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Cleaning tools

Sally Newbie

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi. Our first 2 piggies are arriving next week. They will be living outside on paper, megazorb and hay in their hutch. What are good small tools that you recommend to use to poo pick and do the daily cleans on the hay/megazorb and paper?
I've been to PatH today and bought way too much for their hutch which I'm cross w myself about now. I could have just used cardboard boxes as hideys, cardboard is ok for them to chew isn't it?
 
Hello Sally Newbie - very exciting for you getting your new piggies ! Yes cardboard is fine - they can safely eat it it’s a type of fibre - I often fill a loo roll with hay and veg as a toy - one clever forum member said in case you are concerned with bugs on the loo roll microwave it for 30 secs. I can remember buying lots and lots of stuff for my boys - it’s so easy to get carried away but I’m sure you will use it all! Just be careful with the treat stuff as it’s often full of sugar and seeds.
CHECK OUT ALL THE GUIDES ON HERE Re diet/ living outside etc -
You can buy a little brush and dustbin to clean their hutch , some people use a spatula thing but I generally use a vinyl glove to poo pick on a daily basis.
Are they together in that they are already compatible ? If they aren‘t you should read about bonding as it can be a huge problem - post some pics when you get them. Good luck
 
I use an old gardening trowel for poo picking and a dustpan and brush
Cardboard is fine for them to chew
 
Thank you for your help everyone. @Roselina , they are coming from the RSPCA and on the advertisement it stated that they were bonded and needed to be rehomed together.
I think I will take half the stuff back and make hideys out of cardboard, I have plenty of boxes saved up for school projects! I presume coloured cardboard is a no-no? I'm not bothered enough about germs to microwave any cardboard. In terms of treats I have got them a couple of treat balls that I will put some peaflakes (no idea what they are but everyone seems to talk about them!) in, no sweet food treats aprt from some small bits of fruit to tempt them to come near us.
I bought some cat litter trays to put in the corners of the hutch that I was going to fill with hay and hopefully they would pee/poo in but in hindsight they are massive and will take up too much room.
I'm actually really stressed about them coming...
 
Try not to stress you sound very well prepared I'm sure your piggies will love thier new home! I'm not entirely sure what peaflakes are either but they're 100% natural and contain loads of good vitamins and things like that. In answer to your question about tools I use a dustpan and brush.
 
Yes..... don’t get stressed you’re already doing really well ! Your guinea pigs can pick up on your stress - The fact they are bonded is great ! I would leave them for about a week to get adjusted to their new surroundings but gently talk to them when you feed them etc. Then gently handle for a short time. Read the handling guides to give yourself confidence.
You will be fine ! It’s lovely that you are giving these piggies a loving home🥰
Peaflakes are basically squashed peas - only 1 pea flake per piggie per day ! They are very sweet and just be careful with carrots as they are the equivalent to mars bars for us !
there are fabulous guides on the forum and the site www.guineapiggles.co.uk has a lot of great info too.
Send some pics and keep in touch everyone here is great and will support you totally 😊
 
Just to mention ....something my boys love is hay baths ! I use a large plastic box and line it with newspaper and fill with hay - they jump in and out and love it
pic of pea flakes added
 

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Thank you everyone for your support, I really mean that. I've read loads of the guides which are great. Our plan is to keep them in their hutch for a few days (or would you think a week?) before they get access to their run so they can get used to that. We are just going to sit by the hutch and read to them (well my daughter is, I have my limits!) and be outside as much as possible near them so they get used to our voices before we try and approach them. I think in their bedroom area I will put 2 hideys full of hay and loads of deep hay all on top. And then in the main hutch I'm going to put 2 cardboard boxes of hay like the hay bath idea for playing/eating. I am just dreading the daily poo pick!
They have come from a home with 33 other guinea pigs! They have had their babies at the RSPCA. They were kept in cat travel carrys so not a happy start.
 
Thank you everyone for your support, I really mean that. I've read loads of the guides which are great. Our plan is to keep them in their hutch for a few days (or would you think a week?) before they get access to their run so they can get used to that. We are just going to sit by the hutch and read to them (well my daughter is, I have my limits!) and be outside as much as possible near them so they get used to our voices before we try and approach them. I think in their bedroom area I will put 2 hideys full of hay and loads of deep hay all on top. And then in the main hutch I'm going to put 2 cardboard boxes of hay like the hay bath idea for playing/eating. I am just dreading the daily poo pick!
They have come from a home with 33 other guinea pigs! They have had their babies at the RSPCA. They were kept in cat travel carrys so not a happy start.

i would play it by ear when they come home as to when to give them time in their run. It may take longer than a few days for them to settle into their hutch. Normally we advise to not handle at all for the first few days/week and then take it slowly from then on.
 
They have had a difficult start but onto a lovely caring new home.🥰
If their sleeping area is cordoned off and dark you might not need the hideys in there - you could just fill it with hay.
If their run is on grass then introduce it gradually as grass can cause bloat when piggies are not used to it.
They tend to eat eat eat and eat more grass ! ( grass should only be 20% of their daily diet ) Sounds lovely that your daughter will read to them and they will get used to her voice. Poo pick is very easy and it’s not smelly as they’re vegetarians - maybe your daughter can help too ? I think there are lots of great adventures ahead for you all !
 
Thank you. We don't plan to handle for at least a week - if we can get them to come and take a little treat from us after a week we will stick with that. We are in no rush! We will just let them listen to us. When we clean we will just shut off whatever side of the hutch they are in whilst poo-pick the other side. Unfortunately, we will have to disturb them to do that whilst they settle in, can't see a way around that.
 
@Roselina , the piggies are my daughter's pets so she will be taking responsibility for poo picking supervised by me/husband! When you say introduce the grass run gradually do you mean like an hour a day for a 2-3 days, then 2 hours a day etc? I took advice off @Piggies&buns (I think) re the sleeping area (it is shut off and dark) I think about putting 2 hideys in there in case they don't want to sleep together?
 
disturbing them to clean is necessary you can’t worry about that.
Once their tummies are used to grass then they are fine to eat it, it’s their natural diet. If mine have been out on grass all day then I just don’t give them their full amount of veg that evening (perhaps just a couple of slices of pepper)

This is the introducing grass guide. Feeding Grass And Preparing Your Piggies For Lawn Time.
When mine first go out at the beginning of the year, they only get 20/30 mins on the grass for the first 4-5 days and then I build it up by 15/20 minutes at a time.

Yes put two hideys in the sleeping area. That’s what I do so they both have a separate place to sleep, and then two hideys downstairs.
 
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