Substrate for indoor cages?

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Armadillo

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I run a pet boarding (and sitting) company, and I've been asked to care for two male guinea pigs. The last time I worked with guinea pigs (quite a while ago now!), they were kept on woodshavings. Considering the fact that with my own small pets, I refuse to touch woodshavings with a very very long barge pole, I'm assuming the same is the case for piggies :)

In stock I have aubiose, megazorb and finacard. I'd rather use a particulate substrate as brushing off vet bed and washing it is more time consuming (and costly, since I'd want to use hot water and hygiene powder, which I use for my own pet's fleece) compared to scooping out litter and spraying down with disinfectant.

My question, therefore, is which of the three to go for? I plan to top it with hay as well - and it is an indoor cage (this one: http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/hutches_cages/guinea_pig_cages/120_cm_cages/95921 which seemed to be the largest I could get...so hope it is okay :) ).

And should I be using different substrate for male and female guinea pigs? For hedgehogs, I know that some people use shavings (bad people!), but that it is doubly serious for male hogs as they get bits stuck in their...well, boy bits (there have been reports of this leading to sepsis and death :( ). I'm happy to do one for females, and one for males, just want the nicest for the piggies in question (and knowledge for future piggies!).

Thank you :)
 
I use a layer of towels and fleece as I find it hypo-allergenic and cosy for piggies. You have to remove poops two or three times a week and change the bedding every three days. You can use it for males and females.
 
Like I said, washing it all isn't practical due to the cost of disinfecting fabric (that and I live in a household of 4, if I have more than 1 lots of piggies staying at one time, it can't be done without buying another washing machine!), and buying the fabric (and storing it - palava in the making, that :) ). I agree, it is hypo-allergenic for a piggy keeper, but not disinfectable (totally a word :) ) practically for a boarder.
 
Oh sorry. How about carefresh then? I used to use that. It is a bit expensive though.
 
Well, I use megazorb with my dwarf hamster (among other things - she has 5 different substrates :) ). Or is there something bad about megazorb that carefresh doesn't have? I suppose the pieces are larger in carefresh, but the cost for that stuff is insane!
 
I have not used megazorb myself but if you find it good then why not. What pets do you have? I am nosey so do not answer if you do not wish to.
 
I have a dwarf hybrid hamster, and a pygmy hedgehog. I'm asking because I have no idea what to use for a guinea pig. Like I said, I have aubiose, finacard and megazorb in stock, and I don't like woodshavings (and for boarding pets, vet bed/fleece liners are impractical, even if I use them with my own animals!). Just not sure if one of the three (aubiose/finacard/megazorb) would be okay for cavies, and if so, which is the best of the three :) They all seem to be liked from what I've read.
 
The wide variety of views in those threads was a bit confusing :) But, I presume since they are all mentioned positively, it means they are all 'safe' for piggies.

I did, however, find this: http://www.cavyhaven.org.uk/bedding.html
The combination of two beddings to make a better bedding (in theory) seems like a sensible one, so I plan on having a try of that.

And yep, I don't have a pig, I have a hog :D She's on fleece with finacard...although this is a towel (bathtime hog :) )
P1060112.jpg
 
Aubiose, megazorb and finacard are all fine to use for guinea pigs. I've seen all those brands mentioned on this board.

I have not try any of them, as I am in USA, and they are not available here.

I would say, the cage is a tad small. But for boarding, it should be okay.

If you make a cage from correx, you should be able to fold it flat when it's not being used. Might be a better option than having to store all those cages when there are no boarders.
 
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I'm a recent convert to finacard..the finely shredded stuff. It's so easy to clean out and it's soft so the piggies love it.

ps...am obviously thicker than i thought as had to google 'substrate'!
 
