C&C comes from Cubes and Coroplast and references the grids that are used to make the cages and coroplast, or correx, that is the plastic used to make the waterproof bases.
Something else! The sizing denoted on the cages such as 2x3, 2x4 etc actually refers to the number of grid panels required to make the cages. So for instance a 2x4 cage will be 2 grids wide and 4 grids long.
Each grid is actually approximately 35cm/14in wide so slightly larger that a foot. This means that the most common cage sizes have the approximate internal dimensions of:
2x3 = 70cm x 105cm (27.6in x 41.4in)
2x4 = 70cm x 140cm (27.6in x 55.2in)
2x5 = 70cm x 175cm (27.6in x 69in)
2x6 = 70cm x 210cm (27.6in x 82.8in)
Not all are no, sadly. The grids used in C&C cages do come in a variety of designs. They are all approximately 35cm square however it is the hole arrangement that can vary greatly and this affects whether the grids are safe or not.
We are one of a few sellers who stock two grid formats, the 9x9 and 22x3. These numbers refer to the amount rows and columns of holes the grid has. So a 9x9 has 9 rows and 9 columns. These produce holes approximately 3.75cm (1 3/8in) in size which is suitable for the majority of guinea pigs. However, if you have babies then the 22x3 grids are a better option as the holes are thinner.
So what's the problem? Well sadly there are sellers, including on famous marketplaces, that sell grids with 8x8, 7x7 and even as low as 5x5 hole patterns and still market them suitable for guinea pigs. This is both false and dangerous and these sellers should be avoided as the guinea pig's welfare is not their priority,
The coroplast or correx if the plastic sheeting used to make the bases, lofts, kitchens and ramps inside C&C Cages. But why use it? Simple, it creates a waterproof barrier and helps contain some of the mess from escaping out of the cage.
Is all correx equal? Not it's not. It comes in a variety of forms but the 2 key things to look out for are the thickness, usually in mm, and the "weight" which is the rigidity.
The most common thicknesses are 2mm, 3mm and 4mm. We use 4mm as we feel this gives the optimum mix of strength, structure and longevity.
The "weight" is a bit more a minefield as not all supplier state the "weight" which often means it's a lower grade. Also, it does kind of go hand in hand with the thickness so thinner correx is often lower "weight". The best range is between 600gsm and 800gsm. Any higher it becomes to difficult to work with and any lower and it becomes flimsy.
All of our correx used within our bases, kitchens and other items is guaranteed 4mm and 700gsm meaning it's strong, easy to work with and very resistant to impact and liquid.
Of course you can and we're not going to lie about that. Yes you can go buy a sheet of correx (or namesake product) to use in a C&C cage. Yes it appears cheaper but we'll emphasise the appears cheaper. However, there are some things to factor in.
The main and most important factor is time. Your time and how valuable it is. You buy the cages from one source and then spend time searching around for an alternate source for some correx sheets. That's already extra time. Now, the sheet may arrive at the same time as the cage, maybe before, maybe after so there is possibly some waiting necessary.
The sheet arrives but it can't just go straight into the cage. You will have to look up how to mark out the right sizes, how to cut and score it and how to fold it and hold it all together. Oh no, you made a mistake. What do you do now?
Ask yourself, what price do I put on my time? What would you charge for an hour of your time? In the UK it's about to go to £9.50 an hour. How long would it take to do all the about? A rough and reasonable estimate, for someone unfamiliar with the process, would be at least 1-1.5 hours in total. So that's £9.50 - £14.25 worth of time to add on to the cost of the sheeting.
Buying the bases and other items from us pre-cut to size and cut and scored correctly to fold exactly as they should means when they arrive they can be ready to use in under 2 mins. That is quite a big saving on your valuable time and means more time for your guinea pigs to enjoy their new cage.
This is really personal preference, through if you are using C&C cages for hedgehogs then you will need higher sides. You will find retailers vary from 7.5cm (3in) up to 15cm (6in). From our experience and speaking to customers, anything below 10cm (4in) allows more hay and shavings, if used instead of recommended fleece, to escape the cage and make a mess of the room.
We decided to produce ours with 15cm (6in) sides as this is better at containing mess but not too high so that guinea pigs can still see out and can still get their cute front paws up and have a look, a sniff and a wheek when you open the fridge door.
The simple answer is, do you have a small child or other pet that cannot be trusted around the cage inhabitants? If you do then you may want to consider a lid. Be aware that lids are designed to withstand a small to medium weight/force. Therefore if you have a large dog, for example, then we would recommend raising the cage up onto a secure stand.
C&C are amazing. Not only are the cheaper than many other cages but they are completely modular meaning you can add to and extend your cage at end time. Maybe you want to make it long or wide, maybe add a loft or even make a multi-level palace. Your creativity, and the laws of physics, are your only restriction.
