Bedding

[nlkiser198343]

Is this an appropriate set up for bedding. I have regular towels at the bottom and I bought these pads that I cover most of the towel with. Mostly corners and water bottle and then I lay these podoo blankets across that. I use 5 pads and 6 blankets in the cage and the blankets on top get wet every couple of days. My washer only does hot wash ATM tho until I get a new one so I don't want to ruin an expensive fleece liner. I never tried going with disposable bedding and would rather use what I already bought. I'm spending a fortune on a lot of stuff that ends up being useless. They seem comfortable on it tho.

 

[nlkiser198343]

The idea was the blankets are supposed to wick the moisture through into the pads. I also read after washing them 3 times the wicking process works better. I was looking at guinea dad liner but for $55 I was worried it's gonna get ruined in my wash. I don't drive so laundromats aren't really an option

 

[Piggies&buns]

Provided everything wicks down so the top remains dry then it is working.

Puppy pads with fleece on top is the way it works - the urine goes through the fleece to the puppy pads. The fleece dries and the puppy pads lock the moisture inside.
People then put smaller fleece pads on top of the main fleece so the smaller pads can be removed more often in high traffic areas.

Towels as an absorbent layer don’t work for everybody. They tend to remain wet (thus allowing moisture to potentially seep back up) and can smell more quickly.

 

[nlkiser198343]

Provided everything wicks down so the top remains dry then it is working.

Puppy pads with fleece on top is the way it works - the urine goes through the fleece to the puppy pads. The fleece dries and the puppy pads lock the moisture inside.
People then put smaller fleece pads on top of the main fleece so the smaller pads can be removed more often in high traffic areas.

Towels as an absorbent layer don’t work for everybody. They tend to remain wet (thus allowing moisture to potentially seep back up) and can smell more quickly.

The towels really don't even get wet by the time I change them at the end of the week the only thing is they move the corners around a bit. Maybe if I put small weights or something to hold them down

 

[Piggies&buns]

The towels really don't even get wet by the time I change them at the end of the week the only thing is they move the corners around a bit. Maybe if I put small weights or something to hold them down

Are the towels not getting wet because the pad above it is holding the moisture?

 

[nlkiser198343]

Are the towels not getting wet because the pad above it is holding the moisture?

Yeah because I have pads in all there pee corners and under the water bottles. They suck up most of the moisture and it seems to dry very fast. There definitely peeing because when I take them out they pee within 10 minutes

 

[nlkiser198343]

Can I use these weighted rocks to hold there blankets down in the corner? Or would they hurt there teeth on them or something

 

[Piggies&buns]

Can I use these weighted rocks to hold there blankets down in the corner? Or would they hurt there teeth on them or something

You shouldn’t need to do this.
Are they trying to get underneath the blankets?

 

[nlkiser198343]

You shouldn’t need to do this.
Are they trying to get underneath the blankets?

No but when they move there houses it moves the blankets. They don't snap on or anything.

 

[nlkiser198343]

No but when they move there houses it moves the blankets. They don't snap on or anything.

Does anybody advise guinea dad fleece liner or another could fleece cage liner. These podoo blankets I have to lay to side by side and change every 3 days tops so far. They work okay but get moved around some. So far I haven't seen them try to burrow under and most of it's weighted down by there hidey houses but the corners are the biggest pain because that's where it gets moved the most and they pee the most. They might still need to wash another go or 2 for the wicking to work better. Idk but I'm still looking for better ideas. I like the look of guineadad liner but I'm worried since my washer only washes hot it might ruin it.

 

[nlkiser198343]

Right now I'm spending 10 hours a day 5 days a week at work and spending another 5-8 hours a day learning and cleaning up after them. I wanna keep doing it but I feel it's gotta get a little easier eventually. I'm always worried I'm doing something wrong.

 

[Piggies&buns]

It’s fine to try to weigh them down in the cage corners but if that is also where they are peeing then surely they are going to end up peeing on the weights? Or am I picturing what you mean incorrectly?

The issue is obviously occurring because they are lots of smaller blankets that are not heavy enough.

The only other thing I can think of is to put a litter tray with layer of newspaper/or a handful of disposable bedding (I know you said you don’t want to fully use disposable bedding) topped with hay. While Piggies can’t be litter trained, if they are choosing to pee mostly in those corners, putting a tray in that area can make cleaning much easier - just change out the tray daily and it obviously won’t move nearly as easily as a blanket will hence less mess

I don’t use fleece much because mine live outside but when they come indoors, i do then use it. The way I do it is i put down puppy pads and then a single layer of fleece blanket on top. The blanket is big enough to cover the whole cage. It doesn’t move when they move - perhaps a little wrinkle here and there but its heavy enough on its own that it doesn’t move much.

