How To Make A Guinea Pig Cage Out Of Household Items

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Acquire how to make a DIY republic of guinea sus scrofa muzzle from scrap wood. I recommend lining this cage with corrugated plastic to assistance make it easier to clean and to go on forest away from guinea pigs.

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I'g an apprentice woodworker… but I KNEW I wanted to build our republic of guinea pigs an ballsy cage and I didn't want to be restricted by a C&C cage. I wanted to make adjustments and effigy out what worked best for height, style, and ease of cleaning. And I wanted the guinea pigs OFF THE GROUND. Leaning downward to clean information technology is bad for my dorsum.

When I made this, we were using a Midwest republic of guinea pig cage with a rolling base of operations that I congenital.

And then I threw this together with scrap woods while I was in the midst of packing to move last November. Totally logical right? I figured if I needed to move this forest, I might besides motility it in the form of a new cage, ha. I was afraid my hubby would throw all of the scrap woods away so I attacked a few projects such as this and my dog bowl holder last minute before nosotros moved.

This extra big indoor guinea pig cage is perfect for two guinea pigs, but yous could hands expand its size if you needed to fit more than ii guinea pigs in it. That's the beauty of making your own muzzle.

If you're new to republic of guinea pigs, make sure to cheque out my tutorial on how to intendance for guinea pigs.

Two things to thing about when designing a forest cage:

• You want it to exist piece of cake to clean. Having a cage height that is convenient to make clean out is improve for your back. I love this thought for a cage with a trap door for like shooting fish in a barrel cleaning, but I was concerned that the trap door may be unsafe for them and that a younger kiddo might open it and drop a republic of guinea hog through. It didn't feel safe for our household of kids ranging from 1-vii and so I skipped the trap door idea. I also worried that fifty-fifty with the trap door, it would be difficult to get over the top of the cage to sweep all of that into the trap door area. Once more, I have younger kids and they help and so I need the sides to be brusque plenty for them. This would probably be a really neat setup for adults or teens.
• Make certain you lot can become the muzzle within your house with the dimensions you build information technology. If I'd made my legs on this cage any longer, I would have needed to build it in the house. Where nosotros were about to move, I didn't want to have to have information technology apart and rebuild Once more when we moved.

How to Make the Homemade Muzzle

This is going to be a realllllly rough description of how I made the cage. There's a lot of stuff I would exercise differently adjacent time which I'll talk about at the cease. I'm a improve woodworker now than I was back in October/November when I built this… I've since done a couple of larger projects like our goat barn and our front porch chairs so I've got more experience that I'd utilise.

We ended upwards making an outdoor hutch and run when we moved which I'll be posting about soon… but somewhen I'll remake this with a slightly amend woodworking structure. I'll endeavour to update every bit that happens! Nosotros're keeping both an outdoor cage and an indoor cage then that we can motility the republic of guinea pigs indoors if needed for very cold conditions.

Supplies

• Corrugated plastic
• Wood scraps
• Screws and woodworking supplies

Tutorial

We started with the rolling base of operations that I built for our Midwest cage. I could have started something from scratch- and probably should accept- only I was trying to be quick.

We cutting the sides out for the cage. I made sure to make the sides high enough that the guinea pigs couldn't get out. I decided to do taller sides for the dorsum and short sides with a shorter side for the front of the cage.

This was merely some thin plywood.

We used flake 2x4s to requite us something to attach the walls to.

This is one of those things I'd fix for next time – it would be more ideal to have the interior exist a total rectangle then y'all could line it with corrugated plastic. You also don't want the guinea pigs to be able to chew on the wood and wood that sticks out gives them that opportunity.

I added legs… I wanted it tall enough that cleaning wouldn't be hard on my back.

Now that we've had it this meridian, I'll say that it was perfect for kids to get their republic of guinea pigs in and out of the muzzle. Downfall is that information technology was PERFECT for the kids to go their guinea pigs in and out of the cage. My 1.5 year old crawled in in that location so many times.

I cut a piece of scrap woods to create a hidey nook for them. Sanded downward the edges.

Here's the initial setup… This expanse was large enough for the guinea pigs to fit through and I would stuff hay in there (it looks thin in this picture show so I may have bumped it out further at some betoken).

Downfall: This was extremely hard to clean out. They loved the area though.

I wanted to add a second level. They could easily get on and off this without a ramp. Honestly… I wouldn't exercise this again like this. The kids thought it was the all-time. But the reality is that it'southward some other woods affair for the guinea pigs to chew on, I attempted to put a rail and it looked awful, and overall it didn't get a lot of use.

Instead I'd probably effort to plan ahead amend for adding a more extensive second level. This just didn't add plenty square footage to make it worth the effort and loss of space/cleaning ease below.

Note that I used stick on tiles for the lesser of the cage. This did a good chore of protecting the flooring, but I'll do corrugated plastic next time to protect the wood. It's merely cheaper and easier.

Here'southward the muzzle empty without the liners in.

I made some fleece cage liners to fit this cage to brand cleaning easier.

