What size for 3 boys?

[CiaraPatricia]

Hi guys

I know that 5'X2' is recommended for three pigs, but what about for three boys?

The cage we're making in the shed (will finish it after I get paid) is just a couple of inches either way bigger than 5'X2', but I'm not sure it'll be big enough. I might make an upstairs mezzanine, but still that won't make it that much bigger. But they can have their food bowls or something up there, to make more space for running around downstairs.

I can't make it bigger really, unless I make the girls' cage smaller, which would be possible actually, the girls' cage is massive, a bit sexist but I plan on getting more girls

See the boys are used to having a hutch with a run attached, altogether over 20 square foot including upstairs of the hutch, which has been great for the summer. They spend most of their time in the run which is about 14 square foot, so now will be down to 10 in the new cage. I think they'll hate moving into a smaller cage! I'm even worried they might fight, being three of them.

But do you think it'll be ok, or that I should make it bigger, by taking away space from the girls? :{

(Oh by the way, since their cage will be right next to the girls, I plan on having a solid divider so they can't see the girls, to avoid them fighting. Right now their run is about a a foot away from the girls, which hasn't made them fight, but I don't want them to be able to go right up and sniff the girls up close in the new cages. The cages with be perpendicular to each other, so they'll be able to see the girls through the wire but from a distance, if that makes sense, which has never been a problem for them.)

 

[CiaraPatricia]

Also, should I really have three hidey houses? I'm worried it'd take up too much space in the cage, I'd prefer to have one big one, like I already have, and for them all to cuddle up to keep warm in winter. But apparently having one can make them fight. :{

 

[happysaz133]

My 3 boys are in 5.3ft x 3ft, and its good for them, I think yours would be OK. Mine only had one pigloo for long enough and never squabbled, they just didn't quite fit :p so I bought another. But no, they don't fight over them!

 

[CiaraPatricia]

Thanks

I hope they will be ok, I'll try to leave as much space as I can for running around, and make a bit of an upstairs and hopefully they'll be ok. If not then I can steal some of the girls' cage for them, if I really think it's too small.



I was saying to my dad that I mightn't be able to find more girl piggies for sale til next year, because outdoor guinea pigs probably wouldn't have babies in winter. So he said "Oh why don't you have all your males and females together in a big cage for winter", and for a second I thought about it, then realised that's a very silly idea, just in case they did get pregnant and the boys would probably fight anyway! Or at least annoy the girls by chasing them around