Handheld vacuum cleaner

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Jen_blue

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hi,

I am struggling (still) with cleaning the cage out. I would like to buy an handheld vacuum cleaner but I am struggling to choose one which will be strong enough to deal with poops, animal hair and hay/sawdust effectively. Has anyone got any suggestions?

Jen
 
I do. I made the mistake of getting a handheld - they just aren't good enough to do a good job.

I bought the asda smartprice bagless vacuum cleaner and it's brilliant. It comes with 2 filters that can be washed and reused and it's only £25. It's not powerful enough to mess up the cage but far superior as a cleaner than my handheld which now wont get used!


Jen_blue said:
hi,

I am struggling (still) with cleaning the cage out. I would like to buy an handheld vacuum cleaner but I am struggling to choose one which will be strong enough to deal with poops, animal hair and hay/sawdust effectively. Has anyone got any suggestions?

Jen
Click to expand...
 
I tried to clean the piggies cage out this morning with our household hover, it was a nightmare! All the hay got bunched up in the tube part and it has taken AGES to get it out.

I've just had a look at the one you mentioned - this Its pretty the same as the one we have in this house (I rent and the Landlady provided it).

I am really struggling with cleaning out the cage, each thing Ive done to try to make things easier seems to take me a step backwards. I've built a CC cage for them but didnt use Coroplast as I could find any competitively priced enough for the size of cage I have now so I have used kitchen lino. The cage is so big its practically inpossible to catch them if they dont want me too (and they don't). I have the base of the cage reininforced with a wooden joist but I'm not sure how much this actually does really ..... the joist is slightly smaller then the square hole it fits in so its fine one it sags down to the joist but that does seem quite a distance.

Last week I spent 4 hours sewing the inco pad to towels (and towels so they fit into the cage exact) and then volcro-ing them into place ....... The velcro has come up today when I pulled up the towel. I have struggled to clean the back half, to catch them etc. The fleece wont fit on the lino in the same way it does on the video as its not as structured.

I'm feeling really down about this whole thing; all that work I put in and STILL its damm hard work.

Jen
 
Have you got a picture? I can't quite see what you mean about the joist.

I usually put the hay in a large litter box to try and stop it going all over the place. The piggies jump into the tray and eat the hay. It is quite large and I put the pellets in there too in a dish. My sow usually does most of her toilet trips in a corner in there too. I pick up stray poops afew times a day so it is not too bad when I change the whole cage.
 
hi,

At the moment I have the hay rack hung up on the level above so that they have to stretch to get at it .... I was told this was good for them.

The food and water bottle is at the front half of the cage to make it easy for me to see when they need more.

These are some pics of the cage, the wooden joists are cabled tied into place, otherwise they rest on the panels on each side and only offer support when the base is lowered (i.e much more weight is placed on it).

Thanks

Jen
 
Right - first off ANY hoover will struggle with all that hay. They hay needs containing somewhere. I have correx boxes that have newspaper and hay in. I roll the paper and hay up every day, chuck it out and hoover up the miniscule bits left.

When you hoover the fleece open up the vent bit to reduce the suction and hold it on the side - it doesn't suck the fleece up then (apart from corners - just hold them down while you do it). It's ace for poops and small bits of hay/food etc. If you get it right (and it does take practice) it's wonderfully fast.

Sorry about your bedding spreads. Got a photo? I am hoping to make some so anything you advise for / against will be gratefully received by me.

xx
 
OH and velcro is hopeless too, once it's wee'd on it comes up.

I use holes and twisty ties (You know the ones that come in toy packets or to attach products to cardboard) they hold them in place properly.

If you did use correx you could put fleece over the side to help secure it down as per the bedspreads vid (is that the vid you are talking about?)
 
Ah, yes, now I remember admiring this cage when you first posted the picture.

Are you saying that the floor of the cage made of the mesh squares and resting on joists but the joists are a little smaller than a square hole so the floor is sagging?

You could put something under each end of the joist where it goes through the mesh hole to boost it up. Maybe some folded cardbord or a plastic door wedge from the pound shop or just strips of wood.

As regards catching them. LOL It is frustrating. When mine are on the floor, I kind of 'herd' them into a corner by putting things in their way. Alternatively, you could make the bottom floor of your cage * -shaped (by moving a few squares so you could get in closer until they got less nervous or try and train them to go into a shoebox or cosy to be picked up by putting some favourite food in it.

Edit: It keeps swapping my "*" for a star

I can hear that you are feeling frustrated and fed up. I hope you work out a system that makes your life as a piggy-slave more rewarding.
 
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I will sort photos out tommorow, the joists arent supporting because of the space between where theyre positioned and the cubes above - the joists are lifted slightly but there is still a space .....

Jen
 
Hi,

I'm so sorry I havent been back .... its busy busy busy atm, I am however feeling much more cheery - everything seemed to be getting me down last time I spoke on here.

Here are the pics I promised

CAGE

Any suggestions on how to make the whole thing more stable/make changing the bedding easier or how i could fit fleece (as the lino isnt as structured as coroplast) would be much appreciated. Alos idea on constructing a ramp would be hugely appreciated too. It seems so steep for the little fellows ;)

Thanks

Jen
 
is it worth putting a sheet of mdf under the lino to give it some rigdity, and it will also take up the few mm's of space between the joists and the lino?
B
 
boozyfruits said:
is it worth putting a sheet of mdf under the lino to give it some rigdity, and it will also take up the few mm's of space between the joists and the lino?
B
Click to expand...

I would have to put it under the grids then .... I'm considering whether to put more joists in.... one towards the back and another for the second level.

Jen
 
I use a dyson DC31 animal handheld and find its brilliant. Obviously masses of hay etc will clog it up but the suctions is fantastic and its rechargeable so no cables. The only downside is the charge only lasts about 6mins but thats more than enough to do my cage then it goes back on charge again.
 
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