The Wheeky Inn Guinea Pig Sanctuary of Colorado

Our Cavy Cage Design

There are many reasons why to build a cage like these which include many benefits both to you and your cavies. Cavy Spirit states them quite well on their site (go to links page). My favorite ones are emphasized below.

A prime benefit is to your pocketbook, but if money is no object, or you just want to splurge a bit more for your cavies comfort, you can see ways to enhance their living space at the bottom of the page.

The girls having fun in the playroom on the newly installed carpet, a reward for being mostly litter pan trained.

UPDATE 02/23/03
Marcella decidedly doesn't like other pig company in her space, so she's been set up in a separate cage near the other pigs.

Einstein has been setup with a couple of girlfriends recently acquired from someone who's getting out of rescue.

Patches and Bink have been set up in the living room across from B.P.

Einy and his girlfriends' new cage, added to the floor
section of the girls' bunk cage.

Reasons why to build a C & C Cage

By no means do we take credit for this grid cage design. The idea comes from the Cavy Spirit Rescue group in California. One of the members there had some spare time on her hands, (much as I do), and created several themed cages. I just got inspired, and proceeded on my own. Many of the cages you can see at Cavy Cages, are your basic 2 x 4 configuration, with a 1 x 4 upper deck. I thought to myself, let's go with that and make it really something to see. A little adventure for the piggies....
Okay, so our cage is by no means spectacular, but hey, this is a palace considering the space we're working with. Just wait until we've got whole rooms to work with!!!! You can expect these pigs will have their own village by then! Now for the serious stuff.....

Pleeeasssse DO NOT BUY A PET STORE CAGE for your guinea pigs!!!!!
Getting a pet store cage for your pig is 1) a waste of money 2) cruel to your pig.

Point number one: I spent 1/3 of the cost of a pet store cage, and got 4 X's the space! There's no way you could get a better value for your money (out of a pet store cage), than to spend an extra 1/2 hour of your time, and put together your own cage, built to your own specifications. Check this out:

----------->

For the cage shown here...

4 pkgs of grid sets (13 grids w/ connectors) @ $15 each = $60.00

1 roll of vinyl flooring remnants 6x9 ft.
@ $20 each = $20

1/4 in particle board for base = $7

particle board for ramps or cardboard = FREE
(leftover from another project last year)

old towels for traction on the ramps = FREE

old carpet remnants from garage = FREE

My total: $ 87.00

THAT'S MORE THAN ENOUGH TO MEET YOUR PIG'S BASIC LIVING SPACE NEEDS!!!!! You don't even have to add the ramps. Just a basic rectangle, flat-bottom, one level will do! Compare that to what you'd spend on a pet store cage. You won't even get close to the same size as this one.
(back to top)

Okay, on to point number two: Putting your pig into a pet store cage for it's lifetime, is much akin to you living in your closet your whole life! Sure, it may look really big when you are a baby, but as you grow, so must your living space also.
Guinea pigs are full of energy and spunk. They love to run around and 'popcorn' all over and just plain burn up excess hoohaa. Give your pig the room it needs to grow and live a healthy life!

This also brings me back to number one... why spend $50 on a small pet store cage you'll only have for a few months, when you can have one that will last your pet's whole life (5 to 7 years) for just a tiny bit more?

'Nuf said.

I've got grids. Now what?
How to Build Your Cavy Cage

UPDATE 9/23/02:

I'm just having way too much fun with the modeling stuff for the How To Build page... considering a new cage design with even more space per apartment.....

I know there are just the basic setups there, but there will be more designs on that page coming soon!

Now if you want to get a little fancier with your cage, like the carpet over the flooring, and on the ramps, maybe some skirting around the bottom of each level to hide the ugly backside of the flooring, it might cost a little more, fashion and flair almost always do. There are many different configurations that are possible with these grids, all it takes is your imagination.

Fancier stuff