Cage

How can I build a homemade guinea pig cage?

I was wondering how to build a guinea pig cage. I have two guinea pigs. They are getting really big and I need to get a bigger cage. All the cages at petsmart are really expensive. Anyone have any ideas on how to build one?

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1. Introduction Finding the perfect home for your piggy pets can be a difficult task. Most store-bought cages are far too small for guinea pig quarters, and those that are not can be very expensive. You can create a custom built, homemade cage for your guinea pigs that is just the right size, and easy on your pocketbook too. Instructions Difficulty: Moderate Things You'll Need Wire storage cube grids Sheet of plastic Coroplast Large package of zip ties Box cutter 2 Bolt snap clasps Wire cutters (optional) Silicone (optional) Wooden board: 2-by-4 inch width, length cut for a snug fit across inside/front of cage Steps 1Step OneDetermine what size cage to build. Dimensions seen at a pet store are rarely an appropriate size. Guinea pigs require large cages. A single adult needs a 30-by-36 inch or larger cage. The more guinea pigs you have, the more room they require. For herds, consider building a multi-level condominium. With expansion, sometimes building up is easier than building out. 2Step TwoPurchase your supplies. (See Things You Will Need section.) 3Step ThreeConnect grids together loosely with zip ties to form the three sidewalls, ceiling and floor of your cage. Do not add a front wall. Once formed, return grid by grid, tightening the zip ties as much as possible. Pull the 'heads' off to one side so they fall flush with the grids, rather than inside or outside the cage. Trim off all zip tie tails. 4Step FourMeasure the inner floor size. Cut the Coroplast roughly a foot larger for both length and width. Draw the exact floor size in the center of the piece, and then make the cuts to form a tray. You can find an excellent visual of a tray from http://www.guineapigcages.com/. Carefully use the box cutter to remove the front flap. Seal the back corners with a dab of silicone if desired. 5Step FivePlace the tray into the cage. Zip tie into place, heads sticking out of the exterior of the cage. You now have three sides, a ceiling, a floor, and a completely open front. Zip tie grids tightly together to form a front door. Attach the door loosely, at the bottom only, with zip ties. This forms a bottom hinge. Ensure hinge ties are uniform and slightly loose, and then trim the tails. 6Step SixInsert the 2-by-4 inch board just inside the cage, across the front. This keeps bedding from falling out of the cage. Use the bolt snap clasps to close the cage door at the top. Attach it in this fashion for safety, to prevent an open door from slipping down and smacking your guinea pigs or fingers! You can now protect your guinea pigs from pets and small children by utilizing this completely enclosed cage. 7Step SevenClean your new cage by simply removing the bolt snaps and letting down the front door. Take out the 2-by-4 inch board, and place a trash can beneath the cage. Reach in, and sweep everything directly into the trash! Tips & Warnings Be creative and have fun! Grids can be bent into bunks, hay racks, tunnels and ramps.
2. Yes. They are called C&C cages. You can buy coloplast from any place that makes signs in your area and then you buy stacking cubes that can be found online or at Bed Bath and Beyond. I made one and they are very easy to make and it cost me about $30 and it is plenty big enough to house 3 cavys. I added a website that I found is the best on how to make these cages. Hope it helps
3. You can build a C&C cage and if you like to increase or decrease the size of them you can do it, they customizable you can do with C&C cages w/e you want. They are made up of coroplast and cubes or grids.
4. C&C cages are MUCH easier to make than some answers make it seem. www.guineapigcages.com has directions. The only "tools" you need are a box cutter, ruler, and zip ties. Like another answer said, coroplast can be bought from sign makers for very cheap. Cubes can be bought from different stores such as Target, Walmart (sometimes), Kmart, etc. in the home storage section. I have re designed my 2 C&C cages many times. It is very easy. ANd MUCH MUCH cheaper than buying a cage from a pet store that is too small.
5. just get some wood, nails, hinges, swing locks and them wire sheets and your sorted. I'm sure you could figure out how to put it together haha!
6. a simple cardboard box with holes in the top you can poke holes in the top put mulch in the bottom a simple bowl with wate and the same for food.
7. THIS WEBSTE HELPS SO MUCH! http://www.guineapigcages.com/howto.htm
8. I have just built mine, if you have a B&Q close to you then they sell a 6 cube storage unit for £23, this gives you about 24 grids with the connectors, well enough grids. You can buy the correx from a sign shop it is the material they use for, for sale signs, this cost me £15, follow the instructions on www.guineapigcages.com and there is loads of ideas. So not bad for a total cost of £38!.
9. if you want your guinea pig to live out side it's really simple~ it needs to be about . . first make 2 wood bottom 9one for the floor of the cage and one for the top. that is 1ft. by 2 1/2 ft. the build a 1ft.by1ft. wood piece. actually build 2 for both sides. make the same piece as the sides but cut the top down to 12 inches by 11 incches. on the twelve inch side make a small whole that a guinea pig can fit through. then make a wood piece door 1 ft. by 1ft. . put the piece that is 12in. by 11in. in the middle of the cage. on one side of the cage put the door in and on the other side put wires. the guinea pig's food bowl will be in the wire section and the water will hang from the wires. that's his food/play section. on the side with the door is where he sleeps. p.s. you need a back to the cage same size as the roof.!!