Guinea pigs are not known for being climbers, there are always a few exceptions to this rule. However, ramps do not pose to much of an issue with them as long as:
1) They are not too steep especially when your guinea pigs get a bit older (I know that feeling too with stairs!).
2) The sides are not too low as guinea pigs are not always confident and can get nervous on ramps with low sides.
3) They have a surface they can grip on. This is why our ramps already have industrial carpet affixed to give additional grip.
We do stock nibble guards and even our kitchens and ramps come with them already, however they are not essential. Not all guinea pigs like to chew everything they see but some are partial to correx. Therefore our nibble guards are useful additions to prevent your destructive piggies from devouring the correx bases and accessories.
There is a plethora of possibilities for lining the bottom of your C&C Cage. You can use traditional woodshavings (NOT sawdust), auboise (used in equestrian settings) or even shredded paper based substrates. However, we would strongly recommend using quality professionally made fleece bedding such as those found at CandE Cosies
The main reasons for recommending professionally made fleece liners are:
1) They work out more cost effective over time.
2) They are less messy than other bedding such as woodshavings.
3) They absorb all liquids and keep guinea pigs dry.
4) They should last at least 5-7 , though some can go to 10 days, before needing to be washed.
5) They LOOK AMAZING!!!! OK not exactly of critical importance but let's be honest, we want our cages to look gorgeous too!
You can use a variety of proprietary animal safe cleaners such as F10 disinfectant but the easiest and cheapest way is a 50/50 white vinegar dilution mix. If using quality fleece liners then little to no liquid should pass through. So, take the liner out, quick spray and wipe, let it dry and then in go the clean liners. Simple!
To work out the size of cage needed then there are some guidelines that have been formulated as minimums for a given amount of guinea pigs of each gender or a mix of both.
These guidelines are based on a single flat uninterrupted living space. This means that lofts, split levels etc should not be counted as part of the minimum space.
As a guideline the following are suggested minimum sizes for the given quantity and gender of guinea pig(s):
2x3 Cage - 2 Sows
2x4 Cage - 3 sows or 2 boars or 1 neutered boar & 2 sows
2x5 Cage - 4 sows or 3 boars* or 1 neutered boar & 3 sows
2x6 Cage - 5 sows or 4 boars* or 1 neutered boar & 4 sows
*Be aware that having more than 2 boars together can be difficult and is not highly recommended especially for inexperienced owners.
Remember, these are the minimum sizes based on their overall uninterrupted living area as suggested by some animal welfare agencies.
As we have only just launched, as of November 2021, we do only have the black correx available. We have this manufactured to our own specification and designs. We do plan to stock other colours in the future.
We aim to dispatch all orders within 2 working days. Obviously this may change but if we know this is likely then we will contact anyone affected. Shipping is then usually 2-3 days.
We use tracked shipping for all of our our orders, unless issues outside of our control determine otherwise. The services we most commonly use are Hermes UK or Royal Mail depending on items ordered. All tracking information is then emailed to the customer.
If you are in the UK then you'll be glad to hear that we are 100% UK based. Our workshop/warehouse and head office are all in the UK. All items are shipped from a UK location. If you are not based in the UK then you might not be so happy that we are 😀
At the time of our launch in November 2021 we decided to not ship internationally. Due to the size and weights of the items we stock, as well as all the red tape etc due to Brexit, we have made the decision to wait until we have everything properly in place. Watch this space in 2022!
We do our best to ensure all pricing is accurately displayed on the website. However, we are not a huge multi-national company and so don't have a dedicated team working on the website. This means errors may happen. We are therefore entitled to refuse to sell if a price is displayed incorrectly. Also, if we notice that someone has been overcharged then we will always refund the customer back as soon as we can.
There are no hidden costs with our products. The only charge beyond the product price is shipping if the order is below £50. All of the prices you see are what you will be charged and yes, we are aware that we are up to nearly 50%* cheaper than rival companies.
*based on a 2x4 cage setup.
We do offer refunds for both faulty and incorrectly purchased items. The terms relating to these returns can be found in our Refunds Policy
Lots! We accept payments from most debit/credit cards including:
Mastercard, Visa, Maestro and American Express.
We also accept digital payments from:
Apple Pay, Google Pay and Paypal.
Think that gives you plenty of options :) All payments are made through a secure website with SSL certificates and secure encryption so you can purchase your items with total confidence.
Note: Orders are not processed until payments have been received.
Absolutely not! It would be useful for you and us if you did though. If you register then your details will be securely stored and it will save time when you order from us again.
If you want to register then please go to Account Registration
To be honest, not much at all. Simply these 4 things:
1) It's used to speed things up when you checkout next time round.
2) It can allow us to have a loyalty scheme in place to benefit you.
3) If you opt in to marketing then we will, occasionally as we don't agree with spamming, send newsletters, updates and follow up emails.
4) Most importantly, store it securely and never sell it or give it to third parties.
Under GDPR rules within the UK you are entitled to request all information that we hold about you.