 

[nlkiser198343]

I'm also wondering if anybody knows about the guinea dad liners absorbance to. Is

It’s fine to try to weigh them down
The issue is obviously occurring because they are lots of smaller blankets that they are not heavy enough.
The only other thing I can think of is to put a litter tray with layer of newspaper/or a handful of disposable bedding (I know you said you don’t want to fully use disposable bedding) topped with hay. While Piggies can’t be litter trained, if they are choosing to pee mostly in those corners, putting a tray in that area can make cleaning much easier - just change out the tray daily and it obviously won’t move nearly as easily as a blanket will hence less mess

I don’t use fleece much because mine live outside but when they come indoors, i do then use it. The way I do it is i put down puppy pads and then a single layer of fleece blanket on top. The blanket is big enough to cover the whole cage. It doesn’t move when they move - perhaps a little wrinkle here and there but its heavy enough on its own that it doesn’t move much.

I think I might just get my washer fixed or get a new one soon and then get a guinea dad liner. It says it's number one and can last years if washed correctly. I'm just worried I'm gonna keep spending money and run my account dry.

 

[nlkiser198343]

I'm also wondering if anybody knows about the guinea dad liners absorbance to. Is

I think I might just get my washer fixed or get a new one soon and then get a guinea dad liner. It says it's number one and can last years if washed correctly. I'm just worried I'm gonna keep spending money and run my account dry.

But I expect I'll need more eventually anyway with how things they are. I might as well just get it. The hot waters probly damaging these the same way anyway.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I'm also wondering if anybody knows about the guinea dad liners absorbance to. Is

I think I might just get my washer fixed or get a new one soon and then get a guinea dad liner. It says it's number one and can last years if washed correctly. I'm just worried I'm gonna keep spending money and run my account dry.

No experience of guineadad liners I’m afraid. They are incredibly expensive here when compared to other available liners and options. I’m not sure if there are many members who use them on here - may be a couple but I can’t think of who might. A lot here use either puppy pads and a single layer of fleece or get cage liners from some of the small business we are aware of/make their own (as a UK based forum, we can only really advise on UK suppliers).

 

[nlkiser198343]

Yeah it doesn't seem like there's anything that size any cheaper unless I buy a sewing machine and learn to do one myself. Idk if $55 compares to the price there but that just covers my Midwest which is around 2x4

 

[Piggies&buns]

Yes a Midwest is 2 foot by 4 foot.

A guineadad here is around £52 which is around 62 US Dollars. I got my single layer fleece for £10 which is around 12 US dollars (According to Google conversions). Puppy pads come in a reusable version so although slightly more to buy than disposable puppy pads, it is considerably cheaper than a guineadad here!

 

[nlkiser198343]

Wow I wish I can find something that cheap here. I looked all over the internet. Still tho I feel spending $55 even if it lasted a year would be cheaper than a year of disposable bedding and not smell as bad in the house.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Wow I wish I can find something that cheap here. I looked all over the internet. Still tho I feel spending $55 even if it lasted a year would be cheaper than a year of disposable bedding and not smell as bad in the house.

Yes it probably would be cheaper than disposable bedding for you. Don’t forget you would need at least two guineadad liners.

For me, a year of disposable bedding costs about the same as one guineadad liner
I use disposable bedding because my animals all live out in sheds so I can’t use fleece.
I have four hutches to fill (I have a boar pair in one hutch, two single boars each in their own cage (they fell out) and a pair of rabbits who have a hutch as a shelter in a much larger enclosure). I buy 20kg bales of disposable bedding and a bale lasts all four hutches around six weeks.
Doing the maths, it means I spend £56 a year on disposable bedding (so around 67 US dollars).

For when they do come indoors and use the fleece, the fleeces that I have are around 5 years old so have lasted well but they don’t get regular use.

 

[nlkiser198343]

Wow I wish I can find something that cheap here. I looked all over the internet. Still tho I feel spending $55 even if it lasted a year would be cheaper than a year of disposable bedding and not smell as bad in the house.

My plan for now is to get my washer looked at asap and then try buying one for now to see how it is since I still have a lot of the other liners and pads to use when that's dirty and then if it works out after a few cycles I'll buy another one and possibly use one in the play area I want to put under my bed possibly rather than them running on linoleum and having there pee puddle up.

