Fleece -very wet towels -solutions please?

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sharonk

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Our new boys are on fleece, with two layers of towel underneath and three or four sheets of newspaper layered on the bottom. They've only been with us since saturday afternoon and I've changed them today but could've done it yesterday as the towels seem to be getting very wet very quickly! Is it worth making cage liners with the mattress protector underneath - will they still end up soaking or are they more effective?
Or alternatively would it be better to invest in vetbed? Would that not result in heavy soaking under layers?
I don't think the fleece surface is wet which is obviously good and the point of the wicking but I don't like the thought of wet stinking towels being there for several days as they just can't dry out and inevitably if I leave it four days or so to change they will surely stink! I don't want to have to be changing every second day either!
Any ideas? Thanks :)
 
I use a cage liner but I also have a large tray lined with newspaper which I clean every day. The newspaper is soaking by the morning so it really helps keep the pee off the liner - I dread to think what the liner would be like if I didn't have the tray :)>>>
 
I would use MUCH more newspaper, and as you are change every 2 -3 days. xx
 
I use a layer of newspaper then a vet bed with a fleece on top. Then I put a litter tray in one end, lined with just newspaper and loads of hay. They have a seperate hay feeder too. I change the newspaper every day in the litter tray end but the bedding is only changed every 3 days. I'm sure it would last longer if my girls weren't such messy feeders! Normally the vetbed and newspaper is dry and will last a week between changes. Maybe boys tend to need more changes?
 
Towels are great for soaking up wee, I find they can be bulky to wash and dry compared to most cage liners and a little smellier with boars. Depending how they are made up of course. I bought one off a member that makes them and was very pleased with it. Vet bed is great, usually you can go a few more days before cage change.

However, what works all depends on cage size.
A smaller cage would mean frequent cleaning out otherwise it would soon resemble a piggy toilet, larger cages can be spot cleaned daily and left longer between full clean outs.
 
I added an update on my other post re fleece and in error, am really struggling with this now as having to change every day :( its really getting me down :(
 
Do you have a separate area for feeding? If you use loose bedding in the feeding area, it will help keep the fleece and towels stay fresh longer.

Some people have separate feeding area that they also use fleece/towels and replace the fleece/towels in that area everyday.
 
I use a whole newspaper opened in the center and use about 7-10 like this per clean out. I did a change about an hour ago with the boys who have been in this pen since friday evening, I expected a lot of wet in the one area under the stools (as I mentioned in my post in the other thread) but not only was moving the stools and food plates around different areas each day working, the paper was wet, the towels showed signs of wee and were damp but not soaking as the ones from the herds pen are as well.

I wonder if you are not using enough newspaper underneath. Might I suggest you have a look for puppy training pads for a few days to use under the fleece, that way you can throw them away and if you have a betting shop near you I would ask them (if over 18, if not get someone who is to ask) to save their racing posts up and pick up a weeks worth of papers from them - I get mine from work and a customer gives me his papers too so I have a great supply, once I remove the used ones, they go in the green box outside (in the rain) for the recycling lorry to pick up - double recycling ;)
 
lissie said:
Do you have a separate area for feeding? If you use loose bedding in the feeding area, it will help keep the fleece and towels stay fresh longer.

Some people have separate feeding area that they also use fleece/towels and replace the fleece/towels in that area everyday.
Click to expand...

I think they probably make more mess in the relaxing areas than they do in feeding areas. Have just received my strawberry beds and they are chilling in them now. If they wee in them I suppose the fleece won't be as bad but then I probably need spare strawberry beds because they'll be needing washing instead!
 
I use washable inco pads under fleece. They absorb brilliantly & you just put them in the wash. The initial outlay is expensive, but there's no ongoing costs except washing & they really work. [ame="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000MES1W8/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000MES1W8/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00[/ame]
 
Pepperdog said:
I use a whole newspaper opened in the center and use about 7-10 like this per clean out. I did a change about an hour ago with the boys who have been in this pen since friday evening, I expected a lot of wet in the one area under the stools (as I mentioned in my post in the other thread) but not only was moving the stools and food plates around different areas each day working, the paper was wet, the towels showed signs of wee and were damp but not soaking as the ones from the herds pen are as well.

I wonder if you are not using enough newspaper underneath. Might I suggest you have a look for puppy training pads for a few days to use under the fleece, that way you can throw them away and if you have a betting shop near you I would ask them (if over 18, if not get someone who is to ask) to save their racing posts up and pick up a weeks worth of papers from them - I get mine from work and a customer gives me his papers too so I have a great supply, once I remove the used ones, they go in the green box outside (in the rain) for the recycling lorry to pick up - double recycling ;)
Click to expand...

Wow that is a lot of newspaper yes I don't use nearly that much because I just haven't had the quantity! Does the newspaper really take the wet from the towels then if you layer that many? I didn't know if I could re-recycle the papers if they were soiled, I've been chucking them whoops!
I might try looking at bed pads or puppy pads or a waterproof mattress protector. Don't really want to be spending a fortune but I'd save on washing a bit and it might make me less stressed! Also the possibility of trying vetbed too but will be depressed if I spend a load on that and still have the same issues!
 
Having used both fleece and vetbed they both act the same way, that is they wick moisture to whatever is below the fabric. It is just that vetbed is thicker. All I have ever used underneath both is washable waterproof terry towelling mattress protector. And I have never had to launder more than once a week.

One thing to note, must not use fabric softener on any washable fabric used for the piggy cage, including towels.
 
Lilly said:
Having used both fleece and vetbed they both act the same way, that is they wick moisture to whatever is below the fabric. It is just that vetbed is thicker. All I have ever used underneath both is washable waterproof terry towelling mattress protector. And I have never had to launder more than once a week.

One thing to note, must not use fabric softener on any washable fabric used for the piggy cage, including towels.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that. I think I may have to look into the mattress protector idea. Do you just buy a large one and cut to size? Presumably they will need hemming around the edge to prevent fraying? Is there any sense in using papers inbetween fleece/vetbed and mattress protector to aid absorbency or does that not work? Cleaning out once a week sounds like bliss right at this moment!
 
sharonk said:
Thanks for that. I think I may have to look into the mattress protector idea. Do you just buy a large one and cut to size? Presumably they will need hemming around the edge to prevent fraying? Is there any sense in using papers inbetween fleece/vetbed and mattress protector to aid absorbency or does that not work? Cleaning out once a week sounds like bliss right at this moment!
Click to expand...

Yes you can just cut to size and they don't fray because the towelling is bonded to a vynil back. The ones I got also came with a sort of net skirt to put around a mattress which I just cut off. I don't see any point in using anything between the mattress protector and fleece/vetbed. The mattress protector is supposed to absorb wee passed down from fleece & vetbed just like it would from a bedsheet and keep it there. I would think newspaper would get soggy and keep more wetness near the fleece/vetbed.
 
i use six full newspapers, then towels, and then fleece or padded fleece cageliners. i have to change the cage every other day, although with the padded cage liners, it stays dry enough for me to go an extra day without cleaning but i like to do it every other day. :{ i love cleaning the cage! :{:(|)

someone posted a link to absorbent bath mats i think, and they're supposed to be good.
 
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