is astro turf ok for feet

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Winnie-woo

Winnie-woo

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if they go running on it would it be ok for their feet? I am considering linning their cage with astro turf as I have some over from the garden, anyone use this for guineas?
 
i would be more concerned about the issues that could arise from them eating it plus I'm not sure its that absorbant
 
I couldn't say personally, but this thread asked the same thing recently. Suzygpr uses it and has posted pictures of her hutches on it, so I'd probably trust her word on it as long as they aren't chewing it much.
 
I personally wouldn't use it, but each to their own!
 
I wouldn't worry too much about chewing. I find they generally suss out what is and isn't food pretty quickly. (Mine tried to eat their wood-pellet cat litter out of their tray when I first put it in, but they gave up within minutes and never touched it again.) I'd agree that absorption could be a problem, though.
 
Although I have an astro-turf garden I wouldn't use it in a cage. Mine prefer hay as bedding.

There is no issue with pigs eating astro-turf as it doesn't feel, look or taste like grass in the slightest to them. Just because something is green doesn't mean they eat it - they treat it the same as the do carpet or fleece, they investigate it but that's all. They may not be the brightest creatures on the planet but they are not stupid when it come to food :))

Suzy x
 
Suzygpr said:
Although I have an astro-turf garden I wouldn't use it in a cage. Mine prefer hay as bedding.

There is no issue with pigs eating astro-turf as it doesn't feel, look or taste like grass in the slightest to them. Just because something is green doesn't mean they eat it - they treat it the same as the do carpet or fleece, they investigate it but that's all. They may not be the brightest creatures on the planet but they are not stupid when it come to food :))

Suzy x
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i never said they were stupid. And i didnt mean they would eat astro turf because its green and looks like grass (piggys are colourblind anyway) i ment as it is textured and piggys love to chew, ditto chews everything even his ceramic food bowl is a victim. if a piggy is bored it will chew and if accidently swallowed could cause internal problems. It is not an ideal bedding for a piggy in my opinion, i dont imagine its very comfortable to lay on either. I prefer ro give my piggy natural beddings and chew toys not man made.
 
Vet bed is a good liner I find. My Dory is currently curled up on his. They definitely like fleecey things to lie on - they're all Divas!x)
 
Hmmmmm I wonder if vet bed comes up in big enough widths to replace the astro-turf in the garden, now that would be fab! :(|) I may not be able to hoover it quite so easily though inbreeding

Suzy x
 
It great that we can share our experiences when it comes Guinea Pig care.

And by the looks of it for the peeps that have used Astro Turf have had nothing but positive results. Another thing to put in my tool kit of knowledge :)

When fleece as bedding first became a talking point lots of people were worried about it, and look how that took off!

I remember a while back a member talking about rubber mating which is all the rage in Spain and Spanish Guinea Pig Forums http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=85902&highlight=rubber+non+slip

Very interesting for a self confessed 'Housing Obsessive'

Oh and Guinea Pig's are not colour blind which is why they apprieciate these lovely coloured fleecy beddings we provide, it might be green but they know it's not real grass :)
 
Lil-Ninnibig said:
. I prefer ro give my piggy natural beddings and chew toys not man made.
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Dont you bed on shavings though which is well known for respiratory issues?
My Pigs dont chew in boredom, my dog does though rolleyes. DOgs chew to practise ripping and tearing, an instict needed to hunt. Pigs being herbivors dont have this instinct they are grinders or grasses not chewers! The most I have ever had is a quick chew and they never do it again and they have a look on their face as if to say......bugger not eadable boooo!lol
 
Lil-Ninnibig said:
i never said they were stupid. And i didnt mean they would eat astro turf because its green and looks like grass (piggys are colourblind anyway) i ment as it is textured and piggys love to chew, ditto chews everything even his ceramic food bowl is a victim. if a piggy is bored it will chew and if accidently swallowed could cause internal problems. It is not an ideal bedding for a piggy in my opinion, i dont imagine its very comfortable to lay on either. I prefer ro give my piggy natural beddings and chew toys not man made.
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My post was in response to Gizmo01, I hadn't actually seen your post Lil Ninnibig, ooops. However if you had read it fully you would have seen that I did not recommend using it in a cage as bedding.



