What's your preferance and why?

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Jebebr

Jebebr

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi guys

Looking to change the materials we use to floor our GP's cage for various reasons. Currently we use newpapers, compressed wood pellets and sawdust. We have used megazorb in the past but we started to get some bags that were strong in smell.

So what materials do people use, why and how often to you clean them out?

Thanks :))
 
Jebebr said:
Hi guys

Looking to change the materials we use to floor our GP's cage for various reasons. Currently we use newpapers, compressed wood pellets and sawdust. We have used megazorb in the past but we started to get some bags that were strong in smell.

So what materials do people use, why and how often to you clean them out?

Thanks :))
Click to expand...

My boys are currently bedded on shavings and hay but I'm going to be switching to fleece as soon as I've used all the shavings up. Why? Because being on this forum has made me aware that shavings aren't the best bedding for pigs as it is extremely dusty and can cause disease. At the moment I clean them out once a week. I like how absorbent shsvings are but at the end of the day it's making my boys' health not great so I've decided to switch. Lots of people use fleece and say that they love it. So, I thought I'd try it out and see what it's like. :))
 
Wny not Megazorb?

We bought an enormous bag of the stuff online for £7.
 
gorebrush said:
Wny not Megazorb?

We bought an enormous bag of the stuff online for £7.
Click to expand...

I have used Megazorb in the past and although it was absorbing urine there was a few bags that did not smell so good. Almost like a wet damp smell which has put me off.

I currently use sawdust because it feels the most natural however I agree with iluvguineapigs4, after reading different posts on here thinking of swtiching. Looking at Vetbed or Fleece not sure which though hence why I am looking for some feedback from other GP owners :))
 
My girls were kept on newspaper and hay and it works well for me.
Now they have been moved into a c&c 5x2 cage I'm using half fleece half newspaper and hay. It's so easy to clean out and I don't find there's much smell.
They love to burrow under their hay and I think Piggys need to forage which is why I won't use all fleece.
 
i use a layer of newspapers, then a layer of towels and then a fleece layer. about 1/4 of the cage is piled high with hay so they can burrow, which they love. :)

i do a full cage clean every other day, more because i like to clean it that often, rather than because it needs it that often! :(|) i just love seeing them in a lovely clean cage. x)
 
I use fleece and I love it! It's very easy to clean, just brush off hay and poo's and throw into the washing machine in a washing bag. I spot clean about twice a day, (three times if the girls are being messy!) and I wash the fleece out every 2 days and it's not a chore as it takes under 5 minutes. :)
 
I am currently experimenting whether to use newspaper or not.
There current bedding is a layer (4 sheets in each layer I think I used?) of newspaper, topped with straw.
Now in their bedroom they have newspaper on with straw on top.

Now the next cleanout will be a layer of newspaper and topped with woodshavings and a bed of straw.

The reasons why I use straw instead of hay are:
- It is warmer
- Cheaper
- They don't eat it
- Tinkerbelle got some hay stuck in her eye and it went all cloudy
- Have used straw with all my guinea's with no problems


*They have 24:7 access to a hayrack in the living area of the hutch*
 
Bentley and Chester
Kept On - Fleece, with towels underneath
Changed - 3 days, swept once a day,
Why - Chester is sensetive to the dust in sawdust and hay and they're pampered princes with lots of cosy things !

Marmite
Kept on - Wood shavings
Changed - once a week
Why- Easier for me as i don't have the time to keep on top of the washing of two cages of fleece and it's cheap and comfy !
 
Vetbed and Hay.
Changed: Newspaper under the vet bed is changed daily, and poop/ wet hay is swept also daily. Vetbed is changed every 8-9 days.
Why? Cost effective and enviromentally friendly :)
 
Thanks guys for all your input. Think it will be a choice between fleece or vetbed. No harm in giving it a shot :)
 
I changed to fleece last week, found a old mattress protector and use two layers of that and one layer of fleece. The boys mainly wee and poo in their house and litter tray, both which are filled with hay! To be honest so far I only change up their litter tray n hay in the house each day, take out the fleece and shake to rid of poos every three days and do a full clean every 5/6 days. It's a two tier hutch and the mess is minimal and spread out and thankfully they poo mostly in the house and tray!
I like how fleece looks, the boys are comfortable everywhere so can just lie down and snooze, with long haired it stays dry and the shavings gave me allergies so it's a thumbs up from me!
 
I finally decided to change to fleece from shavings last night, found it a bit strange to do as I have always used shavings and never thought of them being a problem to their health until I joined here.