Thoughts on this Cage Design

I'm pretty happy with how this came out, simply I have a few thoughts and adjustments I volition endeavor to brand in the hereafter.

Trouble 1: There'southward too many gaps.

Next time I'll use food grade silicone caulk for gaps and brand certain that there aren't and so many structural gaps between pieces of woods. This was simply #amateurwoodworkingproblems. I wince looking back at this.

Also the pee leaks through those cracks and in areas where the liners can't get right up against the wall, there'due south a lot of opportunity for leaking.

Problem 2: Besides short

The electric current tiptop is just the right size for my sixteen month old and dog to hover over the front side. It's not ideal. It'due south too a bit shorter than I'd like for me to conveniently clean it. It is, all the same, a great peak if you want to sit down on the floor and watch them every bit information technology puts them on eye level. And if they happen to fall from that height, it'due south not as bad equally if the muzzle was up loftier.

Information technology is, notwithstanding, a great pinnacle if y'all want to sit on the floor and watch them as it puts them on middle level. And if they happen to autumn from that top, it's not as bad as if the cage was upwards loftier.

Also in regard to height, I wish I could fit my supplies under this better. A taller design would permit for that. I actually desire to be able to fit my litter box under it.

Problem 3: Bewitchery

Next time I'll stick with one consistent paint or stain color… or just skip it altogether. And honestly, the wood isn't safe for guinea pigs to chew with or without paint… but it'south probably a lot better without.

Problem 4: Accessibility to Woods to Chew

I have heard so many people say NOT to use wood for cages because most wood will be toxic to republic of guinea pigs WHEN (not if) they chew information technology. Honestly, our republic of guinea pigs didn't chew the wood. But I think I'd design this differently to prevent wood chewing adjacent time.

To practice this, I would leave near wood pieces on the exterior of the plywood sides so the inside would take but a rectangular flat muzzle area. Within that cage area, I'd cut some corrugated plastic to line the muzzle. This would be a cheaper and easier alternative to the stick on vinyl that I used.

And I'd skip the "accessory" items fabricated from woods. I might determine to make those accessories from fleece instead, however.

Problem v: Mess

I LOVED the hay area… I have NO idea why I put the hay area on the short terminate though. The hay falls over the edge. It would have been better to put it on the side with the top level, keeping the front of information technology lower that the high back. Then the height level could be place on top of the hay section for additional back up.

Ideally I'd redesign this to just prevent every bit much hay and bedding from escaping the cage.

When we moved the guinea pigs to their outdoor hutch/cage, I ended up pulling out the 2nd level, caulking the gaps, and sprucing it up a chip, just I really simply need to completely redo the project.

These are fun to build though and experiment with. I'k ever on the look out for the perfect animal structures for all of my pets considering I similar to brand my cleaning and care for them easier.

Alternative Guinea Pig Cages

I've been actually interested in guinea pig cages and finding ane that is perfect- easy to make clean, rubber for guinea pigs, and convenient for petting/caring for my pets.

I have a ton of weblog posts about guinea pig care and cages, including the following:

• Can Guinea Pigs exist kept outdoors?
• DIY base for a Midwest cage
• How to care for guinea pigs
• How to sew cage liners for guinea pigs
• Easy litter box ideas for guinea pigs
• DIY guinea squealer hay pocketbook
• How to cut chloroplast for a republic of guinea pig cage
• DIY outdoor guinea pig cage

Recently I've been eyeballing the Eglu Guinea Hog muzzle which is meant for outdoors just could Hands be used indoors if you popped a cage liner over the bottom of the run. I love the thought of doing the 6-9′ run, and so using muzzle liners to protect their anxiety. Yous could wheel the cages exterior (later removing the critters of grade) for nice days and so they could enjoy pleasant weather, then back indoors when it's disgusting out.

If you lot want to make things for your guinea pigs, make sure to check out my book on Sewing for Republic of guinea Pigs, bachelor on Amazon!

Thanks for reading. I promise this is helpful if you lot're planning to build your own guinea squealer cage. Please share and pivot this post!

Prep Fourth dimension: 15 minutes

Active Time: i hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Difficulty: Like shooting fish in a barrel

Estimated Cost: $10-$fifteen

Learn how to make aDIY guinea pig muzzle using scrap wood.

Materials

• Corrugated plastic
• Wood scraps
• Screws and woodworking supplies
• Thin plywood

Instructions

1. Cut the sides out for the muzzle using sparse plywood.
2. Brand sure the sides are high enough so the guinea pigs tin't go out.
3. Use bit 2x4s to attach the walls to.
4. Line with corrugated plastic.
5. Add legs.
6. Cut a slice of scrap woods to create a hidey nook for them.
7. Sand downward the edges.
8. Add stick on tiles for the bottom of the cage.
9. *Optional-add fleece cage liners to make cleaning easier.

Source: https://diydanielle.com/diy-guinea-pig-cage/

Posted by: islerforbeartne1979.blogspot.com

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