Help with Lid on C & C

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Brenda B

Post   » Sat Nov 28, 2009 5:48 pm


Help, we adopted a new dog and she wants to eat our pigs. Our other 2 never cared...

We have them in a 2 x 4 with loft, the loft is gonna go and the top will be closed. DH is heading to Lowes to get shelving...any tips on how to do this would be appreciated!

I clean the fleece every 3 days...I like a really clean cage so a flip up lid is what we want to do. We have looked at lots of pics but can't find instructions....

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codyNpatches
Supporter in '09 - '10

Post   » Sat Nov 28, 2009 6:07 pm


I remember seeing somewhere on guineapigcages where a girl used note card rings to hold the doors closed. If you used shelving maybe you could zip tie the back and use the clips to keep the front shut until it needs to be opened?

I am about to have to do a lid soon.

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rshevin

Post   » Sat Nov 28, 2009 6:08 pm


Oh it's pretty easy. I had a closet shelving on my 2x4 cage and found the cheapest option was to get the longest piece they had. Then someone who works there can take these gigantic pneumatic tin snips and cut it to length for you for free. I was able to only buy 1 piece, the longest one they had, which was then cut into 2 equal sections with a small bit left over. I think it cost in the $20-30 range. I got these little plastic covers for the rough ends, but they never stayed on.

Um, here, have a pic. i think this should show you fairly well. Feel free to ask any questions though. The back piece along the wall was zip tied to the grids along the back and along the sides. The front piece was then zip tied to the back piece like a hinge. There's some overlap this way that makes it hard to hang some water bottles so be prepared for that.

Image

Don't tie up the hinge TOO tightly or it won't lay flat when you open it up.

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codyNpatches
Supporter in '09 - '10

Post   » Sat Nov 28, 2009 6:14 pm


So rshevin, nothing holds the front part closed? I guess it doesn't need it?

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zazzified

Post   » Sat Nov 28, 2009 6:16 pm


You could probably just clip it with a small carabiner or something.

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Brenda B

Post   » Sat Nov 28, 2009 6:19 pm


Thanks you guys! I was so worried the new dog would fight with my yorkies I never even thought about the pig cage. She jumped right into it! Thank God I was right there...

Right now we have a child gate over the top until the DH gets home with the shelving.

Guess I will need white grids now. :(

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Calvin + Hobes

Post   » Sat Nov 28, 2009 6:20 pm


Small carabiners, like those sold as key chains, and small spring clamps work well to fasten the hinged part of the door closed. If all else fails pipe cleaners or even the twist ties off of bread bags work too but I'd use several down the length of the lid to keep a dog out.

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rshevin

Post   » Sat Nov 28, 2009 6:23 pm


CnP, the shelving is very heavy and self supporting over the span of 4 grids. I wouldn't want it any longer than that though. It would take a very strong dog to lift it up enough to flip it entirely over and get into the cage, but it won't hurt to have something in case.

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codyNpatches
Supporter in '09 - '10

Post   » Sat Nov 28, 2009 6:44 pm


That's what I am going to use then. Our dogs are small and usually I have a door closed, but with it getting colder, our heat doesn't circulate well in the pig room so I have to leave the door open. In all reality our dogs are too small to even worry about. Even if they stand up against the cage they can only see through grids.

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rshevin

Post   » Sat Nov 28, 2009 6:54 pm


The shelving is really the best way to go. I had a grid roof for a while and it was such a PITA. It wasn't really strong enough to hold a cat either. Yes the shelving was a bit more expensive, but it's so sturdy and so easy to use that it was really worth it in the end. Since I don't have a dog, I didn't need a clip, but they should be easy enough to deal with.

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Brenda B

Post   » Sat Nov 28, 2009 6:57 pm


SCORE-the DH found black shelving on sale for $16!!!

It will match and it was on sale...

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codyNpatches
Supporter in '09 - '10

Post   » Sat Nov 28, 2009 6:57 pm


Awesome. We need to see when you are finished!

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