Fleeces for cages

[n3ss]

Hello

Currently my girls are both on wood shavings, but both of them sometimes have a cough? Well it sounds like a cough! Sort of like a sneeze and a cough in one. I thought it was just Fudge then Honey did it too. We've swapped hays and things before, but i think it might be the shavings.

I've read up online and seen most of you all have fleecy floors in your cages. Can you buy those? are they better for them? and where would I find one?

x>>

 

[Daisypig]

I changed to fleece a month or so ago. I started to use mattress protectors with fleece blanket/throws over the top. I found that my piggies were a bit smellier than with shavings so I now put newspaper under the mattress protector and that seems to be better. I do a poop clear every morning and wash the bedding a very 3 days.

 

[purple blobs]

My parents won't let my piggie live inside so i cant use it but here's what I would use: http://piggybedspreads.com/piggybedspreads.htm

Buy 2-4 for when you change the fleece

 

[SpinningNickel]

Machu used to sneeze a little when I first got him, and I believe that was the shavings. He did get used to them and stopped pretty quickly, however.

I use mattress protectors under fleece, like Daisypig, although mine are sewn together to make a fitted liner like what purple blobs has posted (dead easy to make yourself if you have a sewing machine and sooooo much cheaper than that).

They can be better, especially for pigs who are prone to respiratory problems, but they have drawbacks, too. A lot of people find they smell quicker, or look messy because of the poos. I don't particularly find this so far, but one of my pigs is almost totally litter-trained so in reality I'm going to have one pig weeing throughout a 2 x 4 C&C (plus mezz level). That's not an awful lot concentration-wise so should mean I can get a week or so out of my fleece before it starts to pong. I'm expecting daily cleaning with a handheld vac for stray poos and bits of hay, though, which is pretty standard with fleece.

Another complaint from some people is that fleece isn't a "natural" environment for them as they need to burrow and forage around. I can't really disagree with this, but have gotten around it by dedicating an L-shaped mezz level to forage. I cover this a mattress liner, then newspaper, then top it all with lots of hay. Sometimes I'll hide berries, bits of dandelion, etc. in there for them to sniff out, too. Best of both.

You could also try something like megazorb, if you want to confirm that it IS the shavings causing the cough/sneeze, but don't want to invest in or commit to fleece just yet.

 

[SallyG]

Hi,

I'm getting my piggies soon and just wanted to ask about fleece, is it literally the fleece blankets you can buy from almost anywhere? They're really cheap only a few pounds for a big blanket, am liking the idea of that!

Sal
x

 

[Wiebke]

You can buy fleece in any required length from the roll from online sellers. Good quality polar or micro fleece is a bit more expensive (about £5 per metre), but I find that hay and hair stick less to it when you shake it out before washing and it clogs up the filters less. My last lot has stood up to nearly three years of intensive use, including occasional hot washes at 90 C to get rid of any build up of bacteria/fungal spores.
This is the UK place I have just ordered my fleece for the new cages from (not the cheapest online provider, but one that seems to offer the best quality for the best price in a wide choice of colours and some nice patterns): http://www.fabric-online.co.uk/content/anti_pil_fleece

Otherwise, you can look for cheap acrylic or polyester bed throws, baby blankets in supermarkets or places like primark; bed throws tend to be around £3-5. Pet blankets in pet shops are usually a lot more expensive.

Your piggies won't smell as nicely of hay, but I couldn't have nearly 20 indoors piggies and have such a big cage for my large group without fleece!

 

[Pepperdog]

I buy my fleece off ebay, mostly from a shop I use that has really good quality fleece for my beds I make, so I buy it in a length for the cage as well. Its not as cheap as some fleece throws or blankets you can find in places like b&q, wilkinsons, the range, ikea, dunelm mills (they had some really good quality for £1.99). But have a look around and you will be surprised with what you can find, the beauty with fleece, you cut it and it wont fray so you can cut them to shape.

I use towels and newspaper underneath but then I am lucky to have an endless supply of newspaper for nothing and use whole papers (about 8-10 per pen) and then stick them out for recycling when I change it. Been thinking about matress toppers to save on the paper but then it increases the washing, and my papers are free.