Before you Buy

Please double-check your assumptions!

Are you using DIFFERENT GRIDS?

Grids matter greatly! Please review.

SAFE grids are 14" squares with 9 across and 9 down inner holes (NOT 8x8 or less). The inner holes should never be larger than 1.5" because young or narrow-headed guinea pigs can get their heads caught.

We've maintained our Cagetopia brand safe grid dimensions and quality over the years.

You may choose to buy or have grids from another source, but not all grids are the same. SAFE does NOT necessarily mean COMPATIBLE with Cagetopia grids and products.

COMPATIBILITY TEST

Insert 3 US pennies in your connector slot. They should fit exactly without being too loose or too tight.

WHY it MATTERS

  • IF you are building a simple cage using ALL of your own 14" square grids and connectors and do NOT intend to add-on or build out with our additions or enhancements, then this should work structurally.
  • However, IF you are mixing grids from another source with ours in any way -- ESPECIALLY complex builds with cage STANDS and/or UPPER LEVELS -- then there MAY be compatibility issues mixing grids and connectors. If the grid is too loose in the connector which is more typical, then you can compensate in most circumstances by securing these locations with cable ties.
Grids MUST be exactly 14" square to work with standard C&C Cage configurations. NO Cagetopia products will work with 12" grids. Non-Cagetopia 14" grids need to be evaluated (above) for compatibility.

COROPLAST EXPECTATIONS

Coroplast colors or shades may vary slightly from what you see on the website. The color of items ordered at separate times could differ slightly due to the manufacturer or dye lots.

We professionally cut our Coroplast with special tools, but it is not machine perfect. Please keep in mind, our enhancements such as the hearts on the Cavy Canopy are cut by hand.
Coroplast is not the same as hard-molded, plastic cage bottoms. It is a soft, plastic material perfect for cages that can last a lifetime. We cannot accept returns for minor cosmetic flaws that might occur during shipping.

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Coroplast bases must be scored and FOLDED prior to shipping. This leaves a thin vertical 6” or 12” crease mark in the center of the wall. It is a necessary but minor cosmetic imperfection in order to ship the product to keep shipping as low as possible. This crease is NOT scored, but rather a minor indentaion and does not affect the functionality of the base. It’s barely noticeable once assembled. You can warm it with a hair dryer to diminish the mark. Follow the link for an example of the crush mark Cagetopia Creation setup.

C&C Construction

Grids are assembled around the perimeter of the cage and not on the bottom. Make sure you place the cage on a flat, level surface. The minimum table space required is noted in the "Details" of each cage description.

When ordering a Cagetopia Creation setup, you will receive assembly instructions for each individual component (i.e. stand, cage, loft, etc.), but not as a whole unit. Some of these creations are for advanced cage builders only.
The center grids of a Medium Cage are overlapped via cable ties in order to accommodate a compromised size needed for a 54" table.

SIZING

A 2x4 CAGE does NOT equal 2x4 FEET. Grids are 14" Square. Interior and exterior dimensions are noted in the description of every cage.

One can approximate 15" per grid section when determining the height, length and width of a setup for planning purposes. This is to account for the connector inbetween each grid.

CAGE LOCATION

Putting flat plastic on a wooden surface can cause 'sweating'. We suggest placing a towel or rug between a wood floor or table and the Coroplast base to wick away any condensation.

Leaking should not occur. IF you experience any seepage from the corners, try changing the type of bedding you use, increasing the frequency of cage cleanings or adding a small piece of clear packing tape to the outside of the corners.

Cleaning tips can be found here.

Please do not plan on putting a C&C cage -- or any cage for that matter -- outdoors. Guinea pigs are domesticated, indoor animals.

BABIES & YOUNG ADULTS

Keep in mind that babies up to a few weeks old can easily get through the recommended 1.5 inch spacing of the safe grid. Guinea pigs with thinner, pointier-shaped heads can get their heads stuck in the grid hole. Please note that some grids are manufactured with fewer inner wires leaving an opening larger than 1.5 inches. Never use these as they are unsafe.

NEVER use grids internally in a cage with babies. This includes interior grid walls, grid or wire hay racks, ramps fashioned from grids, etc.

ALWAYS pay attention to the SHAPE and SIZE of your guinea pigs' head. If it's very thin and pointy, you should take the necessary precautions.

Most people who use C&C Cage have no issues because the 6-inch walls prevent incidents from occurring. However, we ALWAYS recommend baby proofing. There are several quick and temporary solutions since babies grow fast.

Baby-Proofing your C&C Cage

The three approaches to Baby-Proofing are

#1) EXTEND the internal Coroplast Walls

#2) REDUCE the inner grid-hole openings

#3) BLOCK access to the grid-walls

How to:

  • Use scrap Coroplast or Cardboard attach to the Coroplast between the wall and the grids using tape or binder-clips. Adding just a few inches in height is fine. Pay attention to the items in the cage to ensure they cannot reach the top of the extension.
  • Overlap grids. If you have extra grids, then use them to overlap the perimeter grids to reduce the inner grid-hole opening in half or quarters. Cable-ties can be used to secure them in place and removed when no longer necessary. You can use full grids, or half grids can be placed just above the top of the Coroplast wall.
  • Use our half-height, Pig-a-Boo acrylic windows with pre-drilled holes by attaching them directly to the grid walls above the Coroplast wall.

SHIPPING

Please choose the same carrier to ship your package that will be receiving it. Verify the address is correct. You must include the Suite Number and PMB number (private mailbox) on the second address line if applicable.

If you do not have a private mailbox, then you will need to include your home address in parenthesis on the second address line for pick up purposes. A valid State ID is required at pickup.

The customer is responsible for return shipping fees and the cost to reshipment fees in the event the package is undeliverable.

CAGE ARRIVAL & UNBOXING

Please open and check your order immediately, even if it is a gift. We have a 14-day return policy. We must be notified at support@guineapigcages.com right away to resolve questions or problems.

DO NOT THROW AWAY THE BOX until you've confirmed that ALL items are accounted for. If there are *ANY* issues with damaged or missing items, a photo of the box is required to file a claim with the shipping company.

CUT the CABLE TIES securing all the grids. SEPARATE all of the grids. The Portal Grids are packaged in amongst the standard grids.

These are pieces of scrap Coroplast that we use as PACKING MATERIAL. You are free to use it for projects or recycle.

If you are missing any GRIDS or CONNECTORS, we will NEED A FULL COUNT of everything received to compare against what should have been sent. More often than not, either a.) there is a misunderstanding of how things are constructed; or b.) there is a second box that has not yet been received.

Please note if there is any damage to the box, and if so, include a photo of the box for claim purposes.

Thank you.