DIY and C&C cages for guinea pigs offer a cost effective space solution! As we learnt in the previous post and video (check it out here!), the majority of pre-made cages are simply too small for our guinea pigs. This post is an introduction to guinea pig C&C cages and DIY cages, to help you decide if one is right for you! If you’re just looking at pre-made cages for now, check out this post!
WHAT IS A C&C CAGE?
C&C stands for “Cubes and Coroplast”, which are the two core materials these cages are built from. The cubes are wire storage grids and the coroplast, (A.K.A correx) is a non-toxic corrugated plastic, traditionally used to make signs. Because the plastic is corrugated, it can be scored and bent to form the base and sides of the cage, which is then surrounded by the wire storage grids. The advantages of having a C&C cage for your guinea pigs are:
- They give a lot of space for relatively low cost.
- They are modular and adaptable. Just rearrange the same grids, and either adjust or replace the correx to change the size and shape of the cage.
- You can add levels and ramps (shallow enough for guinea pigs to actually use!)
- You can get creative with perspex panels and different colour combinations.
Not everything is perfect however, C&C cages can have some disadvantages:
- Some guinea pigs chew the bars or plastic of the cage (chew-guards are available however, and they may also do this with other cage types).
- Building your own requires some planning in advance, measuring and scoring the plastic with scissors or a Stanley knife (no other tools are required though!).
- Weak points in the correx may become dirty over time, as urine can seep inside the corrugated tubes. Especially if you are extending and adapting, you need to be careful to seal up any joins with tape to prevent leaks.
- The cages are light and could be pushed off a table, so a work around is needed if you want to mount C&C cages on a surface, such as screwing the grids down or have grids across the bottom under the plastic base.
Pictures below of some wonderful C&C cage examples!
GETTING A C&C CAGE: BUILD YOUR OWN…?
C&C cages are easy to make and you don’t need any expensive tools. The materials are usually cheap too, so if you do mess up then it’s not the end of the world! Here’s everything you’ll need to create your own C&C palace:
- 4mm correx or coroplast. You can use multiple small panels taped together but if you can get hold of a larger panels these will be quicker to assemble. If you’re in the UK, I used B&Q’s 120 cm by 60 cm “Twinwell Clear Roofing Sheeting” for my cages in the past. Or, sheets of correx are now available on Amazon HERE.
- Wire grid squares and connectors – the kind you want typically have 9 by 9 openings and measure 14 inches square. HERE’S a version specially created for people building C&C cages.
- Cable ties are handy for making the cage more secure (make sure the guinea pigs cannot chew on them).
- Clear packing tape to seal corners and joins.
- A Stanley knife or sharp scissors for scoring the plastic.
- A pencil, ruler and tape measure.
There are some great instructions (see bullet points and links below) out there on building C&C cages. But basically, you first measure how big you want the cage to be in terms of grid size – for example 2 by 4 grids. Then measure the correx to fit inside the grids, plus 15 cm sides. You then score the plastic on the opposite side to where it will bend upwards to form the sides. You tape the sides in place to finish the cage. The whole process is very straightforward! Step-by-step instructions are available here:
…OR BUY A PRE-MADE CAGE?
The other option is buying a pre-cut, pre-scored C&C cages that you just finish off assembling. This is a more expensive choice, but is worth considering for anyone daunted by the thought of building one! Here are two companies which make C&C cages in the UK:
WHAT ABOUT OTHER DIY CAGES?
C&C cages are fantastic, but not without their limitations. For me, I moved to timber-build DIY cages because I wanted a modern looking cage, with a perspex front, at table top height, with storage built in below. Although these cages aren’t so easy to change and adapt as C&C cages, they are still surprisingly low cost compared to pet shop bought cages. They are also more sturdy and durable than C&C cages. If you have a room where you plan on keeping guinea pigs for a long time I think DIY timber cages are a great option. Check out my past and present cages below:
Willow and Lyra’s cage today!
Despite appearances, building DIY cages is also not that difficult, however some basic DIY knowledge and tools are required in most cases. The measuring is slightly more complex as you have to know the thickness of the wood (usually 1.5 cm) and incorporate this into the measurements for the sides. However, if you source the wood from a local timber merchants or DIY store they may be able to cut it to your specified sizes. This is what I did with my cage. If you or someone you knows has knowledge of drilling and screwing wood together then there is nothing more complex to it. If you wish to use plexiglass, this can be glued or screwed onto the front of the cage. Here’s everything I used for my current cage and the approximate cost:
- Sides and base: “Conti board” and Plexiglass (£77 for materials cut to size from local timber merchants).
- Two IKEA Bitrade shelving units (£17). I could not find these available on IKEA, however they were a budget version of the very popular “Kallax” units. You can also buy adjustable table legs from IKEA to support the cage.
- Iron on white tape for shelving and cage (~£5).
- Waterproof aquarium sealant (~£6.50)
- Screws with white caps (~£5)
Have a look at the video above for up close footage of the piggie’s cage!
LAST BUT NOT LEAST: A NOTE ON BEDDING!
The other thing to consider for C&C and DIY cages, or any large cage, is bedding! Most of the cage examples above have fleece across the bottom of the cage.
- This is an absorbent fabric liner you need to wash in the machine every so often.
- The alternative is using some sort of disposable bedding, but this might end up being costly, with the amount of space you need to cover, as well as difficult to clean.
Some people find fleece liners can smell or require cleaning frequently, so the topic of bedding seems to be personal preference. For me, I use pads for hotspots around the cage and still use a separate plastic litter tray with newspaper and hay in. The litter tray needs cleaning everyday, but the pads only 1 or 2 times a week, and the liners only every 2 – 3 weeks or less!
Thank you for reading! I hope the video and blog post have helped give a good introduction to C&C and DIY cages. If you have any further questions don’t forget you can follow us on Facebook and drop us a message anytime!
Thank you from Sarah! Piggie kisses from Lyra and Willow! <3
