I'm hoping to get a C&C cage

Eddie & Elvis

Eddie & Elvis

Adult Guinea Pig
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Hello 🙂

Eddie and Elvis' cage is currently the minimum size so I'm looking into upgrading to a C&C cage. I've done lots of research and have found grids (with 9 little squares) and correx on Amazon. It will be 3x4 grids and either raised up on a table or I will make a stand with more grids. Today I properly explained my plan and gave all my information to my parents and showed them how much space it would take up and stuff like that and was able to answer all the questions they had so I think I've made a pretty convincing argument. 🤞

However one thing I am wary of as are my parents is that Elvis can be a bit of an escape artist. Three times he has successfully gotten over the fence I put out for floor time which is 26cm high. So my question is is it possible he could get over a 35cm C&C grid? I doubt he could but my dad wants to make sure he couldn't climb up using the bars as rungs rather than getting his paws on the top and hauling his body over like he did with the fence. So unlikely as it seems to me is this is possible and should I make a lid just in case?
 
If he is an escape artist then I’d definitely recommend a lid, or making the cage sides two grids high
There is every chance he could get out of a c&c grid. They can, if they feel so inclined, jump 12 inches/30 cm but if he were to stand on top for a hidey for example, he would have no trouble in getting over.
I have my grids two high because one of mine likes to jump on hideys so could easily get out

If you were to make a lid using extra c&c grids, then it would be easier to do so if the cage were two grids wide (it would need to be a 5x2 cage). It’s possible to with it being 3 grids wide but you’d need extra horizontal supports for the lid. I think @alpacasqueak has a cage 3 grids wide with a lid so may be able to help
 
I think a lid sounds like it would be a good idea, you could also make sure that any hideys that Elvis can climb onto aren’t near to the edge of the cage so that he can’t climb onto the hidey and then use it as a sort of stepladder to escape!
 
We are also 2 grids high because of bouncy Piggle! Piggle's bouncy naughtiness would rival a bunny with a trampoline... most piggies may be mostly fine in 1 grid high as long as you dont have anything they can climb on too near the grid, but Piggle can and has jumped that high, and Tallulah monster in the other cage still climbs the bars like a hamster! So we like 2 grids high. Most piggies probably wouldnt jump or climb 35cm but some do!
 
:yikes: I didn't think piggies would jump or climb 36cm, based on my own experience, but I must have just had very lazy piggies - they didn't even try climbing out of my ferplast when I left it open accidentally.
Are you doing 4x3 because it fits your space best? I had a 5x3, it was great for my exercise because I ran round and round it trying to shepherd the little blighters into a cosy at cleaning or grass time. I couldn't reach all the way across, so every time I got round to one side, they ran back over to the other... Another reason why 5x2 or 6x2 is a good size, is that 2 grids deep will fit on basic cheap tables like the IKEA one that some people have. Then you can keep their fleece and other stuff underneath.
 
Thanks for all the replies I'll definitely be making a lid! I wasn't aware piggies could jump quite that high and I hadn't thought about if he stood on a hidey which he has done before. I'd like the cage to be raised up so having the sides 2 high would make it hard to reach over to clean. If @alpacasqueak could explain how she made a lid on a 3 wide cage that would be great 🙂

@Qualcast&Flymo yes I was going to do a 3x4 because it fits the space best. A 2x5 is the other option but it sticks out slightly longways blocking off a plug socket and leaving little room for the curtains.
Luckily Eddie and Elvis are very cooperative and need no shepherding to go into a cosy so I shouldn't have that problem.

I also have another question this time about correx. How far up the sides should I go and how do I measure it so it fits nicely inside the grids?
 
When I made mine I think I just measured an extra 15cm around all of edges for the sides but I also followed the guide on a website called ‘guinea piggles’ on how to make a c&c cage, they have step by step instructions you can follow and tell you how to measure the correx so I would recommend you looking at that.
 
I have watched one or 2 videos from guinea piggles which is where I got the idea for a stand. I'll have look at some of their other videos. Thank you 🙂
 
A standard correx sheet is 2440x1220mm, so you would need to have the 3 grid side across the 1220mm side of the correx, leaving a max of 7mm to fold up each of the 4 grid sides. Then you would have 1000mm to play with along the length; you could have the correx all the way up one end to keep hay from falling out from hay trays etc in that area. I had about 15mm up both ends of my 5x3. Exactly how much you have is up to you, depends on whether you need to keep stuff in and whether it's hiding other things from view or access.
 
