Feedback On My Take On A C&c Cage - Still In Construction!

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Joeykins

Joeykins

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Hiya,

I'm a newbie, I don't have any piggies yet, but I decided to construct a c&c-esque cage for when we do next month!

I've got quite limited space to work with at the moment, so rather than use the mesh squares I got hold of some panels of bars (sold on eBay as a run system for small pets) and used them (with correx) to make a cage which fills almost entirely the space I had - I know it's not the biggest cage in the world (it's roughly 110x60cm) - I am planning on expanding it or at least increasing the upper level as soon as I can, and the piggies will also have a large outdoor hutch during the summer, and access daily to a large indoor/outdoor run.

In these pics it doesn't have any bedding/hay/toys/snuggle nests etc in yet, but any feedback on how it's looking would be greatly appreciated! I also need to line the ramp and do a fair bit more cable tying!

And please excuse the mess I'd been having a clear out!




I added a lined box under the loft area, which I'm planning on using as a hay area

Thanks loads!

Jo
 
It looks lovely! But if you could expand the lower level floor space it would be perfect. The minimum cage size for 2 girl piggies is 120 x 60 & for 2 boys is 140 x 60. It will help that they have daily access to a larger run.
 
It looks great but to meet the minimum guidelines you need to increase it by ten cm. When calculating space only the floor space counts not upper levels. You did a really good job.
 
Thanks for your comments :) I am still working away to make sure they have as much space as I can give, and I think as it stands they won't be in their cage other than at night most days! It's crazy how tiny some of the cages available in pet shops are for piggies!

J
 
Joeykins said:
Thanks for your comments :) I am still working away to make sure they have as much space as I can give, and I think as it stands they won't be in their cage other than at night most days! It's crazy how tiny some of the cages available in pet shops are for piggies!

J
Click to expand...

I agree with you there. It doesn't make it right but it makes you wonder how many guinea pigs are spending their lives in a poky little indoor cage or hutch.
 
That looks great. Just a warning though, make sure you dont have any climbers ;) I have a pig (yes, YOU Jack!) who can climb out of my run thats the same as the one you have used! He scales it like a rock climber. Hes a royal pain in lots of ways actually. I do love him though.
 
Hi climbs up the vertical bars?!?! He sounds like a determined little chap! :) I think I'd better invest in some more panels to close the top over, just to be safe! :) thanks for the heads-up

JoJo
 
My peanut would jump those panels no problem as would george. Personally I think its just ok as it is it provides 0.6 sq m (taken a little off to account for internal correx being smaller than external dimensions) whereas a ferplast 120 only provides 0.56 sq m (of actual floorspace at base) although as with most animals bigger is better especially if you want boars :-) closer to 1sq m or a 4x2 C&C grid cage is more idealif you can give it :-)
 
looks great :)
Heres my old one (i dont have a pic of my new one yet )
9pov4h.jpg
 
Obviously bigger is better, however your cage works out bigger than ferplast 120 so you shouldnt have issues with rescue centres. My joel scaled a cand c cage the other night so had to be moved into a cage with lid. So definately something to think about. Looks very pretty.

I would definately opt for girls considering your cage size as you risk future fallouts with boys as they get older when they are in smaller spaces!
 
Sorry for the delay! And thanks for all your comments - I'm now definitely planning to either increase the lower floor space by at least another third again, or moving to a C&C cage after the summer lawn season in time for the indoor autumn/winter season! That or find a way to connect the cage to the massive indoor run so that piggies can venture between the two.

At the very least, the current set up would only be used alone during the night, and during the day piggies will have use of the run set up, for at least 10-12hrs of the day. I go under the theory that the piggies don't have the choice to live in my home, they don't get a say, so I want to provide them with the maximum/space/resources I can, and not the minimum I can get away with :)

I've also been getting crafty with the sewing machine and turned some fleece blankets into tents, donut beds, snuggle pockets and tube tunnels which can be cycled between the cage and the run to provide variation, and my daughter has been hoarding cardboard tubes to stuff with hay, and good-sized boxes to make into houses and hidey holes :)

I'll post some more pics once I can get them uploaded :)

JoJo
 
Sounds fantastic I'm sure you will have a very happy pair of pigs! if they cannot have access to a bigger space at night I personally would be tempted to go for girls or an older bonded boar pair as, although guineas arent nocturnal they do get up in the night for a period of time and I personally wouldnt want the risk of teenage boys falling out due to lack of space at night.

rescues however will probably be happy with your setup so it is in the end going to your decision :) good luck in finding your new "family members" x
 
how high are the sides? The ramp will need covered as it will hurt their feet and you could do with sides on it so they dont fall off.I have plastic coated grids so they cant climb. This is one of my cages
 
As we speak I'm working on a ramp cover, a ridged cardboard jobbie with rungs made from wooden chews :) I wouldn't subject little feet to bare bars :)

The panels are 25cm high, but will be doubled up when the cage is finished, so 50ish high, with a mesh roof fitted to be on the safe side :)
 
cardboard will get peed on and start to smell. correx would be better and you can still put wooden chews on. You could just peg fleece on then this can be taken off to wash. 50 high would be brilliant.The piggies you get will be very lucky
 
Fantastic! I hadn't thought to make it from fleece! I was going to use a cardboard one but replace it whenever it got dirty (for some reason I always seem to have a tonne of cardboard lol!)
 
From what I understand, a common piggy peeing place is right at the bottom of the ramp - my 2 use this spot frequently so I am always having to give the ramp a good scrub (mine is lined with carpet). You might find you have to replace the cardboard on a weekly basis if your piggies are anything like mine!
 
You might find as i learnt the hard way that as you have finished your wonderful cage and tick it off your to do list that the pigs eat the cortex i a matter of minutes partly why i have redone my cage 3 times in the last 6 months i now use 5mm thick cortex high walls and duck tape over all the edges it works a treat ! :)
 
Some people use the plastic used for keeping papers together for the edges and cable Tie them to the correx as well.I would feel safer with that than duct tape
 
I have to admit I was wondering whether they would nibble at the correx - I've locked it down to the bars with cable ties in the hope that they won't be able to pull it down far enough to get good tooth purchase! I'm actually tempted to fasten some of those short wooden chewing sticks around the edges of the cage where there is accessible correx to give them hopefully a more tempting alternative chewing option!
 
That sounds like a good idea and is extra enrichment for them.I used fiddlesticks bridge to stop one of my babies escaping through the grid I had on.my cage.You might be able to get long strips at a garden centre
 
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