Finding cavy cages in the pet store or department store that are large enough to give your guinea pigs a healthy and comfortable environment is not an easy task. Almost all manufactured rodent cages fall short when it comes to providing enough space for a full-grown adult cavy. It is for this reason that many people these days are turning to do-it-yourself guinea pig cage projects to provide adequate housing for their pets.
In past years, most home made guinea pig enclosures were built of wood and chicken wire. Today the most popular home-built guinea pig cage is built from much more modern technology. I am speaking, of course, about the C&C or cubes and Coroplast cage.
The C&C cage gets its name from the materials which are used in its construction. The word "cubes" refers to the metal grids which are normally utilized to build storage cubes. In C&C cavy cages these grids are used to construct the cage enclosure itself. Coroplast is a corrugated plastic sheet material and is used to construct the litter bins.
Step one is to design the cage. The simplest and most economical design resembles a corral. It is simply a grid fence built around the perimeter of a Coroplast litter bin. If you use your imagination, you can design very complex cages with these simple building blocks. Many people build multi-story structures with various custom innovative features.
The second step is to purchase building materials. When choosing grids, make sure the spacing between grid wires is no greater than 1.5-inches. In 14-inch grids, this translates to a grid pattern of nine grids on each side.
Caution: some popular storage cube kits contain 14-inch grids that have an eight-by-eight pattern. These grids are not suitable for cavy cages. Guinea pig rescue organizations have identified these eight-by-eight grids as being strangulation hazards. If in doubt - remember - the openings must be 1.5 inches or less.
Coroplast can usually found at your local sign shop. They may be willing to cut it to size for little or no charge. Be sure to let them know that you are using it for a guinea pig cage. If they know you are not a competitor, they may quote a better price.
The next step is to cut the Coroplast to size. A razor knife or boxcutter can be used for this purpose. You will have to learn how to do two kinds of cuts. When cutting the plastic to size, you will need to cut all the way through. Wherever you need the plastic to bend or fold - e.g. forming walls - you will need to score the plastic sheet. This means that you will cut only partially through the sheet. The object will be to cut only the top surface of the sheet leaving the bottom wall untouched. If done correctly, you will be able to fold the plastic at the score line.
After that, we assemble the grids together. If you have bought grids in the form of a storage cube kit, then plastic snap on connecters will have been included. Most people use these connectors to construct their cavy cages. We prefer to use cable ties to connect the grids together. Although cable ties take a little more effort to apply, we feel that they create a far stronger cage.
The final step is to place the Coroplast bin in the grid enclosure, add bedding or fleece and transfer your guinea pigs into their new home.
If you are a true do-it-yourself purist, you will want to design and build your cage from scratch. However, most people just want the biggest, safest and most economical cage for their money - with the minimum number of hassles and complications. For these people, a C&C guinea pig cage kit purchased from a reputable online supplier is the best solution. Many innovative and spacious C&C cavy cages are available online in kit form. Just be sure to choose a reputable seller with a good reputation.
Why not visit BlueStoneCommerce today? They are a highly recommended C&C cage seller. And more importantly - they are guinea pig owners. All of their cages are designed with both the guinea pig and guinea pig owner in mind. For more information on Coroplast, CLICK HERE--> Cavy Cages - Some Facts About Coroplast
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