Thinking Of Trialling A Different Cage For Autumn/winter

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biscandmatt

biscandmatt

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but i'm not sure so want opinions because the cage will be smaller than they have now (very naughty i know!) :)

so mollie and benjie at the moment have a cage which works out just under a 9x2, which is arranged with a 5x2 at the back with a just under 4x2 attached infront. the cage is on the floor.

after mollie's spay a week ago, they have been in just the 5x2 part and i thought benjie in particular would not appreciate it, however he's been perfectly happy and running around as normal. probably more if anything... no idea why!

so the cage we want to trial will be a 6x2 c&c which we will then beable to lift off the floor which is one big plus for me because i don't like them being on the floor, especially in colder weather. this means storage space underneath aswell which would come in handy because their stuff is taking over the whole house! :))

the reason we gave them the large cage originally was because we don't have the space to do proper floor time very often, so i wanted them to have a 'run' area attached to the cage permanently. but.. we have been having a clear out in the bedroom and have managed to create a good sized space for floor time, so even though the trial cage would be smaller, they would have more floor time.

i am being too precious with them probably as usual, but i feel a bit mean making their cage smaller. but then i think a 6x2 is still a nice size for the two of them? we always have the option to put the bigger cage back during the spring/summer when the 'run' part comes in handy to keep benjie cooler. he gets very hot so the 'run' part has no correx or much bedding, just newspaper so has more air flow.

so getting to the point... a smaller cage off the floor with more floor time, or stick with the same cage?! what do you think? :)
 
Well personally I think it could be a good idea. We all like to put our piggies first, but a cage must be workable for us humans too!
Lifting it above the floor may work out well, as you say it's preferable for you and may be a little warmer. I also think the space they will have is still good, and the change of going into their run each day will add variety to their day :)
 
Critter said:
Well personally I think it could be a good idea. We all like to put our piggies first, but a cage must be workable for us humans too!
Lifting it above the floor may work out well, as you say it's preferable for you and may be a little warmer. I also think the space they will have is still good, and the change of going into their run each day will add variety to their day :)
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we really are struggling for space and storage now! i can't believe how much stuff the pets have :)) o/h thinks we could always try it and then if it doesn't work we can just change it back. i don't need to buy any extra grids luckily so just something for it to go on, and some little table legs for it. new correx which i've wanted for ages anyway. storage boxes for underneath... so it's do-able x
 
Yeah I know what you mean - for me they have tunnels, fleece, fitch, readigrass, Timothy hay, meadow hay, cuddle cups, beds, lap-pads, several varieties of food as I like them to have a mix of pellets, and it all takes up so much room :) I suspect that you're similar, even though the accessories will vary to mine. That underneath storage will be so useful :)
 
right, we're doing it! turns out i did need more grids... have lots of silver and black but no white left :roll: so i've ordered four single grids off ebay, spare connectors and these little things that connect the correx so you don't have to use tape. forgot the name though.

probably will take a little while to beable to get the other things i need but we'll get there!
 
so another dilemma already... i have some drawers between the piggy cage and the rabbit area which i really need to keep... which means that a 6x2 won't fit, but a 5.5x2 will fit if i get a new storage drawer unit which is half the width. so the cage will be 5.5x2.... annoyingly, there is room to make it wider than 2grids which would be ideal, however i really wouldn't beable to reach to clean and pick up piggies! i already struggle to reach across 2grids wide :mal:

now i'm not sure what to do. 5.5x2 seems alot smaller than they're used to, and that they need. well, benjie in particular. however we have managed to clear a space in the bedroom which i measured will be 5ft x 4ft approx for their floor time run (nicer weather is a 5ft x 3ft run outside)

so will this be enough for them? i actually feel really bad about it, but we desperately need to re-arrange things now. we're completely running out of space now and this is the only option that works for them and us really.

stresses me out this cage! :))
 
5.5 is still a good size. Could you fit another level and have a large loft going along the back?
 
