Day 3 and converting to fleece - advice please.

[QueeniePig]

The hoover has never been used so much and the vast amount of woodshaving is really getting to my eyes.

This is the cage we have:

I am thinking fleece with towels or dog training pads and newspaper underneath and then the top tray just using newspaper and hay. I would like to put something around the sides of the feeding area (top tray) to stop the hay falling out everywhere - what would be suitable for this? Also do you think the top tray needs the removable ramp up - the piggies dont seem to use if but i dont want to remove it and risk them hurting themselves but do you think they would be ok?

Also for exercise - is laminate suffice when the whether is bad we have no escape routes in the kitchen it is completely square with kick boards under the units i think it would be ideal to let them run around for a few hours in the evening? When i eventually take the step of picking them up

 

[skrikopanik]

The cage is on the smaller side for fleece bedding, you may have to change the fleece every day, depending on the poopability of your piggies...

You could experiment with cardboard and make sides to see what works with height openings etc. I don't think they need the ramp. My piggies easily jump up on 15 cm hideys.

 

[skrikopanik]

double post

 

[CiaraPatricia]

Poopability

 

[helen105281]

We have that cage as part of our set up and use fleece with newspaper underneath. They are free range in the living room though so are only in the cage some of the time.

 

[QueeniePig]

Hmmmm would vetbed be better then? I will be removing poop daily its the wee wee that concerns me but i really cant put up with all the shavings!

 

[skrikopanik]

No, fleece is probably better when you change often because it doesn't take up as much space in your washing machine.

Give it a try with one or two cheap fleece throws and see how it works out for you!

 

[CiaraPatricia]

Yeah vet bed might be better!

You can pick it up every day or twice a day, and shake off the poops, just have maybe newspaper underneath and throw away the newspaper and replace it once a day. That should be fine I'd say. Then wash the vet bed whenever you think, but it would last longer than fleece because the wee drains through better in my experience anyway.

 

[Bailey]

I use fleece blankets on top of old towels. I use the wire part of my cage to secure it. It really suits me, I can sweep up stray poops saily (they use a litter tray mostly) then before I wash the fleeces I give it a good shake into our big bin. I've used vet bed in the past but found hay stuck to it a lot more and clogged the washing machine.

*edit to add* Before you use the fleece wash it two or three times without Comfort to make it more absorbent otherwise the pee will sit on the top.

Just a side note if you have two boys you may want to consider a bigger cage in the future as they may end up fighting 8... Please don't take this as a criticism, it isn't meant to be xx

 

[skrikopanik]

Haha, as you see we all have differen opinions . Vetbed will be fine too, but it's bulkier and more expensive to get. It's why I suggest you try with some el cheapo fleece before you make a big economical committment.

I use a compination of fleece and vetbed in my cage so I see the positives of both

 

[QueeniePig]

Before you use the fleece wash it two or three times without Comfort to make it more absorbent otherwise the pee will sit on the top

would i wash then dry it or just put it in 2 or 3 different loads without drying in between?

Just a side note if you have two boys you may want to consider a bigger cage in the future as they may end up fighting Please don't take this as a criticism, it isn't meant to be xx

already looking at bigger and better I'm considering making a large one in the garage for them, so they can go in there whilst we are at work and school and then bring them into the one we have now at night time

 

[Bailey]

Also with fleece blankets you can buy patterns to suit your tastes

I have a yellow one with bright polka dots, a blue one with flowers and I've just ordered two lion patterned ones |) I know the piggies don't care what pattern it is but I like having different ones.

would i wash then dry it or just put it in 2 or 3 different loads without drying in between?

I washed and dried mine, I found two was enough. It dries really quickly and you can tumble dry it but it might shrink. You can wash the blankets at high temperatures if you need to. I found lice in my piggy the other day so stuck the used bedding in the washer at 90.

already looking at bigger and better I'm considering making a large one in the garage for them, so they can go in there whilst we are at work and school and then bring them into the one we have now at night time

Check out some of the C&C cages people have, I'm soooo jealous of them

 

[QueeniePig]

Check out some of the C&C cages people have, I'm soooo jealous of them

I've checked out peoples bought and C&C cages and i'm jealous too - there are some amazing set ups and some very lucky little piggies

 

[Bailey]

I've checked out peoples bought and C&C cages and i'm jealous too - there are some amazing set ups and some very lucky little piggies

I know, Amber & Coco are not allowed to look at them I can just imagine it now "Buuuuuuut whyyyyyyyy can't wheeeee have one, alllllllll the other piggies have a C&C cage, it's noooooooooot faaaaaaaiiiiir"

*ahem* if they could talk obviously")

 

[QueeniePig]

i know, amber & coco are not allowed to look at them i can just imagine it now "buuuuuuut whyyyyyyyy can't wheeeee have one, alllllllll the other piggies have a c&c cage, it's noooooooooot faaaaaaaiiiiir"

*ahem* if they could talk obviously

 

[QueeniePig]

Well so far so good - washed and dried the fleece twice and bought a litter tray filled also with separate fleece but doubled up, towel then paper and thats under the food tray where they normally go to sleep - so far ive seen no wee's on the fleece and most poop is in their bed. Today was the first pick up since they arrived and they were petrified but they spent two hours in the kitchen with everyone fussing over them, toys and fresh veg and tonight they seem a lot more content and I'm sure tom was pop corning in his cage. They are happy to buzz about their cage now with us around and i even had to budge tom off his food bowl to get to it so progress has been made My only concern with them now is their sex, jerry is being a bit of a sex pest with tom and as they are so terrified when picked up i didnt want to go over upsetting him (or her) by attempting to check if he is a she and risk being bitten too but the lady in the shop did turn him and showed what looked like a willy lol! here is the cage now but its off my mob as i couldnt be bothered getting my big cam out!