Just started using fleece outdoors!

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CiaraPatricia

CiaraPatricia

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I've been using fleece blankets for my rabbits (who are almost litter trained now!) in their shed, which has been going great. So I decided to try it with the guinea pigs in their hutches. :)

I was getting sick of their hutches getting so dirty so fast, and I'd prefer to clean them twice a day, but that would use so much wood shavings and hay that it seemed like a waste. So with the fleece I'll be picking up the poops twice a day and keeping it clean. Hopefully that'll be good enough because the upstairs of the hutch where they sleep is quite small, and they poop a lot lately with all the grass they've been eating!

So far so good anyway, they seem to like it, and the pee got soaked through (I just put newspaper underneath so it wouldn't be too bulky).

I did buy cream coloured fleece though, because it was the most manly colour they had! And maybe not a good idea because the stains will show up, but I can always buy more if this works.
 
I bought pink fleeces for the girl rabbits, but thought the boy guinea pigs wouldn't like it! :(|)

Or my brother would have given out to me! He already thinks the boys' names are too girly!
 
The fleece has been working really well. It's staying dry (even without towels underneath), though it hasn't rained yet, I'm a bit worried rain will get on it and it'll get soaked, but the hutches are in a sheltered place and the wood shavings never used to get wet.

The boys are pooping loads upstairs in the hutch, but cleaning it twice a day is enough. I just pick up the fleece and shake it off and then sweep up the poops.

The girls are being great and this morning there were only 4 poops upstairs and no pee, and they're going into a corner of the run to poop. They're so clever and clean compared to boys! When there were woodshavings they'd poop upstairs, but I guess they just like their nice clean fleece.

I'm so happy that I can easily clean the hutches twice a day. I love clean hutches! :)

I'm going to Penneys (Primark) today so might pick up a nice fleece as their spare one. Also gonna go to some pet shops and see how much vet bed is there, but if it's too much I'll order it online tonight (for the sleeping part of the hutch). And might get something for the pigs and bunnies, toys or something while I'm there. :)
 
I think fabric bedding is fine outside in warmer months (as long as it doesn't make them too warm) but I found it held the dampness from the air too much in colder weather.
 
LesaC said:
I think fabric bedding is fine outside in warmer months (as long as it doesn't make them too warm) but I found it held the dampness from the air too much in colder weather.
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Yeah that's what I'm worried about. I guess I'll just have to wait and see and be very careful. So far I'm checking the fleece is completely dry every night in case it gets cold. I'm going to put vet bed in the sleeping area, but I think I'll have to use hay in the winter anyway to be warm enough. And a snuggle safe heat pad.
 
I sooooooooooooooooooooooo want a snuggle safe heatpad lol!drool
Sounds like youve got a great set up-how long did it take you to litter train btw?
Issyx
 
The girls just kinda litter trained themselves! When Sukie had a baby she just started going out in one corner of the run, and then when she moved back in with Lola, she must have been a good example! They mostly poo in one corner of the run but will go a bit around the run. It's on concrete so I can just sweep it up, so it's fine.

My set up is ok, the hutches are pretty small, but have two storeys, and they have the run attached all day, so have lots of space really, just in seperate areas. And they get to go on the grass somedays too. In the winter they'll have hutch covers and I think I'll have to put plastic on the roof of the runs, so they can still come out if it's raining.
 
And I washed their fleeces yesterday and they were so happy! They go fluffier in the wash or something, and they were warm from the dryer so the pigs curled up on them and were really happy :)
 
pollypocket said:
I sooooooooooooooooooooooo want a snuggle safe heatpad lol!drool
Sounds like youve got a great set up-how long did it take you to litter train btw?
Issyx
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Was just thinking maybe you meant how long did it take to litter train the bunnies?

I got two of them and they were already litter trained, but got worse when I moved them to the shed and they were going on the grass during the day, I think it confused them! So they're being retrained now! And I have two baby buns now and it only took about two weeks for them to be properly trained :) So much easier than with guinea pigs!
 
Hi!

I've been considering this, and just have a question. When you say the pee soaks through, doesn't it leave the fleece a bit smelly? Or am I being really silly?

Our rabbits are littertrained (when they feel like using the toilet properly :P, mischevious lil buggers) but i've been considering fleece for the inside of the hutch for a while, and now we have the gp's I was thinking about putting some in there too!

cheers
 
It did get a bit smelly by the end of the week, but since they are outdoors the smell wasn't bad, unless I actually put it up to my nose I couldn't really smell it! They didn't pee much on the fleece though, just a few stains I think to mark their scent! mostly poops (from the boys) but they have the run too so they might have peed out there more. I think if they peed more up there I would have had to wash it after 3 days or so.
 
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