Is my cage big enough?

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tinky75

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Hi new on here and to Guinea Pigs! Have two georgeous girlies :) and as recommended I have them in a Ferplast cage (not the smallest one, the one up from that!) I was told that size as I was getting two guinea pigs. The cage fits perfectly in the space I made and the piggies seem really relaxed & happy.

After seeing and reading about some cages, you seem to have a lot bigger cages! and I am now worried I am being unfair on them. My piggies get lots and lots of cuddles out of their cage everyday, and a run around the hall which is very safe. I have a collapsible wooden run ready for the garden and also put put this up in the dinning room and they get floor time there too.

I am planning to keep them as indoor piggies but they will get a lot of time outdoors in their run due to me being home alot and they will be brought indoors for night time.

The odd day I do go out but as soon as I am home they get some floor time. Am I doing right? I don't have much more space for a bigger cage. I was doing what I was advised....

Thanks!
 
I had the biggest ferplast cage you can buy and I wouldn't say it was anywhere near big enough for the one boy I had in at the time, when I was due to aquire another pig I built my own cage out of shelvnig grids and even though it takes up a lot more space ( we are now minus a dining table! ) the difference in their character is amazing. I have had guineas all my life and from being younger always thought they "just sat there" Only now i'm older do I realise they just sat because they had no other option!
 
thanks... I have seen a double ferplast cage so think I will start saving pennies and get them a new place, this will not take up much more room and at least they will have two floors - anyone else have this cage? There is no more room in my house for a bigger cage, but as I said a lot of their time is spent in a collapsible run which goes up in the dinning room and they can do lots of running around, but due to the mess there is and having to squeeze past it to get to the kitchen it's not ideal to keep up 24hrs unfortunately :(
 
Why don't you make a C & C cage, it's much more cheaper and you can have more than one floor.

I have a huge c & c cage, Obviously I know you don't have this amount of space from reading your post.

My c & c cage cost me roughly £40 for the completed product.

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You can make them bigger, smaller, high rise you name it. They can run around corners etc... I think they are a god send, pretty sure my pigs agree!
 
they look fab but I do have a cat - can you put a roof on ? Even with a roof are they secure enough, although my cat is not in with the guinea pigs during the night or when we are out I would never take a chance even with the cage I have now.

Where did you get all the stuff from? I'm assuming it's quite easy to put together!
 
I got my grids from ebay and then the flooring from a plastic warehouse in town, didnt cost much at all and was fun to make!
 
tinky75 said:
they look fab but I do have a cat - can you put a roof on ? Even with a roof are they secure enough, although my cat is not in with the guinea pigs during the night or when we are out I would never take a chance even with the cage I have now.

Where did you get all the stuff from? I'm assuming it's quite easy to put together!
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Have a look through these pics of 'closed' cages http://www.guineapigcages.com/photos/showgallery.php/cat/504

The panels can be bought from CostCo or eBay (they are these storage units http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/4-cube-Home-office-storage-mesh-and-grid-organiser_W0QQitemZ230437182768QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_BOI_Office_Office_Supplies_Stationery_ET?hash=item35a7205d30 but if you do buy from eBay have a look at other auctions too, I just posted the first one that came up, it might not be the cheapest!). The tray is normally made from correx which can be bought from somewhere local to you (google it to find) or from http://www.teacratepackaging.co.uk who offer members here a discount (http://theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=42871)

Not everyone uses correx though, its pretty much whatever is safe and suitable!
 
Hi and welcome to the forum!

For two guinea pigs you should provide a minimum of 2x4 ft (60x120 cm) space on one floor. You can always try and build a mezzanine floor within an existing cage (barbecue grill tied in with cable ties and then a correx or plastic box for a hay loft) - but the cage should have that miminum space.

zooplus is a good place for cheap cages.
 
Wiebke said:
zooplus is a good place for cheap cages.
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Unfortunately they seem to be getting more expensive - they were always the cheapest on the market by far so can only think it is to do with the exchange rate or something :{

I found this site http://www.justforpets.uk.com/ cheaper when I bought my 2nd Ferplast 120 - £50incl. delivery - (to connect to the other one, for the pair). Pets at Home online can be reasonable (cheapest for the Rabbit £140) and I know A-M did well at Jollyes for her big cages, although my one doesn't stock them, but could order them in specially.

Also preloved and gumtree sometimes have some really reasonable large indoor cages. A-M; there was a Rabbit £150 on there for £85 incl. the stand but it was miles away from both of us! rolleyes
 
redfrock said:
Also preloved and gumtree sometimes have some really reasonable large indoor cages. A-M; there was a Rabbit £150 on there for £85 incl. the stand but it was miles away from both of us! rolleyes
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Nooooooo! That's a bargain!

Actually, was it up in Scotland somewhere? I think I did see one.

tinky - do you know the size of the cage you have now? Is there enough head room to put a bit of a loft in?

