Midwest Habitat, big enough?

[SallyG]

Hiya,

Our 2 girlies were splitting their time between a midwest habitat upstairs and a 4 x 2 C&C downstairs. I use extra grids (as a run) to give them a bit of variety and this week have moved the midwest downstairs instead of the C&C.

The more I look at it the more the midwest looks too small for them; they really mess it up, tip up their food bowl etc. which they don't do in C&C, I'm worried it's a sign of boredom? It's says on the cage info it has an 8' area.

Today I put them in a 3 x 3 C&C while I was sorting the cage out and it looked soooo much better than the cage.

Some times I feel like all I do is put grids together in random shapes at the moment I have the midwest hatch open with a 2 x 2 grid extension, but don't really want to have the cage, plus extension, plus then have a seperate run elsewhere.

Do you guys all have a cage plus a seperate run, or if the cage is big enough do they not need a run as well (obviously when the weather gets better I'll get an outside run for them).

Sorry for going on!
Sal
x

 

[Hermes]

4x2ft is the minimum reccommended cage size but it is enough space for two sows. It's good for them to have floor time where they can run about and explore in a different space whether it's in another cage/run or just in one of the rooms in your house. Personally, I think that if you have a larger cage then this is less necessary so long they are provided with plenty of variety and enrichment activities so they don't get bored. If you can comfortably fit in a c&c that's bigger than the Midwest then I'd do that but if not then I wouldn't worry about them not having enough space in the Midwest. Making a mess is typical no matter how much space you give them.

Also, as an afterthought, a 3x3grid c&c is one and a half times the size of the Midwest (it's 12.25 square feet) and the fact it's square means you can spread things (hideys, food, litter trays, toys etc.) out more easily so it looks less cramped.

 

[SallyG]

Thanks Hermes, I'm going to have a look at things again tomorrow, I just aren't really happy with the cage. If I do go back to the C&C I need to sort out correx as I was using puppy pads and fleece but have just changed to easibed. so obviously need a proper base. Basically I need to pick a cage and stick with it!