Critter said:
5.5 is still a good size. Could you fit another level and have a large loft going along the back?
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no, not really because it's under the stairs (spiral stairs with gaps between the steps :roll:) and if i move the cage any further forward it hits the frame of the stairs :roll: honestly, it's in such an awkward space! :evil: it's annoying because there is more space under the stairs area but i just wouldn't beable to reach.

i've been over and over ways to change it for years (obsessive!) but the only ways that work for all of us (piggies, rabbit area and us) is keep it as it was on the floor or do this new idea.

i know i'm probably turning it into a big deal :)) i guess there is no harm trying it for the winter and then changing it back if it doesn't work.

eta: and because the cage is being lifted up, any loft area would be right under where we walk up the stairs!
 
so the new drawers have been ordered now (for between the piggy cage the rabbit area) which are alot less wide than the ones i have now. once we have those, i can see exactly how much space there will be for the new cage and start on building that (once i have ordered the new correx!)

getting there slowly!
 
ok, so i'm thick. got the new drawers today and when i moved the old ones, i saw that the radiator comes out further than the cage now. so to make it longer, the whole thing needs moving forward... problem is, it might hit the base of the stairs on the other side :mal: so not sure now if it'll work.

i need a break because my brain hurts. o/h is trying to help but he doesn't even understand what i'm trying to do :mal::mal::mal:
 
i'm a nightmare with this cage - ended up not liking the new drawers i got, or the old ones that were there, so i donated some of mine from the bedroom which fit into the space much better. and it turns out that there is enough space for a 5.5x2, even if the cage is moved forward to allow for the radiator sticking out...

... so i can move onto the next stage now and buy some new correx and finally build the new cage... ! :))
 
Ha ha this thread sounds exactly like the sort of things I'd go through - right down to OH getting to the point where he hasn't got any clue any more what I am trying to do! Glad you seem to have settled it now - although if you are really like me all that really means is that you will have to find something else to have lots of different sorts of slightly modified plans for!
 
PiggySmitten said:
Ha ha this thread sounds exactly like the sort of things I'd go through - right down to OH getting to the point where he hasn't got any clue any more what I am trying to do! Glad you seem to have settled it now - although if you are really like me all that really means is that you will have to find something else to have lots of different sorts of slightly modified plans for!
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:)) i just swap and change my mind, i'm so bad at explaining what i'm trying to do, then i'm even worse at imagining things in my head so i have to do it before seeing if it works or not :mal:

o/h is scared because not only will he have to put up with me trying to do the new correx, but i also have to somehow balance the base of it all when we get that and it is on a join where the laminate changes to carpet so is slightly higher... and i can't cope when things aren't completely level and straight so that will be fun :blink: plus i get very stressed and angry when doing anything like this :)):)):))

but i will get there eventually! then i will of course move onto the next task like you say.. :))
 
biscandmatt said:
:)) i just swap and change my mind, i'm so bad at explaining what i'm trying to do, then i'm even worse at imagining things in my head so i have to do it before seeing if it works or not :mal:

o/h is scared because not only will he have to put up with me trying to do the new correx, but i also have to somehow balance the base of it all when we get that and it is on a join where the laminate changes to carpet so is slightly higher... and i can't cope when things aren't completely level and straight so that will be fun :blink: plus i get very stressed and angry when doing anything like this :)):)):))

but i will get there eventually! then i will of course move onto the next task like you say.. :))
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I won't but I could send you a pic of the layered pieces of cardboard I've had to put under one of the "legs" of our c&c set up because it wasn't quite level because our cage is over some stairs (mostly in the area at the top of the stairs with the last grid and a bit over the stairs and into the area at the bottom of the stairs)......

Oh yes, there is someone else like you out here :))
 
PiggySmitten said:
I won't but I could send you a pic of the layered pieces of cardboard I've had to put under one of the "legs" of our c&c set up because it wasn't quite level because our cage is over some stairs (mostly in the area at the top of the stairs with the last grid and a bit over the stairs and into the area at the bottom of the stairs)......

Oh yes, there is someone else like you out here :))
Click to expand...

:)) things like this drive me crazy! i'm getting adjustable legs for it and i NEED them to work properly otherwise i will have some kind of breakdown! :)):)):))
 
If you are going to use slide binders to stop them chewing the correx but don't fancy cutting the slide binders to fit exactly, my improvisation tip is to put wooden pegs or bulldog clips over the little annoying bits you'd otherwise have to cut a slide binder up for.
 
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