How would I build a multi-story cage and it be easy to clean?

[KookieGurl7]

I'm a new piggy owner of two lovely young boars and I have a small budget of $50 a month at most. I do get more money, but I must save for other things. I have a very basic cage about 8 square feet. It was an easy assembly cage that I got online. I would love to create more levels for my piggies to get off the floor for a bit but I don't know how to go about doing it. Oh and I must mention that my room is quite small. I'd give a picture but I have nothing but my phone to take it with and the photos aren't the best quality.
I've seen wood being used for support on some multi-level cages;
*What wood has the best support and how much do I need?
*Any cost recommendations?

Also, I want to invest in a fleece floor instead of the aspen bedding I keep having to buy more of. Cleaning the cage takes a full bag of bedding and there is no other size bag I could get other than "9 liters". I'm not really sure how much that is but its a small sized bag.
I can easily get some fleece for a decent price but I don't know how much I would need.
*Do I need to change the fleece often? and would it stay mostly odor free till I change it?
*Would I need to have multiple layers? like paper, towel, fleece? Or is that part optional?

I would like to be able to vacuum any bedding very easily. I tried to vacuum a small square of fleece with bedding on it but it seemed very difficult unless taped or pinned down.
I've seen how some cages are built with grids but I don't have the kind of money to buy a bunch of grids and Coroplast. It's not very cheap here or online. I want to make them some nice shelves and potty boxes too.
*Do you know when its best to try and potty train them?
*Also, how low should the box walls be and still keep bedding from spilling out?

For thinks like fluffy beds and cuddly toys I've been trying to make myself. But I'm pretty busy most of the time and they don't really have anything soft or fluffy yet. I made them a bag for their hay which works, tho I've noticed they jump on top of it quite often to get the hay that's poking out. I've looked online but everyone makes their own or sells them at high prices. Right now I have some black fuzzy fabric that I'm trying to sew into a hideyhole. And I don't have a sewing machine

I'm sorry for all the questions but I really need to know this. I've had my piggies for about 5 months and I really want to give them the best life ever! I feel really bad for not doing much research and preparation before getting them.

P.S. I tried to make this text easy to read for you guys and not some large blob of words

 

[theoretikos]

Hi. I can't answer all your questions but I can let you know what I do and hope that it helps.

My pigs have litter trays at one end of their cage which they use for the most part. This cuts down on fleece washing. I change my fleece every week and shake the hay and bits of food off as often as needed. I also use towels under the fleece to pick up any moisture. I bought these from charity/thrift stores for less than £1 and they cover the whole bottom of the cage! Just give them a good wash

I started potty training my pigs as soon as I got them but they just did it themselves once the tray was there! I can vacuum the cage too as the fleece is attached with binder clips onto the Coroplast but a lot of the time it is easier to shake it outside/out the window

 

[lissie]

I've seen wood being used for support on some multi-level cages;
*What wood has the best support and how much do I need?
*Any cost recommendations?

I've built cages from C&C grids and wood. I can tell you that wood is a lot more expensive.

Also, I want to invest in a fleece floor instead of the aspen bedding I keep having to buy more of. Cleaning the cage takes a full bag of bedding and there is no other size bag I could get other than "9 liters". I'm not really sure how much that is but its a small sized bag.

Why can you only get a small bag? Can you buy online? Some websites offer free shipping. If you cannot buy online, look for feed store or horse supply store. Most horse shavings can be used for guinea pigs, except cedar.

I can easily get some fleece for a decent price but I don't know how much I would need.

Depends on the size of the cage you plan to build. If you buy fleece by the yard from fabric store, they're usually 58 - 60 inches wide. One yard is 36 inches. A yard will be enough to cover your current cage.

*Do I need to change the fleece often? and would it stay mostly odor free till I change it?
*Would I need to have multiple layers? like paper, towel, fleece? Or is that part optional?

You would need to sweep or vacuum poop once or twice a day. Changing the fleece can be once or twice a week, depending on how much your pig uses the litter box.

You will need something absorbent under the fleece. You can use old towels for this.

