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03/28/08, 03:09 PM
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Small scale homesteader
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Cary, NC
Posts: 728
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OT: But need your advice..
I know they're not rabbits but I need advice about building a cage for our two male guinea pigs.. (Besides, rabbits and guinea pigs are related, right?) I thought about building a cage for them like I plan to do for the rabbits.. But I wanted to know if they would be ok living on wire with their little feet.. I'll use hardware cloth for their cage but will I need to make the floor solid or at least semi-solid for their feet? Or will they fair fine on wire.. Thanks..
Here are a couple pics of them on our front porch.. That is not their usual cage.. I just thought it would be nice for them to enjoy being outside and have a little more room then their cage.. They're probably about a year old now, maybe a little less.. The one with the white face is Joey and the one with the black face is Yang.. We first got them as pets for our boys (or that was my excuse anyway) but as kids do, they lost interest.. So I'm the one that takes care of them..
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May God hold you in his arms..
Common sense is not so common..
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03/28/08, 04:03 PM
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Suburban Homesteader
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Posts: 2,559
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Actually, guinea pigs are rodents and rabbits are lagamorphs, but plenty of people keep both 
I kept my pigs in a solid bottomed enclosure because their foot structure is so delicate. I didn't worry about anything getting in and hurting the little critters, so they lived in a large open-topped pen, about 3'x5' made of a plywood floor and high sides (I can't remember how high, but at least 12" if my memory serves me correctly.) I lined the pen with newspaper and topped with a thick layer of wood shavings.
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03/28/08, 04:24 PM
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Small scale homesteader
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Cary, NC
Posts: 728
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I was planning on building them the wire cage so they could live on the front porch.. The reason I thought they were related to rabbits was because they have similar eating patterns, like the hay.. If I gave my rats hay, they would like at me like "And what are we supposed to do with this?" But basically my concern was correct.. I will have to make a solid bottom cage.. I like your idea of how you did your bottom.. I will have to incorporate that into my design..
__________________
I think, therefore, I am.. I think.. ?
May God hold you in his arms..
Common sense is not so common..
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03/28/08, 04:28 PM
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Incubator Addict
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Greensburg, PA
Posts: 3,111
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kittikity
If I gave my rats hay, they would like at me like "And what are we supposed to do with this?"
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Not mine...mine would drag it to their favorite hidey hole and stuff it so full they couldn't get in themselves. Then come pester me to "fix it" for them.
I haven't had guinea pigs, but could you make a wire bottom and just cover over it with linoleum or something similar?
Kayleigh
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03/28/08, 04:43 PM
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Small scale homesteader
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Cary, NC
Posts: 728
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I was thinking about using a plastic container for the bottom.. I have one for my rats cage and it's easy to clean.. But not sure if I could get a plastic container big enough or tough enough.. Maybe a dog crate pan, but not sure where I could just buy one..
__________________
I think, therefore, I am.. I think.. ?
May God hold you in his arms..
Common sense is not so common..
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03/28/08, 07:28 PM
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Hunting is my life
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,682
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I have guinea pigs as breeders an I would not use a wire bottom because it is very hard on their feet plus their toe nails would be awful bad for getting caught in the little holes in the wire. All my guinea pigs have a smooth surface so that their feet will not be sore. When going to build a cage make sure it has a smooth bottom an they have a house to get into away from the cold an also in the summer make sure they do not get to HOT. HOT weather is very hard on guinea pigs.
Good Luck. 
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If you don't know how to hunt the right things,then forget it.
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03/28/08, 07:43 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Northern Ontario
Posts: 1,713
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I've seen those plastic kiddie pools used for guinea pigs, looked like a good idea.
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03/28/08, 07:50 PM
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Incubator Addict
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Greensburg, PA
Posts: 3,111
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That reminds me, my husband's aunt used to use a kid's pack-n-play for guinea pigs and later tortoises. Do guinea pigs chew through things the way every animal I've kept does? I don't recall his aunt mentioning them chewing out, but it could have slipped her mind.
Kayleigh
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03/28/08, 07:51 PM
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Finally in the UK!
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Norwich, Norfolk, United Kingdom
Posts: 719
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Unless you enjoy high vet bills and giving an extremely irate piggy medicine, do not use any type of wire floor, even covered (they will eventually uncover it, as soon as you turn your back). One of my rescued piggies (who has now found a home) had one of his back feet and leg swell up so much before I got him it burst. Not a pretty sight. For those who think that piggies don't bite, just try to clean out an infection like that without help. Anyway, as long as you are using a solid bottomed cage, you should be ok. Just be sure to supplement their diet with vitamin c if you aren't already. Guinea pig pellets contain vit. c, and they love oranges!
Emily in NC
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03/29/08, 08:57 AM
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Duchess of Cynicism
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 3,230
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Go to someplace like TSC, and buy the litter pans that are available for the Havahart Rabbit cages-- or, use a nice sized Kitty Litter pan
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Terry
 Living in the present is staying ahead of the past. 
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04/03/08, 11:28 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 1,535
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Wire is fine, as long as it is small(1/2"X1/2") and vinyl coated.
I used wire on my longhairs in coat as shavings always made the wraps a mess.
I just let them run loose in a shed we had. It was about 20X30, lined it with hay and cleaned it out every few months. took the little ones out as I was ready to sell them.
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