What on earth is vetbed?

[Hoggle*&*Ludo]

What is it and where do you get it from?

Is it cheaper and better than fleece?

I need the pros and cons if you don't mind because I don't have a clue! ")

 

[Laura-CCC4]

A lot more expensive than fleece. Better is debatable! "Vetbed" is short for veterinary bedding - what the vets use when treating animals particularly after surgeries. It's sold mostly for dogs, but it's good for guineas too.

The basic pros and cons of Vetbed are:

Pros:
Very soft, fluffy, cosy surface;
Wicks urine down to base, so surface remains dry;
Can be washed at high temperatures (90 degrees if you buy the Petlife International Original Vetbed )
Excellent bedding for post-op recovery;
Lasts years.

Cons:
Expensive;
Hay and poops can wedge themselves down between the soft "bobbly" fibres - not as easy to completely brush off before washing as fleece is;
Bulky, heavy to wash so you can't put much into the machine at a time.

Both fleece and Vetbed work well for most piggies, but what works for one pig and owner may not work for another.

You can buy Vetbed online, or in some pet shops. Petlife is the original Vetbed, there are many imitations (such as Profleece) but as long as the Vetbed has a firm back/base then the only difference is that the imitations cannot be washed at 90 degrees.

Mine are on fleece and do brilliantly on it, but they do love their Vetbed as well - I tend to have a few pieces of Vetbed in the cage as an extra cosy area.

 

[Deb H]

I love vetbed. My girls, especially the long haired, prefer it. They have been on everything from sawdust, megazorb, fleece, etc. Poops do get caught sometimes, but I use a latex glove to clean out the poop and that seems to work well, the gloves also pick up fur and hay. In the winter it just looks warmer! As I only have one set of vetbed, when I clean the cage out they have fleece, they seem less comfortable and certainly complain more, though thankfully the vetbed tends to dry overnight.

Not sure if that helps at all! lol :a19:

 

[MrsM]

I have used both and prefer fleece as it's easier to get hay out of, much cheaper and comes in many shades and patterns. Most importantly, I can wash 4 fleeces at onces, but 2 vetbed pieces.

 

[Lisajazz]

I've also used both and prefer fleece for the cages as it's not as tough as vetbed to clean. BUT I do use it from time to time and my guineas all sprawl out in the open with the vetbed as it is very cosy indeed.

I also had some put by for Mork after his op and kept him on it non stop until he healed up (changing it every day). He was fine too.

 

[KimberleysWheekers]

Here's a pic;

White vetbed


I think this is the original stuff, or the one that they use after ops etc because it is white, but you can get it in different colours.

Coloured vetbed

My local petstore sells it, it is normally in the dog section on a big roll, like how carpets are sold, but obviously not that big a roll!

I am tempted slightly, because you can cut it to size, but then if it is harder to brush off and can't put as much in the washing machine at once then hmmm I might just stick with fleece for now.