If you’ve been following us on our BlueStone Commerce site or on one of our YouTube channels, you know that we have five pigs in our family. We get emails, YouTube comments, and blog comments on a regular basis asking us the names of our pigs. So here they are:

Charlie - He’s the father and he’s dark brown in color. Pippi the mother died in childbirth. Unfortunately, she had to have a Cesarean – and guinea pigs typically don’t have a high survivability rate with this procedure. We miss her.

Cupcake – The shyest. She’s a female and looks the most like her father.

Pumpkin Spice – She’s the friendliest of the five. She has an orange/brown cinnamon-colored coat – hence the pumpkin name.

Apple  – She’s the dominant female. She has her mother’s coloration. She has a cinnamon and white “two-tone” coat.

Pippin- Named in honor of his mother Pippi who gave her life birthing the four pups. Pippin looks most like Pippi. His coat is the same color as hers and has a very similar pattern as well.

The cages that pet stores try to pass off as healthy and suitable guinea pig habitats are generally neither healthy nor suitable. Those small pet store cages are usually designed to meet the old two to four square-foot guinea pig cage design standards. These standards are not there to satisfy your guinea pigs’ needs. They are there to satisfy the financial needs of the cage manufacturer and the pet store.

It’s a simple fact. Smaller guinea pig habitats are cheaper to ship and warehouse than larger cages. Do the analysis yourself.

Let’s assume for a moment that you’re a manufacturer of paper. If you wish to ship 10 reams of paper, you will simply pack them into a box and ship them. If you now decide to ship 100 reams of paper, you will need a box ten-times as large — that is, it will require ten-times as much volume as the smaller box. Shipping costs will rise accordingly. But, you will have shipped ten-times as much product and will expect to make a lot more profit on the transaction.

If, on the other hand, you are a cage manufacturer and you wish to ship a cage; you will once again package it in a box and ship it. Now, if you wish to ship a cage ten-times as large, you will once again need to pack it into a box with ten-times as much volume. Again, shipping costs will go up because the package is much bigger. But this time you, the cage manufacturer, are not shipping ten-times the amount of product. Mostly you are shipping ten-times the amount of air. The amount of actual material that you will be able to charge your customer for has not increased nearly as much as the volume of the product. In effect, you a paying a lot more money to ship air (empty space) — air that the final customer will not be willing to pay for.

This scenario is repeated again in your warehouse. A cage that is ten-times as large requires significantly more space to warehouse. And, once again, that means more costs — more money spent to warehouse additional air.

And the story is repeated a final time at the pet store or department store where the final sale is made. Larger guinea pig habitats will require more back room storage space in addition to increased front-of-store retail shelf-space.

Thus, it costs disproportionately more money to transport, store and display a larger manufactured cage because of the large amount of air or empty space that must be shipped.

On the other hand, if a cage can be shipped as a kit, shipping costs can be reduced. An example of this is the C&C cage. Since these cages can be shipped flat in a disassembled state, the problem of “shipping air” can be minimized. This is just one reason why C&C cages allow you to get a lot of cage for the money.

Why not CLICK on the BUTTON directly below to see our money-saving internet special offer…

Read more about large guinea pig cages HERE–> Guinea Pig Cages – Room to Roam

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You’ve already got your cage, pellets, hay, water bottles, and all the other necessary guinea pig supplies you need to make your pig feel right at home.  It’s one of the best little guinea pig habitats you could have set up. It truly looks like the perfect place for eating, drinking, sleeping, and of course pooping. Although it may be true that your cage may be fit for even the most high maintenance pigs, life in the same cage day after day can get quite dull for any pig. So what can you do to help enhance your pet’s comfortable quarters as well as keep him entertained?

One thing to consider the next time you find yourself shopping for guinea pig supplies online or at your local pet store is the importance of guinea pig toys in terms of providing stimulating guinea pig habitats. Toys are a great way to help your pig exercise physically as well as mentally. And considering how much those lazy pigs like to sleep and eat, a bit of exercise and cognitive stimulation now and then can certainly be crucial.

