How to stop cage from smelling?

Princess_Harriet

Princess_Harriet

Junior Guinea Pig
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I clean the pig cage everyday, but it still smells. I have no idea why the cage smells so much, they don't have anything that should smell if peed on. Maybe it's the fleece? I'm not sure.
 
What sex are your piggies?
How big is the cage?
Do you replace the hay daily? Hay which is peed on will smell
You should not be needing to clean every day so it sounds as if something is not working as it should be if you are using fleece .

Also Part of the problem could be the cleaning every day - they will scent mark clean cages so the more you clean, the more they scent mark and the more it will smell. Sows tend to smell less with scent marking than boars do but sows will still do it
 
All four pigs are female, and they live in 2 adjoined midwest cages. (https://www.amazon.com/ferret-com-B...6IjEuNjEifQ==&sprefix=midwest+,aps,259&sr=8-6). I took out the middle bar, so it's basically one big square cage.
I replace the hay daily, and it's in a hay rack (https://www.amazon.com/andwe-Cylind...6IjUuOTIifQ==&sprefix=hay+rack,aps,107&sr=8-5) so I don't think it's getting peed on.
I shake all the hay (it gets all over the fleece) out of the fleece everyday, and switch the fleeces out twice a week. I just wash them in the washing machine. :)
 
Is the smell coming from the fleece itself?
Have you tried washing the fleece in white vinegar?
If you’re only changing fleece twice a week, then that is within the sort of ‘normal‘ time frame.
What is your absorbent layer?
 
I'm not sure where the smell is coming from, I'll check that when I'm done with work.
I haven't tried washing it in white vinegar, but I will definitely do that, thanks for the suggestions!
I have puppy pads under the fleece.
 
I find if mine wee on their hay it can smell a lot. I have 4 female piggys. I imagine fleece that's wet or not washed properly will also smell if left.
 
piggielover31 said:
I'm not sure where the smell is coming from, I'll check that when I'm done with work.
I haven't tried washing it in white vinegar, but I will definitely do that, thanks for the suggestions!
I have puppy pads under the fleece.
Click to expand...

Not sure how old your cage is, but when I used to keep my pigs in Midwest cages, at a certain point the canvas bottom itself would become the source of persistent smell. Even though they’re water-resistant, the urine can soak into it. I never found a way to effectively clean it to remove the smell, so every few years I’d replace them.
 
lucifermp3 said:
Not sure how old your cage is, but when I used to keep my pigs in Midwest cages, at a certain point the canvas bottom itself would become the source of persistent smell. Even though they’re water-resistant, the urine can soak into it. I never found a way to effectively clean it to remove the smell, so every few years I’d replace them.
Click to expand...

We have a canvas bottom cage. It is velcro tied to the actual cage and we untie it once a month and put it in the washing machine.

We also use rewashable puppy pads and change every couple of days and we don't Ted to have a smelly cage.
 
Yes. I have four girls and they do pong even with daily change of hay.

i find the only answer is weekly complete clear out and I use anti bac spray on the floor. Quite often there is a wet lump in the corners so I have to be careful to remove substrate and disinfect.

the problem is I have been quite busy this last week as it takes an hour to do both sides Properly. I did it this morning and they seem to like it all clean again as you would expect. My main problem is getting rid of it all . I bought a fire pit but have to be careful as it’s all damp and sends clouds of thick smoke down the road. Many of my neighbours have log burners so perhaps I am worrying unnecessary. Its all too much for a small wheelie bin. Any suggestions? Bit cheeky dumping it on country walks but I am tempted !

Pigs don’t like it and complain loudly as I move them gently to one side. Then they beg for veg and calm down.

wait for pong by Saturday….
 
Do you spot clean throughout the week? Cleaning up poos and wet corners etc? If I only cleaned my 4 out once a week it would smell.
 
I have fleece/zorb/fleece in some areas and have to switch out the main peeing fleeces twice a week. The 'bedding' that gets scooped out is a mix of 'back-2-nature' and a ton of hay and poop but our council lets you dump it in garden waste at the tip. No newspapers or brown paper sacks but the rest is welcome. We can't have a garden waste collection here as my property has to have sacks rather than a wheelie bin but some of my friends got rid of all their rabbit/piggy soiled bedding in the wheelie bin for garden waste. Might be worth an ask rather than having to burn in the garden?

We use a couple of plastic tray base cages (albeit with holes cut in the sides) which get showered out on blitz day. It's pretty effective!
hay box heart.webp
 
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