Does Fleece stink??

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naboosmummy

naboosmummy

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Currently 2 days in with my piggie and using sawdust...now i know animals make mess thats what they do but because he keeps running away the amount of sawdust getting kicked out is a bit annoying lol so to make him cosy and to save me turning into mrs sweep with the dustpan...can you advise me on the fleece option in terms of smells...i just bought 2 100% polyester fleeces and some towels to go under but all my work mates who are not GP owners said ergh that is going to stink your house out....

hmmmmmrolleyes
 
I'm also looking into fleece. Ive read up on it and nobody seems to really mention about the smell as their wee seeps through the fleece and onto the newspaper underneath so it isnt damp.

I think i will buy some because woodshavings and sawdust is just so messy and it isnt meant to be very good for them as they are breathing in all the dust. Whenever I'm wearning my dressing gown (which is lovely and soft) my piggies cuddle into it and stretch out.
 
no smell from my fleece, and they can last for 2/3 days before changing - use old towels underneath. Pop a litter tray in the corner where they wee the most and hopefully they will learn to continue to use the toilet in it, keeping the fleece nice and clean lasting for longer. Mine are in the living room and no smell, best thing I ever did was changing to fleece! Just remember to remove all hay before washing so not to block your machine! Wash in old duvet cover or £10 for a pet wash bag which was well worth the money! :)):))

Good luck!
 
I use fleece and as long as you change it regularly it shouldn't smell. I think 3 days max with poop patrol at least once a day. I also have litter trays with megazorb and hay. I change the hay everyday as this does smell and because they like to forage/ eat it. I change the megazorb when I change the fleece but lift out any very wet spots and poos daily.

I love fleece. :(|)
 
i have a laundrette 4 doors down so i am washing them there....hubby is a little OCD and wont appreciate them being washed in a washing machine that does his boxers lol
 
naboosmummy said:
i have a laundrette 4 doors down so i am washing them there....hubby is a little OCD and wont appreciate them being washed in a washing machine that does his boxers lol
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Washing the well shaken out fleeces in an old duvet case or washing bag will keep the machines and filters free of hair and hay bits. Wash the fleece at least twice before use and NEVER use softener - or your piggies will be sitting in their pee!

I wouldn't change back to wood shavings now!

PS: Make sure that any littler trays are at least 4 in high so you won't get all the hay carried out.
 
naboosmummy said:
Currently 2 days in with my piggie and using sawdust...now i know animals make mess thats what they do but because he keeps running away the amount of sawdust getting kicked out is a bit annoying lol so to make him cosy and to save me turning into mrs sweep with the dustpan...can you advise me on the fleece option in terms of smells...i just bought 2 100% polyester fleeces and some towels to go under but all my work mates who are not GP owners said ergh that is going to stink your house out....

hmmmmmrolleyes
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I don't know whether it's my girls or what but they just toilet anywhere...I'm trying the toilet training to no avail currently...but I must admit...mine are a bit whiffy on fleece after 2 days....but they do love popcorning on fleece.:(|)
 
This is my second week so far, using a few layers of paper, 2 towels and a fleece!

Our new addition, Dotty (16 weeks old) doesn't know any different, apart from her time with original keeper (at market), where she lived in a big cage, with shavings. I feel that they both seem to like the feel of the soft fleece.

However, I have found that due to them both weeing and pooping frequently, I need to change it every day, usually in the evening.

IS THIS NORMAL?

There is wee wee stain on the lighter towel, but I'm guessing that is normal too?

I don't want to give up just yet, but I do think that I need to get them to soil in one place (if possible), as although they soil all over, the wee is usually where I've put the hay rack, which they are learning to use, and that's where the largest stained part can be seen.

Though, their cage is not big enough to have an extra item in, as they are only in there for over night, so am toying with a bigger cage. They wee and poop where they eat the hay, which can't be good. Any tips on how to improve or encourage a different way, please do tell.

