How to Build a DIY Guinea Pig Cage
Guinea Pigs make a great choice for a first “independent” pet for kids. They are friendly, cute and easy to care for. Unfortunately the “starter kit” cage most of us get suckered into buying at the pet store … lasts about 3 months and then they end up looking like a cute, fuzzy prisoner at Alcatraz.
The C and C cages (cubes and coroplast) you see on Pinterest are dreamy but so scary looking to create. In fact, they’re NOT!! Here is the quick and easy way to create your own dream cage for your darling furry pets.
The Problem with Store Bought Cages
After your baby guinea pig starts to grow a bit you soon begin to realize what an expensive mistake those pet store “starter cages” are. For $100+ they provide the bare minimum for a young guinea pig to move around.
(Waffle in her original starter cage)
Guinea Pigs are social animals, and can be depressed and lonely without at least one other cage-mate. This makes the space problem even worse.
The alternative is to buy a more substantial-sized store bought cage, or to create your own. While the larger cages offer more room, they still have a “boxed in” design and limit the interaction kids can have with their pets. The boxed design of typical cages also limits the ability to change the layout of the cage, add multiple levels etc.
Guinea pigs lose their ability to “leap” large distances after they grow a bit, and actually do not require a top on their cage. Obviously if you have a cat or dog you may want one for other reasons! Because piggies don’t require a top, you can leave it open to the room, and experiment with all kinds of interesting cage designs.
Building Your Own C and C Cage
Cubes and Coroplast designs are modular, and the possibilities are endless. Cubes refers to the shelving cubes you can get at Walmart or Home Depot. Coroplast is a thick “corrogated” plastic sheet, usually used for display signs. C and C designs are created by joining the metal bookshelf into a rectangle, and cutting the plastic coroplast into a shallow tray.
- STRONG & STURDY DESIGN - Each Cube Supports Up To 44 Lbs. The High Quality Coated Steel Makes Construction More Than Reliable.Assemble The Playpen Using 2 Or More Sets For Even More Choice In Customization.
- QUICK AND EASY DIY ASSEMBLY - Abs Black Multi-Angle Connectors Allows You To Quickly Assemble These Metal Grids Into The Shape You Want.As You Realize, These Are Modular Wire Racks. You Get 16 Wire Panels And 26 Plastic Corner Thingies, And Assembling This Is Reminiscent Of Legos Or K'nex.
- IDEAL FOR YOUR SMALL PETS - Suitable For Puppies, Guinea Pigs, Rabbits And Other Small Pets.For Your Little Pets To Provide Spacious And Safe Activity Large Enclosed Space.
Cage idea from guineapigcages.com
Where to Buy C and C Materials
We bought everything at Home Depot. The entire bill was about $80.00 and contained these three items:
- A cubed bookshelf (must be 9×9 inside each cube to avoid GP getting stuck)
- A sheet of coroplast (Measure bottom and add 6″ extra to fold up for the sides)
- A bag of zip ties to secure the cubes in place (the corner pieces aren’t great)
- A piece of fleece fabric, approx 1.5 metres long to line the cage. (Optional, any local fabric store)
That’s it!
If you go to Pinterest and search for “c and c guinea pig cages” you will see the wide range of beautiful, innovative cages to keep your piggies. They are functional, and look great in your home.
Let us know you have any questions about building your DIY guinea pig cage in the comments below. Be sure and post it to our Instagram @crittermamas!
