h.h.lovecraft
Junior Guinea Pig
Hey everyone! I am planning on getting two guinea pigs soon. I've had them all my life, but mostly on paper bedding, which isn't a possibility for me anymore because it's too expensive and creates too much waste, so my set up needs to change and I have some questions about it.
My plan is a 143 x 73 cm cage with fleece bedding and a litter box in the food area. I would use fleece on top and washable adult incontinence pads on the bottom. I've read that a towel between those two layers can be helpful as well, but not necessary. I would keep a litter tray filled with guinea pig safe wood stove pellets on one side of the cage. This is where their food bowls, water bottles, and hay would be to make it extra likely that they will use the bathroom there. The cage would be in my small living room right next to the sofa, so I do have concerns about the smell. I could clean the litterbox and spot clean everyday to keep the smell down, but the fleece itself would really have to work for a while, as it would be a little difficult for me to have to wash fleece every 2-3 days. It also seems very popular in my guinea pig group to put bath mats (those noodle looking ones from ikea) under hides and high traffic areas and switch them out more often, which sounds like a good idea.
I have also read that wood stove pellet bedding with fleece on top will stay clean and odor free for one to two months. This seems like a really great option, but I am worried about the dust. I have very bad allergies. I am allergic to guinea pigs already, so I'd like to keep the allergens to a minimal. The pellets do claim to be low dust and I am going to invest in an air purifier/hepa filter, but I'm still not sure about it. The fleece would definitely seem to help with my allergies, but I don't think it's possible for my lifestyle to be doing laundry every two or three days if that would be the case as well.
Let me know your thoughts and if you have any bedding tips or tricks. I am leaning towards the fleece bedding with adult washable incontinence pads underneath, as long as they would be able to last at least 5 days, ideally a week. Thanks for the help!
My plan is a 143 x 73 cm cage with fleece bedding and a litter box in the food area. I would use fleece on top and washable adult incontinence pads on the bottom. I've read that a towel between those two layers can be helpful as well, but not necessary. I would keep a litter tray filled with guinea pig safe wood stove pellets on one side of the cage. This is where their food bowls, water bottles, and hay would be to make it extra likely that they will use the bathroom there. The cage would be in my small living room right next to the sofa, so I do have concerns about the smell. I could clean the litterbox and spot clean everyday to keep the smell down, but the fleece itself would really have to work for a while, as it would be a little difficult for me to have to wash fleece every 2-3 days. It also seems very popular in my guinea pig group to put bath mats (those noodle looking ones from ikea) under hides and high traffic areas and switch them out more often, which sounds like a good idea.
I have also read that wood stove pellet bedding with fleece on top will stay clean and odor free for one to two months. This seems like a really great option, but I am worried about the dust. I have very bad allergies. I am allergic to guinea pigs already, so I'd like to keep the allergens to a minimal. The pellets do claim to be low dust and I am going to invest in an air purifier/hepa filter, but I'm still not sure about it. The fleece would definitely seem to help with my allergies, but I don't think it's possible for my lifestyle to be doing laundry every two or three days if that would be the case as well.
Let me know your thoughts and if you have any bedding tips or tricks. I am leaning towards the fleece bedding with adult washable incontinence pads underneath, as long as they would be able to last at least 5 days, ideally a week. Thanks for the help!