A question for those that have used both vetbed and fleece

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sharonk

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If you have tried vetbed and tried fleece which did you like best and why? What were the main differences (if any)?
I'm wondered whether it's worth trying vetbed or if its so similar to fleece that it isn't really worth the switch.
I thought I might be able to cage clean once every four days or so but based on experience so far - the wetness of everything and the pong - I could really do to changing every day which seems like a lot especially when on top of that I also have the indoor run mess/fleece to set up and clean away everyday!
Thanks :)
 
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I would also be interested as I'm thinking of buying vet bed for their new cage when I (hopefully) head off to uni! :) bumpety bump.
 
I'm considering whether to alternate between vetbed and fleece but if there's not a lot of difference then I don't want to go to the expense of vetbed. I certainly need to buy SOMETHING else because two fleeces to swop over isn't working when I'm needing to change them pretty much EVERY DAY isn't enough! I mean at this time of year it's not too bad as I can dry outside but in the wetter colder months it'll be a nightmare as I don't have a dryer! Love the look and feel of soft fabric bedding for the piggies but am not loving the amount of work so far!
 
i always used shavings. then after joining this forum i tried fleece but soon changed to vetbed. i simply found that the fleece needed changing every couple of days where as the vetbed can last 5 - 7 days before needing to be changed.
 
That's interesting, why is that do you think? What does the vetbed 'do' differently that makes it last longer? Was it the wetness or smell that was making you having to change fleece so often?
Thanks
 
I have tried both and still use a combination of the two. I currently use fleece for most of the cage and use vetbed under the hayloft as its snugglier.

Fleece is easier to spot clean than vetbed as I have found poop gets stuck in the pile of the vetbed. Vetbed is much more expensive and harder to get in the washing machine. Depends on the size of your cage though as vetbed is comfier than fleece.
Overall I quite like both. As I have 5 pigs in a large C&C I use a combo of both due to cost of vetbed and washing machine space. If I was using smaller cages eg 120 or 140cm (and had less piggies :p) I would probably use vetbed as the girls seem to enjoy the extra snuggliness for chilling on.

Hopefully that all makes sense
Fiona and the girls Rosie,Rum,Maggie,Milkshake and Pixie x
 
sharonk said:
That's interesting, why is that do you think? What does the vetbed 'do' differently that makes it last longer? Was it the wetness or smell that was making you having to change fleece so often?
Thanks
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it was both actually. i would never use anything else now. vetbed is expensive to start with but it lasts a long time. i'm sure i read somewhere that it will last about 2 years. i find the grey vetbed with the green backing the best. i have some with pawprints on and that doesn't seem to stay dry for as long.
 
Where is the cheapest place to buy vet bed? I am wanting to trial it, but until i am happy with it dont want to part with a small fortune. x
 
Toffeewoffee said:
Where is the cheapest place to buy vet bed? I am wanting to trial it, but until i am happy with it dont want to part with a small fortune. x
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Ebay. I've had both my sets off there. One seller was called profleece and I can't remember the other. I needed massive bits for my boys new cage and could only get the width I wanted online. They are very happy with their new very camp lilac bedding!

I find I change it every 4-5 days. it does get poo stuck in a bit but I brush it down with a stiff brush before it goes in the machine and we have wash it in bags we got online that catch all the pet hair sao it doesn't clog your filters. They are magic!
 
Toffeewoffee said:
Do you order it to measure or buy a piece and cut it to size? x
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I knew what size I wanted so I ordered big enought then trimmed it to fit as it's a corner cage..

They will do pre cut to size from some sellers.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CUSTOM-MA...UK_Pet_Supplies_Dogs&var=&hash=item2566a066aa

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vet-Bed-n...UK_Pet_Supplies_Dogs&var=&hash=item25641c80dd

Those are jst examples. they do heaps of pre-cut sizes as well. it just depends on your cage but go for one whole piece as I found if you use bits then the pigs just dig it up and throw it around!
 