Another great thing about toys is that they actually serve two purposes. Not only do they entertain your pig, but they also act as chewing devices for guinea pigs to wear down their long teeth.  As an owner of five guinea pigs, I cannot stress the importance of this enough. If you don’t provide your guinea pig with things to chew on, you will run the risk that their teeth may overgrow and they might not be able to close their mouth. This can be very uncomfortable for your pig, but most importantly, it can cause serious health problems. So when selecting a toy for your pig, look for one that is suitable for gnawing and chewing. Wooden ones tend to be favorites for guinea pigs. By doing this, you will not only help your pig avoid health problems, but will also help yourself avoid unwanted vet bills.

But when you find yourself in the guinea pig supplies aisle surrounded by hundreds of toys, how do you know exactly which one your guinea pig will enjoy the most?  Well, recently my five pigs had their very first experience with a toy called a Nut Nibbler.  Basically, the toy consists of brightly colored wooden sticks put together in a dome-like shape with a walnut in the middle as a noise maker. When my family first purchased the toy, I was very doubtful that my pigs would pay any attention to it — seeing as guinea pigs are not known to be playful like cats and dogs are. However, when I placed the Nut Nibbler in their cage, I was surprised to discover that they were not only curious, but actually seemed to enjoy nibbling on it and pushing it around. In fact, after leaving the pigs alone with the Nut Nibbler for a few hours, I returned to find all five of them sleeping around it as if it were a security blanket. And to this day, every time I place the Nut Nibbler in their cage, they instantly flock to it.

The point I would like to emphasize is that although my pigs seem to worship that Nut Nibbler as if it were a guinea pig God, to another pig it may just be another thing to poop on. In other words, every pig is different and you may need to try out more than one toy before you find one that strikes your pig’s interest. Regardless, I highly recommend that you try giving your guinea pig fun toys to nudge and nibble on in order to keep him happy and healthy. The bottom line is: fun toys are a great way to improve the livability of most guinea pig habitats.

For and article on creating great guinea pig habitats with C&C cages CLICK HERE–> Guinea Pigs Cages – Not What They Used to Be

• Got Pigs? Buy a Piggy Palace for your guinea pigs! Check it out today at http://www.bluestonecages.com for all of your Guinea Pig needs. Be a Hero! #

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• Got Pigs? Buy a Piggy Palace for your guinea pigs! Check it out today at http://www.bluestonecages.com for all of your Guinea Pig needs. Be a Hero! #

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Check out this related post–> Guinea Pigs Cages – Not What They Used to Be

Why use C&C (Cubes and Coroplast) materials for building a guinea pig cage? There are many reasons. It allows your cage to be customizable. In other words you can design your cage to suit your living space, number of guinea pigs or even the color of your décor. You can add or even invent new never-seen-before features. And you can build it as tall as you want (within reason).

But the overwhelming reason is that you can build big guinea pig cages. You get a lot of cage for the money. And – more importantly – your guinea pigs get a lot of cage for the money.

So, big guinea pig cages are the reason to look into C&C cages. And the best place for big guinea pig cages? Right here of course, at BlueStoneCages.

We have many large designs to choose from. And we design our cages – not only with the guinea pig in mind – we also design for the convenience and ease-of-use for the pig owner. We can’t help it. We’re pig owners ourselves. And many of the features we have designed in are there to solve a problem that we have encountered over our many years of living with guinea pigs.

So there you are. C&C cages a lot of cage for the money. You can get really great ones here (read our feedback). And, if you click on the button directly below, you can save money while you’re at it…

To read a related post, CLICK HERE–> Guinea Pigs Cages – Not What They Used to Be

Yes — it’s no secret. BlueStoneCommerce has C&C guinea pig cages for sale. What’s our motivation? Let me give you a little history.

I (Bob) am an engineer by trade. I worked nearly 30 years as an engineer/engineering manager — mostly in the automotive field here in the Detroit area. Several years ago, we got our first guinea pig (Pookie) for my daughter. We gave it the best care — fed it lots of alfalfa hay, gave it plenty of water and housed it in one of those nice little pet store cages.

And Pookie always looked “okay” but never really overjoyed.

By the time we got our next two guinea pigs Scooter and Pepper we had done a lot of reading. And we found that “meaning well” didn’t necessarily equate to giving the best care. It also took education.