Regarding measuring the correx to fit the grids- will you be using the plastic 4 way connectors?
When I made mine, I worked out the size of base and sides I wanted to fit exactly in the grids, and then made it that size. However when I put the correx inside the made up cage, I then found that it sat on top of the connectors rather than flat on the surface underneath it (more grids in my case). Maybe a better way would have been to put the cage on top of the correx and then mark out the area for the base within the connectors. ( only prob there being, it means the base is a bit smaller and there's a gap between the correx sides and the grids).
 
Only a suggestion and one that's my own not a guide. If you find double c c to high to clean etc. . You can use cable ties and say make it 1.5 high. Just a thought.
I'm lucky my piggies don't do Olympics much. .tho I got a might shock once when I had a piggie sleeping on TOP of a carrot house. Let me add as @Qualcast&Flymo and others suggest all hides and items that can be used to leap off . Put away from edge. .
 
For bottom of my runs I use wood and lot fleeses. 20190424_123218.webp20180707_121340.webp
 

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@Qualcast&Flymo I put hay straight on the floor so I would need the correx high enough to stop it spilling over in one place at least. 7mm doesn't sound like very much would that be enough as long as I didn't put hay there?
Yes I think I will be using the 4 way connectors they look easy to use. Although the shortest delivery is not until 3rd October on the particular girds I've found so can anyone suggest any similar ones that can deliver sooner?
These are the grids and correx I've found are they good ones?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/AmazonBasics-Cube-Wire-Storage-Shelves/dp/B0735GRJXY

1x Black Correx Sheet 4mm x 1.2 x 2.4m for Hard Floor and Surface Protection Flexible Lightweight Water Resistant Corrugated Floor Protective Cover Plastic Board: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

@David Piggie Lover I'm sorry I don't understand how I could make it 1.5 grids high can you explain some more please?
I was shocked too when Elvis suddenly jumped on top of a wooden hidey! I'll have to make sure that ones not too close to the edge 🤣
 
Over lap 2 c+c . . Best to show you as can't explain . . Sorry. . .
Emmmm. I try. Place 1 c+c on top of another and slide along to height required and fasteren with lots ties. . . If others think this is a dumb idea pls say so. :doh:
 
Oh right! I was under the impression correx was the only thing I could use... I don't know why 😂 Is correx still the best option though? I use vet bed with puppy pads underneath
 
Eddie & Elvis said:
Oh right! I was under the impression correx was the only thing I could use... I don't know why 😂 Is correx still the best option though? I use vet bed with puppy pads underneath
Click to expand...

correx it’s not a necessity when building a cage if it is going to go on the the floor or a table but it is the popular option. all you’re looking for is something waterproof as the very bottom layer so there nothing can get onto your flooring or get to the wood of a table. With puppy pads and vetbed, you won’t have the issues of something like woodshavings which would just fall out.
if however you were to have the cage on a stand made of grids then correx is a good choice as it is light so won’t add extra weight to the stand and also creates the flat smooth surface. You couldn’t for example, put plastic sheeting down if you were to have it on a grid stand as they would constantly feel the grids underneath, you need something smooth
 
Eddie & Elvis said:
@Qualcast&Flymo I put hay straight on the floor so I would need the correx high enough to stop it spilling over in one place at least. 7mm doesn't sound like very much would that be enough as long as I didn't put hay there?
Yes I think I will be using the 4 way connectors they look easy to use. Although the shortest delivery is not until 3rd October on the particular girds I've found so can anyone suggest any similar ones that can deliver sooner?
These are the grids and correx I've found are they good ones?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/AmazonBasics-Cube-Wire-Storage-Shelves/dp/B0735GRJXY

1x Black Correx Sheet 4mm x 1.2 x 2.4m for Hard Floor and Surface Protection Flexible Lightweight Water Resistant Corrugated Floor Protective Cover Plastic Board: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

@David Piggie Lover I'm sorry I don't understand how I could make it 1.5 grids high can you explain some more please?
I was shocked too when Elvis suddenly jumped on top of a wooden hidey! I'll have to make sure that ones not too close to the edge 🤣
Click to expand...
Oops sorry, I should have put 70mm. I forgot to convert it from cm! And 15mm also should have been 15cm ☺
Correx is great when you need a solid waterproof surface, i had my cage originally on a wooden table. However when I needed to have a smaller temporary cage on the carpet, I put a shower curtain down with the grids on top then the fleece liner which went partly up the cage sides.
 
