Hides and houses
Shelves and ledges
Foraging and toys
Cage accessories
Kits and bundles
Fairy forest
Spooky mischief
Sweetie stash
Game mode
Forest floor
Castles and cathedrals
What is a C&C cage?
C&C stands for cubes and coroplast. The cubes are coated wire storage grids, usually 35.5 cm (14 in) square, joined with round plastic connectors to make the walls. The coroplast is corrugated plastic sheet, folded into a shallow tray that sits inside the walls as a waterproof floor. Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue describes them as a customisable and often cheaper alternative to ready-made cages, and Humane World for Animals says many rescue groups recommend them.
Their big advantage is size. Most shop cages are smaller than they look, while a C&C cage can be built to exactly the floor your guinea pigs need, then made longer later. Our guide to guinea pig cage size explains how the minimums are worked out; this page turns them into grids.
C&C cage sizes for 1, 2, 3 and 4 guinea pigs
Each grid adds about 35.5 cm (14 in) of length, so cage sizes are given as grids wide by grids long. Areas below are worked out from the grid size and vary a little by brand.
| Grids | Floor, about | Area, about | Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue | Our pick for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 x 3 | 71 x 107 cm (28 x 42 in) | 0.75 m² (8.2 sq ft) | 1 or 2 guinea pigs | Too small for a pair, by Humane World's preferred size |
| 2 x 4 | 71 x 142 cm (28 x 56 in) | 1 m² (10.9 sq ft) | 2 or 3 guinea pigs | Two sows, or a neutered boar and sow |
| 2 x 5 | 71 x 178 cm (28 x 70 in) | 1.26 m² (13.6 sq ft) | Not listed | Two boars, or three guinea pigs |
| 2 x 6 | 71 x 213 cm (28 x 84 in) | 1.51 m² (16.3 sq ft) | Not listed | Four guinea pigs |
| 3 x 4 or bigger | 107 x 142 cm (42 x 56 in) | 1.51 m² (16.3 sq ft) | Not listed | Four, if you have a wide space rather than a long one |
Here is how those picks line up with the welfare figures for each group size.
| Guinea pigs | Humane World for Animals | Woodgreen (UK) | Grids we would use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.7 m² (7.5 sq ft) bare minimum | Not given; guinea pigs need company | 2 x 4, ready for a friend |
| 2 sows | 0.7 m² (7.5 sq ft) minimum; 1 m² (10.5 sq ft) preferred | 153 x 61 cm (5 x 2 ft) | 2 x 4 |
| 2 boars | As for two sows | 182 x 61 cm (6 x 2 ft), as much room as possible | 2 x 5 |
| 3 | 1 m² (10.5 sq ft) minimum; 1.2 m² (13 sq ft) preferred | 182 x 61 cm (6 x 2 ft) | 2 x 5 |
| 4 | 1.2 m² (13 sq ft) minimum; 76 x 193 cm (30 x 76 in) preferred | A larger indoor setup or converted shed | 2 x 6 or 3 x 4 |
Where the sources differ, we take the larger figure. A 2 x 4 clears Humane World's preferred pair size and gives more floor than Woodgreen's 153 x 61 cm, though it is a little shorter, so a 2 x 5 is worth it if your space is long and narrow. Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue adds that these sizes are for the main level only: a second level does not make up for a smaller base. Our page on guinea pig pairs and groups covers which combinations live well together.
Safe grids: hole size and what to avoid
The grid holes are the one real danger in a C&C cage. GuineaPigCages.com, a long-running C&C guide site, says inner grid holes must be no bigger than 3.8 cm (1.5 in), because a guinea pig's head can get trapped in a bigger opening. Standard 35.5 cm (14 in) grids have 9 squares across and 9 down, which gives holes of about 3.5 cm (1 3/8 in).
- Count the squares: 9 across and 9 down on a 35.5 cm (14 in) grid; fewer squares means bigger, unsafe holes
- Measure one hole inside the wires: 3.8 cm (1.5 in) or less
- Check grid and connector sizes match, since some sellers offer 30 cm (12 in) grids that do not fit standard connectors
- Choose powder-coated grids where you can, as chewers can strip thin vinyl coatings
- For babies, fit a secondary barrier of coroplast, cardboard or fine mesh around the lower walls until they are fully grown
How tall should a C&C cage be, and does it need a lid?
One grid high is enough. A single 35.5 cm (14 in) grid clears the 30 cm (12 in) side height Humane World for Animals asks for, and guinea pigs do not climb. The coroplast tray inside should have walls about 15 cm (6 in) high: Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue warns that some ready-made C&C cages sold online have sides too low to keep hay and bedding in.