Alfalfa hay was out, Timothy was in. High-o-Silver — the day of the Lone Pigster was over. We got Scooter and Pepper together to keep each other company. And most importantly, my wife “discovered” this new do-it-yourself cage technology – C&C cages.

She printed out instructions for a cage and put it on my “Honey-Do list” to get a cage built. They were Cavy Spirit instructions for building a 2×3 single level cage. The cage was a simple grid fence placed around a Coroplast bin and held together with plastic push-on connectors. It was a simple one-hour project.

Six-hours later, (did I mention I’m an engineer?), the cage was finished — with some slight modifications. It was three stories high. It had a 2×4 footprint with a top-level living space atop two levels of storage. And for increased sturdiness, it was fastened together with cable ties instead of push-on connectors.

There it stood — in our family room — a monument to guinea pigdom.

Several years later, I was downsized out of the automotive business. I decided to stay downsized and went into retirement. Nancy and I spent the first year doing nothing.

After a year of leisure she decided that we should to do something meaningful with our time. We needed a purpose. We had always regretted putting Pookie all alone in that small cage. We didn’t know he wasn’t happy. We didn’t know until after Pookie was gone and we put Scooter and Pepper in a 2×4 C&C cage. We saw popcorning for the first time. Then we knew. Poor Pookie had lived a mediocre existence.

So we went into business offering our own pig-friendly guinea pig cages for sale.

So now, we sell cages to make happy pigs. We’ve been educated — and, most importantly — we spread the word. Blogs posts, articles, videos — we spread the word:

Don’t put your pigs in a small pet store cage.

Build a C&C cage. It doesn’t have to be ours. But it has to be spacious enough.

And don’t get me wrong. We’re not saints. We also enjoy the money we make in this endeavor — we’re retired after all — with two kids in college. And not to mention the enjoyment we get from the process of building this business. All-in-all offering C&C guinea pig cages for sale has been a satisfying and rewarding experience for Nancy and I on many levels.

So of you take anything away from this article, it should be this: guinea pigs are living beings. Like any living creature, they deserve our respect. And, oh ya, don’t put your pigs in a small pet store cage.

Spread the word.

CLICK HERE–> to read another interesting guinea pig cage article

• Rodents of Unusual Size http://t.co/4dBFGFJ #
• Got Pigs? Buy a Piggy Palace Today! Check it out at http://www.bluestonecages.com Be a Hero to your Guinea Pigs and Kids Now! #

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Because most pet stores don’t carry big guinea pig cages, many guinea pigs end up in a home that is much too small to promote good health. Your doctor advises regular exercise as well as a good diet for your health and well-being. And the situation is no different for your guinea pigs. They need exercise on a regular basis and those tiny department store rodent cages are definitely not the place to get it.

The fitness craze has been with us since the 70s. Many people are hooked on an exercise program. So first thing in the morning — or perhaps after a hard day’s work — they need to get in an exercise session. So they’ll change into a t-shirt and shorts, put on the running shoes, and head down to the… bathroom? Closet? Laundry room?

There’s a reason you don’t see people exercising in minivans, phone booths or garden sheds — there’s not enough room. When people want to go running, their choices are to use a large area in their home to exercise or go somewhere outside the home which is suitable for exercise.  (A third alternative for humans is to use a machine like a treadmill, stationary bike or elliptical trainer to simulate a larger space.  Unfortunately, scientific studies have shown that this method is unworkable for guinea pigs as mp3 ear buds won’t fit in their ears.)

Most of us don’t have a home large enough to exercise without the aid of machines so we go outside or to the gym or to some sort of park — somewhere with open space and room to run.

The same is true for your pigs. They either exercise in their cage, outside of their cage — or not at all.

So what am I getting at here?

My point is that pet cavies must either have big guinea pig cages; regular daily time outside of their cage — or both. Big guinea pig cages are the best solution for the owner. They do not have to commit to giving their piggies daily exercise sessions. Having a spacious guinea pig cage and arranging for daily exercise is the best solution for the pig.

Doing neither is no solution. It is unhealthy for the pig and increases the chance of larger and more frequent veterinarian bills as well as the household trauma that comes with having a sick or dying family pet.

Need to see a large selection of big guinea pig cages? Visit BlueStoneCommerce. More information on big guinea pig cages? <– CLICK on this LINK.

