Ferplast 100 size cage due to limited space - bad idea?

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zez

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Does anyone have a Ferplast 100 size cage? I'd like to bring a pair of my guineas inside so they could have more interraction....we're getting babies to bond with Dansak and Max and we're excited about the opportunity to really tame the babies and think that inside is the only way to do this. But the space we have to put a cage is only 57cm wide and 70cm high, so that's a double cage out and something like the skyline maxi XXL out because of the width. It needs to fit, at least in part under my son't cabin bed where the desk currently is. Even a c and c would be awkward as it would involve so much overlapping of the grids.

So, is a ferplast 100 size a terrible terrible idea. They'll have to be outside piggies if not, but i'm thinking if the trade of is a slightly smaller cage with more interraction and floor time it might be worth it for them.

Thoughts?
 
I know the rspca recommended size is 4ft by 2ft so I know this isn't ideal but if my choice is smaller cage or outdoors, which would you do? Skelly - thanks, but completely the other side of the country from me!
 
A 100cm cage is definitely too small for 2 piggies. I have one that I use for single male foster pigs but it's not ideal.
If the cage is too small then it is much more likely that your new pairing will fail.
 
Right, back to the drawing board then. I wonder if I could make a c and c that would fit the space - it'd be just under 2 ft wide, but maybe i could go up...but it wouldn't be as tall as a regular double cage.

Thanks all
 
Anyone made a c and c cutting the cubes down, so it'd be just over 1.5 wide and 4 long, with an upper level? Or how does overlapping work?
 
Ok, so do the maths with me! 4ft by 2ft is 120cm by 60cm. If I make a 3 by almost 2 in grids I can make a 108cm (plus connectors, so they should gives another couple of cm) (36cm x3) by 57cm so almost there size wise. It'd wind up about 10cm off the minimum. Then I think i can squeeze in a second level, but even if I couldn't its almost there isn't it....
 
If you do not have enough space for them you must not house them there as it is unfair to them. :(
 
Piggy fan....you are completely right....if it won't fit, then they'll live in the big outside hutch. Just seeing IF i can make it work as then it'd be the best of both worlds for them - decent size hutch, and inside! Will measure up properly tomorrow.
 
Ideally it is nicer to have piggies indoors especially in the winter. Is there no way you could move furniture?
 
When my sister came round she said it is like my animals own the place and I am the lodger!:(|)
 
Your pigs will benefit hugely from more space as opposed to more human interaction :) Boys especially need more than the minimum recommended space - not less!

Like others have suggested, if you really want them to live indoors then surely there must be space somewhere in your home for a 120cm cage? Ive got 4 x 5ft cages in my dining room (yes it gets very squished at dinner times) but i want my piggies indoors with us, so we sacrifice a few things for it to work (i got rid of my huge stereo system with floor standing speakers to make way for more cage space)

If i read your original post correctly, you already have two pigs and are looking to get two more - is that correct?
 
Sodapops said:
Your pigs will benefit hugely from more space as opposed to more human interaction :) Boys especially need more than the minimum recommended space - not less!

Like others have suggested, if you really want them to live indoors then surely there must be space somewhere in your home for a 120cm cage? Ive got 4 x 5ft cages in my dining room (yes it gets very squished at dinner times) but i want my piggies indoors with us, so we sacrifice a few things for it to work (i got rid of my huge stereo system with floor standing speakers to make way for more cage space)

If i read your original post correctly, you already have two pigs and are looking to get two more - is that correct?
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We all get rid of our stuff for our beloved piggies. :)
 
Aww I can understand that. That is why I love c&c cages as you can just extend them.
 
piggyfan said:
Aww I can understand that. That is why I love c&c cages as you can just extend them.
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I used to have a C&C - but when i found out i had a sow instead of 4 boys - she was promptly separated and the cages were bought in. While i did love my C&C, i found i was never happy with it and was daily looking at ways to change it (much to my partner's annoyance) - i also found cleaning right at the back of the cage very difficult (i had a 4.5 x 5 grid C&C with upper 4 x 2 L shaped sleeping area) :{ I do however like looking at other people's C&C cages (they always look awesome)
 
I had the 100 cage for Monty but then his average weight was 600g and he hardly moved about. Now Monty has gone his cage is in the garage all flat packed, I'm going to keep it as it is useful to keep in if I ever need it in an emergency. I'd never use it for 2 guineas or for a large single guinea.

I did wonder about ebaying it as it's pretty much as new and I brought the stand to go with it but then I thought someone would buy it for 2 guineas or a rabbit - I'd have no say over who it went to house!

I guess I will buy a new cage if I ever have more guineas - off the top of my head I'm thinking a 120 for a single guinea and a 140 for a pair.

There is a guinea I'd love to offer a home to but am stuck as parents do not want a big cage in the dining room and I can fit anything other than the 100 in my room. I'd also love to bring Melvin and Parsnip inside but they are huge guineas so they would need a 140/150 type cage.

Oh for more spacerolleyes
 
Sodapops said:
I was contemplating getting rid of one of our sofa's to make way for more cages :))

More cages = more piggies rolleyes
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me to. Only my 1 couch , which incently i never use. I put the pigs on it whilst cleaning them out. So technically id be getting rid of there sofa!
 
Hi there! Yes, i have 2 (recently separated due to a fall out, of my own making) and we'd like to get them companions so they aren't alone for the rest of their lives. One pair will live out as prevously but my son would dearly love to have a pair in his room and if we can make it work I'm up for that. They can't go downstairs - we have 2 dogs who would bother them. The dogs never ever go upstairs (stairgate!). My daughter is too young to be safe to have them in her room and my husband has vetoed them in ours, which is fine...its his home too!