Back to topic though, the fleece doesn't smell, it just looks very soiled. We empty and shake (lol) ;) the soiled hay and poops etc into the green recycling sack. I don't think I'd like to change back to the paper and additional shavings, but can't say no for definate just yet. Maisy and Dotty really do cwtch up on this fleece and that has to be good. :)
 
Like any bedding fleece will stink if you don't change it regularly. The size of your cage and your number of piggies will determine what's often enough for you :)

Mine toilet EVERYWHERE, but mostly where they eat and sleep. I have a paper based kitty litter in their hay crate, which saves the fleece a lot! I use washable bed pads under the fleece. It works REALLY well!
 
skrikopanik said:
Like any bedding fleece will stink if you don't change it regularly. The size of your cage and your number of piggies will determine what's often enough for you :)

Mine toilet EVERYWHERE, but mostly where they eat and sleep. I have a paper based kitty litter in their hay crate, which saves the fleece a lot! I use washable bed pads under the fleece. It works REALLY well!
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Thanks for that Skrikopanik. Could you tell me more about this paper based kitty litter and the washable bed pads? If I can stick to fleece, I will try anything that helps to extend it's duration even for a day longer. Thank you, thank you. :)
 
Monkeynutz said:
Thanks for that Skrikopanik. Could you tell me more about this paper based kitty litter and the washable bed pads? If I can stick to fleece, I will try anything that helps to extend it's duration even for a day longer. Thank you, thank you. :)
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I'm in Sweden so I don't think it matters if I told you the brand... Mine looks like paper pellets. I know some people on here use a flax bedding called Bed-o-linum which is supposed to be good and others use Megazorb. Just shavings would probably work too.

The bed pads I bought from amazon. Type in "washable incontinence pads" into the search box and you'll get a lot of options for size!
 
oh, and under houses and favourite sleeping spots I often put little pieces of fleece so I can change that and not have to change the whole thing!
 
I tried my two (outdoor) pigs on fleece when I brought them indoors over Winter. :) OMG! It stunk! :)>>> Their poo was a nightmare to get off and the smell was horrendous. rolleyes I wouldn't recommend it if I'm honest.
 
Fleece isn't for everyone, it works best with large cages. A 2x4 foot is the smallest I think could ever work for two and with a cage that size you would have to change every other day.

If the poo was a nightmare to get off then maybe there was something wrong with their bellies? Piggie poop just shake off, it dries so quickly!
 
I'm another one into fleece. I change it every third day.

But this is how the set up works. I have fleece and underneath the washable incontenance pads from amazon same as Petra.

I also have food or kitchen areas. These are correx boxes, in there I line them with newspaper and fill with hay - I position all hay racks about these too so all eating happens inside these boxes. Then these get changed every day. I pick up all poo every morning too.

Here are a few photos of the kitchen areas - without these my fleece would need changing alot more often

farmhaycc.jpg

There is alot of hay here but it's for 7 piggies!

dollyanddinkscage2.jpg


The bottom pic I do give fresh veggies out of the box for now while Dolly and Dink get to know each other properly but once they have been together a few weeks the veggies will be served in the box too.
 
I have to say i'm a fleece convert! I changed mine over to fleece last week and its by far the best for absorbancy! I cleaned the girls out last night after 3 days and the newspaper was bone dry (and so was the fleece)! And they wee alot! I use 2-3 sheets of newspaper, a puppy training pad in the section where they wee the most (P@h have their own brand pack 10pads for 3.99), and a couple of absorbant cloths which are washable in their 'bedroom' area, then 2 towels and then the fleece, no wet patches and no smell! :)
I've tried shavings, shredded paper, aubiose, and megazorb and none are nowhere near as good as fleece! :))
 
Sorry, a couple more questions re fleece before I start with it! -

I have read that you need to wash the new fleece in something before you use it - white vinegar I think - does everyone else do that?

