Fleece Vs. Woodshavings

Status
Not open for further replies.
HannahPiggie

HannahPiggie

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Mar 1, 2014
Messages
46
Reaction score
44
Points
175
Location
Northampton, United Kingdom
Hi all :)

At present I am using a thick layer of woodshavings as bedding for my two boars who are in two large cages, which are lined with newspaper. I spot clean these after 3-4 days and then completely change them once a week. I try to buy the woodshavings from Wilkos when possible as its the cheapest I have found (about £3.50 for a large block). My cages take one of these blocks per week. The cages take me about 45 mins each to clean out and replace with new bedding, so that is 1 hour 30 mins total. I am finding this pretty pricey and time-consuming.

I have heard a lot about fleece with puppy pads underneath, and was wondering how it compares with woodshavings. I know I'd have to sweep out poos morning and evening and change fleece every few days, so there is obviously the initial cost of buying fleece and the ongoing cost of puppy pads. And then the cost of extra cycles of laundry. But I wondered how this compares in cost with woodshavings? How many puppy pads would you get through per week for example?

I imagine fleece would take a lot less time and hassle to change. Am I correct? And at least there wouldn't be woodshavings kicked out all over the surrounding carpet.

Any advice greatly appreciated :)
 
Hi Hannah,

I've tried both, and whilst many use fleece, I found the following:

Fleece
Pro's - Comfy and clean looking for a while, little cost
Con - Spot cleaning every day and odour, complaints from OH about the use of washing machine.

Woodshavings
Pro's - Decent absortancy
Con's - Kicked out mess, cost if not bulked buy, potential issue with feet problems.

It all depends on the time you want to spend cleaning. Personally there are other materials better suited than wood shavings. I use auboise which is an equine bedding. A big bale costs me £12 from Kennelgate, I put a layer of newspaper then auboise and dependant upon the piggy, it can last me two weeks if required (cage & females, boys are more messy) with little smell and foot issues. Con's with that is always storage, but my utility is my storage for all things piggy's.

I think you just have to try and see what works for you personally.

Also, I found that having 3 cages was a pain to clear out, but 3 hutches- takes me only a quarter of the time now, especially having then lined with lino!
 
Thank you for your reply Lil. When you did try fleece, did you have a litter tray and what did you put in it? One of my boys has a corner tray with woodshavings also in, which is his favourite spot to sleep and wee! I would want to still give him this corner tray and he enjoys curling up in it, but not sure what I could put in it if the rest of the cage was lined with fleece. I have never heard of auboise before. There is no Kennelgate in my town. Do you know other places you can get it?
 
I tried fleece a few probably a year or two ago. I tried the newspaper, then towels, I didn't try the puppy pads, so maybe that makes a difference with smells. My lot did like the fleece and would do massive zoomies when the fleece was replaced. I just didn't like all the extra cleaning it gave me and distracted from the funtimes with them. I like the corner trays as well, they work really well, anywhere they can sleep, poop and get to nice yummies without stretching works well.

You can buy it online I know GW Titmuss or something like that sells it, also any equine wholesaler...if you google it and go to their website, they show all there dealer locations. I can send you a sample bag if you wanted to check it out.
 
Hi @lil can I ask what the potential foot issues are with wood shavings that you mentioned please? I'm just curious. We use wood shavings but haven't had any foot issues with them I don't think.

I have found this thread really interesting as I'm thinking of moving to fleece. It currently takes me about 21/2 hours to clean out our 2 cages and one hutch each week and I'd like to reduce that time if I could. The hutch is wipe clean and I line it and the cages with cardboard, then newspaper then wood shavings.

In addition to reducing time, I'm finding our bin is now getting filled before the 2 weeks are up (council empties fortnightly) and I need to do something about that.

I also find that wood shavings get kicked out or come out and spread when piggies come out for cuddles.

I'm hoping to move to c&c for our group of 4 girls and to line that with fleece but the comments about smells worry me. I know how my hands stink of piggie wee after the weekly cleaning and I don't fancy being able to smell that.

I was looking at fleece liners with super absorbent core but wonder whether it might be better not to make it so absorbent as instead have separate absorbent layer below that I can change every day. I'm not sure how well an absorbent core in a fleece sandwich would lock smells in.
 
