Are you struggling to seek out house on your guinea pigs’ cage? Perhaps you’ve moved right into a smaller place, otherwise you’d wish to undertake extra piggies if solely you had the room. Let’s go over some guinea pig cage concepts for small areas!
Lofts, totally different cage shapes, added space for storing, and stacked cages all assist to suit a guinea pig cage into your small house. Elevating your cage utilizing sturdy furnishings can be an important concept! Keep in mind that guinea pig cages have to be a minimum of 7.5 square feet, and that 10.5 sq. ft or bigger is good.
On this article, we’ll talk about six methods to suit a guinea pig cage right into a small house with out sacrificing the minimal cage measurement.
1. Loft Areas
One of the vital in style methods so as to add further house to a guinea pig cage is by giving them a loft space, or a second ground. That is most frequently finished with C&C cages.
Please keep in mind that the loft house doesn’t depend towards your cage measurement as a result of guinea pigs want flat house to run round. As an example, let’s say your cage was 6 sq. ft and also you added a loft that was 2 sq. ft. On this case your cage nonetheless wouldn’t meet the minimal necessities of seven.5 sq. ft as a result of solely the underside degree counts.
But when your cage already meets minimal necessities, the loft generally is a enjoyable further house for them to hang around!
Some guinea pigs don’t use lofts in any respect, whereas others love them. They work particularly effectively for younger piggies who get pleasure from climbing.
Lastly, please make sure that your entire guinea pigs’ requirements are on the bottom ground. They shouldn’t must climb to get their hay or water, as an illustration, as this will result in them consuming or consuming lower than they need to.
2. L-Formed Cages (And Different Shapes!)
L-shaped cages are nice for awkward or tight areas. You can too fiddle with different shapes akin to a U-shape or bump-outs utilizing C&C grids. Keep in mind that your guinea pigs don’t care that their cage is social media good–simply that it meets their wants!
You do wish to make sure that the cage isn’t too slim in both course, and that there’s loads of open ground house. However past that, be at liberty to go wild!
3. Triangular Guinea Pig Cages for Corners
One of many extra artistic makes use of of house I’ve personally seen was a triangular nook cage. As long as you’re positive your cage meets the minimal necessities (since triangles are a bit trickier to measure) these can work effectively!
4. Including Storage Beneath Your Guinea Pig Cage
Guinea pig objects are by no means contained to their cage. I used to battle to seek out locations to retailer my piggies’ hay, pellets, bedding, and different objects. Some folks have a ton of fleece to retailer, because it’s enjoyable to purchase totally different patterns to embellish the cage!
C&C cages might be lifted up by C&C grids, or you need to use a desk so that you’ve got space for storing beneath. This house can maintain your guinea pigs’ issues, your individual stuff, or a combination of each.
Elevating the cage with C&C grids tends to present somewhat little bit of house for a number of small storage bins, whereas elevating your cage on a desk gives way more room.
If you happen to do use C&C grids to raise your cage, please make sure that it’s sturdy–guinea pigs have died from unstable C&C cages collapsing. Use zip ties to attach the grids, not solely the connectors that include them, and contemplate including wood dowels for added stability.
5. Putting Your Cage on Sturdy Furnishings
I’ve virtually at all times saved my guinea pigs’ cages on sturdy furnishings, usually one thing that might double as storage. I’ve had them on tables and on a big dresser. I’ve even saved them on the counters of the bar within the basement because it was beforehand unused–and it meant we had a sink close by for water refills or wash ups.
In fact, you at all times wish to make sure that the furnishings is sturdy sufficient to carry your guinea pigs with out collapsing. Take into consideration different pets and youngsters as effectively–can they knock down the cage whereas enjoying close by, or whereas making an attempt to get to the guinea pigs?
6. Stacked Cages
You probably have a couple of guinea pig cage, stacking them can actually assist save on house. I’ve by no means finished this myself, as cleansing appears a bit trickier, however some folks swear by them!
I’ve seen folks stack cages utilizing C&C grids, ensuring to zip tie every grid collectively and normally utilizing a wood dowel to additional maintain every part in place. I’ve additionally seen folks use tables to carry the highest cage whereas preserving the underside one beneath.
Numerous the beautiful stacked cages you see on social media are good rectangles, however yours doesn’t must be–you may make a bigger cage on the underside for an even bigger herd, or make the most of totally different shapes like we talked about above.
I hope this text has helped to present you some concepts about your subsequent guinea pig cage! Keep in mind that you may at all times mix the concepts above as effectively–possibly your house would finest go well with an L-shaped cage with storage beneath, otherwise you wish to have stacked cages with a loft on the higher degree. Something goes as long as you’re blissful and your guinea pigs have the house they should thrive.