Pls help!

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jen_w

jen_w

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HI All

I first got pancake in nov and izzy in jan and ive noticed in the last 2 months (since the weather got warmer) their cage gets really filthy really quickly and to be honests its minging! Ive noticed they drink loads now so obviously wee more but i was concerned as before they would getting cleaned once a week but now after a few days its saturated and is attracting flies as we have the door open when warm, am i doing something wrong or what?
Thanks x
 
Sorry to hear you are having problems Jen. Just a couple of questions, I assume from the fact that you say you leave the door open that the piggies are indoors? What size cage are they housed in and what bedding do you use?

I find in the warmer months that my piggies drink more too, which obviously results in more wee!:)) I tend to clean my lot out several times a week, they are bedded on a thick layer of newspaper, then megazorb and finally hay - I find that it is the urine that smells the most. Make sure when you clean out the cage that you give it a good scrub with disinfectant or white vinegar to remove any stains and smells, allow it to dry thoroughly before making it up again.

Hope that helps, I'm sure others will come along with suggestions.
 
Don't think your doing anything wrong, its just the way it is. My indoor piggy needs cleaning every few days.

What are you using in your cage?

I use wood shavings with a layer of wood litter under it to absorbe the urine more and it does help.
 
It doesnt sound like you are doing anything wrong. they are just drinking more with causes more wee. I cleaned my girls cage last night....they are on fleece with newspapers under it. And by the time i was done and sat down...they had made a mess all over again. :) Being inside, i clean mine every 2 to 3 days. They are just growing piggies!
 
Like the others say, I don't think you're doing anything wrong. They need cleaning out every 2-3 days in this weather really. Some beddings are more absorbant than others...

The flies are a pain, maybe you could get something to deter them? I use a fly pen which I paint on the top of the window in the room they are in, it kills the flies. Gorgeous Guineas produce a spray to deter flies too.

And do a daily check around their rear ends for flystrike - its a nasty condition where flies lay eggs on guineas bottoms, and the maggots can cause death.
 
Thanks for all your comments. I've just cleaned them out now so think I will keep and eye on it and clean again Friday or Saturday. I'm not sure how to describe the cage - Itss a large one! They have a big wooden log cabin (!) and a leopard print hammock (rabbit size one) and still room to jump around. I will make sure I check their bottoms as I ddnt know flies could do that! They both seem so content but i feel bad! I use 2 layers of newspaper then woodshavings (soft ones) and lots of hay. I tried vet bed but I found cleaning it such a pain (broke the washing machine!) does anyone else find this? xx
 
I clean every two days, mine are outside and the flies worry me ......
 
The flies are attracted to both the wee and any soft poos - try spot cleaning (checking for damp wee patches) every night and hook out the wet stuff and top up with fresh bedding.In the hot weather where they drink more I end up checking twice a day to try and minimise it!
 
I have mine indoors and clean them out every other day.

Was using vetbed but I can't get the hay off enough and it jammed up the washing machine filter a few times. Now using fleece blankets as a good shake before they go in the machine pretty much gets the hay off.

If I leave them longer than every other day they do smell and i can't cope with that.

I went to one house where the lady had alot of guineas - they were all in what looked like fresh hay but she had loads of flies buzzing about and it smelled really strong.
 
I have got a couple of those hanging sticky fly strip things. They are absolutely revolting and if you catch your hair on them, you're doomed. However, I get a very warped pleasure out of watching the damn flies land on them and stick. Ha! They really do work, but I change them regularly so I don't have to look at all the dead flies stuck to them. xx
 
nutmeg said:
I have got a couple of those hanging sticky fly strip things. They are absolutely revolting and if you catch your hair on them, you're doomed. However, I get a very warped pleasure out of watching the damn flies land on them and stick. Ha! They really do work, but I change them regularly so I don't have to look at all the dead flies stuck to them. xx
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you made me spit out my coke! lol talking about getting your hair stuck on them! I did that as a child....it stuck on my cheek and hair...it was Horrible...lol
 
jen_w said:
Thanks for all your comments. I've just cleaned them out now so think I will keep and eye on it and clean again Friday or Saturday. I'm not sure how to describe the cage - Itss a large one! They have a big wooden log cabin (!) and a leopard print hammock (rabbit size one) and still room to jump around. I will make sure I check their bottoms as I ddnt know flies could do that! They both seem so content but i feel bad! I use 2 layers of newspaper then woodshavings (soft ones) and lots of hay. I tried vet bed but I found cleaning it such a pain (broke the washing machine!) does anyone else find this? xx
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I used to use wood shavings, and found they smelt very quickly. Megazorb, or Carefresh are both absorbant, and I haven't noticed any wee smells if i clean them out on the third day.

I think people who use vetbed put it inside a pillow case when it goes into the washing machine?
 
Yes, I put my vetbed in an old duvet cover before I put it in the machine and tie a knot in the open end, then I take it outside when the wash has finished and turn the duvet cover inside out to dry on the line all the loose hay drops off on the garden, not in your washer. I also used megazorb which I found was better than shavings at keeping the smell down, still had to clean every couple of days though, cos they poop so much.
 
I use the fly strips too and they get stuck in my mop! Haha Makes me feel ill! I scream the place down!

Hmmm maybe I am afraid of bugs! :))
 
Rosie2009 said:
I used to use wood shavings, and found they smelt very quickly. Megazorb, or Carefresh are both absorbant, and I haven't noticed any wee smells if i clean them out on the third day.

I think people who use vetbed put it inside a pillow case when it goes into the washing machine?
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like rosie says i have also heard megazorb is great,although i dont use it x
 
I use a layer of newspaper, then megazorb, then Finacard on top. I then spot clean the Finacard every day, along with any hay stewn across the cage - the Megazorb and newspaper can usually last the week. They are kept really clean this way. :)
 
I also clean ours once every 2 days :D Thats just how fast our 4 pigs fill up our 4 litter trays lol There pretty stinky if I leave it till the third day haha
 
I use a towel under vetbed than i wash the towel as needed and replace then the vet bed when smells! i put news paper where they go wee most and change daily seems to work so far but only new to this game!:))
 
pelicano said:
I use a layer of newspaper, then megazorb, then Finacard on top. I then spot clean the Finacard every day, along with any hay stewn across the cage - the Megazorb and newspaper can usually last the week. They are kept really clean this way. :)
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I also use paper then megazorb and hay. I used to use shavings but I thought it smelt bad and it also gave Scrappy the snuffles and sneezes :a19::( I started with carefresh which is just as good but megazorb is much better value! Scrappy is much happier and we don't get any smells anymore. I spot clean everyday and give it a complete clean once a week :)

Whats Finacard I'm wondering rolleyes?/
 
Finacard is cardboard-based bedding. It's quite good as it doesn't get stuck to the food in the way that Megazorb and shavings do, but it isn't as absorbent etc.
 
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