Most cages for guinea pigs are too small. Guinea pigs need a suitable place to move and a separate place for the house, in which your pets could hide and sleep peacefully. In addition, the cage should be a separate place for feeding and a playground. No animal should ever live in a limited space, so make sure that your pig can really train and run in its cage.
Cage size for guinea pigs
Why does size matter? Guinea pigs are one of those large rodents that are kept as pets, and yet their typical cage is not too spacious than smaller rodent cabins, such as hamsters and gerbils.
While small animal cages are often higher than wider, guinea pigs, on the contrary, need to increase living space so that there is room for movement and digging. Guinea pigs will generally move at the bottom of the rack and cage. Ramps and platforms at low altitudes are able to provide the necessary space for the normal existence of the guinea pig. In addition to living in a cage, guinea pigs must be given the opportunity to run outside the rack and the cage.
Guinea pig cage size recommendations:
- one guinea pig: cell 230 square meters. cm (minimum), as a rule, 80 * 90 cm is a good size;
- two guinea pigs: 230 sq. M. cm (minimum), but preferably 320 square meters. cm; As a rule, 75 * 125 cm is a good size;
- three guinea pigs: 320 square meters. cm; As a rule, 75 * 155 cm is a good size;
- four guinea pigs: 400 square meters. cm (minimum), but the more the better, 75 * 200 cm is the optimal size.
We do shelving with your own hands
Creating a suitable rack for a rodent is not too difficult. We offer you a step by step instructions.
Plan your layout
The bigger the cage, the better. The pet house should be designed so that the rack has two floors. However, this will require a ramp, so if you are planning to do this, make sure that your guinea pig can climb this ramp. Unlike many other small rodents, guinea pigs are not very athletic and may experience difficulty climbing the steep slope.
Please note that guinea pigs should not be placed outdoors. They should be lodged in a room with a temperature of + 18–27 ° C (65–80 ° F).
Think over the types of building materials from which the rack will be assembled.
The best are those that are collected from solid wood. Avoid cheap and fragile plywood. In addition, you will need a grid, wooden staples, screws or nails, galvanized latches and tools such as an electric drill, hammer, screwdriver, tape measure, wire cutters and a saw.
By the way, a large nightstand or a small cabinet can perfectly fit the rack and turn into a functional free cell. This will save you from having to buy all the new materials to create a framework yourself.
Before proceeding with construction, make a detailed project to scale (with actual dimensions). This will let you know exactly how much wood, nails and other materials you will need.
Build the frame
Start by preparing the bars that need to be cut to size from purchased wood.Depending on how big you want to make the cage, you will need three separate sizes for the wooden parts: length, width and height.
For example, your dimensions can be about 75 * 150 * 40 cm. You will need at least 4 beams of such length, width and height if you want to build a separate part for a rack with an opening door.
Measure the wood and recheck before chopping. Using an electric drill, drill the mounting holes for a slightly smaller size than your screw, and then insert the screw with a drill. All chopped wooden pieces need to be assembled into one design. If you do not have experience with tools, self-assembly and construction of the rack can be problematic.
Install the floor, walls and roof
The cage should have a solid floor and a roof of wood or plastic. Although some people recommend using a floor mesh, however, it can be dangerous for your pet and cause a leg to fracture or pinch, for example. Instead, make walls with wire mesh. You just need to cut pieces of the grid of the appropriate size and attach the wooden brackets to the assembled body.
Wooden floors, unfortunately, strongly absorb moisture. To avoid this, you can put something waterproof (for example, a tarp) on the floor; under a thick layer of paper or shavings, the tarp will not be able to absorb moisture.
Independently we make a guinea pig pen for open walks on the grass.
In addition to the cage and shelving, where your guinea pigs will be most of the time, you can make a special pen with your own hands.
The corral is a large, bottomless mesh cage that you can put directly on the grass. This special design will allow your guinea pigs to exercise, run and just walk without the risk of getting lost while walking outdoors on fresh grass.
Many guinea pigs will also gnaw a wooden floor or other parts of a cage made of wood. Therefore, be prepared for the fact that over time will have to repair the rack.
How to create optimal conditions for a guinea pig
Spacious cages have many advantages, for example, large enclosures will be perfect for a rack or cage that you buy or make with your own hands.
Guinea pigs can live for 5–7 years and can turn into bored, depressed pets if they do not have adequate stimulation. Imagine spending your entire life in a dressing room. Life would be pretty boring, wouldn’t it?
Adequate learning space means that your guinea pigs will be less likely to get ill with diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, or other disorders. In the larger shelving, guinea pigs can train and run whenever they want.
Guinea pigs are usually the most active in the mornings and evenings. At this time, they are happy to frolic and play, having fun making different sounds and whistling.
If your pets have a place where they can dig holes, this will greatly increase the likelihood of peaceful coexistence of several guinea pigs (since guinea pigs are social animals, they cope better when they are placed together).
Large cages and racks are actually easier to clean, which means that the house will be more likely to be cleaned. This will prevent the accumulation of debris. In a cage, guinea pigs should be clean and dry to keep your pets happy.
Cedar and pine shavings should not be used as a filler for a rack and a cage because of the resins and oils that they contain that are harmful to guinea pigs. Use paper towels in several layers to maximize moisture absorption.
How to make a rack for guinea pigs, see the following video.