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piggyfan said:
Aww she is gorgeous!
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Just don't tell -her- that, she already has a 'little madam' complex :)

lissie said:
I would say, the cage is a tad small. But for boarding, it should be okay.
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I took my figures from here: http://www.guineapigcages.com/ Which was the first result on google for 'guinea pig cage sizes', and I knew C&C cages were the norm for respectable cage owners (correx is chewable, hence not wanting to use it myself), so I presumed they knew what they were talking about. With that in mind, I picked the biggest cage I could find, which was the R6A which comes out at 12.27 square feet. Cavy Cages (the link above) reckons 7.5 sq ft min, 10.5 sq ft preferred for two piggies, so I thought at 12.27 square foot I was onto a 'spacious' winner! Miffed now, of course, though!

On the positive note, the two guineas giving me a tester run are used to a 100x50cm cage (5.38 square feet!), so I don't feel too bad. That, combined with my R6A not turning up yet, and having to purchase a 6ft long bunny hutch as a temporary measure for the first two days until their proper cage arrives :)

Also need a lid :) Something I've never actually seen on a C&C cage.

My partner (life, rather than business...although he is my bank atm too!) wants to make polycarbonate custom cages, so less easy to chew than correx, more sturdy, more hygienic for boarding purposes where everything has to be gleaming, and mix/matchable to get different sizes - and strong enough to hold up lids :)

But it will take a while. Right now we are building an outside bunny house (fun times with sheds and fox-proofing nightmares!), so funds are tight, but that is the end goal. That and moving into a new property with space to do such things properly.
 
Oh, and I picked up two bags of megazorb and one bale of aubiose today :) And two different types of hay and some readigrass (which I know cavies love, but I haven't yet researched how often they get to have it - that is my next task :) )
 
Hi there,:)p I would think that either the megazorb or finicard would do for the piggies, nice to see a boarder who is willing to learn what their charges require as opposed to the ones who I seem to go to who know everything except the basics, well done. I have never used auboise with my pigs but I think I found it quite dry and a little dusty with my horse.

The simplest option is one used by many people on here which is a few layers of newspaper on the base with a layer of hay on top, this can easily be cleaned out each day by folding the paper over the hay, rolling it up and putting in the bin. The piggies will love burrowing in and making a bed in the hay, some piggies may prefer a piece of fleece to sleep on but one fleece bought out of ikea for £1.80 and cut into 4 pieces could just be throw out after the piggies stay if it could not be washed.

Hope this helps, I'm sure that you will enjoy the antics of the little piggies when they come to stay.

PS Loving the hog. x)
 
Just to say I have the R6A cage, and you are right, it is plenty big enough for 2 pigs, esp if just for boarding. I have my 2 boys in the cage and they love it. They go out in their combined hutch and run in the day, so have more space to run out there.
 
Just put together a 6 ft rabbit hutch (took all evening!), complete with vinyl tiles for the floor. I'm waiting for the R6A to arrive (from Germany, they are faffing me), but needed the bunny hutch for a rabbit arriving later on (but before my bunny lodge is completed), so bought the biggest hutch P@H (grr!) sells (or should I say sold? It has been discontinued, and I ended up spending an hour in the shop while the assistant manager phoned around all the local ones to try to find a shop with one left - massive palava going to collect it, but semi-pleased now...wouldn't buy another one, but it is a decent size). Hutch will become guinea pig outside lodgings (attached to run) in the future, so not a complete waste.

My partner hates vinyl tiles and has spent the last couple of hours calling P@H various names with regard to shoddy holes and the fact that the inside isn't actually straight.

But it is done, it looks good!

I tried the mix of aubiose and megazorb that I found (roughly...I added an extra two scoops of aubiose at the end as it looked very megazorby!). Looks good - feels soft and squishy, like megazorb. Trying to convince this client to stop keeping his piggies on woodshavings, so I'm letting him have a feel of both products, and the combination, and will keep my fingers crossed!

