I know that’s ideal but his current cage gets dirty super quickly and is very difficult to clean as the cage uses around 5 pieces of liner to completely cover it. I just want to keep his space as clean as possible the first few weeks at least. He’d still be near his brother and sisters.
Thanks!
What are the actual measurements of the crate? That is the vital factor in determining whether it is suitable.
I see from a previous post that you currently have your boys each in a 3x2. That is the minimum size for a single piggy. So, if the crate is smaller than a 3x2 cage or measures less than 120x60cm (which is also the measurements of a Midwest cage, also considered minimum size for a single piggy), then he cannot be put into the crate as it simply won’t be big enough.
As I mentioned, he should come home as if nothing has happened (or be behaving and be just as active as if nothing happened within a day or so anyway) so being put in a smaller space could be terribly frustrating and unsettling to him.
If his current cage gets dirty quickly then putting him in a smaller cage, if you are worried about cleanliness, can actually be completely counter productive and cause more work. The smaller the cage, aside from space requirements, the harder it can be to keep fresh. Smaller spaces tend to smell and get more soiled more quickly.
Can you not use additional pee pads on top of the liner in his current cage? That is recommended as you can then just can remove the smaller pee pads daily without having to change the whole liner(s).
To be honest though if you’re using five pieces of liner in a 3x2 then it won’t be any different by using pee pads.