flintstones
Senior Guinea Pig
Can you tell I'm excited... and a bit daunted it all sounds so technically.
Was it hard to make?
Can you tell me more about the ramps?
Was it hard to make?
Can you tell me more about the ramps?
Gpeiw... I'm in housing :) lol..
- Thread starter flintstones
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I wouldn't say it was hard to make - I think that the main thing and what took me a while was that I knew roughly what I wanted but I kept modifing the design as I was going along to make sure it was right and that it worked well and would be good for the piggies.
There was also quite a lot of looking at videos of piggies on YouTube and going AAAHHHHHH!! So cute!
I also needed to work out how to do it as I had never made a cage before and needed to solve a lot of problems such as how do you make a ramp?
There was a lot of pondering going on.
Hopefully you can benefit from all that pondering!
I like the perspex ramp as you will be able to see the piggies running up and down it easily, but it cost cost quite a bit and I could have done the one I ended up making for the bottom level much cheaper - and that looks pretty good too - it has a "bannister" made from folded over carpet tile wrapped around coroplast for strength and screwed to the side of the ramp.
I was a little intimidated by the whole ramp thing as on Guinea Pig Cages there are a lot of pictures of cages but most people seemed to make them out of bent grids and as the cage is in the through lounge/dining room I wanted it to look really good - also my partner Chas was a bit hesitant about the cage in such a noticable area but he has come around and loves it now as it looks professional.
I actually made an external ramp out of grids but I wasn't truly happy with it and then decided to just make the cage much bigger and have a hole in the floor to get down via a ramp.
The coroplast for the large top level looks great and very neat - they have a kind of bannister thing going on so they don't fall down the hole.
I will try to sort out some pics tomorrow or Friday to show you how the ramps work.
We are also changing the hayloft by making it 3 x 1 instead of 1 x 2 - the back wall is off at thew moment and the cupboard is now part of the hayloft.
The back wall with be across the full side of the cage and will be another piece of perspex so we will be able to see the piggies cavorting about from the lounge which will be great.
I will sort out more pictures and I will be adding to the blog http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/blogs/gpeiw/
When I have done a bit more this weekend - I am now trying to wrap it up over the next couple of weeks as Operation Furball is nearly finished ! Very excited and we should have piggies in March !
Any questions! hope this is helpful.
Picture added for those who have no idea what we are talking about:
There was also quite a lot of looking at videos of piggies on YouTube and going AAAHHHHHH!! So cute!
I also needed to work out how to do it as I had never made a cage before and needed to solve a lot of problems such as how do you make a ramp?
There was a lot of pondering going on.
Hopefully you can benefit from all that pondering!
I like the perspex ramp as you will be able to see the piggies running up and down it easily, but it cost cost quite a bit and I could have done the one I ended up making for the bottom level much cheaper - and that looks pretty good too - it has a "bannister" made from folded over carpet tile wrapped around coroplast for strength and screwed to the side of the ramp.
I was a little intimidated by the whole ramp thing as on Guinea Pig Cages there are a lot of pictures of cages but most people seemed to make them out of bent grids and as the cage is in the through lounge/dining room I wanted it to look really good - also my partner Chas was a bit hesitant about the cage in such a noticable area but he has come around and loves it now as it looks professional.
I actually made an external ramp out of grids but I wasn't truly happy with it and then decided to just make the cage much bigger and have a hole in the floor to get down via a ramp.
The coroplast for the large top level looks great and very neat - they have a kind of bannister thing going on so they don't fall down the hole.
I will try to sort out some pics tomorrow or Friday to show you how the ramps work.
We are also changing the hayloft by making it 3 x 1 instead of 1 x 2 - the back wall is off at thew moment and the cupboard is now part of the hayloft.
The back wall with be across the full side of the cage and will be another piece of perspex so we will be able to see the piggies cavorting about from the lounge which will be great.
I will sort out more pictures and I will be adding to the blog http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/blogs/gpeiw/
When I have done a bit more this weekend - I am now trying to wrap it up over the next couple of weeks as Operation Furball is nearly finished ! Very excited and we should have piggies in March !
Any questions! hope this is helpful.
Picture added for those who have no idea what we are talking about:
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flintstones
Senior Guinea Pig
Oh my.... I love and your terrifying me all at once 
, I'm just thinking... EEkkk Instead of getting pigs you could adopt me !
, I'm just thinking... EEkkk Instead of getting pigs you could adopt me !I am not sure that would work - we already have two females 6 year old and 12 year old who rumble at each other quite a lot lol. They are also very messy and throw their hay about! lol Fortuantely they don't poo on the floor any more :<> .
Don't panic the building is very therapeutic and was not as complicated as it looks - it was definitely more that I was thinking about the design a lot to make it simple and strong and easy to clean out.
When people have seen the cage, once they have got over the shock (it takes up one quarter of the dining room) they say "I wish I was a guinea pig so I could live there!"