Thanks for all the info so far but can anyone shed light on the questions as to *why* the vetbed is superior to fleece, what does it do differently? Fleece wixks it to towels, does vetbed hold it in a bottom layer of itself or does it wick it all the way through and to what just newspaper? Also I presume if you don't need towels underneath just newspaper so less washing? Does it smell less?
Sorry for all questions am just intrigued as to the differences! Thanks :)
 
sharonk said:
Thanks for all the info so far but can anyone shed light on the questions as to *why* the vetbed is superior to fleece, what does it do differently? Fleece wixks it to towels, does vetbed hold it in a bottom layer of itself or does it wick it all the way through and to what just newspaper? Also I presume if you don't need towels underneath just newspaper so less washing? Does it smell less?
Sorry for all questions am just intrigued as to the differences! Thanks :)
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i just put newspaper underneath. i find that it starts to smell after 5 days or so. that's when i change it. the vetbed draws it through to the bottom - the newspapers obviousy get wet but the top stays dry. i simply fetch the vetbed out of their hutches, give it a good shake after brushing the loose hay, poops etc off then put it in the washer. when i tried fleece i found i was having to clean them out so much - this is far better in my opinion
 
I wonder if it smells more with fleece/towels then, because its the towels that are causing the most smell when wet? Out of interest do you have boys or girls, as I was led to believe boys are smellier anyway so maybe that has some bearing? Just find it strange that, essentially, vetbed and fleece do the same thing, ie wick the wee away to lower layers, yet one may smell more than the other. I know I'm being a bit scientific but I want to know LOL! <stamps foot> :))
 
When I decided to switch from loose bedding to fabric I used fleece not having heard of vetbed at the time. The hutch sits on a tile floor with the bottom of the hutch open on it. The second story has a wooden floor. The bottom of the hutch is 120 x 90 and the top is 120 x 45. I have 2 boys. I worried that the tile and wood surfaces would be too hard for them, so used a padded vynil table protector to give them a cushiony surface, then terry towelling waterproof washable mattress protector, then fleece. Poop pickups once or twice a day and then washing once a week of the fleece and mattress protector - the table protector stayed perfectly dry and clean because the matress protector bottom is vynil and doesn't let anything through.

When I heard about vetbed I switched to it only to give them a more cushiony surface so now don't need the table protector, just mattress protector and vet bed on top. I find no difference in upkeep. I prefer vetbed only because I want more "cushion" and it reduced the number of things from 3 to 2.
 
I use both, I put towels underneath and then newspaper and only need to change the set up comepletely every 4 days.

It was very noticable the first time I put them in the set up, am finding this with the boys too, where they are sitting in one place more often than when they are much more relaxed and sleeping and sitting all over the pen, the areas will be wetter where they sit all the time so I will change the paper or add another in that area until the 4th day to make sure that patch is dry for them at least. I also would move the veg plate, dry food bowl around to different areas so I can spread the wetness around. I also found by putting litter trays under hay racks it reduced the amount of wetness.

The boys seem to have a stronger smell than the girls, but once I spot clean their pen the smell isnt noticable to me so I think its just a build up of poops that makes the pen whiff a little, they are still settling in so I was expecting to have a noticable smell due to the sitting in the same place issue.

Anyway, vet bed does exactly the same as fleece, it wicks away the wet but due to the fibers on vetbed being so much thicker you might find it keeps them dryer or rather away from the wet towels/paper underneath for a little longer than fleece that can be wet if underneath is very wet. Both for me work well and do their job, just the pigs generally enjoy lying on the vetbed out in the open and find it cozy for them.
 
Am really struggling with this :( I took the fleece and towels out before with the intention of just shaking off the poo and hay and popping it back in but I just can't do it as the towels are soaking and stink! I only changed it at teatime yesterday! As i said washing at this time of year isn't so bad because they will dry but in winter it will be awful and I just can't be washing fleece and towels every day for the next five years or however long it'll be! I love the fact they love fleece and are cosy on it and I think if I used wood shavings I'd be worried about them being damp all the time or ill with URTI and the mess would drive me nuts, there's already hay everywhere which I'm struggling to contain. Argh don't know what to do next but am feeling bogged down already and they've only been here half a week! Help!
 
