Smell ground cage

[Piggy101]

So when I was given these piggies they had a two story wooden cage and I found out it wasnt enough room and all that. Took it apart made a one story cage in the bottom of my closet I clean it everyday all the poops and any extra food. Then every week take everything out vaccum it and then clean the cage walls with a vinegar cleaner and change the liners. Always take out any plates/bowls used to feed veggies. Even though I think I'm doing everything right theres this smell in my closet I dont smell it on the cage liners or anything. I dont have much in my closet either, theres one of those rolling storage drawer things that's small and narrow that I store some of the extra pigs toys and dog stuff in. Then theres a tub I bought yesterday for cleaning the cage and a bucket that has some bedding I use for their litter box. Its driving me crazy not being able to find this smell. I did however put down some heavy duty mats that have the really thick rubber on the bottom in case there was any leaks through the liners which hasnt happen that I know of. I'm thinking about maybe shampooing what little carpet there is and seeing if that's It. But if you guys have found anything that gets over looked as far as cleaning goes I'd really appreciate it!

 

[ricear]

So when I was given these piggies they had a two story wooden cage and I found out it wasnt enough room and all that. Took it apart made a one story cage in the bottom of my closet I clean it everyday all the poops and any extra food. Then every week take everything out vaccum it and then clean the cage walls with a vinegar cleaner and change the liners. Always take out any plates/bowls used to feed veggies. Even though I think I'm doing everything right theres this smell in my closet I dont smell it on the cage liners or anything. I dont have much in my closet either, theres one of those rolling storage drawer things that's small and narrow that I store some of the extra pigs toys and dog stuff in. Then theres a tub I bought yesterday for cleaning the cage and a bucket that has some bedding I use for their litter box. Its driving me crazy not being able to find this smell. I did however put down some heavy duty mats that have the really thick rubber on the bottom in case there was any leaks through the liners which hasnt happen that I know of. I'm thinking about maybe shampooing what little carpet there is and seeing if that's It. But if you guys have found anything that gets over looked as far as cleaning goes I'd really appreciate it!

Hi there! I’ve noticed that smell too, and I think it’s just part of owning piggies. To me, they tend to smell like a petting zoo. Unless you have proper ventilation and good air flow, I’m not sure you’re ever going to really get over that, especially if they’re in a smaller area in your room. I’m no expert, though, that’s just my experience

 

[Piggies&buns]

There shouldn’t really be any smell. The hay will smell worst when it gets peed on so ensure all hay is changed daily.

My other thought depends on what your set up actually looks like - if you could post a picture it might be helpful - but I’m wondering if the smell is occurring because, being in a closet, there simply isn’t enough ventilation around the cage.

 

[Roselina]

Could it be that the original cage wasn’t cleaned well with the previous owners ? Sometimes older cages get stained.
I agree it could be that a bit more ventilation might help . Good luck !

 

[Piggy101]

My closet has no door, and my A/C Is like 6 foot away. Also I'm getting a dehumidifier to put in there in case of any moisture issues. Also the piece ontop I just added last night going to add a second story there for a kitchen area also I have cleaned all the cage I dont think its stained but it could be honestly this cage was made so cheap the board ontop there I cut it to fit and it's not even a solid piece they have block of wood here and there to make it not collapse so it's very thin and cheap wood it wouldnt take much to stain it lol. But I also have saturated it in vinegar cleaner then let it dry really well which doesnt take long since its thin lol. Everytime I spray cleaner in the cage after I let it set 10 minutes and wipe it down i leave a fan on it for 20 minutes or more and check to make sure it's all dried I know closets can be bad about mildew or mold. Also this cage might look smaller than it is its 3ftx4ft

 

[Roselina]

It looks a great fun home for your piggies ! You’ve adapted it very well - I don’t know what else you could do - you seemed to have tried everything ! You could put a basil plant or a lavender plant nearby - both those can be eaten in moderation by your piggies and you know they are safe plants - the plants will give a natural scent that might help.
I have my piggies in an alcove in a up and down cage (they also have a large playpen) but I don’t usually get any odour. The only time I did was when I was a bit lax with daily cleaning. I use newspaper / hemp/ hay for bedding .Good luck and keep us updated

 

[Piggy101]

Thank you and my cage was exactly like that one I just took it apart and fit it to my closet. Youd be amazed at what you can do with the same amount of screws/parts and a Milwaukee drill set lol xD I actually have so much extra I'm making the top part I've made them a little tunnel too I like repurposing xD I think it's fun to challenge yourself lol and it's just good to repurpose instead of throwing away