How to make a rack for guinea pigs with your own hands?

Most guinea pig cages are too small. Guinea pigs need a suitable place to move and a separate place for a house in which your pets can hide and sleep peacefully. In addition, the cage should have a separate feeding area and play area. No animal should live in confined spaces all the time, so make sure your pig can actually exercise and run in its cage.

Why does size matter? Guinea pigs are one of those large rodents that are kept as pets, and yet their typical cage is not as spacious as smaller rodent houses such as hamsters and gerbils.

While small animal cages are often taller than wider, guinea pigs, on the other hand, need to increase their living space to allow room for movement and digging. Guinea pigs will mainly move around the bottom of the rack and cage. Ramps and platforms at low elevations are able to provide the necessary space for the normal existence of the guinea pig. In addition to living in a cage, guinea pigs must be given the opportunity to run outside the rack and cage.

Guinea pig cage size recommendations:

• one guinea pig: cage 230 sq. cm (minimum), generally 80 * 90 cm is a good size;
• two guinea pigs: 230 sq. cm (minimum), but 320 sq. cm; usually 75 * 125cm is a good size;
• three guinea pigs: 320 sq. cm; usually 75 * 155cm is a good size;
• four guinea pigs: 400 sq.cm (minimum), but the more, the better, 75 * 200 cm is the optimal size.

Making the right racking rack for your rodent isn't too difficult. We bring to your attention step-by-step instructions.

The larger the cage, the better. The pet house should be designed so that the rack has two floors. However, this will require a ramp, so if you plan to do this make sure your guinea pig can climb the ramp. Unlike many other small rodents, guinea pigs are not very athletic and may have difficulty climbing steep inclines.

The best are those that are assembled from solid wood. Avoid cheap and fragile plywood. In addition, you will need a net, wooden staples, screws or nails, galvanized latches, and tools such as an electric drill, hammer, screwdriver, tape measure, wire cutters, and a saw.

By the way, a large cabinet or small wardrobe can perfectly fit under the shelving and turn into a functional free cage. This saves you the trouble of buying all the new materials to create the wireframe yourself.

Start by preparing the blocks to be cut to size from the purchased wood. Depending on how large you want the cage to be, you will need three separate sizes for the wood pieces: length, width, and height.

For example, your dimensions may be approximately 75 * 150 * 40 cm. You will need at least 4 beams of this length, width and height if you want to build a separate part for a rack with an opening door.

Measure the wood and double check before cutting. Using an electric drill, drill the mounting holes slightly smaller than your screw, and then use the drill to insert the screw. All the cut wooden parts must be assembled into one structure. If you have no experience with tools, self-assembly and rack building can be problematic.

The cage should have a solid floor and a wooden or plastic roof. While some people recommend using a floor net, it can be dangerous for your pet and cause a broken or pinched leg, for example. Make the walls with wire mesh instead. You just need to cut into pieces of the mesh of the appropriate size and attach with wooden staples to the assembled body.

Hardwood floors, unfortunately, absorb moisture a lot. To avoid this, you can put something waterproof (for example, a tarp) on the floor; under a thick layer of paper or shavings, the tarp cannot absorb moisture.

We independently make a pen for guinea pigs for outdoor walks on the grass.

In addition to the cage and rack, where your guinea pigs will be most of the time, you can make a special pen with your own hands.

The paddock is a large mesh cage without a bottom that you can place directly on the grass. This special design will allow your guinea pigs to exercise, run and just walk without the risk of getting lost while walking outdoors in the fresh grass.

Spacious cages have many advantages, for example, large enclosures are perfect for shelving or cages that you buy or make yourself.

Guinea pigs can live 5-7 years and can turn into bored, depressed pets if they don't get adequate stimulation. Imagine spending your entire life in a dressing room. Life would be pretty boring, wouldn't it?

Adequate exercise space means your guinea pigs are less likely to develop conditions such as heart disease, diabetes or other disorders. In a more spacious rack, guinea pigs can exercise and run whenever they want.

Guinea pigs tend to be most active in the morning and evening. At this time, they can frolic and play with pleasure, making different sounds cheerfully and whistling.

Larger cages and racks are actually easier to clean, which means the pet house will be cleaned more often. This will prevent debris from accumulating. Keep your guinea pig cage clean and dry to keep your pets happy.

Cedar and pine shavings cannot be used as filler for the shelving and cage because of the resins and oils they contain, which are harmful to guinea pigs. Use paper towels in several layers to maximize moisture absorption.

For information on how to make a guinea pig rack, see the next video.