Eddie & Elvis said:
If @alpacasqueak could explain how she made a lid on a 3 wide cage that would be great 🙂
Click to expand...
So sorry @Eddie & Elvis didn’t come on last night so totally missed this! My cage is a 4x3 (without correx, shower curtains underneath lots of layers, although I’ve been thinking about correx recently :hmm:) and had to put on a lid because of the cats.
I just used bamboo canes (used for gardening) and cable tied them all the way along, did it myself so definitely easy! :)) Actually pretty strong and holds it up really well. Ignore the mess, it was cage clean and build lid day!
6B6EEA2E-8705-40C3-8BB0-18F4D6F03CFE.jpeg3F725DA4-4DE5-4339-846A-8E06F4BE2463.jpeg
Hope a little bit helpful! :)
 
Thanks @alpacasqueak this is really helping me visualise how big it would be. So do the bamboo poles stick out the sides making a kind of hinge? And then more bamboo poles as support tied on all the way across it?
Also how easy is it to clean since it's quite wide?
 
Eddie & Elvis said:
Thanks @alpacasqueak this is really helping me visualise how big it would be. So do the bamboo poles stick out the sides making a kind of hinge? And then more bamboo poles as support tied on all the way across it?
Also how easy is it to clean since it's quite wide?
Click to expand...
Yes sorry bit dozy earlier, should’ve said that! :doh:Yes exactly like that! It’s quite heavy 3 grids across so the lid kept caving in a bit with what I tried, that was the best way for a non-DIY person like myself doing it alone! It’s really easy to open and close then (and I can sit in the cage with them without it falling on my head!).
9E34E0E1-89AE-4876-99A2-B7BD5101A78F.webpBit of a rubbish pic but just to show how it hinges over, bamboo canes across that first grid, then outwards on the others to rest on the other side of the cage.
It’s a bit more of a pain to clean that my other cage with the width I have to admit (especially with a messed up/strapped up broken hand like me atm!), more used to it now though so much faster than I was a few months ago! But so much more space for them and great to sit your bum in there for loving which is all that matters to me! :D
I’ve got two shower curtains on the bottom, use old duvet covers/newspaper on top of that, then fleece but sometimes newspaper and hay (makes a right old mess without the correx though!).
I’d love to make it a 4x4 but I’ll have no living room left! :)) Feel free to ask anything! x
 
Yes that makes sense thanks 🙂. I could always go round to the side and reach in to clean from there if I can't reach all the way across from the front. Poor you with a broken hand I hope that gets better soon! It looks lovely and big especially I'm soo looking forward to seeing Eddie and Elvis running around in all that space 😁😁
 
I actually get in the cage to clean! :)) Friends and family find it hilarious that I wallow in pig muck so often! :)
I find it much easier, you can just roll everything up into a big sausage and get the grubby bedding out and give everywhere a clean! Obviously it’s a slippers and pjs job! Things I do for my piggles! :)):doh:
I’d say definitely worth it for me and them though, Luigi and Jess loved it when they moved in, then joined by Aliona, definitely gives them (well mainly Jess!) enough space to get away if they need it! Or just more space to poo! :D
Thanks, I’m a clumsy plonker, just hoping no op or no chance I’m cleaning it! Took three times the norm yest! :xd:

Can’t wait to see pics of your lovely boys if it’s what you decide on! :Dx
 
I sometimes climb into the run to retrieve boxes after they've been out all day and I get laughed at too 😂😂

There's and idea... I could roll the vetbed into a sausage and take it out completely to sweep off hay and poos instead of trying to reach in.

Fingers crossed no op is needed x

Yes there will be PLENTY of photos to come when it's all sorted out!
 
Yeah I just get all the messed on stuff out of the way and deal with it another room (without carpet!) and it’s so much easier! Who cares if you have the odd plop on/in your slipper! :)) :))
Jess has lots of vetbed on top of her fleece (she owns the cage really, just rents it to the youngsters! :))) too, I change that more often with her mega-bladder and poop scoop daily obv but really works for us! Hope your lads will love it like mine!:luv:

Thank you! Would say fingers crossed but :doh::))x
 
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