Also, I've read that after washing the soiled fleece in the machine you should run an empty wash at 90 degrees - does everyone do that or not?

By the way, thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread, it's been really informative and made what to do with fleece really simple for a new starter like me!
 
You wash it in just washing powder / liquid a couple of times before use. Never ever softner.

I do sometimes put white vinegar in the softner part just because it takes away any wee smell (But I have also never noticed a wee smell)

I don't ever do that with the washing machine afterwards. I just pop them in an old duvet cover (although thinking of getting a pet wash bag) wash them on a quick cycle, pop them over a chair inside if raining or on the line if not and a few hours later they are dry. Then I just carry on as normal with my machine. Never had a problem and been doing it that way for a year now.

Occassionally I will wash them on a HOT wash - but normally it's 40 degrees.
 
bobm said:
Sorry, a couple more questions re fleece before I start with it! -

I have read that you need to wash the new fleece in something before you use it - white vinegar I think - does everyone else do that?

Also, I've read that after washing the soiled fleece in the machine you should run an empty wash at 90 degrees - does everyone do that or not?

By the way, thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread, it's been really informative and made what to do with fleece really simple for a new starter like me!
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I just wash mine with unscented laundry powder. I usually give them two 60 degree washes before I start using them and after that I alternate between 40 and 60 degrees.

I have used vinegar in the rinse water if I have a particularly smelly load. Cozies tend to get smelly sometimes :)

I don't run empty washes for environmental reasons :). After I've washed piggy fleece I wash their towels or inco pads and after that a load of my own sheets or towels. The result is a hair free machine :))
 
IMO fleece is smelly, not thick enough to absorb large amounts of wee and needs changing too frequently. I know other members love it, and I am sure most piggies love the feel of fleece. However I much prefer vetbed, which absorbs wee so stays dry on the top. I change vetbed every 4-5 days. I use woodshavings for my other pigs, and clean them out weekly. I have never experienced ANY problems that are supposedly associated with woodshavings, and I have over 30 pigs living on them!
 
Lisajazz said:
I'm another one into fleece. I change it every third day.

But this is how the set up works. I have fleece and underneath the washable incontenance pads from amazon same as Petra.

I also have food or kitchen areas. These are correx boxes, in there I line them with newspaper and fill with hay - I position all hay racks about these too so all eating happens inside these boxes. Then these get changed every day. I pick up all poo every morning too.

Here are a few photos of the kitchen areas - without these my fleece would need changing alot more often

farmhaycc.jpg

There is alot of hay here but it's for 7 piggies!

dollyanddinkscage2.jpg


The bottom pic I do give fresh veggies out of the box for now while Dolly and Dink get to know each other properly but once they have been together a few weeks the veggies will be served in the box too.
Click to expand...

That's an amazing set up......I am trying to keep to the fleece....will pursue and try every option before going back...but I have plans for their home extension so that will be interested. Great photo's by the way.
 
a really useful thread. I've just bought some fleece. I wondered: how big are the pieces you put in cages? Do you put one or two large pieces in or lots of smaller pieces?
 
I use a mixture of thick fleece over washable inco pads and then vetbed over washable inco pads in heavy wee areas. It NEVER smells - although I change the heavy wee pads daily. The main body of the fleece over the floor space only needs changing once a week as they tend not to wee on it (I just sweep poops daily).

But I also agree that vetbed is far better at staying dry and wicking away wee in heavy toilet areas. My cage has two heavy wee areas and in one I use a litter tray with megazorb and hay and in the other it's a small square of washable inco pad covered with vetbed. Works brilliantly - no smell whatsoever but, as mentioned above, I change the toilet inco pad daily and the litter tray every two days. It only takes seconds to change the toilet pad though.

Just to add that the fleece I use is a very thick fleece - almost a combination of vetbed and fleece - it's kind of bobbly - not smooth like a fleece you'd buy in Tesco for example. I bought it from a pet store and I think it's by Danish Designs (got paw prints all over it!).
 
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