Sticking Head Through Bars! Help!

Piggiesxoxo

Piggiesxoxo

Junior Guinea Pig
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I finally finished my wonderful C&C cage for my Guinea pig, pumpkin. He was in there all this weekend, running and squeaking and popcorning. Then I got home and noticed he kept pushing his head through the squares of the grids! I'm afraid he'll get stuck and choke. I really am clueless as of what to do. (I'm a kid and don't have a job ) and I already used all the money I had for everything else. I have him in a tiny let smart cage until I figure something else. I hope there is a cheap alternative (I have a lot of extra grids if that helps?) otherwise he will have to stay in the super small one until I save up. He doesn't like the tiny cage and I hate putting him in it. Please help!
 
You can double up on grids to make the squares smaller by off setting them and cable tying them together. So you would have the original set of grids making the frame and another set cable tied on the outside, Or some people use cardboard or fabric,
 
Hensa said:
You can double up on grids to make the squares smaller by off setting them and cable tying them together. So you would have the original set of grids making the frame and another set cable tied on the outside, Or some people use cardboard
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This is the way to combat this until they are older. It will need doing quite urgently as you have already noted the dangers of what can happen. Once he is older he won't be able to do this anymore
 
I agree with the use of cardboard or anything that blocks off the holes to stop him getting his head through.
 
If you've got grids can you make a bigger cage. It is better to have a large C&C cage & he needs a friend. Look at the cage thread in the forum fo ideas. Will your parents lend you money for what you need for the grids, & pay them back. However you have to keep to this arrangement or you parents will be cross.
How are you going to afford vet fees?
 
Tiamolly123 said:
If you've got grids can you make a bigger cage. It is better to have a large C&C cage & he needs a friend. Look at the cage thread in the forum fo ideas. Will your parents lend you money for what you need for the grids, & pay them back. However you have to keep to this arrangement or you parents will be cross.
How are you going to afford vet fees?
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I have a savings account with a lot of money for emergency vet, I don't want to spend it on anything else and then not be prepared. I think I'll either zip tie more grids or put something over the squares. Thanks for all the help! For the side with the water bottle and hay rack, should I put holes in the material over the grids? (if that what I end up doing)

I really want to get pumpkin a friend, and I will soon. It's been busy lately and my mom wants to wait until December (too long to wait?
Is a boar or a spade sow better?
 
It doesn't really matter. The other thing is cardboard, just poke a hole through the cardboard for the bottle. Regarding a second piggy, as soon as you can really I wouldn't leave it any longer than December though. You will feel the Benifit of another, when they are zooming around the cage, they are very fast, it's so funny.
I love the name Pumpkin.
 
How many squares along the top of the grids are there? As in some grids the holes are too large.

The cardboard is a good idea for now.
 
I am in the middle of doubling my grids. I ran out of zip ties so my dad went to get some more. How can I tell if it's small enough? I held pumpkin up to it for awhile and he just sat there and didn't try to stick his head through. He sniffed it, though
 
The 9x9 grid squares are 1.5 inches and you should aim to overlay the grids so the squares are halved. Once you have done that check if you think he could squeeze his head through.
 
It would be less expensive and less invasive for you to neuter Pumpkin and get a sow. Also Guinea pigs are like rats in the way that they can collapse their skeletons to the size of anything they can squeeze their head through so I would be much less worried about choking and rather getting out.
 
image.webp I don't think he could get any farther than the tip of his nose through, and he's just a baby right now. Is it cheaper to get a sow spade or pumpkin neutered? Or is it the same? About how many US dollars would it cost? Just trying to plan ahead and make sure pumpkin is safe healthy and happy
 
I have 2 pairs of entire boars, sometimes one of the pairs still have some dominance displays but they never fight and usually sort it out themselves. Are there any rescues near you that you could take pumpkin to and find him a Boar friend? If he's young an older boar may work. It's so much fun to watch piggies interact with each other.

If you decide to neuter pumpkin and get a female then just make sure you get a guinea pig experienced veterinarian to do the operation. Also you would have to keep a close eye on pumpkin for any complications after surgery.
 
BlueVictorian said:
It cost $200 to get my girls spaded and about half that to get neutered.
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So are you saying it will be $50 to neuter pumpkin? How many girls to you have? If you have a pair and it was $200, and neutering is half that, wouldn't it be $50?

Just trying to make sure everything is right! I might just get a boar, but I have to locate some shelters in a drivable distance.
 
It would be safer to have the male done. In England it costs about £40 to £50 pounds. Then the male has to be separated form the female for 6 weeks, keep him in a separate cage or put him in the same cage with a high barrier.
 
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