Fleece..

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alikateross

alikateross

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I bought new fleece for my guinea pigs today, and I was just wondering if I could use just a double layer of fleece, or would I need to put towels or something under it as well?
Any advice would be much appreciated xx>>> x
 
You need towels or pads so the wee wicks away from the fleece.
 
I just use the one layer but I fold them over in the corners where they like to pee just so it's a bit more absorbant.
 
Hi,

I have always used layers of newspaper topped with wood shavings topped with russel bedding straw for my piggies cages which has never caused any problems, however to drive costs down i have recently thought of buying a couple of fleeces to use instead, i was thinking of putting a few layers of newspaper underneath, with a fleece on top, would the newspaper absorb their wee?

How often would you change the fleece?(every couple of days?) I will spot clean the poo's/food etc.

Would they chew the fleece and if they ingested any would it do them any serious harm?

Thanks
 
Toffeewoffee said:
Hi,

I have always used layers of newspaper topped with wood shavings topped with russel bedding straw for my piggies cages which has never caused any problems, however to drive costs down i have recently thought of buying a couple of fleeces to use instead, i was thinking of putting a few layers of newspaper underneath, with a fleece on top, would the newspaper absorb their wee?

How often would you change the fleece?(every couple of days?) I will spot clean the poo's/food etc.

Would they chew the fleece and if they ingested any would it do them any serious harm?

Thanks
Click to expand...

I bought my fleeces yesterday, and have set the cages with them today. Everything is fine so far, but from what I read, you're supposed to hoover up poops and any other mess like little bits of hay, every day, and then wash the fleece once a week.
I don't think it would be serious if they were to chew it, but I think it might be unlikely for them to chew it anyway.

Hope this helps :) x
 
And how can i persuade my mother in law that it will be o to wash them in the washing machine?

I haven't even told her about this idea yet as i know what she will say, "you aint washing them in my machine, that will ruin the machine, the wash that gets done after they have gone in will come out stinking"

I love her to bits, but my god, she over exagerates about everything, she always says that our room stinks of guinea pigs, what she means is the room smells of straw and hay, but thats kind of tough as they need it!

Thanks
 
I can't comment on how absorbant newspaper would be as I've never used it. I change the fleece and towels every 4 days on average at the moment but it depends on how wet it gets in the corners. I spot clean twice a day though just to keep it nice for them. My two like to chew everything but the fleece seems to be the one thing they leave alone. However, if they do manage to get under the fleece they do quite enjoy pulling the threads out of towels.
 
Well as long as you get most of the mess off the fleece before you put it in the washing machine, it should be okay :) if she's still a bit weird about it, you can always put the fleece inside an old pillow case and then put that in the washing machine. :))
 
alikateross said:
Well as long as you get most of the mess off the fleece before you put it in the washing machine, it should be okay :) if she's still a bit weird about it, you can always put the fleece inside an old pillow case and then put that in the washing machine. :))
Click to expand...

Shes the sort of woman that doesn't miss a trick so no doubt she would realise, but i will give it a go, i would never put it in the washing machine covered in hay, i would pick all of the bits of it 1st.

I'm quite excited about trying it out, when were cleaning the cage, i put them on our bed on towels with the top of the cage over them and they get so excited.

Thanks for all of the advise. xx

Any other tips would be appreciated......
 
Just to add, new fleece will need to be washed several times before you use it- without fabric conditioner for it to work as it should - to wick away the wetness. Something nice and absorbant underneath, inco pads, disposable or washable bed pads or towels

:)
 
I use fleece, with toddler bed wetting pads underneath! and only need to change it once a week, but I also but a tray under the hay with shavings and hay in and they do a good portion of their business in there for me to change more often, I sweep the rest with a dustpan and brush daily as I was using a handheld hoover but it kept clogging with poo!

When changing I carry the bedding into the garden, shake the poos into my compost bin then shake the fleece out well to get rid of stray shavings and hay.

I have a new, lovely 8kg washer that I am very careful about clogging up, so I use an old duvet cover and button up the end with the fleece and beds inside, then knot the top as well, I wash with bio and some white wine vinegar.

Once washed I hang them on the line for a day or two to get any remaining bits of hay etc off and give them a really good air- they don't smell at all.
 
hellsbells82 said:
I use fleece, with toddler bed wetting pads underneath! and only need to change it once a week, but I also but a tray under the hay with shavings and hay in and they do a good portion of their business in there for me to change more often, I sweep the rest with a dustpan and brush daily as I was using a handheld hoover but it kept clogging with poo!

When changing I carry the bedding into the garden, shake the poos into my compost bin then shake the fleece out well to get rid of stray shavings and hay.

I have a new, lovely 8kg washer that I am very careful about clogging up, so I use an old duvet cover and button up the end with the fleece and beds inside, then knot the top as well, I wash with bio and some white wine vinegar.

Once washed I hang them on the line for a day or two to get any remaining bits of hay etc off and give them a really good air- they don't smell at all.
Click to expand...

I do the same, shake all the hay, poo etc into the compost bin, it all composts down with no waste.

If you put the fleece into a washbag it won't clog up the machine, I have found that tesco non bio concentrated liquid is the best so the fleece smells nice afterwards:))
he only difference is I use towels atm but I am changing to something that dries easier for the winter months
 
I put a layer of newspapers underneath the towel that sits underneath the fleece and it works well as the newspaper takes away the excess from the towels. Towels and newspapers changed when wet, fleece once a week and I spot clean each day with a brush and dustpan.

I have a hard bristled scrubbing brush which I give the fleece and towels a good brush off before I put them in a pillow case in the machine. Generally the hay bits come off with brushing its the seeds that stick in the fleece - on mine are outside so I brush it on the lawn (re-seeding the cheap way).

I do have litter trays around the hutch which they do use, I put them near hayracks or the bowls of dry food which keeps the mess down a lot, plus downstairs is shreaded paper and newspaper where they can run about and the veg is given. That is easy to clean as I just roll the paper up with the bedding in and throw away.
 
I've just changed to fleece as well.
I share a house with 3 other girls, who were kind enough to allow me to have my guineas with me (even though it's against our tenancy agreement eep!), but the sawdust spreads all over the house. It's annoyed me for the past 2 years and I'm pretty sure it's something my house mates aren't too keen on either. So finding this forum and finding out that fleece is a good alternative was great! I already had a fleece and now I have 2 guinea pig cage sets to alternate between.
However, to keep costs down and prevent the washing machine from clogging up, I'm planning on handwashing my fleece and towels.
So if your mother in law is very much against using the washing machine, you can always consider a hand wash :)
 
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