Should I make a C&C cage for my guinea pigs?

I recently bought guinea pigs and I keep them in a cage with a wire bottom and a tray underneath it for easy cleaning. I heard that wire bottoms are harmful for their feet.What should I do for the pigs' convenience and to make cleaning easier? Please give any suggestions...

• I had to paint the cage and so had to move the pigs to a cardboard box for a day or two. I put several layers of newspaper and a layer of plastic sheet on top. I still found it very difficult to clean their droppings and found it disgusting that they had to walk around in their droppings. Most websites say that wire bottoms are bad for guinea pigs but according to my observations , my guinea pigs don't seem to mind.please suggest so etching that'll keep my guinea pigs happy but is easy to clean as well or the give the closest to the above

• Answer:

  Well, I'm not sure I can help you much with the wire cage. Most guinea pig rescues say to not use wire cages. They won't immediately harm your pigs feet, but over time wire cages can cause irritation and lead to bumblefoot. Bumblefoot is a bacterial infection, usually on the feet, and if it become bad it can be very, very hard to cure. See here for more info: http://www.guinealynx.info/pododermatitis.html#causes In addition, the wire cages sold in stores are usually too small for guinea pigs. I use a wire cage that has a flat bottom for transporting and overnight stays, and that's it. The rest of the time the guinea pigs live in a coroplast lined cage with grids as the walls and support. Check out this site http://www.guinealynx.info/housing.html to see examples of homes people have made for their pigs. Some people use fleece or towels to line the cages, others use bedding. I use a mixture of towels, fleece for hang-out spots, and bedding where the hay is (in hopes that they'll pee and poop there more--some people report being able to litter train their pigs, but I haven't had much luck). Guinea pigs totally don't mind walking around their poops--I understand you find it unsanitary, but they don't mind. Actually, if you pick up a older poop, you'll discover it's hard and won't leave any residue on your hands, so it's not all that gross. Even fresh poops will only leave a slight residue on your fingers--if they aren't staying formed into poops you're probably feeding too many greens or something is wrong. Keep in mind, these are animals that eat some of their own poop! I am still bemused that they'll sit where they've peed though--seems like they wouldn't like it, but they don't seem to mind much. Don't worry a crazy amount about cleaning out the poops--the main thing is to remove the urine, because the dampness isn't good for them and the urine is the main thing that stinks the place up (lots of ammonia! Wee!) You said you painted your cage? Was it just wire before? Are you sure the paint you used is safe? Guinea pigs sometimes chew on wire and may ingest the paint. Good luck, and hope you figure out something that works for you and your guinea pigs.