Bedding query

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Gemma McD

Gemma McD

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi there, just wondering what bedding people use and what's recomended as I've read a few different things that have left me confused!

I currently use sawdust, banked up in wee corners, then hay in the bedroom area. How deep should I have the sawdust? Should I put hay on top of it, or just leave it in the bedroom part? Should I put newspaper under the sawdust layer? Also, should there be a sawdust layer under the hay in the bedroom?

Any advice very gratefully appreciated :))

Gemma, Ginny and Saffy
 
I use fleece. I find saw dust a real mess. I put towels down and two layers of fleece. It is nice and cosy for them.
 
I use fleece and towels mainly because of cost,but also as it is better for the piggies as they don't inhale small particles and it is much more warm and comfortable for them:)
 
piggyfan said:
I use fleece. I find saw dust a real mess. I put towels down and two layers of fleece. It is nice and cosy for them.
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So you don't use hay for bedding at all, just give it to them as food? Take it you have to change towels and fleece everyday?

Gemma, Ginny and Safft
 
lily 74 said:
I use fleece and towels mainly because of cost,but also as it is better for the piggies as they don't inhale small particles and it is much more warm and comfortable for them:)
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Where do you get the fleece from? Do you just use a load of cheap towels, say from a charity shop? Take it you don't use hay as bedding either, just as food?

Gemma, Ginny and Saffy
 
I've just bought some cheap fleeces from Dunelm, I'm washing them at the moment :)

Previously I have used woodchips on newspaper in the past, but they tend to get into piggie's eyes & bits & are bad for their lungs, so with my second pair I used newspaper, layered with soft chop straw then readigrass with hay in one corner which they ate then slept in rolleyes. If you are using hay as bedding then it needs to be changed daily as they tend to pee in it :))

However this time around I am going to use fleece as I love the idea of them running on soft stuff lol then underneath that some old towels & under that I will put some newspaper just in case, or I may use a waterproof mattress cover folded up.
 
Poppy'sMum said:
I've just bought some cheap fleeces from Dunelm, I'm washing them at the moment :)

Previously I have used woodchips on newspaper in the past, but they tend to get into piggie's eyes & bits & are bad for their lungs, so with my second pair I used newspaper, layered with soft chop straw then readigrass with hay in one corner which they ate then slept in rolleyes. If you are using hay as bedding then it needs to be changed daily as they tend to pee in it :))

However this time around I am going to use fleece as I love the idea of them running on soft stuff lol then underneath that some old towels & under that I will put some newspaper just in case, or I may use a waterproof mattress cover folded up.
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I think I'm going to give up on shavings as it's getting quite messy, really going through it and Ginny sits in her wee! If I go to fleece with towels and newspaper underneath I guess the wee will absorb into it all and hopefully not be on the surface for her to get a wet bum
:(|) How often should I change the bedding and is it a good idea to shake the poos off while they are out, as the poos are all over the place! Should I then get a hayrack or just leave them with a pile of hay to eat?
Thanks
Gemma, Ginny and Saffy
 
I use shredded paper. My dad brings it home for me from work, I find it works well, it's not dusty like shavings. I line the bottom of the cage with newspaper, then put the shredded paper on top of that. It works pretty well for me. (:
 
sunnypig said:
I use shredded paper. My dad brings it home for me from work, I find it works well, it's not dusty like shavings. I line the bottom of the cage with newspaper, then put the shredded paper on top of that. It works pretty well for me. (:
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If you have a free source of it, then why not! Don't know where I'd get it from though :(
 
I use a layer of fleece (cheap ones from wherever i can get them the latest being from tesco), on top of a layer of old towels and then a couple layers of newspaper under that. I use hay as bedding in there comfy area (a small section of their cage) which they adore but it does have to be changed fairly regularly. I do poo pickup either once at least once a day, more if it's needed and I have time. And then a full clean out every five days, though four would probably be a little nicer. Well that's the full run through lol :).
 
Coconut said:
I use a layer of fleece (cheap ones from wherever i can get them the latest being from tesco), on top of a layer of old towels and then a couple layers of newspaper under that. I use hay as bedding in there comfy area (a small section of their cage) which they adore but it does have to be changed fairly regularly. I do poo pickup either once at least once a day, more if it's needed and I have time. And then a full clean out every five days, though four would probably be a little nicer. Well that's the full run through lol :).
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Well that sounds pretty straightforward and at least I know how to handle clean ups now! Do you give them a seperate bed or just a bedding area? I have been using their igloo for a bed but sometimes I find they've pushed it around and blocked themselves in so I did wonder if I should try something else.
 
Lots of people use hay racks, personally I never have. If they are babies I would be cautious as there is a possibility of them getting trapped in a rack if they are hanging on the inside of the cage. My piggies used to love tunneling into their hay & hiding then would eat their way out lol :)) If you do use hay in that way you really should consider using Timothy hay, it is quite expensive though, because sometimes normal shop bought hay does have hay lice in. Timothy hay such as Oxbow is sterile as it is imported form the US.

That isn't a problem if you use some sort of shampoo on them every couple of months (such as Gorgeous Guinea Lice & Easy or Flea or Die) to control the lice or some topical preventative but I expect someone will be able to tell you more about that. :)
 
Gemma McD said:
Well that sounds pretty straightforward and at least I know how to handle clean ups now! Do you give them a seperate bed or just a bedding area? I have been using their igloo for a bed but sometimes I find they've pushed it around and blocked themselves in so I did wonder if I should try something else.
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Lol straightforward is what i like :)) nice and easy to keep to. When I had two I only had the bedding area and they were happy with it that way (squabbled when I put an igloo in actually). Now I've got four in together I have the bedding area and an igloo in there, they were fine when the igloo wasn't in there though. The amount of beds is totally up to you, how your pigs are together and the amount of space there is, some people say it should be one bed per pig but I think it more depends on the Guinea pigs, mine are all very much in love with each other so have no problem sleeping together and there is always enough space if they want to get away. And oh I know what you mean about the igloo I have to put it back in it's place like 5 times a day lol :)).
 
I use a layer of newspaper, than towel and the fleece on top. I have a hay rack for them. And a cat bed for them to sleep in:))
 
emmalala said:
I use a layer of newspaper, than towel and the fleece on top. I have a hay rack for them. And a cat bed for them to sleep in:))
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I thought I might get them a cute little bed instead of their pigloo. I tell myself it's to make them cosier and stop them getting blocked in, when in reality it's so I can deck their hutch out in all things cute and girlie
:(|)
 
Are your piggies living indoors and outdoors?

If my piggies were outdoors I would use lots of hay in the bedroom to keep them cosy.

However mine are indoors and have towels and fleece on floor but in their hay tray use newspaper, shredded paper and LOTS of hay topped up twice a day :)
 
TwoPiggies said:
Are your piggies living indoors and outdoors?

If my piggies were outdoors I would use lots of hay in the bedroom to keep them cosy.

However mine are indoors and have towels and fleece on floor but in their hay tray use newspaper, shredded paper and LOTS of hay topped up twice a day :)
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They are kept outdoors and as it's getting colder at night I want to get their bedding nice and warm. Thought I'd change to newspaper, towels and fleece then get them a cosy bed instead of their pigloo so would provide hay more for food than keeping warm. Does that sound OK to keep them nice and warm?
 
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