Cost Effective Bedding

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Snickers

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What is the most cost effective method of bedding?

I was thinking about towels but I heard that it smells within hours.

What do you use?
 
I think whether or not the towels will smell depends on how well litter trained your piggies are. I have my two boys on a towel and then fleece on top, I change the fleece every day, because they eat bits of veg off it and it can get a bit sticky, but the towel can last up to 5 days before it smells and needs changing.

They have a small litter tray below their hayrack, and they do the majority of their poops and wees there. I just line the tray with newspaper or thick cardboard (corrugated), and change it once or twice a day.
 
2280CLAIRE said:
I think whether or not the towels will smell depends on how well litter trained your piggies are. I have my two boys on a towel and then fleece on top, I change the fleece every day, because they eat bits of veg off it and it can get a bit sticky, but the towel can last up to 5 days before it smells and needs changing.

They have a small litter tray below their hayrack, and they do the majority of their poops and wees there. I just line the tray with newspaper or thick cardboard (corrugated), and change it once or twice a day.
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Where do you buy the fleece from? Why is it such a popular choice?
Thanks!
 
i use what they call cage liners they are fleece sewn onto a matteress topper my sisiter-in-law(4piggiepigs)makes them for me there lovely and look really pretty and tidy i only change mine once a week and even then they dont smell or are wet at all
IMG00088-20110325-0957.jpg
 
You can buy the fleece from lots of places, supermarkets, fabric shops, amazon and ebay also sell it. The polar fleece is the most popular, like this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fab-Funky-Sof...Textiles_SM&hash=item3f03a4fec7#ht_1131wt_905

Fleece is popular for lots of reasons...it is much more cost effective than disposable bedding (you just need to wash it rather than throw it away), the piggies are less likely to get breathing problems as it doesn't contain dust as, for example wood chips does, it is gentle on the guinea pigs feet as if they do pee on it, the moisture all wicks away to the towel, and the fleece stays dry. On lots of beddings, if they pee on it, it just stays wet, which can lead to sore feet.

The cons of having fleece are ofcourse that you have to take the time to wash it-either by hand, or in the washing machine, and I have heard stories of the hay and fur off fleece clogging people's machines up. I've never had a problem, and I think so long as you really shake the fleece and beat it before it goes in, it shouldn't clog the machine. Another con is that hay does love to stick to fleece and the pigs will drag it on their feet, so you can't expect it to look tidy all the time...
 
2280CLAIRE said:
You can buy the fleece from lots of places, supermarkets, fabric shops, amazon and ebay also sell it. The polar fleece is the most popular, like this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fab-Funky-Sof...Textiles_SM&hash=item3f03a4fec7#ht_1131wt_905

Fleece is popular for lots of reasons...it is much more cost effective than disposable bedding (you just need to wash it rather than throw it away), the piggies are less likely to get breathing problems as it doesn't contain dust as, for example wood chips does, it is gentle on the guinea pigs feet as if they do pee on it, the moisture all wicks away to the towel, and the fleece stays dry. On lots of beddings, if they pee on it, it just stays wet, which can lead to sore feet.

The cons of having fleece are ofcourse that you have to take the time to wash it-either by hand, or in the washing machine, and I have heard stories of the hay and fur off fleece clogging people's machines up. I've never had a problem, and I think so long as you really shake the fleece and beat it before it goes in, it shouldn't clog the machine. Another con is that hay does love to stick to fleece and the pigs will drag it on their feet, so you can't expect it to look tidy all the time...
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Thanks so much. Is fleece much different from towels? So, the best option is putting down a mattress pad and then fleece on top?
 
Fleece is different because it is not absorbent, it will allow any urine to seep through onto the towel underneath. Whereas a towel is very absorbent, it will absorb urine, and it will remain damp. For me, my piggies are quite well trained, I find that towels work fine and don't smell at all for a good number of days. Towels are also cheaper than mattress toppers...I bought 2 value towels that fit my cage perfectly, for only £3.40...! Maybe you could buy the fleece and cheap towels, and see how you get on with keeping up with washing. If the towels do start to smell, you could always wash them and keep them aside for if you ever give the piggies a wash, and then try the mattress toppers...
 
Fleece is cheap but it does need to be cleaned often :) You'd have to sweep up the poo everyday or twice a day and wash it whenever you think it smells, at least once a week, but probably more, depending on the size of the cage. :)

Or if you have space for storage then you could buy wood shavings in bulk (for horses), or hay in bulk, and use that :) It works out really cheap.
 
[ame]http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000MES1W8/ref=oss_product[/ame]
 
I read the reviews before i bought and i have to agree with them.
 
I use fleece over the top because its nice and cosy and soft for the piggies and it looks nice..also it wicks the urine away from them.
 
I use towels and fleece and find that the cage gets really wet and smelly after only a couple of days, I've tried cage liners, vet bed but nothing keeps them dry.
 
:(|)I find vet bed really good, will def get some for my new C&C cage
 
BellasMummy said:
I got a small piece just to try and it seemed really wet, and that was with towels and newspaper underneath. Don't know what I'm doing wrong but nothing seems to keep them dry.
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I agree with you. I used fleece with puppy pads underneath, but it still smelt bad. and it was always wet in their bedroom area.
I am struggling to find a good alternative.
 
squeeksmom said:
I agree with you. I used fleece with puppy pads underneath, but it still smelt bad. and it was always wet in their bedroom area.
I am struggling to find a good alternative.
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Yeah, I've tried puppy pads too just another to add to the list! Puppy pads didn't keep it dry at all.
I'm seriously starting to worry about this as it surely can't be good for my piggies health to be sitting on wet fleece?
I have tried doubling up the towels, adding lots of extra newspaper and nothing works.
I am thinking about inco pads but it will be a big outlay, and will they work anyway?
 
well i stick to my fav and thats fleece sewn to matteress toppers there great never wet and last a week and even then no smell:))
 
Snickers said:
Those pads look great! My question is: why use the fleece if the pads aborb the liquid?
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The main reason is that it stays dry by letting the moisture through on to the towel/pads/newspaper. This allows your piggies to stay dry, and not live in a soggy bedding (walking around on dampness is like us wearing wet socks...! no good for our skin at all...) and we've all seen baby nappy rash-caused by constant contact with urine...
 
squeeksmom said:
I agree with you. I used fleece with puppy pads underneath, but it still smelt bad. and it was always wet in their bedroom area.
I am struggling to find a good alternative.
Click to expand...

Try putting flannel's in their beds/hidey's and change them every day, i make toilet pad's for mine
 
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