Confused over bedding and don't know where to start?!

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sharonk

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We are getting our first piggies in a couple of weeks and I so can't decide what to buy for their bedding?! I've read several threads on here about different types of bedding and the pros and cons of each and I keep changing my mind! I know it's down to personal preference but having never had any expereince I need a starting point. I wanted to do fleece because I liked the look of it and think that although the initial outlay may be a but high it would reduce ongoing costs but I'm a bit worried about washing the fleece in the machine and it getting muck and mess on our clothes and whether it is hygenic(?). I also want the least smelliest option as they are going to be indoor piggies! Is it best to just start of with newspaper, kitchen roll and other absorbent stuff under hay and see how we get on? I can't see how you would 'spot' clean this system though without sweeping it all out and starting again and worry about the cost of all the hay or is hay probably quite a cheap option if bought in bulk?! Argh I don't know!
Thanks for any thoughts!
 
Fleece is the best in my opinion as it is 100 % dust free which is good if your Piggies are prown to catching URI's, when I had my Piggies on Megazorb (typical bedding made from wood pulp) they were constantly sneezing and itching now I've put them on fleece there's none of that. Also the first time I put my Guinea Pigs on fleece they were really happy and pop corning around. If you make sure you brush all pet hair, hay, poop etc. off the fleece before you wash it it will be fine in your washing machine. Also the fleece shouldn't smell aslong as you wash it every 3 days (or whenever it looks like it needs cleaning) it shouldn't smell. Fleece is so much more managable than conventional beddings as with conventional beddings you have to scoop the bedding out and it can get really, but with fleece simply brush down the fleece and stick in the washing machine at 30-40 degress.

Hope I helped. :)
 
I use fleece in one cage and a paper based bedding called "back to nature" in another.

Fleece, is a bit smelly at first, hard to get used to, but as you've said looks lovely, i wash all my piggie things separate to anything else and there always well shaken out in the garden before going into the washing machine.
Some people put them in like pillow cases and duvet cases to stop hairs getting in the machine but i got a special rubber brush to get them of from betterware which is great.
Fleece is a hard upkeep as it has to be poop scooped daily and then changed every 3 days, sometimes i wish i didn't have it as i live a fairly busy life as a student but one piggie has a dust allergy and it's the best bedding for him and so i use it just in that one cage.

Back to nature is great and doesn't smell at all which I'm so happy with. it's nice for the piggies although at first he was unsure about the crunching sound when he walked but all adjusted now. I clean it out every week and it's just a nice bedding overall. (:

I've tried woodshavings before but it's quite hard to find a good and cheap brand that isn't dusty !


** just to add i don't like using just hay as a bedding as i find it a little smelly as it's not all that absorbent and the newspaper just gets soggy and yucky. Also one of my piggies had a hay poke in his eye which led to eye drops which just made me wary of it in general. And also piggies wee the hay they eat and poop on more than in there rack that way too yuck ! :L
 
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I'm sure you've given yourself a head ache trying to weigh up the pros and cons of bedding. I would suggest that you start with what the housing will be and then look again at the pros and cons for that type of housing. I started with a shop bought pen with a large plastic try, I used wood shavings in that first and then I went on to vetbed but they both had thier problems. Eventualy I ended up with a C&C and that lends itself nicely to fitted fleece liners. So I'm afraid there is no 100% best answer for you. It all depends on what you and the piggies get on with
 
Fleece with a paper bedding in the kitchen. If you have a kitchen for hay you will only need to pluck a few pieces of hay before you wash fleece. Put towels under the fleece. Newspaper is the only thing I cant stand- unapealing, smelly, needs to de changed every day. Upkeep isn't too much work for fleece if you keep it clean like me. By this I mean keep hay off of it. I wash my fleece every week because my piggies usually don't use the toilet on the fleece because the hiddies are in the kitchen because I put hay in them. Scoop poops every day. Keep us updated on what bedding you are using!
 
Thanks for all the responses so far :) I know the subjects been done to death and you're probably sick of answering posts about it but I do really appreciate it! I think I do want to try fleece. Its whether I buy all in one fleece cage liners, try and get mum to make some (although time is a bit limited for that before they arrive) or just use fleece with some layers underneath and deciding if they should be newspaper, puppy pads, towels or other (?) or a combination of two or three of those! I have a ferplast 120 cage although ultimately may look to construct an indoor hutch or convert a piece of furniture of something.
Also, sort of connected to bedding, what do you put on the floor when they run around indoors. We will probably buy or make a metal pen type thing but what would go on the floor? They would be on laminate floor not carpet.
Thanks again I do appreciate the help :)
 
I have Lino in both of my hutches and I'm soon putting it in my other cage.
To me it's the best, you can just get a pan and brush and sweep up the poops and use a towel to get rid of any wee, I give Clive hay in his igloo for comfort but he usually sleeps on his teddy anyway so it's not needed. I've used towels and fleece and if I'm honest I hated it, it was t very easy to get the poops up and I didn't like having to wash it every other day. I'm more than happy with my setup now it takes me less than 5 minutes to clean them and I have to admit its adorable hearing their little feet pattering away as they walk xD
 
But with lino does he not end up walking in wee because it doesn't absorb? Or do you mop up every day?
 
sharonk said:
But with link does he not end up walking in wee because it doesn't absorb? Or do you mop up every day?
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I mop it up as and when it needs it. It doesn't take very long so I think it's a small price to pay.
 
i used to use shavings but since joining this forum i found out about vetbed. i have never looked back since starting to use it - it warm, absorbant and comfy for the pigs feet. they seem to approve of it too. it is quite costly to start with but once you've got it, it will last for a long time - i believe about 2 years.
 
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