What Is Fleece

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Clickety

Clickety

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Bare with me I'm not great on terms.
When you say fleece is it backed with anything or is it just polar fleece fabric? Thanks
 
Just ordinary fleece. It needs to be the kind that wicks when you wash without softner. Polar I think is the correct term. As it doesnt absorb you need something else with it. I use puppy pads newspaper and towels. You dont need all that though its just what I prefer. Some people only use towels some only use puppy pads. Its what works for you. People also make complete bedding which is usually two pieces of fleece with something absorbant between
 
Thank you, I am using the right fabric. I'll start layering it with newspaper
 
Its whatever works for you. Fleece doesnt work for everyone. So dont worry if you find it too time consuming and want to switch to something else. There are plenty of bedding options in the housing section.
 
Briony_Y said:
Its whatever works for you. Fleece doesnt work for everyone. So dont worry if you find it too time consuming and want to switch to something else. There are plenty of bedding options in the housing section.
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I had tried it for the indoor caging and it seems like a good option for me!
 
The fleece that is usually the best, is 'Anti-pill' fleece, or the fleece from primark, that's NOT in the huge elastic band.
 
Clickety said:
I had tried it for the indoor caging and it seems like a good option for me!
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It seems to work for me, the only problem I had was, that in the sleeping area, it smells awful because of all the hay on top of it!
So I now have fleece downstairs, and woodshavings upstairs.
 
I agree with all the above. I have recently changed over to fleece as I was sick and tired of shovelling out (slight exaggeration for effect) soiled bedding on cleaning days. I have found a mix and match is the best. My GP's love chilling out lying on hay so I have an area with a tray in which I put bedding ( I use Aubiose and/or Megazorb ) on the base and hay on top. I find the smelliest thing about my GP's is soiled hay but they love lying on it so much that I wouldn't deny them the pleasure. I can change the hay in this area as often as I feel I need to . The rest of the cage is lined with fleece.

I would also advise fleece users to consider getting a pet wear laundry bag. I use one as, no matter how much I brush and shake soiled fleece before laundering , there is still a lot of hay and pet hairs on it and I don't want to get blamed for blocking the washing machine.
 
Ok thanks!
I'll look into the things you've mentioned. The fleece is less smelly than hay and newspapers/ wetting pads.
I provide cardboard boxes- discarded daily- is that ok?
 
Please pre-wash any fleece at least a couple of times with a softener-free detergent before use, so the surface is no longer sealed and your piggies are not sitting in their own pee. Never use softener with fleece! You also have to be careful not overload the washing machine - otherwise, the fleece will come out stinking if the ratio of fabric and washing water is not right. Please also wash your fleece regularly at a higher temperature (60 - 90 C) to kill off any bacteria and fungal spores that can build up. This is even more important in a warmer climate! Fleece shrinks more when you wash it at a high temperature, so leave some generous margins at first.

Anti-pil or polar fleece are the best for bedding. I use anti-pil for my own set-up and order it from an online fabric store by the metre. It should last you for several years!

You will have to find out what works best for you in the way of underlay. There is no ideal solution - it pays to use what is easily available to you!
 
Wiebke said:
Please pre-wash any fleece at least a couple of times with a softener-free detergent before use, so the surface is no longer sealed and your piggies are not sitting in their own pee. Never use softener with fleece! You also have to be careful not overload the washing machine - otherwise, the fleece will come out stinking if the ratio of fabric and washing water is not right. Please also wash your fleece regularly at a higher temperature (60 - 90 C) to kill off any bacteria and fungal spores that can build up. This is even more important in a warmer climate! Fleece shrinks more when you wash it at a high temperature, so leave some generous margins at first.

Anti-pil or polar fleece are the best for bedding. I use anti-pil for my own set-up and order it from an online fabric store by the metre. It should last you for several years!

You will have to find out what works best for you in the way of underlay. There is no ideal solution - it pays to use what is easily available to you!
Click to expand...
Thanks!
I got rugs in fleece fabric from ikea- cheaper than by the metre.
I pre washed a few times- I don't use softener. I have a hygienic function on my washer for nappies so I run it through that.
I use essential oils on blankets and bedding for my family- eucalyptus and tea tree in the fabric softener compartment would this be ok for the gps?
When cleaning cages can I use tea tree oil?
 
Guinea pigs have a far more sensitive respiratory system than we humans, so we generally do not recommend to use essential oils around them.
 
Thank you. I use tea tree oil for cleaning my home and haven't with the guinea pig. Not sure if you use it in the U.K. It's great, but not for piggies I see.
 
I wouldn't use any essential oils for cleaning anything of the piggies - cage or fleeces. They have a very good sense of smell. I have heard on other threads of people having to take things like scented candles out of the room they keep their GPs in as the scent has affected. Another thing to watch out is for those plug in air fresheners some people use .

I launder my fleeces in an unscented detergent and also at 60 degrees as @Wiebke advised.

I'm not a good seamstress so have bought some cage liners from a website - the laundry instructions stated to wash at 40 degrees so I expect I'll see them shrink if I was them at 60 . However , I'd sooner they shrunk than get a build up of germs.
 
I use fleece from primark with puppy pads underneath. Dylan loves to pull all his hay out so I have a small tray (looks like a very shallow cat litty tray) with shavings in which sits underneath his hay rack and water bottle. I'm looking for alternatives though as he tracks the shavings all over his fleece :)
 
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