codyNpatches, I've used one of those PVC/plastic table cloths. When I get my camera to work again, I'll show you how I made it stay put!
I might redo a few things here and there... the hay rack/water bottle holder is taking up more space than I had anticipated, and I have a few ideas of how to improve.
I think boyfriend might be a little puzzled. I was eagerly explaining to him how I wanted to redo the cage and how I wanted to decorate the sides and so on this morning. He looked at the cage, then the living room, and said "You know, the pigs got it neater, newer and cleaner than we do!"
Show your cage III
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codyNpatches
- Supporter in '09 - '10
I do love your cage though. This is a little off topic, but what is up with the pvc thing? I was buying a shower curtain liner recently and most of them said pvc free? I want to think that it has something to do with it not breaking down after it is disposed of? Which regular plastic doesn't do well either. I am by no means saying you shouldn't use it. I am just curious about it.
Ange1, ohhhhh got it! Ya that must have sucked for you. Measuring and cutting coroplast was much more difficult than I expected it to be!
It probably would be easier if I could focus without the "help" of my 3 boys (10, 5, and 2) who can't give me a moment's peace. Except when they're sleeping.
I now have a dilemma though. I did a ramp-base out of coroplast, with cubes bent over top. All attached with wire ties together. I wanted to hide the outer part of the coroplast with material but I'm not sure how to attach the material TO the coroplast THROUGH the grids. Any suggestions?
I now have a dilemma though. I did a ramp-base out of coroplast, with cubes bent over top. All attached with wire ties together. I wanted to hide the outer part of the coroplast with material but I'm not sure how to attach the material TO the coroplast THROUGH the grids. Any suggestions?
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WindeSpirit
- Sewing for a Cause
Would it not be easier to just drape something over the bent girds instead of trying to go through grid openings?
Or, could use binder clips to attach the bent cubes. Then it would be easily removed and you can drape a changeable fabric over the ramp.
Or, could use binder clips to attach the bent cubes. Then it would be easily removed and you can drape a changeable fabric over the ramp.
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Tracis
- Let Sleeping Pigs Lie
Do you think strips of Velcro would work for attaching the material through the grids?
I did something similar to that for my ramp.
I did something similar to that for my ramp.
Hello GL Peeps!
I found this forum about 5 years ago, and haven't checked it again until now. It's evolution is awesome!
I've been through 4 of 5 (6?) 50 page 'show your cage' threads, and I didn't find much in the way of free range setups. The photos on the non-forum part of GL are actually the photos that encouraged me to go free range 5 years ago.
So here's a photo of PigButt's home base. (He's always got the run of my bedroom, and occasionally the 20x6' stair landing outside it when he gets the gumption.)
It's always changing; tubes, houses, towel:carefresh ratio, bowl placement, hay rack or not, whether there's a rug in front, etc.
What brought me to the cage photo threads is an unexpected change: Pig has lived with a dog for 7 months (usually supervised, but she's earned my trust with Pig.) While the dog would eat the extremely rare poop in the middle of the floor, she'd leave everything in the home base alone - until 2 weeks ago. Now she'll trot to the base, give Pig a few greeting head licks if he's there, then polish off the oxbow and start picking through the hay for poops. Since I've not been able to break her of it yet, I'm thinking a covered design will be an easier solution to bad dog breath. Though for the record - a dogfood powered vacuum massively cuts down on the maintainance. :)
And also for the record, since it's likely the question will be asked and this is also my introduction:
-Yes, he's an only pig.
-Yes, he earned it.
-He has 3 failed pairings under his, er, belly. One of them resulted in a gash in the side of the other pig through which organs could be seen. That fight only lasted a few seconds before being broken up, but it was long enough... *sigh.* That pig lived, with a bald spot where the gnarly scar is.
-Yes, I know being in sight/sound/smell/just not touch of another cavy is the next best thing, but that means one caged pig, one free range. Then realistically the caged pig needs a cagemate. That's two more pigs, and I can't really handle the medical costs for them should they get sick. PigButt had a bout of bloat in November that ran me over 1K in vet bills, and I'm just thrilled he unexpectedly lived through it. (He's still a bit on the skinny side, as evident in the photo.)
-And yes, I'm half listing my reasons to re-convince myself I don't need another piggy, because I'd love to get him a friend. The dating game Cavy House runs might be perfect for senior mega-alpha grumpy PigButt. I cheer everytime one of their pigs I've got my eye on gets adopted out, with the cheer being "Yay! He found a new home! I'm no longer tempted by that guy!"
So I do what I can to keep him happy, which is also how the free range setup evolved. He talks, he popcorns, he occasionally still does laps despite his advancing age. He knows the words 'up,' 'come,' 'no,' and 'Pig.' A recent development, about which I'm most excited: he's started to ASK for laptime. Just in the last few days. Ecstatic!!
Oh! The reason I'm not doing a C&C cage: he is terrified of grids. I don't know why. Tried to build him a C&C cage 5+ years ago, failed. Tried putting an open 1x1 in his base a few months ago, covered with cloth, water bottle strapped to it, all hay and food in it, and he only approached it when he had to, and slept as far from it as he could. He doesn't react this way to anything else. So grids are out for my picky opinionated grumpybutt.