U-haul pads are cheap, very absorbent, and come in large size. One pad will be enough for 4 changes for your cage. The pad is 68 x 85 inches. You can buy online or pick up from local U-haul store. ONe pad is $7.95
http://www.uhaul.com/MovingSupplies/Protective-stuff/Furniture-Pad?id=2670

Before first use, you will have to wash and dry fleece at least 3 times to prepare the fleece. Do NOT use any fabric softener. A cup of vinegar will help with the process. This will allow liquid to drain through to the absorbent layer under fleece.

I would like to be able to vacuum any bedding very easily. I tried to vacuum a small square of fleece with bedding on it but it seemed very difficult unless taped or pinned down.

Some people put bricks in the corner. Some people clip fleece to the coroplast.
See this video

I've seen how some cages are built with grids but I don't have the kind of money to buy a bunch of grids and Coroplast. It's not very cheap here or online. I want to make them some nice shelves and potty boxes too.

Do you have Sears or KMart near you?
Sears and KMart grids are $21.99 for 23 panels of grids.
http://www.sears.com/stor-floor-sta...p-00913332000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

http://www.kmart.com/stor-floor-sta...W435219990001P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

Coroplast is about $10 - $20 for 4x8 ft (48 x 96 inches) sheet, depends on the location.
http://www.sabicpolymershapes.com/polyshapes/PShapes/branchlocator/branchus.jsp

Home Depot has a 3x6 ft (36 x 72 inches) sheet for $13.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/202771364?catalogId=10053

*Do you know when its best to try and potty train them?
*Also, how low should the box walls be and still keep bedding from spilling out?

Some pigs will not learn to potty in the same place. Most pigs will potty where they eat and sleep. You can put all the food (hay, pellets, and water) in the same location and hope they will use it. To help with the process, you can use aspen in the feeding area, since they're used to it now. I also notice they like to potty in dark and covered place. You can drape a piece of towel or fleece over the area to make a tent.

For the box, I use 6 inches box or higher, and cut the entrance to 3 inches.

Sometimes I get the free FedEx shipping box and cut them out to use as litter box.

Here you can see the FedEx boxes being used for hay rack and litter box.

Hope this helps.

 

[Goth Mummy]

Thats a really nice set-up Lissie!

Have you considered newspaper and hay, KookieGirl? If you could get family/friends/work colleagues to save their newspapers for you that actually (in my opinion) is the easiest bedding available. Easily acquired, easily changed (just roll it up, poos and all) and can be squashed down small so it does not take up much space in the bin. You could either use fleecey things for them to sleep on, or a cardboard box filled with hay for eating and sleeping in (I do both) to contain the hay so it does not spread everywhere.

Currently I have a small plastic dog bed (well, cat sized bed) with a thick layer of newspaper in and then a fleece blanket on top, they seem to enjoy sleeping in that. I am always changing things around in my set up to see what works, and to keep the pigs interested

 

[Wiebke]

For fleece, you can also consider getting cheap acrylic or polyester bed throws form a supermarket; folded over, they go nicely in a cage your size (I do that for my stand by hospital/foster cage). I use a couple of cheap towels underneath.
Please follow our tips for preparing any fleece before use.

For my hay trays, I use seed trays from a DIY shop/garden centre or rabbit corner units; old photographic developing trays are also very handy. I put a layer of newspaper at the bottom (makes them very easy to clean out); with only two piggies you can just put hay on top, if you change daily. If combined with a hay rack, they make a good toileting area.

If you just want a little jump-on mezzanine at about the height of the bottom tray of your cage, you could look for a plain barbecue metal rack of a suitable size, which you could simply cable-tie into the cage top or get a piece of laminated wood cut to size and four hooks you can screw into the wood to slot on the bars.

I know from a piggy friend of mine just how expensive New York is!

PS: Best put some money aside every week for a vet fund...

 

[lissie]

Thats a really nice set-up Lissie!

Thanks! My cage doesn't look like that anymore. I had to dog-proof the bottom cage. So it's back to C&C.