 

[eileen]

I use softchip plus,aubiose,and megazorb.in3 cages.one bale lasts me two weeks.The aubiose is £13 a bale.soft chip is £8 a bale.not sure what that costs over the year.I have fleece liners as well,use it in good weather. What you need to take into account is cost of electricity, water,and detergent.Cost of initial liners are £35.00.For me there not alot of difference between,cost of disposable bedding and cost of washing fleece.
You need to weight up the cons that suit you best.Good luck.

 

[nlkiser198343]

I use softchip plus,aubiose,and megazorb.in3 cages.one bale lasts me two weeks.The aubiose is £13 a bale.soft chip is £8 a bale.not sure what that costs over the year.I have fleece liners as well,use it in good weather. What you need to take into account is cost of electricity, water,and detergent.Cost of initial liners are £35.00.For me there not alot of difference between,cost of disposable bedding and cost of washing fleece.
You need to weight up the cons that suit you best.Good luck.
[/QUO

I use softchip plus,aubiose,and megazorb.in3 cages.one bale lasts me two weeks.The aubiose is £13 a bale.soft chip is £8 a bale.not sure what that costs over the year.I have fleece liners as well,use it in good weather. What you need to take into account is cost of electricity, water,and detergent.Cost of initial liners are £35.00.For me there not alot of difference between,cost of disposable bedding and cost of washing fleece.
You need to weight up the cons that suit you best.Good luck.

Eh I'll give one guineadad liner a try along with the liners I already have and if doesn't work out for long enough I'll try disposable bedding. I do have a small bag of paper bedding I haven't tried yet but that was very expensive. I don't see megazorb around here. It seems they advise mostly kiln dried pine shavings, Aspen, or paper

 

[nlkiser198343]

So if using paper or pine shavings would I just need the layer of paper or shavings and then a layer of hay and that would be enough or should I still put padding of some kind underneath?

 

[Piggies&buns]

I personally use a layer of newspaper, then the bedding, then a layer of hay

 

[nlkiser198343]

I personally use a layer of newspaper, then the bedding, then a layer of hay

Maybe I can even try switching back and forth for a little while and see what's easier and what they like better.

 

[Cheekypigs]

If you want a cheaper fleece option, check discount stores for cheap fleece blankets, especially blankets intended for pets They are usually even cheaper than buying fleece by the yard! I don't really understand that, but that's how it is.

I don't know how well the made-up fleece liners cope with hot washes, but basic fleece is fine in a 60°C wash. I wouldn't wash it hotter than that.

 

[Ruth1]

Do you sew. There’s a really easy way to make liners - really simple, if you have a sewing machine….. if you’d like I’ll tell you what works for me …. Cheaper than buying - but you’d need to be able to sew 4 straight, long lines…..

 

[nlkiser198343]

If you want a cheaper fleece option, check discount stores for cheap fleece blankets, especially blankets intended for pets They are usually even cheaper than buying fleece by the yard! I don't really understand that, but that's how it is.

I don't know how well the made-up fleece liners cope with hot washes, but basic fleece is fine in a 60°C wash. I wouldn't wash it hotter than that.

I have a new washer coming in a month. I wish it was sooner. I think it already shrunk the blankets I have and will probly ruin them quick with how things they are. It probly doesn't rinse detergent out well enough either since the cold water side is clogged. My water is steaming. Thats all I get. I guess I could wait for it to cool when I'm doing blankets or add some cold water

 

[nlkiser198343]

I personally use a layer of newspaper, then the bedding, then a layer of hay

I'm really considering getting a c&c cage now as expensive as it is. My cage now the only way to make it bigger would be to add another

I personally use a layer of newspaper, then the bedding, then a layer of

So would a 2x4 c&c cage be a good size for 2 boars? I'm really considering it. I can't really find any fleece liners that would fit a 2x5. C&c grids are pretty expensive. I can buy a 2x4 cage for about $100 including the $18 shipping fee but I think it would be worth it and I'd have a second cage to move the piggies into a cooler room when it gets hot out easier

 

[nlkiser198343]

Do you sew. There’s a really easy way to make liners - really simple, if you have a sewing machine….. if you’d like I’ll tell you what works for me …. Cheaper than buying - but you’d need to be able to sew 4 straight, long lines…..

I don't have much experience sewing and don't know if I can dish out the couple hundred dollars for a sewing machine. I tried sewing 2 of my blankets together by hand but took way to long and I figured it would come apart in the wash anyway