I think if you give them a lot of floor time in the hall/run then you will be ok to spend your time doing your research of all the different options. I don't think you need to rush into anything, otherwise you'll end up with a million cage variations like I did! :{
 
azura_maemi said:
Nooooooo! That's a bargain!

Actually, was it up in Scotland somewhere? I think I did see one.

tinky - do you know the size of the cage you have now? Is there enough head room to put a bit of a loft in?
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Leeds - its a new ad http://leeds.gumtree.com/leeds/28/55142128.html - not sure where to post it on here, so that someone can benefit from it

Tinky - I agree with A-M, take your time. My walk in chicken run kept being extended as I changed my mind - poor old Hubby as he was the one who had to keep rebuilding it! Its just about right now!
 
If you can't find someone who is a member of Costco and do not have one near by.

This is your next best thing a member recently posted it.

http://www.kreshay.com/index.php?pag...mart&Itemid=56

Kreshay Impex do a 4 cube unit (17 panels and 20 connectors) for £14.85 with only £5 p&P no matter how many packs you order!
It is called the SEVILLE cube mesh & grid system.
This is by FAR THE CHEAPEST for the cube system anywhere online, even ebay. The P&P alone makes it worthwhile buying a few sets.

For my cage, I had 3 packs I do have some grids left over. It is very possible to make a lid alot of people have done it. I do have a dog but he is not allowed in the piggies room, so I don't have a lid. Too be fair he doesn't bother with them anyway.

www.teacrateshipping.co.uk is the cheapest place for correx, when checking out enter code "guinea" in discount box for a further 10% off.

It is easy too make, but can be quite annoying, I would recommend not having young children near by to prevent them learning bad words :))!. rolleyes!

Hope this helps :).
 
I think it would be easier to do a secure lid on a narrower cage of 2 grids with rather than 3, like the picture of Joanne's cage. A 4x2 grid is recommended for two pigs. Good on you for trying to do the best for your piggies :) !
 
Thanks, will be having a look through all the links.

The cage is the ferplast 100 - 46 x 57 x 95cm (I would have gone for bigger if I was told too, or even or even waited to see if I could house a bigger cage) It has a little shelf in for a food bowl etc. which makes a nice enclosed sleeping area underneath.

Today I was at home and they had 2hrs free roam of the hall, 3hrs in their 'safety run' (116cm x 116cm) and an hour spent upstairs when I take my daughter up for her bath, she sits with them on the upstairs landing and when she's in the bath the bathroom door is open. Of course I can't do this every day, but make sure they come out in the evening on the days when I have to go out.
 
tinky75 said:
Thanks, will be having a look through all the links.

The cage is the ferplast 100 - 46 x 57 x 95cm (I would have gone for bigger if I was told too, or even or even waited to see if I could house a bigger cage) It has a little shelf in for a food bowl etc. which makes a nice enclosed sleeping area underneath.

Today I was at home and they had 2hrs free roam of the hall, 3hrs in their 'safety run' (116cm x 116cm) and an hour spent upstairs when I take my daughter up for her bath, she sits with them on the upstairs landing and when she's in the bath the bathroom door is open. Of course I can't do this every day, but make sure they come out in the evening on the days when I have to go out.
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Don't feel bad. The exact same thing happened to me when I got my pigs. The shop assured me that the ferplast 100 was plenty big enough for 2 pigs so I went ahead and bought one (luckily found it cheaper on the internet). After a couple of weeks it became apparent that it wasn't going to work, especially as my girls decided they didn't like sleeping together in the same house (ho hum). I found the forum and have now built a 3 x 4 c & c (with hayloft to be completed. They're so much happier which means I am too. :(|) The old cage lives on top of the wardrobe in case of emergencies. Silly thing is that it's cost about £50 to build the whole c & c including fixings and the original cage cost £40. If I ever have to go back to a shop bought cage, it'll be the trixie 150 that some people have on here. As so many have said before me, 'if only I'd found the forum sooner'. Doh.
Good luck with your musings.
 
azura_maemi said:
Is it not your room Joanne? :))
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lmao... I just noticed it, Yes Apparently it is my room, although the piggies would disagree and this fine evening the dog has also took up residence. rolleyes.

*Grabs Blanket and heads to the couch*....pow-pow
 
Decided today to have them in their run all day (an outdoor one but can easily be put up inside) - I have been in all day apart from just popping the shops for their veggies :)) Takes up a lot of room but due to the cage there's a lot more running room :<>

There is not too much mess either - I cut a cardboard box down and filled with hay, another 2 small boxes with some fleece in, toy log and a box tunnel, lots of popcorning has been going on and they are now giving it some zzz :(|)

I put a large fleece blanket down and lay the run on top and wrapped some small cardboard up in newspaper and put under the fleece in the corners where they would pee and one under the water bottle.

I will return them to their cage before I go to bed with a yummy carrot. It's all safe and secure so will be putting them in tomorrow whilst I am out :)
 
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