I'll measure to see if they can go in his room, but if not that's ok...the hutch outside is a 6ft by 2ft double so plenty of space for them all. Not much floor space in my son's room - its small!
 
Woo hoo, crisis solved! A quick remeasure in the cold light of day reveals I did it wrong yesterday - the space is 60.5cm wide. And the skyline Maxi XXL or in fact most 120cm cages are 59cm wide! It fits! Is this one big enough for 2?
 
zez said:
Hi there! Yes, i have 2 (recently separated due to a fall out, of my own making) and we'd like to get them companions so they aren't alone for the rest of their lives. One pair will live out as prevously but my son would dearly love to have a pair in his room and if we can make it work I'm up for that. They can't go downstairs - we have 2 dogs who would bother them. The dogs never ever go upstairs (stairgate!). My daughter is too young to be safe to have them in her room and my husband has vetoed them in ours, which is fine...its his home too!

I'll measure to see if they can go in his room, but if not that's ok...the hutch outside is a 6ft by 2ft double so plenty of space for them all. Not much floor space in my son's room - its small!
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While i think it's great for young children to have pets in their lives - i would seriously re-consider putting a pair of guinea pigs in a room to live with a 5yr old. My nephew is coming up to 5yrs old and while for the most part he's very gentle with my pigs, id not trust him alone with them - not because he'd hurt them intentionally but because at his age he's very over-enthusiastic - this excitement could quite possibly cause an accident - not only towards the pigs but quite possibly to himself.

Out of my 8 pigs - 6 of them will sit nicely for you to pick them up - the other two will run away - what happens if you are not there and he attempts to pick them up and one of the pigs nip or scratch him?

One of my pigs in particular gets very excited at being put back in his cage and will on occassion nip when his cage is within eye-line - because of this my 9yr old daughter wont put him back in his cage (although she's quite happy to get him out) - piggie nips can come quite sharp!

I know i probably sound like a kiljoy and others will have a different opinion on this subject - i just think it's better to know the pro's and con's before making a decision.

Not all pigs will sit still and enjoy human contact - babies piggies in particular are very fast and will run at the slightest noise - ive had my texel girl for 4months and she still bolts if you approach the cage to quickly - strange really as her cage mate is very laid back and will sit for hours with you stroking him (in fact he runs to the cage bars for fuss)....

In terms of the Skyline Maxi cage - it's ok for the money - the only problem i had was the front opening was way too small to comfortably get piggies out from (and my pigs rarely struggle)
 
Wiebeke i completely understand your concerns. the deal is they can live there but he will never ever be picked up or got out when i am not there. i know it sounds naive in the extreme to trust a five year old to do that but i do. our dogs are a tiny v delicate breakable breed and we have v strict rules re the kids interaction with them so he's used to look but don't touch rules. he knows one violation and they don't stay in there. we are pig sitting a friends pig from tomorrow and the same rule applies. he can talk to her but if he gets her out without me there the deal is off. thanks for your concern though.
 
zez said:
Wiebeke i completely understand your concerns. the deal is they can live there but he will never ever be picked up or got out when i am not there. i know it sounds naive in the extreme to trust a five year old to do that but i do. our dogs are a tiny v delicate breakable breed and we have v strict rules re the kids interaction with them so he's used to look but don't touch rules. he knows one violation and they don't stay in there. we are pig sitting a friends pig from tomorrow and the same rule applies. he can talk to her but if he gets her out without me there the deal is off. thanks for your concern though.
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It was me that posted above re. children :) Like i said i think it's great for children to have interaction with animals as it teaches them very valuable life lesson's in terms of caring/looking after animals - and it's great that your child knows at his young age how to look but don't touch (at 5yrs old with both my children the temptation would have been too overwhelming - especially if that 'look but don't touch' was sitting in the very room i wasn't).

Your friend must be very trusting of not only your children, but also of her own pig - to be honest, no matter how laid back all my pigs are i don't think i could trust them in the care of a 5yr old.....

Whatever my feelings on the matter - it's your household, your children and your pigs - therefore no matter what anyone else says, it's your decision... Don't forget to spam us with some piggies pigtures when you get your new boys :))
 
Sorry sodapops, reading on my phone before and no idea how i read your name wrong -and as Wiebeke. Bizarre, and I am dumb! My friend is fine with the guinea being in Toby's room - its in their daughter's room at the moment.

I 100% do not trust the pig in T's care - as in on his lap, in his hands without me being there. But I do 100% trust him not to touch when not allowed. I know that sounds strange but he really is the most bizarre boy when it comes to animals. He has a reverence that is way beyond his years which is the only reason i'm considering it. I think he's ready to be rewarded for his love and care of our other pets. He is amazing - a bit of an old man in a 5 year olds body. He's never been a rough and tumble sort of boy. The cage would however be moved into my room when his friends come over and upstairs as I know its somewhat abnormal to be able to trust a 5.5 year old to not open a cage! As I said before, we have italian grehounds and when we got Belle she was the size of a guinea pig, but on stilts! One drop would have meant at best broken legs and as worst, well , you know. Both T and H were amazing with the rules. They know not to pick the dog up, chase her, rough house etc. They both had to be observed by the breeder before she would allow us to have an iggy with kids. He currently has a fish tank in his room, so already no rough play/throwing etc in there due to the goldfish. He's been amazing with that change and knows his room is a place to be gentle.

Will be sure to post pigtures! And thank you for your concern, i really do understand where it is coming from
 
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