I can only speak from experience as I have had astro-turf for over 15 years, and it is still just as long as it was when it was laid, despite approx 1100 pigs using it over the last 10 years.

My latest bedding experiment is with puppy training pads under a deep layer (3" ) of hay - every couple of days the hay gets roughed up so the poo drops down and a thin fresh layer added to the top - when the week is up I'm hoping the smell and disposal will be better than shavings or fleece/vet bed. The pigs are certainly enjoying it so far.

Suzy x
 
hazeyg said:
Dont you bed on shavings though which is well known for respiratory issues?
My Pigs dont chew in boredom, my dog does though rolleyes. DOgs chew to practise ripping and tearing, an instict needed to hunt. Pigs being herbivors dont have this instinct they are grinders or grasses not chewers! The most I have ever had is a quick chew and they never do it again and they have a look on their face as if to say......bugger not eadable boooo!lol
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no one can say for definate fact that wood shavings cause respiratory issues it is a proven fact. I have used woodshavings over the 10 years of keeping bunnys piggys hamster etc etc without issue and i dont see why raising the issue of respiratory problems has anything to my post saying i prefer natural bedding? Confused.com - well i mustve got an odd piggy then because ditto chews everything my cloths my hair he must have some sort of ocd lol
 
Suzygpr said:
My post was in response to Gizmo01, I hadn't actually seen your post Lil Ninnibig, ooops. However if you had read it fully you would have seen that I did not recommend using it in a cage as bedding.



I can only speak from experience as I have had astro-turf for over 15 years, and it is still just as long as it was when it was laid, despite approx 1100 pigs using it over the last 10 years.

My latest bedding experiment is with puppy training pads under a deep layer (3" ) of hay - every couple of days the hay gets roughed up so the poo drops down and a thin fresh layer added to the top - when the week is up I'm hoping the smell and disposal will be better than shavings or fleece/vet bed. The pigs are certainly enjoying it so far.

Suzy x
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oh sorru thought you was aiming your reply post at me x
 
Lil-Ninnibig said:
oh sorru thought you was aiming your reply post at me x
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my reply was based on the fact my 6 will try to eat anything they fit in their mouths that and the astro turf i was thinking of is plastic-y the main thing is now we know that its ok for them
 
Lil-Ninnibig said:
no one can say for definate fact that wood shavings cause respiratory issues it is a proven fact. I have used woodshavings over the 10 years of keeping bunnys piggys hamster etc etc without issue and i dont see why raising the issue of respiratory problems has anything to my post saying i prefer natural bedding? Confused.com - well i mustve got an odd piggy then because ditto chews everything my cloths my hair he must have some sort of ocd lol
Click to expand...

I was just trying to point out that maybe the natural bedding you use (I seen you use shavings in another post) wasnt always the best option vs the OP's idea. It wasnt meant to come across as a dig at your choice of bedding, sorry if it did. Lots of people have succes with shavings Its a personal choice. Theo was on it orginally but he sneazed and wheezed til the cows came home on it vs other beddings.
Had I had the time I would bed on hay, I did this for about two months, piggies loved it, but it smelled very easily. Mayb som inco pads and hay would be a good idea.....hmmmm....food for thought
 
This is fascinating :)

Can I ask Suzy how you use the astro turf in your garden with regards to the piggies? My grass isn't very nice at the moment & I would love to pop them out in the run on some of this! :))
 
It's quite a big decision to go with astro-turf as a garden choice, I have 4" of 22mm chippings, 1-2" of sand rollered flat on top of the chippings; this creates great drainage and gives a completely flat surface to unroll the grass onto. It is fitted in the same way as a carpet so can be cut around any permanent structures. PM me if you'd like more info or supplier details.

P8050401.JPG


Suzy x
 
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