want to take them outside of the basement for floor time, and as a more secure place to keep them while I'm cleaning. I'd also like to find a way to securely take them upstairs to where some more natural sunlight is, as I've heard it's good for them. Ideally, it's going to be a large amount of grids linked together with cable ties, or this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V9QDW5...olid=1A8XR60L34K2Q&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

I'm trying to figure out what I could use to line it though. My mind immediately jumped to a large shower curtain liner, just to protect the floor from any wees. That way I can quickly wipe up any wees I see as well. I've heard of people using shower liners as a flooring before as well. But I've also heard of people also using bath mats, yoga mats, towels, or even making custom fleece liners for their floor time. Does anyone have any particular preference for one over the other, and why?

The majority of the floors are hardwood and tile, and by majority I mean all, so it's not a super huge deal to have a totally waterproof liner. I just don't think wee on the floor upstairs in the living room or dining room would be the most appreciated though.

I've also seen that a lot of shower curtain liners have been treated to be mildew-resistant, which worries me. Anything treated around guinea pigs sounds potentially dangerous, though I don't know for sure. There's always a change that the piggy could chew on it too!
 
Just a piece of plastic sheeting or a shower curtain will needed as a base layer, but you then need something absorbent on top. As it is just a playpen rather than a permanent cage, the absorbent layer doesn’t need to be anything extravagant - a layer of newspaper or towels will do the job perfectly well.
My boys live in a hutch in my shed but if they need to come indoors (for example if it is too hot outside in summer), then I have cable tied grids as a playpen and then out down the plastic sheet, a layer of newspaper. (Always ensuring there is a pile of hay available as well).
 
Alright, that's good to know! I'll stick with the original plan then. Thank you for your advice.
 
Apologies for double posting, but I've seen the ZAMPA pet tents mentioned as temporary housing in the travelling section- They appear to be made out of plastic on the interior with mesh windows for breathability. If the plastic edging around the base is what makes them guinea pig safe, could I take any old tent from the garage and set it up outside to make an outdoors playpen, weather permitting?
 
My piggies are in a hutch in my garage. Their run is a bunny business playpen which I got off Amazon. The liner is a cheap offcut of vinyl flooring (like you would have in a kitchen), a waterproof mattress protector and a piece of fleece. Works well for me.
 
The ideas in the temporary housing thread are just that, temporary solutions. A playpen which is going to be used longer term is a different thing. The puppy pens are fine for taking on holiday, separating fighting piggies, indoor playpens, but it wouldn’t be suitable for outside. For outdoors you need something secure - wood and wire mesh ideally - so they are safe.

In my opinion, the sides of a puppy play pen and the mosquito net covering the base you linked in above, are two very different things
 
This is our indoor play pen, its a BunnyBusiness playpen from Amazon, extended with a few cable tied C&C grids, and we have 3 plastic mats sold for putting under baby's high chairs on the floor, with newspaper on top.
This wouldnt be cat proof though as you have mentioned you have cats, and it wouldnt be suitable for outdoors- but if you have a room where the cats dont go this might be suitable :)
20200205_103934.webp
 
PigglePuggle said:
This is our indoor play pen, its a BunnyBusiness playpen from Amazon, extended with a few cable tied C&C grids, and we have 3 plastic mats sold for putting under baby's high chairs on the floor, with newspaper on top.
This wouldnt be cat proof though as you have mentioned you have cats, and it wouldnt be suitable for outdoors- but if you have a room where the cats dont go this might be suitable :)
View attachment 132754
Click to expand...
I should probably add the disclaimer that there was a lot more hay and a bag of waitrose salad mix with lamb's lettuce, spinach, ruby chard and beetroot on the floor an hour before this photo was taken, but it seems to have been hoovered up by greedy snouts :)
 
I’d suggest you get a wooden one. You can still use it indoors. Or if you put them out for floor time you supervise them 24/7. I can’t remember if you said there’s somewhere you can put them where the cats don’t go. To be honest I still wouldn’t risk it.
 
PigglePuggle said:
This is our indoor play pen, its a BunnyBusiness playpen from Amazon, extended with a few cable tied C&C grids, and we have 3 plastic mats sold for putting under baby's high chairs on the floor, with newspaper on top.
This wouldnt be cat proof though as you have mentioned you have cats, and it wouldnt be suitable for outdoors- but if you have a room where the cats dont go this might be suitable :)
View attachment 132754
Click to expand...
I have the same kind of thing as my indoor floor time run... underneath it i have an old children rubber/lino mat - it has a race track and roads on it and was used by my son for many years before the pigs! i pop a few disposable puppy pads on it then a fleece blanket on top.. works well!
 
It looks like the Bunny Business playpen is really popular, so I might go with that ^-^ I like that it's extendable with some grids too, thank you @PigglePuggle.

@Siikibam The play pen doesn't need to be cat proof as they would be in a tiny side room while in the play pen, which does a door. The room isn't suitable to keep the cage in, but for a playpen it should work. I've considered just letting them have free run of the room, but I'm a little too paranoid that they'd find a way into the walls or under the stairs.

I can also move the playpen upstairs and just put the cats outside too. They don't have a way to get back in unless I let them, and they don't really care about being inside or outside. What exactly do you mean by a wooden one though?

Thank you all for your advice and suggestions on liners and pens!
 
This kind of thing is what it meant by a wooden one. It’s wooden framed with small gauge wire mesh for security. This is the kind of thing which is best for outside use.
 

Attachments

  • F91E3217-A834-451B-A377-2B4A04FB0B37.webp
    F91E3217-A834-451B-A377-2B4A04FB0B37.webp
    19.7 KB · Views: 3
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top