C&C cage for young guinea pigs

[garfieldette]

Hi

Well the 3 girls are here and are running up and down the ramps in the hutch but, the hutch seems so dark with the second level and I have been inspired by the C & C set ups I have seen on here. I am scouting for ideas and have scoured the guineapigcages.com website from page to page.

It mentions on the homepage that you need to be careful putting young gps in a C&C set up as they may be able to climb/bounce out and suggests heightening it, but doesn't give any more details. Do I need to put a whole second layer on the sides all the way around? I am thinking of putting together a 4 x 3 panel set up and adding a second layer will significantly add to the cost.

Also, the cube packs on ebay are 10 grids and 6 mesh panels, am I ok using the mesh panels as well or has anyone had any problems using these?


Beki

 

[Wiebke]

No, you can use the mesh grids as well - I have them mostly around my hay corners and at the back, so less stuff falls out where I can't get at it easily.

For baby piggies, you could use chickenwire or perspex at first, until they are too big to come to harm.

 

[Abby'sMom]

When I got my C&C cage, my girls were very small. All you have to do is put the coroplast/correx up to the height of the grids for a while til they are big enough not to squeeze through. I think i had mine at 13 inches...but have since cut it down to about 5 inches now. Also, make sure that it is about halfway up on the second level, so they dont want to jump out.

 

[KingBoris&HisFollowers]

C&C cages are great, most of my boys have them and the height of them is good.
I only have on boy Blade who will climb out and jump out from the top of his pigloo but this is also the same daredevil pig who leapt from the 4th story of a bank hutch and hit concrete when he was a few hours old at rescue and survived strangely! Most piggies wont even attempt it but there are ways to contain the ones that do

If your worried you can make it with a lid out of grids which i did with Blade,you would have seen that on the cavycages site
I did have the issue once of a pig being small enough to fit through the grids,a smaller wire over the grids worked well until he got older xx

 

[KingBoris&HisFollowers]

When I got my C&C cage, my girls were very small. All you have to do is put the coroplast/correx up to the height of the grids for a while til they are big enough not to squeeze through. I think i had mine at 13 inches...but have since cut it down to about 5 inches now. Also, make sure that it is about halfway up on the second level, so they dont want to jump out.

this cage does look good and would stop them squeezing through but i would be worried about proper ventilation(no offence intended abby'smom just my opinion) xx

 

[garfieldette]

Thanks for the responses so far, just to clarify I am planning a single storey 4 x 3 panel but read the warning on guineapigcages.com as a warning about the height, can they get over a 14" panel? Do I need to make it two panels high all the way around?

The girls are 16 weeks old, hadn't considered they would be small enough to get through the grids, can they?

sorry for all the questions, want to make sure I get it totally right.


Beki

 

[flips]

Thanks for the responses so far, just to clarify I am planning a single storey 4 x 3 panel but read the warning on guineapigcages.com as a warning about the height, can they get over a 14" panel? Do I need to make it two panels high all the way around?

The girls are 16 weeks old, hadn't considered they would be small enough to get through the grids, can they?

sorry for all the questions, want to make sure I get it totally right.


Beki

I'd be interested in a reply to this as well. At age would it be considered that a gp is too big to get through the grids (or to get their head through), assuming they're not particularly small for their age? Just a rough idea would be helpful. Thanks.

 

[KingBoris&HisFollowers]

Thanks for the responses so far, just to clarify I am planning a single storey 4 x 3 panel but read the warning on guineapigcages.com as a warning about the height, can they get over a 14" panel? Do I need to make it two panels high all the way around?

The girls are 16 weeks old, hadn't considered they would be small enough to get through the grids, can they?

sorry for all the questions, want to make sure I get it totally right.


Beki

Mine does get over the grid height but its rare and i wouldnt worry to much, i wouldnt make it two panels high as it most likely would just be wasting grids and making it harder to get them out.
16 weeks old arent rea,lly babies they are entering the teenage phase.
My boy who could fit through the grids was 4 weeks old thats hwat they mean by babies generally.
Most of my piggies when they were 12 weeks old were seriousy to big to fit through any grids so i dont think you have any issues,id just be building a one grid high C&C cage and dont worry to much if you can help it x

 

[KingBoris&HisFollowers]

I'd be interested in a reply to this as well. At age would it be considered that a gp is too big to get through the grids (or to get their head through), assuming they're not particularly small for their age? Just a rough idea would be helpful. Thanks.

As you say some piggies are small or big for there age,sows are usually smaller as well but not by much.

Both my youngest boys were definantely to big to fit through once they were about 6-8 weeks but id be wary until they are 8-10 weeks old just to make sure x