Bedding Help!

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CurlyLisa

Hi All

I wonder if you can help me with a bedding query I have! My guinea pigs are currently on hay. The breeder I got them from recommended this so I have carried this on as all her hutches had just hay in. I have only had them a week and wondered whether just hay was ok as bedding or whether you can recommend any other types? They definitely like their hay as they enjoy snuggling in it (I also have separate hay for them to eat) but I just want to know if I am doing the right thing for them!

Thank you for your advice!

xx
 
Hi Lisa,

Do your piggies live outdoors or in? If they're outdoors then I would suggest you're doing the right thing :) My girls live outdoors in the warmer months and live on a good thick layer of meadow hay with a seperate 'eating hay' too. I would suggest putting some newspaper underneath to soak up the pee and make it a little easier to clean out too ;)

If they're indoors though the easiest thing I have discovered since joining this forum is fleece. If you firstly put down old towels/newspaper then fleece on top it's so easy to keep tidy, just brush up the poops once or twice a day. The pee soaks through to the towels undereath, keeping the fleece layer on top nice and dry, plus you don't get hay all over your living room! :)). You can still keep a box or dome full of hay for them to suggle in if you like, but my girls seem to enjoy snuggling underneath a fleece 'tent' just as much ;)

Hope that helps :)
 
That sounds much easier! :))

My piggies are indoors and I am finding hay everywhere even though I'm hoovering more than ever! I have been putting newspaper under the hay which really helps but its still a pain to clean out as I have a large cage for them as even though I get them out daily if I get stuck at work I want them to have plenty of room to run!

Can you get fleece from any pet shop? I know I sound a bit stupid but what is a "fleece tent"?

Thank you again! x
 
Hi and welcome.

I have just changed over to fleece and i love it! I use puppy pads at the moment underneath the fleece to soak up the wee, but have ordered incontinence pads that are very good at soaking up the wee and they are reusable you just pop them in the wash and let them dry.

I posted a few questions about fleece before i switched this is my thread if you fancy reading it.http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=41963 On here is the link to the inco pads i was talking about and many on here use them. :) They may seem pricey but can be reused and i didnt fancy the towels idea, but thats just me.

You can buy any type of fleece and i got mine from b&m bargains for £1.99, just make sure that you wash it about 2 or 3 times before you put it into their cage as this helps with the wicking process. Also dont use ANY softener as this can stop the wee from wicking through.

Mine have a litter tray lined with newspaper and megazorb and then hay on top, they also have a hay rack above the tray too. Here is my set up with fleece, scroll down a little to my photos. http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=42538

Hope this helps :))
 
It's not stupid at all!

This is the pen my girls were in until a few days ago. I clipped a folded piece of fleece to the bars with bulldog clips, (but you could use clothes pegs or anything similar and just let the end drape down so they can hide and sleep underneath. I've put a piece of 'vetbed' bedding under there too so it's nice and cosy :)

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You don't have to get your fleece from a pet shop. Any fleece throw is good. I've found the cheapest place to be Primark or Ikea. This stripy one was only £2.50. Just make sure you wash them before you use them and NEVER use fabric softener on them (or the towels underneath). Softener seals the fabric and the pee will stay on the top, rather then wicking away through.

Another good thing for keeing them nice and dry is 'Puppy training pads' if you add a layer of these too, the pee will be soaked up even more :)
 
I used fleece ontop of towels on top of newspaper for along time with my previous piggies, now I use fleece with incontinence pads underneath and I have to say I think this is a winning combination for indoor piggies . Roger also has a corner large litter tray with newspaper, back 2 nature litter and hay which so far he is using religiously for his toileting.

Fleece can be bought as mentioned above cheaply from most places or by the metre (depending on how much you want) from textile/fabric sellers or ebay even.

Always wash your fleece approx 3 times before using it without conditioner/fabric softner to make sure it's wicking abilities are at their best.

Do let us see pics if you decide to change over hun.
 
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Thank you both so much for your advice! I definitely need to get some more bigs for Bubbles & Squeak. They seem happy in their cage but I will def get them more bits and look into getting fleece for them too as it looks like a really sensible idea!

By the way your guineas all look adorable! x)

I've never really been an animal lover but adore my two already after a week, and the fact that they have really settled and love their cuddles already is so adorable! xx
 
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