Kelly's Cage Pages

What we have here is new uses for plastic storage containers. The makers of these - Rubbermaid, Sterilite, IRIS - probably don't realize that they manufacture guinea pig cages. Along with pictures of actual cages in use, we'll give you a few samples of actual department store ads for these products, showing the wide availability and low prices. Please read the text - there are some modifications you will need to make to these containers to make them safe and healthy cages!

The Sterilite 56-Quart Blanket Box, adequate for one guinea pig or one hedgehog. The sides of this box are about 12" high; most piggies will not climb over, but some active piggies can and will. In which case, keep reading.
Requirements: drill at least 6 airholes in each of at least 2 sides. If you must keep a lid on the cage (because of very small children, aggressive other pets, etc.), drill at least 20 holes in the lid, or cut out long thin rectangles every inch or so, in the lid that comes with the box. Otherwise, leave the lid off. You can also make a wire lid out of hardware cloth.*
Notes: You will need to either buy a water bottle with a holder that slides over the lip of the box, modify the standard wire hangers that hold up most bottles, or drill carefully placed holes to hold the wire hanger and the drinking tube. (See drawing.)
*Hardware cloth is not cloth, it is a wire mesh. It is available at most hardware stores, either by the yard or in rolls of 10 or 15 yards prepackaged. A roll costs about $15 at my local hardware store. It is 36" width, so that cut in half, it would make 18" cage sides. It can be bent to go around corners, or can be cut into panels to fasten together. It comes in two mesh sizes, 1/4" and 1/2". Use the 1/2", because the nozzles of water bottles will not fit through the smaller size. Use tinsnips to work with hardware cloth. I personally find "aviation" tinsnips easier to use than other styles - although they cost a little more than other tinsnips, they save a great deal of effort and blisters. They cost between $11 and $30 a pair at my local hardware stores. Hardware cloth is also useful for pet-proofing a room - blocking off electrical cords from rabbits or guinea pigs, blocking the backs of furniture, etc. (Some friends of ours use it to keep their ferrets from getting into the box spring of their mattress, for example.)

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