We have lots of big C&C guinea pig cages CLICK on the BUTTON directly below to see what people are saying about those cages…

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We hit a milestone this past weekend in terms of guinea pig cages for sale…

On Saturday August 14, 2010 BlueStoneCommerce sold its 1000^th cage.

I feel like putting up a big sign— just like McDonalds…

Over 1000 Sold

Ya, I know. Big deal. It’s not going to put BlueStoneCommerce on the New York Stock Exchange (nor even in the Ma and Pop shop hall-o-fame). But it’s a milestone nonetheless.

So we celebrate.

Ya, 1000 cages. I know, don’t worry; we’re not getting a swelled head about it. We know we’re “small potatoes” — and we’re fine with that.

1000 cages in just over three years. Did I say “small potatoes”? I meant microscopic spuds. We know it’s not a huge number of cages shipped. We recognize it’s not a huge amount of revenue or profit for three years work. So why do we do it?

1)      We are guinea pig owners as well as guinea pig cage sellers. We like doing this.

2)      We were guinea pig owners well before we put up our first guinea pig cages for sale — we like doing this.

3)      Years ago, when we bought our very first guinea pig, we put him in a small cramped pet store cage (poor Pookie). We didn’t know any better. We meant well. But we didn’t know any better. He was the last one of our many pigs to live unhappily in such cramped quarters. We learned. We learned and we regret that we didn’t know any better. So now we “spread the word”.

4)      1000 cages sold means more than 1000 guinea pigs living in spacious, comfortable safe conditions and not in those cramped, tiny, store-bought cages — and that’s what it’s all about.

Yes — more than 1000 cages sold.

We know we’re not going to win the Nobel Pigs Prize. That’s fine. More than 1000 cages sold…

Thanks to all our customers for trusting us and our humble family business and for helping us “spread the word”.

We know. All we do is offer guinea pig cages for sale. Still — it gives us kind of a good feeling. And we hope you get that same feeling the first time you set your precious pet into her new, spacious home.

Bob and Nancy Matthews
BlueStoneCommerce

(Did I mention we like doing this?)

Help us “spread the word”. Have a look at this post Guinea Pig Cages – Room to Roam and pass a link to it along to your friends.

You’ve seen rodent cages. They’re those tiny little wire boxes that they try to sell you when you buy a guinea pig from a pet store. They usually contain less than three square-feet of cage area and may cost anywhere from $40 to $70 — depending on where you live.

I don’t know — these rodent cages might be sufficient for a mouse or a gerbil or a hamster. Like I said, I don’t know. What I do know is that it most certainly is not large enough for a full-grown guinea pig. Most modern standards recommend at least six to seven square feet for a single cavy — roughly twice the size of that standard pet store cage. And these are minimum standards we’re talking about.

What to do? Of course, the first thought is to buy a larger cage. The difficulty is that most pet stores don’t carry larger rodent cages — and if they do, they will most likely be very costly.

With that in mind, many conscientious guinea pig owners are turning to the C&C (cubes and Coroplast) cage. The C&C cage is a do-it-yourself cage — constructed of metal grids and corrugated plastic sheet. This type of cage was invented by a guinea pig rescue organization and has become quite popular with the general public over the past several years.

A quick search online will reveal both an abundance of how-to instructions and also some online suppliers of C&C guinea pig cage kits. (Of course BlueStoneCommerce comes immediately to mind).

The first step for the stanch do-it-yourselfer will be to design the cage. Next, he will need to locate sources for grids, corrugated plastic and other assorted hardware. Lastly, she will need to cut the Coroplast to size and assemble the grids, Coroplast and other components into a cage.

Those who purchased a kit will merely need to follow the included instructions to assemble the cage. This makes a great project to do with your child.

For more information about large C&C Guinea Pig Cages <– CLICK HERE

Interested in a great C&C guinea pig cage? Why not CLICK ON THE BUTTON directly below and then click through to one of our online stores. There’s no risk and you might just make your pigs the Happiest pigs on earth. CLICK the BUTTON NOW–>

(This article on Coroplast usage in cavy cages is continued from a previous post)

Coroplast resembles cardboard because of its fluted structure. If you look at a piece from the end, you will notice that structurally, it is made up of a long row of plastic columns.  The fact that Coroplast looks like cardboard is a good thing. Cardboard is a substance that we take for granted — but, in fact is a very efficient and innovative material.

