Do you think 120 cages are big enough?

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I think we need to be careful that this thread doesn't descend into a superiority battle between forum members. Although it may not be intentional to make others feel as if they aren't doing their best for their pigs, I can see how some comments could be construed as such.

Each person houses their pigs differently. I have three pairs of boars - two pairs are each housed in a 150 cage, due to potential for a fiery relationship in a smaller space. I am lucky enough to have had the finances to be able to splash out £120 a time for them and also have a room in the house to put them in. My other pair are in a 120 cage. That houses my quiet and retiring pig who rarely comes out of his pigloo and my mental boy who popcorns like mad. All of them are very happy, fed and watered and are comfortable. If they were to display all their natural behaviours, then they wouldn't have contact with humans, floor time, baths...the list goes on.

Differences of opinion are only natural, but the way in which they are expressed could have the potential to cause upset.
 
Chappers said:
The height of ours is 20 inches, and I now think that we have a lot of wasted room. If we made two levels with around 9 inch head room on each floor would that be okay.

Of course this would give them more space to run around but less height.

[*]All I do these days is to think how to make life nice for the little devils[/*].
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Tell me about it rolleyes
 
I would just like to post my opinion on 120cm cages.

Some people agree with them, some don't.

But what I think is, that if 120 cages are minimum then they are minimum not too small. So therefore they are still big enough for a guinea pig or two.

I hate the thought that people are feeling guilty for putting their pigs in a 120 cage.

As long as those pigs are happy, get the love and attention that they need and everything else that they require, then the 'minimum' size cage isnt a problem in my opinion :)

:)
 
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I agree a 4ft by 2ft cage is minimum, boars are often happier in bigger. And I am absolutely happy with someone who adopts a pair of piggies from me to home them in such a space

My gripe with the commercial 120 cage is that it doesnt measure 4ft by 2ft at all!
A welfare recommendation of 4x2 = 8sqft
A Ferplast 120 cage offers living room of 6.48sqft - the manufactures are diddling us, the Ferplast 120 is NOT 4ft by 2ft of living space.

No-one is pointing a finger, no-one is saying anyone is a bad owner, the OP asked What are other peoples opinions on 120cm cages? by answering such a direct question with personal answers, there is bound to be disagreements.
 
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My 120 cages are both in my room, and there is no way that I could fit two larger cages in there. My piggies are happy and I comfort myself with that fact. They are in large cages compared to a great many piggies!
 
I think that as long as we know our piggies are happy then that's all that matters. I know that they are, I can see them popcorning and zooming, they get lots of run time and snuggles on the sofa. I use the space I have to the maximum and the only reason I haven't put a c&c cage in is because we have storage that is accessible with the run in place but wouldn't be if we put a taller cage there.
 
I didn't want to upset anyone by posting this, I know it is an area in which there is much differing of opinion! I certainly didn't want to make anyone feel guilty about their cages :( I have seen pics of peoples 120 cage set ups and they look fab, I just think that personally if I could I would like more space, though I think if we get pigs in our current house it will be a 120 cage due to space limitations.

Anyone who is a member of this forum looks after their pigs a million times better than the typical person out there :)
 
Hey guys I have two Guinea Pigs in a 4x2 C&C cage and I was hoping to extend it to a 5x2 with a 1x2 loft but there's a chance I might not be allowed because my Mum says it will be taking up too much room in my bedroom. If I'm not allowed to extend it I'll add the 1x2 loft but do you think 4x2 is enough for two Guinea Pigs, I hope I'm allowed to extend it.
 
I think going upwards might be your answer! It'll still take up the same amount of floor space,so you mum would probably be OK with that, but will give your piggies much more room. There are lots of great ideas on the C&C threads which I looked at obsessively before I built the run for our boys!
 
Piggie Life said:
Hey guys I have two Guinea Pigs in a 4x2 C&C cage and I was hoping to extend it to a 5x2 with a 1x2 loft but there's a chance I might not be allowed because my Mum says it will be taking up too much room in my bedroom. If I'm not allowed to extend it I'll add the 1x2 loft but do you think 4x2 is enough for two Guinea Pigs, I hope I'm allowed to extend it.
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My two boys live in a 2x4 with 1x2 loft and they couldn't be happier, it's perfectly good sized (: lots of pop corning etc.
 
Just wanted to add something because i can and it's been bothering me, but happiness in pigs isn't always about space, having something to do in there cage is a big factor, if you have a massive empty cage your pigs will be bored, if you have a cage that has lots of things to do like running in and out of tunnels, houses etc. they're happy.
As i mentioned before cage size isn't key, it's the love, attention and care they get. So i don't think space is something people should focus on.
 
i personally don't think 120 cages are big enough. once they have their beds in and tunnels and toys there never seems much space for them to run around much. it's not too bad if they have a separate run but it's still quite a small space to be in through the night or when the owner is out etc. :)
 
Can I add that where your piggies are situated is a massive factor too.
Wigner is now in a 140 cage whereas before he was in a playpen that was much larger! However now he seems happier as I've placed him on the hutch so we're at eye level instead of me towering over him. Also Clive is now in his 5ft hutch and I'm not saying he isn't happy but it just seems very empty as he's on his own, I'm sure once he's gone boar dating and got himself a buddy the space will be a great thing though. Either way I still stick to my original statement and say that space is a bonus, as long as they look happy they ARE happy!
 
Yeah you're right the loft would be a really good idea and at the moment they're really happy on their 4x2 and popcorn every night (that seems to be when the girls are most active!). I've seen on Youtube Piggiepigpigs does a video on how to make a ramp and she just uses a flat cat scratching post, what are other ways of building ramps?
 
Just to add to my previous comment, i also think it is down to the i dividual piggies too. if I wanted to extend my girls home, I would have to extend upwards therefore buying a double story hutch appose to their 6ft, short legged single story. My girls have a tendency to fall out of the hutch especially at veggie time. When I brought them a new hutch, I chose a single story as I wouldn't trust them not to fall out of a double story and I'm afraid my girls safety has to come first especially since their hutch is on concrete.
 
Piggie Life said:
I've seen on Youtube Piggiepigpigs does a video on how to make a ramp and she just uses a flat cat scratching post, what are other ways of building ramps?
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I made a ramp with the mdf, drilled a couple of holes at the top and attached it with plastic ties. Then I attached one of those log tunnel things, laid out flat. It makes it easy for the boys to run up and down.
 
My guineas wouldn't use there ramp at all until i attached a straw type tunnel to it. Now they use it all the time and can't fall off.
 
Yes, there's a 'banister' on mine. It took a while to persuade them to use the ramp, luring them up with bits of cucumber, but now they're up and down without even thinking about it.
 
I think it depends on how much stuff you put in the cage. I put extra stuff in mine so it is a 3x4. Boars should have a 5x2 at least, in my opinion.
 
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