I tried fleece as it looked so comfy and fun for the pigs. But I just found it was too smelly. Not from the wee, it wicked down nicely to the puppy pads but as soon as I'd change, the same day, just a few poops sitting on top made it smell and spot cleaning morning and evening wasn't enough and was a lot of effort. Whereas shavings the poops get buried and the smell of the wood covers it, my other half just kept complaining of the smell with fleece so had to go back to shaving. I get a big bale (20kg) for £14 from Pets Corner but just found somewhere local that does the snowflake bale for £7 including delivery woo!
Also thinking about changing to Fitch bedding as nice as soft :) x
 
I use shavings, have tried many variations for the gang, newspaper and hay(ok but annoying to buy papers when you don't read them) puppy pads (got eaten) Fleece(horrendous smell, endless washing and hay everywhere). I tried it again recently as I now have a hutch, but it just looked awful! so settled on puppy pads and shavings, plus of course hay.

It can take me 15 minutes to clean out the hutch, very good if in a hurry but a full clean takes 30 minutes maybe? I also love that the piggies can go bury themselves in hay and generally do what they like with out me popping along to move the hay or poo pick (something I never go the hang of)
 
PiggySmitten said:
Hi @lil can I ask what the potential foot issues are with wood shavings that you mentioned please? I'm just curious. We use wood shavings but haven't had any foot issues with them I don't think.

I have found this thread really interesting as I'm thinking of moving to fleece. It currently takes me about 21/2 hours to clean out our 2 cages and one hutch each week and I'd like to reduce that time if I could. The hutch is wipe clean and I line it and the cages with cardboard, then newspaper then wood shavings.

In addition to reducing time, I'm finding our bin is now getting filled before the 2 weeks are up (council empties fortnightly) and I need to do something about that.

I also find that wood shavings get kicked out or come out and spread when piggies come out for cuddles.

I'm hoping to move to c&c for our group of 4 girls and to line that with fleece but the comments about smells worry me. I know how my hands stink of piggie wee after the weekly cleaning and I don't fancy being able to smell that.

I was looking at fleece liners with super absorbent core but wonder whether it might be better not to make it so absorbent as instead have separate absorbent layer below that I can change every day. I'm not sure how well an absorbent core in a fleece sandwich would lock smells in.
Click to expand...
I found with shavings, two of my previous piggy a we're suffering with dried feet, and eventually bumble foot. I have no further explanation as to them getting it. Of course the other issue is the type of wood, there is no guarantee what you are going to get and wood is absorbent so I believe it strips the natural oils, this accompanied with the use of non dedusted shavings can be problematic. I have bought deducted shavings and even then there is still dust. I even considered running the shavings through my companies own machines that do just that. Obviously I didn't. It wasn't until I tried alternatives that I choose auboise.
 
i use fleece with litter trays containing newspaper then finacard.Tried fleece with my rats but a total pain so they have finacard as a substrate then papelit from the same company.The papelit is soft paper pellets that are kind to the rats feet.Maybe that would work for litter trays for other people
 
lil said:
I found with shavings, two of my previous piggy a we're suffering with dried feet, and eventually bumble foot. I have no further explanation as to them getting it. Of course the other issue is the type of wood, there is no guarantee what you are going to get and wood is absorbent so I believe it strips the natural oils, this accompanied with the use of non dedusted shavings can be problematic. I have bought deducted shavings and even then there is still dust. I even considered running the shavings through my companies own machines that do just that. Obviously I didn't. It wasn't until I tried alternatives that I choose auboise.
Click to expand...
Thanks @lil that's really interesting. I need to go and have a look at some pictures of bumble foot now. I don't think we've got any problems but at least I will know what to look out for.
 
I hate wood shavings :( its so messy my garden is covered in the stuff...grrr my piggies scratch and sneeze due to the dust in it (even though it says its dust free) I'm going to try fleece with newspaper and a towel under it, if that does not work I'm not going back to the wood shavings I will have to try something else.
 
when i had shavings in my litter trays had an extremely itchy nose and my son who is asthmatic couldn't go near them or he would start coughing.Use finacard now for all my pets and my son has no problems helping me.No coughing and no itchy nose
 
I have always used wood shavings because I find it really convenient, absorbent and keeps the smell at bay.
I clean bramble out fully once a week and do spot cleans every few days in between, I have encountered any feet problems in all my time with Guinea Pigs which is probably around 10 years but I have heard of it from others. I think a lot of it has to do with the quality of wood shavings which you buy, I pay £8 for a very large bag which lasts about a month. The stuff I buy is dust free and dried a certain way to make it better for your pigs eyes and breathing.

I tried fleece for a week and hated it. The smell was awful, it cost me a fair bit to buy originally and I hated the idea of putting it in my washing machine. I know a lot of people love it and swear by it but its not for me. :)
 
Our first week, we used fleece since I'd heard such good things about how cute and easy it was. Well, Charlie either pees a lot or I was doing something wrong but I decided at day 4 that we would not be using fleece. It just looks so cute in the cage and he seemed to like it but, whew. It's not for me.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top