I don't know whether they found it strange or it was coincidence but they were a bit hiper to say the least last night. They calmed down as soon as we went to bed so maybe it was the tele, hubbie is a bit deaf and has it a bit loud sometimes.

Anyway, this morning the living room didn't smell at all, although I quite like the shaving and hay smell but there was nothing.

Don't know if it is just me but they are definately not itching and sneezing as much this morning as normally when I clean them Titch runs about that much she spreads it about a bit and then starts sneezing.

There seems to be only two corners wet with wee and poo so used an old spoon to get them up, problem was Ruby was following me round the whole cage nosing at what I was doing.

I used a mattress topper we had and got about 2 out of it from a single bed size and put newspaper, under, flannels in the 2 corners then fleece.

I will see how it goes as the problem is they love piles of hay spread about and in their tunnel and caves so I will see how it is to get off to wash, the wash bag is a great idea and I will get one when I am next at the supermarket.
 
Silly said:
I finally decided to change to fleece from shavings last night, found it a bit strange to do as I have always used shavings and never thought of them being a problem to their health until I joined here.

I don't know whether they found it strange or it was coincidence but they were a bit hiper to say the least last night. They calmed down as soon as we went to bed so maybe it was the tele, hubbie is a bit deaf and has it a bit loud sometimes.

Anyway, this morning the living room didn't smell at all, although I quite like the shaving and hay smell but there was nothing.

Don't know if it is just me but they are definately not itching and sneezing as much this morning as normally when I clean them Titch runs about that much she spreads it about a bit and then starts sneezing.

There seems to be only two corners wet with wee and poo so used an old spoon to get them up, problem was Ruby was following me round the whole cage nosing at what I was doing.

I used a mattress topper we had and got about 2 out of it from a single bed size and put newspaper, under, flannels in the 2 corners then fleece.

I will see how it goes as the problem is they love piles of hay spread about and in their tunnel and caves so I will see how it is to get off to wash, the wash bag is a great idea and I will get one when I am next at the supermarket.
Click to expand...

I think this will be our main 'to do' for this weekend. Buying matress topers, fleece and stitching them together.

Thanks
 
Hi Jebebr,

Bit late in the thread to post this really but the flannels ummmmmmm, definately a no for me they started to pong, so they went in the bin, not one of my best ideas I have had, just thought I would let you know about that.

Decided, to make 4 perspex corner litter trays to try instead then put fleece over them, the ones you can buy 4 would be a bit expensive and the shop near me they look way too big.

I will post how they go and maybe take a pic for you.
 
Husband made me four clear perspex corner trays with a lip on the edge and today I am so chuffed with the result. Decided, it wasn't for me the mattress topper as I couldn't get used to the idea of it being damp under the fleece, and as I wash alot at 30-40 degrees was a bit concerned the bacteria wouldn't come out or the smell.

So cut out a thick wedge of newspaper in a triangle shape to fit in each of them and put the fleece over, the paper I changed this morning but the fleece is bone dry.

They only seem to pee in two corners of their cage.

Have put more fleece as a thicker layer under their caves for comfort as the cage seems dry everywhere put the two corners.
 
rabbitdan said:
I am currently experimenting whether to use newspaper or not.
There current bedding is a layer (4 sheets in each layer I think I used?) of newspaper, topped with straw.
Now in their bedroom they have newspaper on with straw on top.

Now the next cleanout will be a layer of newspaper and topped with woodshavings and a bed of straw.

The reasons why I use straw instead of hay are:
- It is warmer
- Cheaper
- They don't eat it
- Tinkerbelle got some hay stuck in her eye and it went all cloudy
- Have used straw with all my guinea's with no problems


*They have 24:7 access to a hayrack in the living area of the hutch*
Click to expand...
Straw is much more of a poke risk than hay! Do your pigs still have access to hay for eating as it is essential in their diet.
 
I'm just switching from shavings to fleece after reading about shavings' shortcomings. I've sewn fitted fleece liners over a cotton mattress topper, newspaper underneath.

Fleece is great for me, not least because my current boar is almost completely litter trained (he's a fastidious little oddball), so I don't anticipate terrible smell problems. I will be using woodshavings in the litter tray until I use up my massive current bag, but I prefer that compressed wood pellet cat litter. More absorbent, doesn't smell as quickly, and they don't trail it all over the fleece like they do with shavings. I just pop the pigs in a box or carrier and vac any stray poos up with a handheld vac, or sweep them out. When he gets a new cagemate, I hope he passes the litter tray habit on!

