Indoor Piggie House and Sizing

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Banana

Banana

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Hello Everyone,

I'm new here, I've spent a few hours lurking and reading through the mine of information on the forum and I'd like to ask a question.

I've kept guinea pigs most of my life and having had a break of about 4 years would like to get back to a piggie place! My pigs have always previously been kept outside, allowing me to construct nice big outdoor houses, but this time I'd really like them to live inside so I can spend a bit more time with them.

Our living room would best suit a cage that's about 120-130cm long. There seem to be a number of 120 long styles available, but having visited some rescue websites many of them state that the minimum area needs to be more than that. I don't want to be keeping pigs in substandard accommodation. My question is this: Is 120 x 60 too small for 2 pigs? Can anyone recommend a particular cage style?

I was taken with this one:
http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/rodents/cages/rabbit_cage/95923
but it's out of stock and they seem to have no idea about when it's coming back in.

Many thanks!
 
Hi and welcome to the forum!

4' x 2' is the recommended size for two pigs, and a Nero 4 is a good one if you can get one - a really nice size. There is also a large Ferplast (140?) which is good too although a bit less sturdy in my opinion.

If you have the space then you could construct your own indoor cage from C&C -some great info here

http://www.guineapigcages.com/

Sophie
x
 
That cage looks great and I have one similar but not all pigs will use the ramps up to the other bits - some will, others just won't, as they're not built for climbing like other rodents :)
 
i agree with Sophie,its nice you are putting there welfare first;),Nero4's are rather good i have two myself,i do find the 4 x 2 C&C cages to provide more room and once you learn the initial building they are very easy and cheap to construct,goodluck with you future piggies xx
 
Thanks Sophie,

I'm having a look at the Nero 4 now - that does seem to in stock in some places and it looks very nice.

It's a shame about the ramp thing, as I quite fancied getting a 2 storey cage, like this http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/rodents/cages/rabbit_cage/137393 but it would be shame to end up with them only living on 1 level. Perhaps I will look at upgrading once the piggies are installed and I know whether or not they will go up and down!

I'm not quite brave enough to go the C&C route just yet, possibly something to try in the future.

Thanks again.
 
ramps with sides are a good idea for piggies as they can hurt themselves quite easily by slipping off at height
 
lovelygirl said:
ramps with sides are a good idea for piggies as they can hurt themselves quite easily by slipping off at height
Click to expand...

Yes, I'd anticipate having to adapt the ramps to make them safe by turning them into tunnels but I'd want to know that they'd use them if I was going for a 2 storey affair and since the cage is coming before the piggies in this case I guess I'll play it safe and go for single storey.
 
I have ramps (with sides) and my piggies love them. I have indoor ones who use them in a C&C cage and 2 fosters who use a ramp from the run to the hutch outside no problem.

With a C&C you could TRY a 2 storey and if it doesn't work you can switch it back and no extra cost.
 
Banana said:
I was taken with this one:
http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/rodents/cages/rabbit_cage/95923
but it's out of stock and they seem to have no idea about when it's coming back in.
Click to expand...

Hello

I bought this cage http://www.seapets.co.uk/view-image.html?title=Rabbit,%20Guinea%20Pig%20And%20Mammal%20Cage%20120&filename=501608-large from http://www.seapets.co.uk - I believe it is the same size as the one on zooplus that you have seen. It is 120cm, but they sell it in different sizes. The stand and cage are sold seperate though.

I have to say, when my piggies run about in the mornings, I can already see that this cage will become too small in my opinion. We only got them a couple of weeks ago, on Aug 3rd. I am planning on buy an indoor play pen for them.

I also looked at the double level (and triple level!) one on zooplus but I was a bit concerned about cleaning and whether they would use different levels. I think, if they do use ramps, then these would be ideal for adding extra space, and I may consider one of these in the future as cleaning the cage I have atm is easy peasy. I have put a bridge/ramp thing on to the top of the house that we have in the cage and they started to use that within about 20mins, so hopefully they would use the ramps. We haven't put our shelves in (the cage from seapets has two ramps/shelves like the first link from zooplus) but I think I'll give them a go :)
 
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I have the indoor cage you have linked to. Pigs would never get up those steep tiny ramps (I had it for a rabbit so never needed the ramps). Soon moved the rabbit out into CC when one became 2, became 4 hehe. It would be ok for 2 pigs as we use it as our temp cage when the pigs have to stay at relatives for our 4. I take the levels out though as their useless, and the litter tray is tiny, one pig size (we still use it in our CC lol).

I seen 120 cages in a chain store called PamPurred Pets, based down south mainly, for only £40 I think! :D Bargain!

edit: heres the locations but doesn't show items http://www.pampurredpets.com/Store_Locations.html
 
That looks like one. I do C&C but I like the look of the nero 4 and the rabbit 150 too. They are so large and have a nice stand so you can wheel them about.

I think I am am going to get a stand for my next C&C if I can make one that has the right dimensions.
 
The Nero 4 is 4' x 2', just did the maths! So a good size. C&C is more flexible, if you have the space, and cheaper too I would think. You can sometimes pick up Nero 4s on ebay though, yes

Sophie
x
 
Thanks for all the feedback guys.

While I really like the 140/150 sized cages we'd have to get rid of the sofa to fit it in and I'm not sure that would go down that well!

I think I will plump for the Nero and build a big run for the garden as well so they can get some serious leg stretching done whenever the weather allows.

It seems there's a gap in the market for multilevel housing built with piggies in mind!

I love the C&C cages in the gallery BTW they look amazing.
 
I have a collapsible playpen for indoor floor time, I just put it out with fleece underneath so they can stretch their legs and get out of the cage for a while, then it folds flat out of the way. It's good for winter or when the weather isn't ok for them to go outside :)
 
sophiew said:
I have a collapsible playpen for indoor floor time
Click to expand...

What kind have you got? I'm going to get one but don't know which. I'd like one big enough for me to sit in with them in the hope that this might help them get used to me... But then I think that might just scare them!
 
sophiew said:
I have a collapsible playpen for indoor floor time, I just put it out with fleece underneath so they can stretch their legs and get out of the cage for a while, then it folds flat out of the way. It's good for winter or when the weather isn't ok for them to go outside :)
Click to expand...

Would love to know what kind it is and where you bought it...
Will you be able to give me a link so I can see it online?

thanks!
 
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