I wonder if the newspaper is thick enough, I have the fleece to provide a layer of dry underneath the piggies feet, then the towels are to draw the water away from the fleece followed by a thick layer of newspaper to absorb the majority of the wet from the towels, by day 4 in the wettest part the newspaper cannot absorb anymore, the towel is noticably damp underneath a slight damp patch on the fleece and that is when I know its deffinately clean out time for mine.

How big is the pen? The two boys are in a 5x2 c&c which works out at 5'9x2'3, the herd when inside are in a 6'something by 4'something - its a double bed with a small second layer. So that is the 5x2 for two large boys, didnt want a minimum space as they are a lovely chunky size and wanted to go as big as possible for them, which after a few days it is showing me that this is the right size as they have remained quite dry, note both pens have litter trays under water bottles and hay racks. Then the herd pen for 4 pigs is again mostly dry in some areas, the only wettest parts are round beds and where they eat the most, but moving the bowls and plates around helps to spread the wet patches about so it doesnt get so wet in one place. It would be worse if they were all in minimum sizes as there is less room to widdle around with.

And is the water bottle leaking a lot?
 
just wandering how people with really big cages deal with putting the vet bed in the washing machine? surely it would be hard to fit a really big bit in
 
Thanks for your long reply. The towels are really wet not just damp and the newspaper is *fairly* thick but I rely on my mum for papers as we don't buy them so I only have so much to use, think I'm going to have to start asking all the neighbours for their newspapers as well! The newspaper is wet inderneath too but its because the towels are sat there so wet and of course they can't dry being sandwiched under the fleece. I'm wondering whether to try bed pads or mattress protector instead to see if they are more absorbent. The fleece doesn't seem to be that wet if at all but the wet towels just smell!
Granted they are only in a ferplast 120 but every day bar today they have spent a large part of the day in an indoor pen so they certainly aren't in there all the time. But also means I then have all the indoor pen to layer with paper and more fleece to wash!
There isn't room for litter trays but having said that they don't seem to do most of their business under the food area, it's more where they sleep and then just random! And the water bottle doesn't seem to be leaking as far as I know.
 
piggypoos said:
just wandering how people with really big cages deal with putting the vet bed in the washing machine? surely it would be hard to fit a really big bit in
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My biggest piece is 120 x 90 cm and it just fits in my 5.5kg washer and 4kg dryer. It can be squished and gets softer after several washings.
 
sharonk said:
Thanks for your long reply. The towels are really wet not just damp and the newspaper is *fairly* thick but I rely on my mum for papers as we don't buy them so I only have so much to use, think I'm going to have to start asking all the neighbours for their newspapers as well! The newspaper is wet inderneath too but its because the towels are sat there so wet and of course they can't dry being sandwiched under the fleece. I'm wondering whether to try bed pads or mattress protector instead to see if they are more absorbent. The fleece doesn't seem to be that wet if at all but the wet towels just smell!
Granted they are only in a ferplast 120 but every day bar today they have spent a large part of the day in an indoor pen so they certainly aren't in there all the time. But also means I then have all the indoor pen to layer with paper and more fleece to wash!
There isn't room for litter trays but having said that they don't seem to do most of their business under the food area, it's more where they sleep and then just random! And the water bottle doesn't seem to be leaking as far as I know.
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Just a thought. Are you using any kind of fabric softener on your towels? Just like fleece they shouldn't be subjected to fabric softener as they lose their absorbent quality and tend to allow moisture to sit on top.
 
Well I know I have never used any on mine, my mum gave me a few of her old towels so not sure if hers have ever been 'conditioned', mind you I would guess not as they are quite old and rough feeling to be honest!
 