For example, we can throw a few heavy cans of food in a paper bag. And when we try to pick it up, the cans rip through the bag and fall to the floor. We can then take many more of those same cans and toss them into a cardboard box which can be picked up with no problem. We can even ship them across country without incident.

Sure the box is thicker — but that is not where most of the additional strength comes from. It is really the internal structure of the cardboard that gives it its strength. Those columns or corrugations in the interior of the cardboard create a very strong and robust structure.

If you stand up that same paper bag and try and stack something on top of it, the sides will immediately crumble and the bag will collapse. Conversely, you can take several cardboard boxes and stack them on top of each other with no problem — just take a look inside any warehouse. Once again, it’s because all those little columns inside the cardboard are supporting all that weight.

Engineers and architects have known this for centuries. The early Romans used columns in their architecture to support heavy buildings. Take a look at the Coliseum. Aeronautical engineers use a honeycomb material (which is simply a lot of columns pressed together) inside the interior of airplane wings to provide a very strong and lightweight structure.

This is the very same concept behind the structure of Coroplast. It is what makes it very light — yet very strong. It’s as if there were a lot of columns pressed together in a row. And that is what makes Coroplast such a desirable material for use in C&C cavy cages.

Its fluted structure gives it adequate strength. Its chemical properties makes it waterproof, easy to clean and non-toxic for your cavies. And finally, its light weight reduces shipping costs when purchasing from an online seller like BlueStoneCommerce.

Be sure to read Part One of this post regarding the C&C Cavy Cage and Coroplast

For information on understanding a different aspect of C&C guinea pig cages <– CLICK HERE 

BlueStoneCommerce uses Coroplast in all of its cage models.
Why not CLICK ON THE BUTTON directly below to visit one of our stores and check out our innovative cavy cages…

If you’re considering building a C&C cavy cage, then you will need to understand some facts about them. C&C stands for cubes and Coroplast. The word “cubes” refers to the metal grids (normally used to build storage cube units) that are used to form the cage enclosure itself. Coroplast is the corrugated plastic sheet material used to form litter bins or trays. Coroplast is a brand name that comes from the contraction of the words “corrugated” and “plastic”.

As the C&C cavy cage is becoming more and more popular, more people are getting exposure to the Coroplast material. At first glance, the material looks very similar to cardboard. While it does have a structure quite similar to cardboard — it is definitely not cardboard. In fact, it has far different properties than cardboard.

Cardboard is made out of paper. It falls apart when exposed to water and it’s relatively easy to tear. On the other hand, it is lightweight, economical and is actually a very strong material for its cost and weight.

Coroplast is made of plastic – polypropylene. It is water-proof so it is idea for containing water, bedding s well as other biological waste products that your pigs may produce. It is also highly resistant to solvents. This means two things to the owners of C&C guinea pig cages a) it is not damaged by common household cleaners so it can be easily cleaned and b) since it is resistant to chemical solvents, it is indigestible. In other words, if your animal decides to chew it, the non-toxic plastic pieces will simply “pass through” its system leaving your cavy unharmed.

Because of this fact, it is approved by the US Government for contact with food. And it is also approved by pig rescue organizations for use in cavy cage construction.

Be sure to read Part Two of this post regarding Cavy Cages and Coroplast

For information on understanding a different aspect of C&C guinea pig cages <– CLICK HERE  

BlueStoneCommerce uses Coroplast in all of its cage models.
Why not CLICK ON THE BUTTON directly below to visit one of our stores and check out our innovative designs…

Cavy  cages have come in two styles in the past – the old guinea pig hutch — nailed together with wooden two-by-fours and chicken wire; and the tiny rodent cage that can be seen for sale in the pet store. Because of C&C cavy cages those two guinea pig cage technologies have become obsolete.

Maybe you’ve heard of C&C cages. They have been sweeping the guinea pig cage for a greater part of the past decade.

The two C’s C&C stand for cubes and Coroplast — the two primary materials used to construct a C&C cage. Cubes represent storage cubes — or more correctly, the metal grids used to fashion them. These types of grids can be seen in home storage cube units and in retail store wire cube display units.

