Suitable bedding?

[Abzz130297]

Hi all,
Quick question - ive been using sawdust for my piggies bedding as they're in a 6 foot hutch (I'm saving up for a c&c cage) and noticed a few days ago someone said about the problems it can cause my little ones, now I'm terrified.

I was wondering if there is another alternative bedding I can use, I've tried fleece blankets but they weed everywhere and they were soaked in an hour so they're no good. Also I don't have a lot of money so something that's cheap and what can keep a few days of you get my drift.

At the moment I'm cleaning my piggies out every 3 days as the hutch gets so messy, they have a toilet tray with sawdust in and I change that twice a day but they still pee and poo everywhere else, understandable they probably don't see the difference as its all sawdust.

I need advice, please help
Thank you
From one worried piggie mum x

 

[Siikibam]

I started on woodshavings and liked them. Some people also lay down newspaper and heap hay in top (partly for warmth). Otherwise the others I can think of may be expensive. Though there’s also aubiose. You can get a big bag though not sure how long it would last.

Are you taking out the damp areas in the sawdust when you clean ?

PS sawdust shouldn’t be used for guinea pigs I don’t think.

 

[Abzz130297]

I started on woodshavings and liked them. Some people also lay down newspaper and heap hay in top (partly for warmth). Otherwise the others I can think of may be expensive. Though there’s also aubiose. You can get a big bag though not sure how long it would last.

Are you taking out the damp areas in the sawdust when you clean ?

PS sawdust shouldn’t be used for guinea pigs I don’t think.

Yes they seem to go toilet wherever they like as well as the toilet tray, I've tried hay they just eat it so there's none left and they got really fat in a short amount of time the vet said no to it being used as bedding so I only put it in the hay rack now.

 

[Siikibam]

They can’t get fat from eating hay. It should make up 80% of their diet and is the one thing you can feed unrestricted. Did he say they’re fat because of how much they weigh or their heft?

Piggies are incontinent so will go anywhere, with the majority going where they eat and sleep. How often do you poo pick and clear the wet bits?

 

[Abzz130297]

I don't know she just said they're fat and need to diet they don't really eat much pellets and I limit their veggie intake and she said hay isn't good for piggies as the dust and stuff can cause them issues.

I poo patrol twice a day and clean as many wet bits as I can but the hutch stinks permanently so I'm cleaning them out every 3 days I am saving for a c&c cage it's just taking me a while.

I'm thinking about trying the fleece again maybe I was doing something wrong last time. The blankets were soaked within an hour so maybe I done something wrong.

 

[Lady Kelly]

Your vet isn't piggy savvy unfortunately. Hay should be available all the time and unlimited. As said above it makes up 80% of the diet. I give mine two huge bundles in each of the bedding areas for them to burrow in and they love it. I've done this for 6-7 years and out of 10 piggies I've only had one with a respiratory condition and that was as a result of an abscess and syringe feeding her not the bedding.

Sawdust on the other hand is dusty and a big no no. You can get wood shavings which are acceptable over sawdust but there are lots of other options that would minimise the dust risks further