The Cage

Hello!  So since we're still getting acclimated here, I figured a cage post was in order.  The cage is pretty much one of the most important things you need to consider before acquiring a pet pig.  Many folks assume that the cages you can buy at the pet shop are a suitable home for their new fuzzy pal, but usually that isn't so.  Most cages sold at pet stores are far to small for one, yet alone two guinea pigs.  [Pigs should always be at least kept in same-sex pairs!]  You can find large enough guinea pig cages at some stores, or online.  But they can get pretty pricy.  Especially if you order online, then you also must consider shipping and handling costs.

A much cheaper option is to build your own cage.  While this is financially a better option, it is also more fun.  You can customize it to your liking and make it a lot bigger than the ones you could purchase elsewhere.

This website is an excellent resource for cage guidelines.  We constructed our cage when it was just Snickers and Ellie, so it is currently a 2 grid x 4 grid cage.

We purchased grids like the ones pictured above, at Bed Bath and Beyond for $20 a box.  We only used 2 boxes to build our current cage, with quite a few grids left over.  And not only that, our cage has a second story, as well as two full cubes on the top used for storage.  The ramp going to the second level is also made out of leftover grids.

Okay, so here is a very early picture of our pig mansion.  It has changed in a few ways, for safety reasons.  First, we changed the ramp.  It is now made of 2 partially overlapping hand-curved grids, that are connected with cable ties.  We have also removed the hay wheel and added a "lip" to make the second level more of a...balcony?

Here's a shot from above of the cage as it looks now.  Here you can see the lip on the second level, and an idea of what the ramp looks like.  The pigs really love running up and down as they chase each other and try to hide.  The cage is lined with coroplast, or corrugated plastic, which we purchased at a local sign shop for $20 for an 8' by 4' piece.  Which again, may cause a space predicament.  My mom helped me transport it home, and she drives a Chevy Uplander.  Luckily, the coroplast does have some give to it, and will bend a bit if necessary.  We followed the following video when it came to measuring/cutting the coroplast to line the cage:

When it comes to building a cage for your guinea pigs, the sky is really the limit.  Or at least your ceiling is, anyway.  Making the cage really turned into a nice project for my whole family.  It was fun and relatively simple to make.  I actually can't wait to expand the cage and build a second one if Snickers has any boy pups.  [We are keeping all of the babies, regardless.]

Once your cage is built, then you can fill it with your bedding of choice.  We use Carefresh Natural bedding mixed with aspen shavings.  The cage is really simple to clean.  We spot clean on a daily basis, and do a total clean every 2 weeks.  The cage never smells foul in the interim.  Basically, one of us will sweep the cage, while the other holds a garbage bag.  The waste completely fills approximately one regular garbage bag.  After it is completely swept, I take a hand held vacuum and suck up any extra missed bits and pieces in the corners.

After it's all swept, then it's time for the mopping.  I have a regular spray bottle that I got at the dollar store, with a water/vinegar mix, specifically used for cleaning the pigs cage and cage items.  I spray down the coroplast and vigorously mop with a cheap sponge mop I also purchased at the dollar store.  Take a few paper towels to wipe up any missed bits, and then let it air dry.  Once dry, lay down some fresh bedding.  Voila!

The pigs love their cage for now, and I am sure they will appreciate it when we expand it.  Stay tuned for updates!

-Sharon