Added plenty of meadow hay in the sleeping compartment, and another clump at the opposite end. I've got a wicker tunnel, a plastic pigloo, glass waterbottle (should I offer a bowl as well?), ceramic food bowl, and I have a few jingly balls of various sorts from my bunny-kit (would these be suitable?). I also popped in a few wooden twigs (P@H, dirt cheap for a bundle, so I can toss them away after each piggy leaves without feeling bad!)

lynda1 said:
...nice to see a boarder who is willing to learn what their charges require as opposed to the ones who I seem to go to who know everything except the basics, well done.
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I got almost the same from the bunny folk on the forum I joined to learn. I honestly don't see the point in offering a service unless you are willing to do your research. Why should my clients pay for someone who doesn't know anything? They may as well get their neighbours to do it! I have insurance that the neighbours don't, sure, but I am also attempting to become knowledgeable. My last pet sitter (for my own animals) was very nice, but she didn't know what a hamster was...let alone my dwarf hybrid (main *bing bing bing* when you hear the words 'dwarf hybrid hamster' is 'diabetic prone!', followed by 'small!' :) )

These guineas that are my first piggies usually go to a place that charges the bloke £45 for two weeks, and they get kept in a four-storey high small hutch in a garage, and once a day let out (on a rota system) onto a scrabby patch of grass. I'm...a bit more expensive than that, but I am trying to do 'luxury'. And to be honest, I looked at the rates for guinea pigs round this region, and the big names (who have pretty photos on sparkling websites that I'd consider knew their stuff) are charging the same, if not more than me - I am not concerned :)

lynda1 said:
The simplest option is one used by many people on here which is a few layers of newspaper on the base with a layer of hay on top, this can easily be cleaned out each day by folding the paper over the hay, rolling it up and putting in the bin. The piggies will love burrowing in and making a bed in the hay, some piggies may prefer a piece of fleece to sleep on but one fleece bought out of ikea for £1.80 and cut into 4 pieces could just be throw out after the piggies stay if it could not be washed.
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I shall think about it - I do love ikea! Right now, it is somewhat impractical since we aren't living here long, and it is a rather full house. We're aiming to move in 6 months time and actually buy a place - at that point, when I can have my own washing schedule (for just the two of us plus my pet's plus work pets), it becomes less of an issue.

lynda1 said:
PS Loving the hog. x)
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She's been sitting watching us put up the hutch. The hamster wasn't so interested, he was off on exploring mode and trying to mow down our poor blind dog, bless him.

scrumpy66 said:
Just to say I have the R6A cage, and you are right, it is plenty big enough for 2 pigs, esp if just for boarding. I have my 2 boys in the cage and they love it. They go out in their combined hutch and run in the day, so have more space to run out there.
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Good to know, thank you :) If I was going to put more than two in, I'd want something larger I think. Having not seen it in the flesh (darn Zooplus germany taking so long!), it is hard to tell :) I read comments about it being the same size as a bed - a good thing :) I have an 18 square foot hog pen, and a 160x40cm hamster tank in my office, and then we have the new 6 ft hutch, a 5ftx2ft glass tank, and the bunny lodge is going to be 8x6ft plus two 8x4ft runs (with two pens inside the shed, and the option to remove the partition for lots of buns or piggies). I do love large cages, but I am blown for this month already - think I have about £100 left in my fund to last until September :) Well, that is ignoring incoming money :) Need everyone to go on holiday round here really!
 
I've taken some photos to show what I've got as a temporary measure (waiting for the R6A to arrive, so have a temporary cage in a 6ft bunny hutch).

My main questions are: Is there anything I am missing? And do I have enough/too much/too little hay?

Hutch:
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Inside:
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Enclosed 'bed' part of the hutch:
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I'd rather trust a guinea pig forum than a book (although if there are any trusted books out there, do let me know - I'll take any method of researching going :) ).
 
That looks lovely, what lucky pigs! In regards to the hay, you can never have too much! Piggies need unlimited supplies so you needn't worry about them eating too much or anything.
 
I think some people line their cage liners with zorb instead of towels (do you mean the cloth diaper lining stuff?) so that should be OK.

To be honest my pigs have been on wood shavings the whole time I've had them as I haven't really known any better, but I've got fleece on order now to make cage liners. I've not had issues relating to their bedding. It seemed to make Machu sneeze when he was a baby but he outgrew it quickly. I line their bedding area with hay instead, though.

I know some people on here use shredded paper, or a mix of that and hay, which would be nice and disposable for you. I'd ask the owners what they normally keep them on, as serious GP owners can be fussy.
 
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