If you've washed them at least once without fabric softener than they have lost the conditioning so that can't be the problem. I always just used washable waterproof terry towelling mattress protector under mine. Two single bed sizes (so I would have a washday spare) cost me $36AUD intially which I believe is about 22 pounds.
 
sharonk said:
If you have tried vetbed and tried fleece which did you like best and why? What were the main differences (if any)?
I'm wondered whether it's worth trying vetbed or if its so similar to fleece that it isn't really worth the switch.
I thought I might be able to cage clean once every four days or so but based on experience so far - the wetness of everything and the pong - I could really do to changing every day which seems like a lot especially when on top of that I also have the indoor run mess/fleece to set up and clean away everyday!
Thanks :)
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I use both types of bedding for my boarding piggies and rabbits, and I much prefer fleece pads for guinea pigs as they're so messy with their poops, pee and hay. I find Vetbed a bit of a nightmare for guinea pigs, to be honest; the hair and hay just gets thoroughly stuck into the pile and, no matter how much you brush and shake it, it's just refuses to budge. Bits of hay and hair do still get stuck into the fleece, but I find fleece pads are much easier to brush clean.

I prefer Vetbed for the bunnies, though, as they're so much cleaner than piggies (most bunnies have very clean habits and will naturally litter train themselves, which makes cleaning out much easier).

Hope that helps! Tracey x
 
This is problably a bit late and I've been lazy and not read all the posts here but, just for my tuppence worth...

We use both vetbed and fleece. We have a layer of vetbed underneath a cheap fleece blanket from Primark (couple of quid). The fleece blanket takes most of the dirt and is easy to shake out, also the piggies can't get to the vetbed and rip bits out of it.

The vetbed itself is very absorbant and keeps them warm in the winter. We've used this bedding for about 18 months now and I think it's great. On full wash day (they get a spot clean everyday), once we've shaken out the fleece and vetbed, it all goes into an old duvet cover and into the washing machine. This stops any hay getting into the machine.

We get our vetbed here:

http://www.petnhome.co.uk/veterinary-bedding-c-11.html?gclid=CJq3v4_T3LACFSghtAod3lPFvA

It might seem expensive for a roll but you can get at least two if not three good sized pieces cut to size/shape out of it and they last about 8 or 9 months before they need replacing (mostly because they slowly shrink in the machine - the actual fabric was still ok).

Hope that's helpful
 
We use a similar set up now (since Feb after joining forum) in which we use newspaper on the bottom (2 x daily mails and a couple evening papers) which last a couple of days, then vetbed (changed 4-5 days but can last a week) and fleece on top (Ikea cheap blue, really good) changed every 2-3 days. The wee wicks through both fleece and vetbed. Daily poop scoops keeps the cage clean and the main fleece gets lifted daily and shaken outside (there are extra fleeces on top of their cottages).

With one boar and 3 sows we dont seem to notice any additional smell since adding Astro 3 weeks ago even though he has been marking his territory. We also use a fleece outside the cage as they have freedom to roam the living room. However, we do now block off access to my MIL's bed in the living room due to the Cavy Grand prix's that were taking place under there.
 
karonus said:
We use a similar set up now (since Feb after joining forum) in which we use newspaper on the bottom (2 x daily mails and a couple evening papers) which last a couple of days, then vetbed (changed 4-5 days but can last a week) and fleece on top (Ikea cheap blue, really good) changed every 2-3 days. The wee wicks through both fleece and vetbed. Daily poop scoops keeps the cage clean and the main fleece gets lifted daily and shaken outside (there are extra fleeces on top of their cottages).

With one boar and 3 sows we dont seem to notice any additional smell since adding Astro 3 weeks ago even though he has been marking his territory. We also use a fleece outside the cage as they have freedom to roam the living room. However, we do now block off access to my MIL's bed in the living room due to the Cavy Grand prix's that were taking place under there.
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Yes I forgot to add that we put down toilet paper in their usual pee areas (they're pretty good at peeing in the same place) and this is changed everyday as part of their spot clean :)
 
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