Woodshavings on shed floor

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Alicia

Alicia

Adult Guinea Pig
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For the Winter I have moved my guinea-pigs hutches into the shed, and put woodshavings on the shed floor. During the day they can run around the shed floor so they can get exercise when they aren't in the run. On the shed floor I have a layer of tarpaulin then newspaper then woodshavings on top, but one of my hutches is like this:
http://cdn.dealsdirect.net/m/products/328/6328/3/product1_6328.jpg

and it is really hard to clean in the run part because the newspaper gets stuck underneath the ramp and the edge of the hutch. I think the only way I could clean that newspaper out is to take that hutch out, but to do that I'd have to take all 4 hutches out of the shed, then put them back in. If that's the only way I could do it then I don't mind doing it, but it will take quite a long time and I can't lift them on my own so if there is another way to do that without taking the hutches out it would be better. Is there any bedding I could use that would not need newspaper/puppy pads underneath? Or something I could put underneath the bedding that I could pull out more easily, because the guinea-pigs push it underneath the ramp and I can't get it out.
I hope that made some sense :))

Also, because I've been at school all day, only 1 hutch has been open to let them on the shed floor, so the other 3 hutches have been shut in. I have let Roy out, do you think he'll be ok in the shed out of his hutch for the night? (He still has access to his hutch)
Here's the shed (I've taken the divider down since because it kept getting knocked down)

guineapigs008.jpg


The hutch that keeps getting newspaper stuck underneath it is on the right of the photograph :)
 
In my shed the boys have access outside their hutch, and I used self adheisive tiles from B+Q they were around £4 for a pack of 6, and it's soo much easier to clean you just stick them to the floor of the shed and just sweep up any poos/ mess the pee also doesn't soak into the tiles so it's ust a quick wipe down, and I've also found as the tiles are 'spondgey' it insulated the floor of the shed!

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.j...refview=search&ts=1292069641261&isSearch=true

Artie on the tiles:
nomnom-1.jpg


The tiles:
indooors.jpg


I know my shed is much smaller than yours but if you can afford the tiles, I'd assume you'd need around 8 packs? It works a treat :) Hope you find a method to suite you and your piggles!
 
Oooo also I leave the hutch door open all the time so they have access to the shed floor during the night :)
 
My girls hutch is like that and it's a total pain trying to clean the bottom half.
What I've done is bought some waterproof tablecloth material (I think Dunhelm mill sell it) and then put newspaper on the top and then woodshavings.
When it comes to cleaning I pull the paper out and the majority of the shaving come too, then I use a childs sweeping brush to clean the rest of the mess in to a pile and use a scoop to pick it up.
I give the material a quick wipe over with the cage disinfectant and then dry it with kitchen towl/ old towl and lay fresh paper and woodshaving, It saves me a lot of time.
Their runs have the same material on the floor and a puppy pad thing and then fleeces aswell their toys and then the rest is just covered in hay with a small clear space for their food bowl and veg bit.
 
Thank you :) I think I might try some of the spongey tiles. AudioHeart, do you not put newspaper or anything underneath them and do you ever need to change them, does pee not go through? Sorry for so many questions :))
 
Nope they just stick to the floor, and are just like regular floor tiles they don't soak anything up as the top bit doesn't absorb, so it just needs a wipe down at the end of the day, very quick and simple - I've even used them on the hutch floor so the wood doesn't become damaged, and add hay on top, i would say they are the best things i've ever bought for the boys. :))
 
Thank you! I think I'm going to try these :)
 
I hope they work well for you :) It'll save quite a lot of time during cleaning time :)
 
yOU COULD COVER THE FLOOR WITH VINOLAY.IT IS EASY TO SWEEP AND CLEAN WITH A DAMP CLOTH.
 
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