Wood

[Pearl and Zip]

Is it okay if I build something out of birch wood and put it in the cage?

I know guinea pigs can’t have pine shavings as bedding, but what wood shavings can they have?

 

[sport_billy]

I would only use wood shavings bought in bedding bags as they have been dust extracted.

 

[sport_billy]

Seen conflicting advice on Birch on the net for pigs @Wiebke any ideas?

 

[Pawz]

Is it okay if I build something out of birch wood and put it in the cage?

I know guinea pigs can’t have pine shavings as bedding, but what wood shavings can they have?

I don’t use wood shavings but was always under the impression that aspen was the safest for piggies. Cedar shavings was the big no no to be avoided.
Pine is a hit and a miss, it MUST be kiln dried and contain very little smell, I wouldn’t risk it if honest.

But I could be wrong as I avoid shavings completely.

 

[Wiebke]

Would you consider researching environmentally more friendly alternative to wood havings? There are several around these days. Many people have switched to fleece for indoors cages.

In the US, aspen shavings are usually the ones that are recommended. Beech should be fine, too.
Any coniferous tree shavings should not be used because of the fumes given off due to their high resing content (i.e. pine).

 

[Pearl and Zip]

Would you consider researching environmentally more friendly alternative to wood havings? There are several around these days. Many people have switched to fleece for indoors cages.

In the US, aspen shavings are usually the ones that are recommended. Beech should be fine, too.
Any coniferous tree shavings should not be used because of the fumes given off due to their high resing content (i.e. pine).

Yeah, we’re doing paper bedding right now, but planning to switch to fleece when we get the pigs’ new cage. We want to do this option: Cavy Cafe Kitchen, but creating our own “cafe” by using birch wood. I was thinking of using wood shavings for the bedding inside the cafe because they’re less expensive.

 

[Wiebke]

Yeah, we’re doing paper bedding right now, but planning to switch to fleece when we get the pigs’ new cage. We want to do this option: Cavy Cafe Kitchen, but creating our own “cafe” by using birch wood. I was thinking of using wood shavings for the bedding inside the cafe because they’re less expensive.

I would strongly recommend to use soft meadow or orchard hay for your kitchen; what guinea pigs like best is to frolic, bury and sleep in the hay. The problem with that kitchen corner is that a) that hay rack is too small considering hay is providing 80% of that daily food intake and that b) you have the wood shavings all over the place in no time flat and that they are not as comfortable to lie and sleep in because the rim in that picture is far too low.
If you have boars, wood shavings tend to get stuck and can injure penises and perineal sacs during scent marking. Wood shavings can also get a lot more easily tangled in long-haired piggies' hairs forming mats than hay.

Have a look at the hay lofts and similar solutions in our members gallery for inspiration: Member Gallery: C&C cages/homemade cages
I use easy to clean seed trays for my own hay corners.

 

[Pearl and Zip]

I would strongly recommend to use soft meadow or orchard hay for your kitchen; what guinea pigs like best is to frolic, bury and sleep in the hay. The problem with that kitchen corner is that a) that hay rack is too small considering hay is providing 80% of that daily food intake and that b) you have the wood shavings all over the place in no time flat and that they are not as comfortable to lie and sleep in because the rim in that picture is far too low.
If you have boars, wood shavings tend to get stuck and can injure penises and perineal sacs during scent marking. Wood shavings can also get a lot more easily tangled in long-haired piggies' hairs forming mats than hay.

Have a look at the hay lofts and similar solutions in our members gallery for inspiration: Member Gallery: C&C cages/homemade cages
I use easy to clean seed trays for my own hay corners.

We aren’t using the small hay rack. We’re using a larger rack. We’re doing the idea ourselves, not buying the cafe. And we have sows.

 

[Wiebke]

We aren’t using the small hay rack. We’re using a larger rack. We’re doing the idea ourselves, not buying the cafe. And we have sows.

Have a look through what forum members have got; perhaps that may give you some new ideas to mull over?

 

[lissie]

I'd imagine your homemade cafe will be hard to clean. You'll have to line it with something waterproof. Plus your pigs would be chewing on it. It won't look pretty for long.

 

[Pearl and Zip]

Okay. I’ll try to explain what I want to do.

We are not buying the cafe. We got inspired by the cafe idea, and want to make our own.

We want to make a 2” tall divider out of birch wood, dividing one quarter of the cage from the other three quarters.

The one quarter will have paper bedding or wood shavings. This is where we’ll put the hay rack, water bottles, pellet bowl, etc. That way we will easily be able to clean up hay spills and most poop by just scooping out bedding.

The other three quarters of the cage will be fleece, and will have hideys, cozies, etc.

 

[lissie]

I understand what you're trying to build. That's why I say the birch wood might be hard to clean. Unless you're only using it as a divider, and not the tray for the homemade cafe.

By the way, check out paper pellets litter. They're heavy and won't get scatter into the fleece area as much as lighter bedding like carefresh or wood shavings.

 

[Pawz]

Have you considered a large litter pan for the cafe area? you can always cut a side down a bit if you feel it’s too high, i’m worried the wood divider would get a bit smelly if they pee on it (we all know the pee where they eat). Also the bonus of a litter pan is you can just lift out the contained mess to clean, rather than scooping.

 

[Pearl and Zip]

I understand what you're trying to build. That's why I say the birch wood might be hard to clean. Unless you're only using it as a divider, and not the tray for the homemade cafe.

By the way, check out paper pellets litter. They're heavy and won't get scatter into the fleece area as much as lighter bedding like carefresh or wood shavings.

Okay. And I’m doing a divider, not a tray. Thanks for the recommendation; I’ll check it out.