Coroplast is a light weight and durable corrugated plastic sheet material and is used to form the litter bins in this type of guinea pig cage.

The C&C cavy cage is very cost-effective. One can build a very large cage with very little money invested.

You too can be swept up by these revolutionary cavy cages — and you can do it the “easy way” by buying a BlueStoneCommerce C&C cage kit.

Why not CLICK ON THE BUTTON directly below and then follow a link to one of our online stores to see our full line of C&C cages

Related Posts:

Guinea Pigs Cages – Not What They Used to Be

Cages for Guinea Pigs Must Be Large Enough for Your Pigs to Run

Exercise is important. When selecting cages for guinea pigs, one must take this factor into consideration. One regrettable mistake that too many uninformed first-time pig owners make is buying that small rodent cage that is offered to them at the pet store. Most of these cages tend to offer less than three square-feet of cage space — far too small for even one pig.

Most guinea pig rescue organizations recommend that you provide at least six to seven square feet for a single pig, 7.5 square feet for two pigs, 10.5 for three pigs and at least 13 square feet for four pigs.

This will allow room for the pigs, a nestbox, water dish and other accessories that may take up additional guinea pig cage space.

Manufactured cages of this size are difficult to find and may be expensive. For this reason, in-the-know guinea pig owners are moving ever-increasingly toward a popular type of do-it-yourself or kit cages known as Cubes and Coroplast cages.

Choose a Smooth Material for the Cage Floor

Wire or grid floors are hard on your guinea pigs’ feet. Rigid metal bars or grids can trap toes and legs and harm your pet cavy’s fragile feet. You would never design your house with floors made of metal bars spaced a foot apart and suspended a foot off the foundation. Why would you expect your pets to spend their lives in such an environment?

Incidentally, the same goes when choosing a ramp for a multi-level enclosure. The ramp should not use metal grids for traction. For best pig health and safety, choose a cage with a smooth easy-to-clean bottom.

Does My Guinea Pig Cage Need a Lid?

If your guinea pigs are sharing your home with what I like to call “domestic predators” (most notably cats and toddlers) you will definitely need a lid. If, on the other hand, your home is totally “pig friendly”, then a lid is not needed.

Most C&C cages for guinea pigs and pens tend to have 14″ walls. Although guinea pigs do like to jump for fun (commonly called “popcorning”), they are not known for being prolific leapers If your home is safe, we actually recommend that you avoid using a lid. We find that when guinea pigs are housed in a cage with no lid, since there is no lid to open, interaction with the guinea pigs becomes easier and more frequent. I also simplifies tasks like feeding the guinea pigs and cleaning the cage.

For Your Conveinience, Doors and Lids Should be Large

Most C&C cages are designed with doors that are too small. Small doors, make it very hard to pick up your pets. If you’ve ever tried to corner a scurrying guinea pig with one arm through a tiny opening, you will immediately agree that they are “scurriers”.

At http://BlueStoneCages.com we offer innovative cages for guinea pigs with large fold-down “tailgates”. These models are engineered so that the entire side of the cage swings open like the tailgate on a pickup truck. Now you can reach in with both hands to scoop up your guinea pig (or to scoop out soiled bedding). If you’ve ever tried to shovel 25 lbs. of wet bedding through a small door and then turn around and shovel 25 lbs. of clean bedding back in through that tiny opening; you will immediately recognize the value of the BlueStoneCommerce tailgate concept.

We’re long-time guinea pig owners, so you can believe us when we tell you: it’s much easier to scrape the bedding out into a waste container and then just pour the new bedding in directly from the bag. Yes, door-opening size really is a big deal.

Be sure to READ:
Guinea Pig Cage C&C Designs – Do You Need This Innovative Feature?
for another convenience feature that most cages are missing…

BlueStoneCommerce has several guinea pig cage designs to choose from. All of them are designed to incorporate all of the features discussed in this article. Why not CLICK ON THE BUTTON directly below to visit one of our stores and TAKE A LOOK at our innovative designs…

• Don't Think of It As a Rodent Cage: http://EzineArticles.com/6478429 #

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When we think of cages for guinea pigs, most of us tend to think of that tiny little rodent cage that is sold by most pet stores. Sure, guinea pigs are most certainly rodents — and yet, the standard pet store rodent cage is far too small to house an adult guinea pig.