My workmates think I am bonkers. Especially when I got some cavy cozies delivered from Cavy Couture at work and they put them on their heads!
Fortuantely they don't poo on the floor any more :<> . Don't panic the building is very therapeutic and was not as complicated as it looks - it was definitely more that I was thinking about the design a lot to make it simple and strong and easy to clean out.
When people have seen the cage, once they have got over the shock (it takes up one quarter of the dining room) they say "I wish I was a guinea pig so I could live there!"
My workmates think I am bonkers. Especially when I got some cavy cozies delivered from Cavy Couture at work and they put them on their heads!
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flintstones
Senior Guinea Pig
I'm going to do some night reading... And read the full story of the cage, but don't worry I shall yell if I'm confused hehe !
!Happy reading - I will not be offended if you find it boring although I was laughing my head off at my comments of soon be finished etc in october!
Bear in mind that it hasn't taken that long it has been long periods of not doing anything then a frantic burst of activity.
I am off to bed now, up early for work tomorrow (day off for cage building on Friday!
|) - thanks for the welcome to the forum and I am glad to help if needed.
Bear in mind that it hasn't taken that long it has been long periods of not doing anything then a frantic burst of activity.
I am off to bed now, up early for work tomorrow (day off for cage building on Friday!
|) - thanks for the welcome to the forum and I am glad to help if needed.
daleksarah
Adult Guinea Pig
ive just thought of what your cage is missing an elevator and a lift
Now you mention it..... looks through blue prints.... that will be next week
daleksarah
Adult Guinea Pig
N
Nova
Gpeiw, with your perspex ramp, did you order it in that shape, or did you have to bend it yourself?
Your cage is fantastic by the way, the guinea pigs coming in march are certainly very lucky!
Your cage is fantastic by the way, the guinea pigs coming in march are certainly very lucky!
flintstones
Senior Guinea Pig
Gpeiw, with your perspex ramp, did you order it in that shape, or did you have to bend it yourself?
Your cage is fantastic by the way, the guinea pigs coming in march are certainly very lucky!
What guinea pigs? She's adopting me
xx
N
Nova
Oops! Well, I hope she has plenty of teabags and coffee in the house then as well as hay- humans can be very hard to look after. :p
Nova -
the ramp is in three tpieces that cable tie together - I got the company that made the bit to put holes in onm the right places.
Tea-bags ?/ we go through enough in our house already!
If anyone is moving into that cage it is me - i have already been inside when I was nailing the base to the bottom of the cage and being as I am a little rounded that was a bit of a squeeze! I usually send daughter number 2 in there to fix things as she is the littlest.
PS the guinea pigs have already got their own hoover - will this madness never end!
the ramp is in three tpieces that cable tie together - I got the company that made the bit to put holes in onm the right places.
Tea-bags ?/ we go through enough in our house already!
If anyone is moving into that cage it is me - i have already been inside when I was nailing the base to the bottom of the cage and being as I am a little rounded that was a bit of a squeeze! I usually send daughter number 2 in there to fix things as she is the littlest.
PS the guinea pigs have already got their own hoover - will this madness never end!
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I want that cage!! It is EXCELLENT! You've done such a good job.... Just looking at the other pics on your blog. I like that it is on casters. I really want to raise mine on to casters...... Ooooooooo I should get planning for the cage amendments I want to make in a few weeks! They wont be nearly as impressive as yours :0
N
Nova
T-shaped pieces? Excuse me for being really thick! :red
Do you mind if I ask where you ordered it from? Like you, I'm not overly keen on the bent over grid ramp, and I was planning on using a drain pipe until I saw your perspex ramp. I must say I think it looks fantastic!
Do you mind if I ask where you ordered it from? Like you, I'm not overly keen on the bent over grid ramp, and I was planning on using a drain pipe until I saw your perspex ramp. I must say I think it looks fantastic!
Oops I meant three pieces - they are 10cm x 71cm (the two side pieces) and one 20cm x 71cm piece - the base of the ramp.
You can find the website by typing the plastic man into google - it should bring up a wesite that says it is a division of Holloway Plastics - you can order it onlie - but you need to plan it carefully - I got them to polish the sides and curve the corners that would be near the piggies and also put holes in - there is a field on the form where you can put in detailed instructions. I have it saved so I can post the sizes of the ramp pieces if you want.
I phoned up the company and they were really helpful - but you need to be really sure that the holes etc are right because if they are in the wrong place it won't work.
You can find the website by typing the plastic man into google - it should bring up a wesite that says it is a division of Holloway Plastics - you can order it onlie - but you need to plan it carefully - I got them to polish the sides and curve the corners that would be near the piggies and also put holes in - there is a field on the form where you can put in detailed instructions. I have it saved so I can post the sizes of the ramp pieces if you want.
I phoned up the company and they were really helpful - but you need to be really sure that the holes etc are right because if they are in the wrong place it won't work.
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