Bedding - confused with all the posts!

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Bow

Bow

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Hi,

Getting my first ever piggies in a few weeks and I'm getting confused reading all the bedding posts so after a bit of advice!

I'm going to order from cozy cavvies a couple of the fleece pouches for the closed hutch area, but unsure what else they need in there? Just newspaper on the bottom?

Also, the other side of the hutch with the wired front what shall I put in there? Obviously they'll need hay to eat but what do I actually need to put on the floor? I'm reading lots of good thing about vet bed but not sure if that's appropriate outside in that area or if it's just for sleeping in?

The hutch is outdoors and has plastic removable bottoms for easy cleaning (well I hope so lol) but I know I'll need something else on top!

Thanks
 
With the fleece, newspaper underneath is good, and old towels will work too.

With the other section, you could use newspaper on the bottom with hay over it. That's what I have for my piggies, half fleece and half hay.

Hope this helps :)
 
Thanks.

This may sound like a stupid question but I'm learning...! If they eat hay is it actually ok to use as flooring material too? And do they shred newspaper? Is it a daily change?
 
Ask all the questions you need! It really shows you care for the piggies you're getting :)

It's ok for them to eat the hay. I put some fresh hay in everyday because of this :) Mine don't shred the newspaper. I also clean mine out about once a week with the hay, and I wash the fleece every 3 days.
 
Thanks - I have quite a zoo already but I have to admit this is probably the most excited I've even been about any new additions!

Assume I need a few of the fleeces then to allow for the washing? Do they need one each or will they share a large one?

I have hay stocked up ready for them so sounds like this will be the option for the rest of the hutch too. Roll on the free newspapers through the door too lol
 
I found hay was very costly to use as a bedding - but then I do have 12 guineas!

I use chopped and shredded newspaper, it's called paper horse bedding, and found it as, unsurprisingly, my share horse is kept on it!

I like it a lot, its very absorbant and easy to clean out, and dust free unlike shavings.

You may find fleece is not warm enough for outdoor piggies, especially at night. Mine have loads of hay on top of their paper to snuggle up in, JoJo literally makes a burrow in the hay I leave for him (daft pig)

Pigloos are also good for providing a nice bed and a bit more warmth, but keep an eye on when it gets very hot. I was recommended these ones

[ame]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Interpet-Super-Pet-Giant-Hide-Out/dp/B0002DJ4P2[/ame]

And was very pleased to find two out shopping today. My new boy is asleep in one now and seems to like it a lot, they really are giant!
 
Sounds like I need some hay on top then in the closed area to keep them warm - only the best for my piggies!

Open area is going to be newpaper and hay - although I still am a little concerned that my boys will eat all their bedding lol
 
Bear in mind something like hay will need changing more regularly than a more absorbant bedding. Hay is not very absorbant at all and the hay and newspaper combo should be changed daily.

You could easily go through one or two newspapers a week depending on how much news you get!

Bear in mind some piggies just wont sleep inside things - Whiskey has refused to sleep in or under anything and she is 5 years old now. So the fleece tunnels are not for all piggies. You would need a fleece blanket for the floor underneath this. Also I am not sure on the size of the tunnels, but one each wont work if the piggies decide they like each other so much they want to sleep together like some of mine do.

I have never had my guineas properly indoors, they are all hutch guineas who are outside now and move their hutches into our conservatory in winter. I have never used fleece outside and personally never will as I like my piggies to be able to surround themselves with something at all times if they get cold, and make their own 'nests' as necessary. This is the benefit of paper bedding - it traps a lot of air between it so can be very warm, but they can push it about and lay on thin layers if they want. When it got hot last week JoJo was actually sleeping on the hutch floor as he decided he didn't want any bedding!

This is just what works for me and I find the most economical, I couldn't use fleece even if I wanted to as when you wash it the hair goes into the washing machine and can end up on other clothes, and my sister has allergies so it wouldn't be fair or nice for her at all.
 
I would ask the rescue they are coming from what they are kept on now, and if it is working, follow suit :)
 
I keep mine outside in the hutch (but they will be coming in when its colder months), they are on fleece, with a layer of towels under that, with a thick layer of newspaper (I work in bookies so I get lots of paper for free), then my new plywood floor and then a thick layer of newspaper before the original hutch floor. I change the fleece every week, the towels every 3 days and the newspaper the same.

In the bedroom section they have cozy beds to snuggle up in, there are 4 of them to huddle together should it be chilly but I fill the bedroom with lots of beds for them to use and to keep it warm for them, although I have had to change from tunnel type snuggles to open top ones as they were finding it to warm and lying ontop of the tunnel ones.

There is not right or wrong bedding to use really (apart from some types of wood shavings), it all comes down to personal choice and what works for you. I personally cannot let mine bed on hay as I have an allergy to hay so if they were covered in it, I would react to them as well and I have to keep the dust levels down for me as well.
 
Bow said:
Thanks.

This may sound like a stupid question but I'm learning...! If they eat hay is it actually ok to use as flooring material too? And do they shred newspaper? Is it a daily change?
Click to expand...

There are no stupid questions about caring for your piggies.
( You should her me at the vets office. SOOOO MANY QUESTIONS! @) )

I find that if the floor of your hutch is wood, it tends to soak up any leavings that seep through the newspaper.
I would recommend pine shavings, or some reeeeeealy observant liners under what ever bedding you choose.
 
Brought my piggies home today and they've settled straight in :)

The bottom of the hutch is removable plastic, to which I have put ontop newspaper, then towels, then hay. In the closed area they have the same but with some ecobed cardboard shreds - and some fleece beds which I'll be ordering tonight for extra comfort.

Thanks all!
 
Hi

I have a two teir hutch outside.

I use a layer of newspaper then cover this with a layer of finacard or ecopetbed which is shredded cardboard. I then out down a little bit of hay on top. In their bed they have a snuggle oo from cosy cavies and I put a good load of hay on top of this.

My piggies also have tubes, cardboard boxes and plastic igloos to hide in :)
 
Hi,

I use towels and fleece in my outside hutches, with the cozies in the bed area also.

It works really well as I shake the fleeces etc off in the compost bin and then replace with fresh bedding apart from extra washing it is a cheap bedding solution and soft, warm and comfortable for them:))
 
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