I love the photos of all your cages! I wish I could go the C&C route - y'all make it look like fun!
I found this forum about 5 years ago, and haven't checked it again until now. It's evolution is awesome!
I've been through 4 of 5 (6?) 50 page 'show your cage' threads, and I didn't find much in the way of free range setups. The photos on the non-forum part of GL are actually the photos that encouraged me to go free range 5 years ago.
So here's a photo of PigButt's home base. (He's always got the run of my bedroom, and occasionally the 20x6' stair landing outside it when he gets the gumption.)
It's always changing; tubes, houses, towel:carefresh ratio, bowl placement, hay rack or not, whether there's a rug in front, etc.
What brought me to the cage photo threads is an unexpected change: Pig has lived with a dog for 7 months (usually supervised, but she's earned my trust with Pig.) While the dog would eat the extremely rare poop in the middle of the floor, she'd leave everything in the home base alone - until 2 weeks ago. Now she'll trot to the base, give Pig a few greeting head licks if he's there, then polish off the oxbow and start picking through the hay for poops. Since I've not been able to break her of it yet, I'm thinking a covered design will be an easier solution to bad dog breath. Though for the record - a dogfood powered vacuum massively cuts down on the maintainance. :)
And also for the record, since it's likely the question will be asked and this is also my introduction:
-Yes, he's an only pig.
-Yes, he earned it.
-He has 3 failed pairings under his, er, belly. One of them resulted in a gash in the side of the other pig through which organs could be seen. That fight only lasted a few seconds before being broken up, but it was long enough... *sigh.* That pig lived, with a bald spot where the gnarly scar is.
-Yes, I know being in sight/sound/smell/just not touch of another cavy is the next best thing, but that means one caged pig, one free range. Then realistically the caged pig needs a cagemate. That's two more pigs, and I can't really handle the medical costs for them should they get sick. PigButt had a bout of bloat in November that ran me over 1K in vet bills, and I'm just thrilled he unexpectedly lived through it. (He's still a bit on the skinny side, as evident in the photo.)
-And yes, I'm half listing my reasons to re-convince myself I don't need another piggy, because I'd love to get him a friend. The dating game Cavy House runs might be perfect for senior mega-alpha grumpy PigButt. I cheer everytime one of their pigs I've got my eye on gets adopted out, with the cheer being "Yay! He found a new home! I'm no longer tempted by that guy!"
So I do what I can to keep him happy, which is also how the free range setup evolved. He talks, he popcorns, he occasionally still does laps despite his advancing age. He knows the words 'up,' 'come,' 'no,' and 'Pig.' A recent development, about which I'm most excited: he's started to ASK for laptime. Just in the last few days. Ecstatic!!
Oh! The reason I'm not doing a C&C cage: he is terrified of grids. I don't know why. Tried to build him a C&C cage 5+ years ago, failed. Tried putting an open 1x1 in his base a few months ago, covered with cloth, water bottle strapped to it, all hay and food in it, and he only approached it when he had to, and slept as far from it as he could. He doesn't react this way to anything else. So grids are out for my picky opinionated grumpybutt.
I love the photos of all your cages! I wish I could go the C&C route - y'all make it look like fun!
My ramp is a bit different. I have grids going over the top of it (so it creates like a trellis feel) with the coroplast on the bottom. The bent grids are attached to the bottom coro with wireties. I like the idea of the velcro, but I'm not sure if it will hold up.
As far as draping, I'm trying to go UNDER the ramp (the part that's seen by us! lol) so it looks all purdy.
As far as draping, I'm trying to go UNDER the ramp (the part that's seen by us! lol) so it looks all purdy.
Uhm... I have no idea. Maybe I've fooled you? Maybe it's not pvc? I really don't know, it's just one of those tablecloths that feels a little like plastic, and you just need to wipe it and it's clean. I did use a shower curtain earlier, but apparently guinea pigs find cheap shower curtains very tasty. So I had to think of something else. I wanted to use linoleum, but darn that's expensive! Would last longer though, but I really want a C&C-cage someday, so I think I'll rather save up until I can get one.I do love your cage though. This is a little off topic, but what is up with the pvc thing? I was buying a shower curtain liner recently and most of them said pvc free? I want to think that it has something to do with it not breaking down after it is disposed of? Which regular plastic doesn't do well either. I am by no means saying you shouldn't use it. I am just curious about it.
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codyNpatches
- Supporter in '09 - '10
Kaylee, I know exactly what you are talking about. I have a tableclotth like that. I just have noticed the pvc free stuff lately and wondered what the deal was with it. I love your bookcase cage though and especially your liners.
I used vinyl flooring for a while and I got a big enough sheet for a little bigger than a 2x4 for $7.00 here. It was a scrap piece at a flooring store. I loved it. I kind of want to get another piece to put under my cage so when hay and poop falls, it doesn't get all over the carpet.
Guinea pig poops have a way of flying around the room you know. :)
I used vinyl flooring for a while and I got a big enough sheet for a little bigger than a 2x4 for $7.00 here. It was a scrap piece at a flooring store. I loved it. I kind of want to get another piece to put under my cage so when hay and poop falls, it doesn't get all over the carpet.
Guinea pig poops have a way of flying around the room you know. :)
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