Yes, most rodents are very small animals. But the fact is that size is not the prominent factor that defines a rodent.

If you look up the definition of a rodent, you will find that a) it is a mammal and b) they have continuously growing upper and lower incisors. This latter fact means that they have to continuously chew on things to keep their front teeth from growing out of control. In fact, the word rodent comes from the Latin word rodere which means “to gnaw”.

So a rodent is mostly defined by its front teeth — not by its size. A beaver is a rodent. You would never think of putting a beaver in a small pet store guinea pig cage. A porcupine is a rodent. Again, you would never put a porcupine in one of those tiny guinea pig cages. A capybara is a rodent that can grow to more than four-feet long. You could never put a capybara in a cage so small.

Guinea pigs can grow as large as three pounds or more. A small pet store rodent cage is simply too small to house a guinea pig. As I have said many times before — putting your guinea pig in a small pet store cage is like a human being living their entire life in a bathroom.

So why do so many people put guinea pigs in such small cages? Because that is what is sold to us.

Most guinea pig rescue organizations recommend that cages for guinea pigs be at least the following size:

• One guinea pig: 6-7 sq. ft.
• Two guinea pigs: 7.5 sq. ft.
• Three guinea pigs: 10.5 sq. ft.
• Four guinea pigs: 13 sq. ft.

So next time you shop for cages for guinea pigs remember that your pet is much larger than a hamster or a gerbil and therefore — his home should be too.

Looking for a spacious-yet-affordable home for your guinea pig? Check out the innovative C&C guinea pig cages that BlueStoneCommerce has to offer. Why not CLICK ON THE BUTTON directly below to visit one of our stores and check out our many distinctive designs…

Most other Cubes and Coroplast guinea pig cage sellers use plastic press-on connectors in their cage construction. This video will show you exactly why we here at BlueStoneCommerce disagree with this practice and exclusively use zip ties (tie-wraps, cable-ties) as fasteners in all of our cage designs.

C&C cages are becoming increasingly popular. Their usage has increased dramatically over the past few years. This is largely because pet owners are beginning to realize that while standard mass-produced pet store cages may be economically feasible to house racks of laboratory guinea pig test subjects, they fail to provide a comfortable and healthy living environment for our much-loved family pets.

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One of the most important factors in insuring that your guinea pig cage is easy to clean is ironically also one of the most overlooked criteria in cage selection. If you want to be assured that the next cage you purchase will be easy to clean and maintain, be sure to read on.

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The guinea pig is one of the most popular pets in North America. In spite of this, there are many facts about this little creature that are not commonly known by most people. Please join me as I attempt to explore (sometimes successfully) some facts regarding the history and characteristics of our friend the guinea pig.

Author’s note: No pigs were harmed in the writing of this article.

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Guinea pigs and humans share a history of more than 10,000 years. The cavy originated in Central and South America. In the wild, their domain extended through Uruguay, Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru. The cavy was domesticated by the Inca Indians somewhere around 7,000 or 8,000 years ago. They were used as not only a food source but also as a sacrificial animal – sacrificed to the sun god – in religious ceremonies.

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The guinea pig – also known as a cavy – is one of the more popular pets in North America. This is largely because they are friendly, docile and amiable creatures. And with few special needs, they are also relatively easy to care for. There are many varieties of guinea pigs varying in color, size, markings and hair type.

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When you go shopping for a guinea pig cage, what are the things you consider? Color? Price? An attractive design? People choose their cages based upon many different criteria. However, there is one extremely important factor that often gets overlooked or ignored.

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Your choice of cage is one of the most important considerations in determining the quality of life that your guinea pig will enjoy while living under your care. One must keep in mind that the cage is much more than just a container or enclosure to contain the cavy; it is the most major and important element in your pig’s immediate living environment. As such, the selection of a cage for your cavy is a serious matter and should be not be taken lightly.

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Over the past century, the guinea pig has become a popular pet in the United States. While we are all familiar with this common animal, there are many facts concerning it that are not necessarily common knowledge. Please read along as we discover and discuss some interesting facts about this common and loveable house pet.

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