Like Amysmom I like them to have a forage option, though, so their new C&C has a top mezz level that I cover in newspaper, a towel, then hay. I hide dried herb mix, bits of carrot, berries etc. in there so they can burrow around and burn off some extra energy.
 
I'm considering switching to half newspaper & hay & half fleece, instead of full fleece when I get my base set up - but the weeing on the hay puts me off?
 
Well I could not wait until the weekend and went out on Tuesday evening to buy fleece and a mattress topper. 2 days later and after 6+ washes I can not get my fleece to wick :( Fleece has been washed on its own with Persil non bio and hung outside. Last night I washed it at 60c then it was taken to my in laws to be put through their tumble drier. My husband read that this process can help break down the fleece to make it wick moisture through. To start with the water would just sit on top and would not seep through. Now it initially sits there and after 5 minutes seeps through but its soggy. My worry it that he is going to get wet if I put the fleece in like that. Jerry isn't potty trained as such in his cage but there is areas in his cage that are wetter than others. He is potty trained when he runs about the livingroom or out getting hugs from us.

Any tips that I have missed to make my fleece wick?! It is 100% Polyester grrrr
 
Hi Piggylife,

Yeah, they have two big hay balls at each end of their cage and I put a pile in their tunnel and keep adding to a pile in the middle of their hutch.

I don't ever use straw as was told by a pet shop owner that it could poke them in their eye.

They go through alot of hay.

I haven't done a total clean out yet as only changed to fleece a day ago but can see shaking the fleece to get the hay out to be a pain,, but I am trying to give this way a go and have put the shavings in the shed till I totally make my mind up about fleece and not shaving. Silly x..
 
Hi Jebebr,

I am not an expert in this field as you know, someone will be along with better advice.

Daft question but is your fleece thick fleece. Mine were just from B and M Bargains (don't know if you have this store) they are just thin fleece and cheap. Maybe if it is thicker that is why. Mine are quite dry after pee and I only washed them 3 times. They are cheap as chips though.

To be honest the fleece is just covered in hay anyway as they are quite inconsiderate things dragging it all around, I mean what a cheek! I try to keep it tidy as well.
 
Shavings with hay. Been using this for 20 years and not had a single pet with an allergy/itchy/sneezy problem caused by the shavings. If you get good quality, dust extracted shavings then these are the best you can buy for your piggies.

I have to buy by the (horse) bale simply because of the number of piggies I have. With a shed and two hutches £8's worth of shavings lasts over a month - bargain compared to practically every other bedding out there.

I've used megazorb, but you dont get anywhere near as much for your money. Good for allergy pigs and long haired piggies with clingy coat types, though! Also considering trying hemp bedding - just trying to find somewhere local that stocks it so we can give a bale a go and see if it's any good.
 
Hi Ghostbusterbunny,

Yeah, I have used shavings since I was about 10 many many years ago and up to joining the forum had never given it a thought.

I did have a guinea with alot of sneezing and sniffles over a year ago who was on alot of antibiotics for it and who knows it was shavings as I never used dust extracted.

I thought I would try as they are in my living room the hay and shavings smell stands out a bit and the cost of dust extracted for their big cage was a bit expensive for me. I'll see how it all goes for now. Silly.
 
Silly said:
Hi Jebebr,

I am not an expert in this field as you know, someone will be along with better advice.

Daft question but is your fleece thick fleece. Mine were just from B and M Bargains (don't know if you have this store) they are just thin fleece and cheap. Maybe if it is thicker that is why. Mine are quite dry after pee and I only washed them 3 times. They are cheap as chips though.

To be honest the fleece is just covered in hay anyway as they are quite inconsiderate things dragging it all around, I mean what a cheek! I try to keep it tidy as well.
Click to expand...

Well I barely read you post and rushed to B&M's to get some more fleece. I had completely forgotten about this store. If I went there 1st I would of got 2 fleece and a mattress protector for the same price I paid for the fleece from Tesco. I have now purchased 2 fleece for £3.99 and these look like they will work. Tried the wick test and now in the wash for their 1st lot of washing!

Fingers crossed this time Silly :) Thanks
 
HI Pamelakt,

B and M Bargains sell allsorts really, pet stuff, toys, pictures, toiletries. I didn't know they were in other parts of the country I thought they were just here, so I have learnt something knew today. My fleece had paw prints on it got two for £5.00 Silly xx.
 
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