Play area

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nlkiser198343

Junior Guinea Pig
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Look at this playpen. A store bought playpen this size would cost hundreds of dollars. It's not well lit now but sun does shine down there in the morning and it's only for an hour or so of play time. I never leave it unattended. This is about 6x4 feet of play area. I can't let them free roam because I have a cat. I don't think he'd hurt them but you never know.
 

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Better to be safe than sorry. Is the playpen under your bed or you cover it?
 
It's not actually a play pen I just sealed off all the sides of my bed with boxes and stuff and used the roof of there cage as a front tied to my bed. There cage is down in my living room where my grandmother sleeps but she can't take care of them. I spend most of my time in my room but it's to small for a cage so this is my alternative. Since I found them 2 weeks ago I've spent average 5 hours a day on my feet taking care of them and the other 10 hours working. It's probly to much but my gram wants to keep them so I'm doing my best to keep them all happy
 
nlkiser198343 said:
It's not actually a play pen I just sealed off all the sides of my bed with boxes and stuff and used the roof of there cage as a front tied to my bed. There cage is down in my living room where my grandmother sleeps but she can't take care of them. I spend most of my time in my room but it's to small for a cage so this is my alternative. Floors linoleum so easy clean up. There's comfy pads for them to lay on. Since I found them 2 weeks ago I've spent average 5 hours a day on my feet taking care of them and another 10 hours working. It's probly to much but my gram wants to keep them so I'm doing my best to keep them all happy.
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Makes much easier to spend time with them in my room without one getting away. I take one out at a time for lap time. Brush them. Sit them in front of the window for a few
 
I would consider getting them out together rather than one at a time. Would it be possible to get a play pen to use downstairs? You could use c&c grids and make your own. I don’t know if that could work out cheaper. You could then even attach it to their cage and they can access it when you’re there to supervise. Though I vaguely remember you saying there isn’t much more space there.
 
Siikibam said:
I would consider getting them out together rather than one at a time. Would it be possible to get a play pen to use downstairs? You could use c&c grids and make your own. I don’t know if that could work out cheaper. You could then even attach it to their cage and they can access it when you’re there to supervise. Though I vaguely remember you saying there isn’t much more space there.
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I had them on my bed together but if I sit them both in my lap together they bite at each other and chatter there teeth. I don't have a lot of space in my house since my grandparents hoard stuff but I will have to look into c&c grids
 
nlkiser198343 said:
I had them on my bed together but if I sit them both in my lap together they bite at each other and chatter their teeth. I don't have a lot of space in my house since my grandparents hoard stuff but I will have to look into c&c grids
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It is best to not separate boars and to take them out at the same time where possible. With that said, there are of course times when it’s not possible for example during the weekly weight and health checks - you can obviously only weigh one at a time. It is best to do everything thing for the dominant piggy first so lift and weigh the dominant piggy first etc (it is the dominant’s right to get first of everything) as this reinforces their hierarchy and it is wise that you also respect it. If you do something for the submissive first then it can cause the dominant to feel the need to assert their dominance particularly if they are unsure of their position.
 
Siikibam said:
I would consider getting them out together rather than one at a time. Would it be possible to get a play pen to use downstairs? You could use c&c grids and make your own. I don’t know if that could work out cheaper. You could then even attach it to their cage and they can access it when you’re there to supervise. Though I vaguely remember you saying there isn’t much more space there.
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Can I use these grids to add on to there cage securely to. I probly could've just built a better cage out of this stuff than the one I bought for cheaper.
 
nlkiser198343 said:
Can I use these grids to add on to their cage securely to. I probly could've just built a better cage out of this stuff than the one I bought for cheaper.
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Yes you can do that. It looks from one of your other pictures like you have a Midwest cage? If so, that’s fine as it meets minimum welfare but minimum for two piggies and minimum for two boars specifically is different. Midwest cages are too small for boars (boar pairs need more room), so adding to it to expand their space is a good idea.
However, you would need to be very mindful of security for it ie a lid if it is to be their permanent living space as you have said you have a cat.
 
Piggies&buns said:
It is best to not separate boars and to take them out at the same time where possible. With that said, there are of course times when it’s not possible for example during the weekly weight and health checks - you can obviously only weigh one at a time. It is best to do everything thing for the dominant piggy first so lift and weigh the dominant piggy first etc (it is the dominant’s right to get first of everything) as this reinforces their hierarchy and it is wise that you also respect it. If you do something for the submissive first then it can cause the dominant to feel the need to assert their dominance particularly if they are unsure of their position.
Click to expand...
Piggies&buns said:
It is best to not separate boars and to take them out at the same time where possible. With that said, there are of course times when it’s not possible for example during the weekly weight and health checks - you can obviously only weigh one at a time. It is best to do everything thing for the dominant piggy first so lift and weigh the dominant piggy first etc (it is the dominant’s right to get first of everything) as this reinforces their hierarchy and it is wise that you also respect it. If you do something for the submissive first then it can cause the dominant to feel the need to assert their dominance particularly if they are unsure of their position.
Click to expand...
Piggies&buns said:
Yes you can do that. It looks from one of your other pictures like you have a Midwest cage? If so, that’s fine as it meets minimum welfare but minimum for two piggies and minimum for two boars specifically is different. Midwest cages are too small for boars (boar pairs need more room), so adding to it to expand their space is a good idea.
However, you would need to be very mindful of security for it ie a lid if it is to be their permanent living space as you have said you have a cat.
Click to expand...
I do have a lid. Just didn't have it on in the picture. I would like to add on to there cage but it just fits the coffee table and I like it there so my grandma can associate with them. At some point I might try to find something level with it and maybe either get another cage to go side by side or try to build another small area with c&c grids once I figure out how to use it. I'm also considering sectioning under my bed with grid now to if it's not that expensive and letting them roam under there. I can easily take my mattress off to let light shine in there to. It's right next to where I sit so I can put them in there when I'm home and put them in there cage when I'm sleeping and at work. Does that sound like it could work? They'd have a lot of room under there
 

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nlkiser198343 said:
Any specific grids I should get? I saw something that says it's important it's 9 grids down but then one I saw on Amazon was 5.
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You do need grids with 9 holes. Any with less are unsafe - risks piggies trying to get through them and getting their heads stuck
 
nlkiser198343 said:
I do have a lid. Just didn't have it on in the picture. I would like to add on to there cage but it just fits the coffee table and I like it there so my grandma can associate with them. At some point I might try to find something level with it and maybe either get another cage to go side by side or try to build another small area with c&c grids once I figure out how to use it. I'm also considering sectioning under my bed with grid now to if it's not that expensive and letting them roam under there. I can easily take my mattress off to let light shine in there to. It's right next to where I sit so I can put them in there when I'm home and put them in there cage when I'm sleeping and at work. Does that sound like it could work? They'd have a lot of room under there
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Theryre actually my grandma's guinea pigs technically but if I didn't take care of them they wouldn't be happy. She can't take care of them. I'm hoping just section off my bed with grids and let them run on the linoleum floor mostly. Easy clean up. I'll throw some cozy houses in there and beds to. I can get a pack of 10 with connectors for almost $40 I might get a bigger pack tho. I wish I knew of this before getting the Midwest but I had to hurry and knew nothing about guinea pigs at the time. I had them in a 2 foot bird cage with a towel for the first 2 days
 
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