Humane World says the top can stay open as long as other pets cannot reach in. Add a lid if you have cats, dogs or young children, or if boars live beside sows. Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue's own cages come without lids and it suggests making one from wire closet shelving.
Raised C&C cages and stands
A C&C cage can sit on the floor or on a stand or table. Woodgreen shows an L-shaped C&C raised off the floor as one of its housing ideas. A raised cage is easier on your back when cleaning, but the stand must be wide enough to support the whole base and the guinea pigs must never be able to fall off an edge. If you add a loft, Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue warns that every open side of an upper level needs walls, because a fall from an unwalled second storey can cause serious injury, and the loft still does not count as floor.
How to build a C&C cage
These are the parts for a 2 x 4 cage, plus what to add for bigger sizes.
- 12 grids for a 2 x 4 (4 per long side, 2 per short side); add 2 grids for each extra grid of length
- Connectors: one at the top and one at the bottom of every join, so 24 for a 2 x 4
- One sheet of 4 mm coroplast; standard sheets are 122 x 244 cm (4 x 8 ft)
- A long ruler or straight edge, a craft knife and a pen
- Strong tape, such as duct tape, for the tray corners
- Cable ties for extra strength on long walls
- Bedding, hay rack, hides, water and food bowls to furnish it
- Clear the space. Measure where the cage will go, allowing a little extra around the grids. A 2 x 4 needs about 75 x 145 cm (30 x 57 in) of floor or table.
- Build the walls. Join the grids with connectors into a rectangle 2 grids wide and 4 long, one grid high. Snap connectors on at the top and bottom of every join.
- Measure the tray. Measure the inside of the grid walls. Add 15 cm (6 in) on every side for the tray walls. For a 2 x 4 that is roughly 101 x 172 cm (40 x 68 in).
- Score and fold. Draw lines 15 cm (6 in) in from every edge. Score along them lightly, without cutting through, and fold the sides up.
- Make the corners. At each corner, cut along one line to the fold point, then fold the flap round the outside of the wall and tape it firmly.
- Drop the tray in. Lower the tray inside the grid walls. It should fit snugly, with the walls standing straight against the grids.
- Furnish it. Lay bedding, then add a hide per guinea pig, a hay rack, water and a food bowl. Our guinea pig cage setup guide shows layouts.
C&C cage or a shop cage?
A C&C cage nearly always gives more floor for the space and the money, and it is easy to clean because the tray lifts out or the walls unclip. Shop cages are quicker to set up and some come with a lid. Whichever you choose, the floor size matters most: measure the inside of the base, and check any cage with our cage checker. Our guide to the best guinea pig cages covers ready-made options.
Fill the cage with safe bedding from our guinea pig bedding guide, give daily floor time from our page on guinea pig floor time, and see our complete guinea pig care guide for everything else. If you came here for rats, our guide to the best rat cages explains why they need something else.
C&C cage questions
What does C&C stand for in guinea pig cages?
Cubes and coroplast. The cubes are wire storage grids, usually 35.5 cm (14 in) square, clipped together with plastic connectors to make the walls. Coroplast is corrugated plastic sheet, folded into a waterproof tray that sits inside the grids as the floor and lower walls.
What size C&C cage do 2 guinea pigs need?
A 2 x 4 grid cage, about 71 x 142 cm (28 x 56 in) and roughly 1 m² (10.9 sq ft). Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue says a 2 x 4 suits two or three guinea pigs, and it reaches the 10.5 sq ft Humane World for Animals prefers for a pair. Two boars do better in a 2 x 5.
Is a 2 x 3 C&C cage big enough?
Only just, and only for two calm sows. Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue lists a 2 x 3 for one or two guinea pigs, but at about 0.75 m² (8.2 sq ft) it is under the 10.5 sq ft Humane World for Animals prefers for a pair. We would start at 2 x 4.
Does a C&C cage need a lid?
Usually not. Humane World for Animals says the top can be open as long as other pets cannot get in. Add a lid if you have cats, dogs or small children, or if boars live next to sows. Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue suggests making one from wire closet shelving.
Can you use a C&C cage for rats?
No. Rats climb and squeeze through small gaps, and C&C grid holes of about 3.5 cm (1.4 in) are far too wide to hold them. Rats need a tall barred cage with narrow bar spacing and several levels. Our guide to the best rat cages covers what to look for.
Are C&C cages safe for baby guinea pigs?
Only with a barrier. Baby guinea pigs can push their heads through standard grid holes. Add a strip of coroplast, cardboard or fine mesh around the lower part of the walls until they are fully grown, and use grids with 9 squares across, never fewer.
