Piggies are incredibly sociable animals and love human company. A lot of joy can be had from keeping them indoors with you as part
of your family. However, indoor cages are really not adequate for keeping guinea pigs in. Most (if not all) are not big enough
to accommodate guinea pigs in despite what pet shops may say.
Guinea pigs are very inquisitive animals and also very active. They need
plenty of room to roam about, both for mental stimulation, and for exercise. Therefore adequate space is essential to a piggies long
term health and happiness. Health difficulties that piggies experience if they do not have enough exercise include heart problems,
obesity, respiratory problems, bladder problems, and impaction to name a few.
A guineas cage should allow them to exercise whenever
they like. Therefore if their cage is big enough they can exercise at times to suit them. Also, think about it, would you want to
live in a room the size of a tiny closet forever, I think not!
There are guinea pig cages that you can make yourself that are
bigger adn far more guinea pig friendly. They are also cheaper than the tiny pet shop bought cages.They are nicknamed cube cages
or C and C cages and they are unique in that they can be added to and redesigned very easily. They can also be added to to create
a more interesting environments, including different levels.
Those of you who fancy a challenge may be interested in designing and
creating these cages yourself, I can tell you how to. Alternatively, I can make one for you here at the rescue, for
both new and old adopters. This will enable adopters to easily purchase suitable homes for their piggies and also raise a small amount
of money for the rescue.
The classic cage I make is 56" (148cm) x 28" (74cm) x 14" (37cm) and roughly costs £40 - a huge saving
on pet shop ones and a lot more suitable and bigger for piggies as well. I can also adapt sizes to fit in with what people
want and to fit it easily in homes. If you have cats or dogs, the cages can be made with lids attached to protect the piggies. |
