When most people think of cavys, AKA guinea pigs, they think of lazy
little fluffy footballs that just sit there, eat, drink, and poop.
That’s the behavior I’ve always come to expect of guinea pigs, they
pretty much only seemed to move when they were hungry or running away
from you in fear.
I was talking with a group of people who were showing off their cavys.
Someone recommended the website cavycages.com. The site is a total
resource for anyone who raises cavys as a hobby. The main focus is on
building inexpensive cages, but they also provide all sorts of other
information for your cavy.
The reason that cavys typically act so lethargic is usually because the
cages that they sell in the store are seriously undersized, making the
cavy bored or stressed out. But you don’t have to spend a lot of money
to give them the room they need. For about $40-60 you can make a 7 1/2
or 10 foot square foot cage. Out of cube wiring storage racks
(available at most retail stores) and coroplast (available at most sign
shops).
The provide instructions on how to make the cage, and you can even share
resources on where you’ve found materials with other people. I’ve found
the site to be a VALUABLE resource for the frugal cavy owner. In the
forum, I even discovered how to make a hay rack for materials you can
get at a dollar store, so instead of paying $8-12, I was able to convert
a shower storage rack (after a little clipping with plyers) into a hay
rack, total cost, one whopping dollar plus tax. The hay cost more
money.
It’s been a week since I’ve made the cage. My cavys don’t just sit
there anymore, they have room to run around, explore, and are more
responsive when I hold them. All because I gave them a little extra
room to run.
http://www.cavycages.com