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Finally Found Aubiose!

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Florrieberry

Florrieberry

Teenage Guinea Pig
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Have a bale to try. What is the consensus of opinion re ? Using newspaper ? Spraying with water before use? Thank you
 
I didn't use newspaper or wet it before I used it and it was fantastic. Brilliant absorbency but it lets it all soak to the bottom, keeping the top nice and dry. It's good at keeping smell down too.
 
I've nearly finished my first bale. Having previously read on here that newspaper underneath just gets soaked I've used it without. It does take a little longer to clean out than Fitch with newspaper underneath did but not so much that it bothers me.

I also don't prewet it. @PiggyOwner it was you who checked with the Aubiose manufacturers on that wasn't it and they said no need when using for small animals?

I have a group of 4 girls, a pair of girls and a pair of boars, I haven't had any issues yet with it sticking to or in their bums but several on here have said that happens for them.

I like Aubiose. I slightly prefer Fitch but Fitch is slightly more expensive.
 
PiggySmitten said:
I've nearly finished my first bale. Having previously read on here that newspaper underneath just gets soaked I've used it without. It does take a little longer to clean out than Fitch with newspaper underneath did but not so much that it bothers me.

I also don't prewet it. @PiggyOwner it was you who checked with the Aubiose manufacturers on that wasn't it and they said no need when using for small animals?

I have a group of 4 girls, a pair of girls and a pair of boars, I haven't had any issues yet with it sticking to or in their bums but several on here have said that happens for them.

I like Aubiose. I slightly prefer Fitch but Fitch is slightly more expensive.
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Yep - I checked with Aubiose customer services who said there is no need to pre wet for Guinea Pigs
 
PiggySmitten said:
I've nearly finished my first bale. Having previously read on here that newspaper underneath just gets soaked I've used it without. It does take a little longer to clean out than Fitch with newspaper underneath did but not so much that it bothers me.

I also don't prewet it. @PiggyOwner it was you who checked with the Aubiose manufacturers on that wasn't it and they said no need when using for small animals?

I have a group of 4 girls, a pair of girls and a pair of boars, I haven't had any issues yet with it sticking to or in their bums but several on here have said that happens for them.

I like Aubiose. I slightly prefer Fitch but Fitch is slightly more expensive.
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Do you put a layer of hay over it like you would with shavings? Do you prefer this to shavings and hay (if you ever used that combo)?
 
I don't put a layer of hay over it but my pair of girls do pull their hay out of the hay rack and create a layer of hay all over their cage and this is something they never did before Aubiose interestingly.

The boys have always liked hay underfoot in their bedrooms but not in the main areas and they've continued the same.

The group of 4 girls are on fleece with Aubiose in litter trays in two corners. I put hay over the one in the hay loft but not the other one.

I did use wood shavings when we first had piggies but I haven't used it since I read on here that it isn't good for their feet because it sucks moisture from them. So far as I know the same thing doesn't happen with Aubiose even though it is highly absorbent. Certainly their feet still look good after a month on Aubiose and I did notice an improvement in their feet when I stopped using woodshavings.

If I think back to woodshavings, Aubiose is better, amongst other reasons, because it locks in smells better and it's easier to clean out thab shavings because of the way it sticks together when wet.
 
PiggySmitten said:
I don't put a layer of hay over it but my pair of girls do pull their hay out of the hay rack and create a layer of hay all over their cage and this is something they never did before Aubiose interestingly.

The boys have always liked hay underfoot in their bedrooms but not in the main areas and they've continued the same.

The group of 4 girls are on fleece with Aubiose in litter trays in two corners. I put hay over the one in the hay loft but not the other one.

I did use wood shavings when we first had piggies but I haven't used it since I read on here that it isn't good for their feet because it sucks moisture from them. So far as I know the same thing doesn't happen with Aubiose even though it is highly absorbent. Certainly their feet still look good after a month on Aubiose and I did notice an improvement in their feet when I stopped using woodshavings.

If I think back to woodshavings, Aubiose is better, amongst other reasons, because it locks in smells better and it's easier to clean out thab shavings because of the way it sticks together when wet.
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Thank you, that's very helpful. How often do you clean out the cages? We have 3 girls in a 4.5 x 2 C&C (couldn't fit a 5 x 2 in the space so had to shrink it a bit!) I hear people talk about spot cleaning, I pick up the poops in loft (loft is fleece, it's a chill-out zone with fluffy lounge pad, pellets and water, no hay) ) but can't see how you spot clean with shavings/aubiose covered by hay, and I think our girls like nibbling hay wherever they go as well as burying themselves in their hay pile at end of cage?
 
Florrieberry said:
Thank you, that's very helpful. How often do you clean out the cages? We have 3 girls in a 4.5 x 2 C&C (couldn't fit a 5 x 2 in the space so had to shrink it a bit!) I hear people talk about spot cleaning, I pick up the poops in loft (loft is fleece, it's a chill-out zone with fluffy lounge pad, pellets and water, no hay) ) but can't see how you spot clean with shavings/aubiose covered by hay, and I think our girls like nibbling hay wherever they go as well as burying themselves in their hay pile at end of cage?
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I spot clean daily - it's something I've got used to and gives me a good excuse to be with my guinea pigs !
I remove any hay which has been wee'd on and any wet patches. I do a full clean once a weel.
 
I certainly don't pick out poops daily in the pairs who are fully on Aubiose. I do sweep up for the girls on fleece every day.

I'd describe spot cleaning on Aubiose as removing any hay that seems wet and, on the off chance the top layer of Aubiose was wet, then I pick that bit out (using my hands - haven't found a better tool yet).

The bag suggests (when using for horses), removing deposits then raking the dry stuff to one side and removing the wet stuff underneath then using the dry stuff you raked as the new bottom layer. I tried to do something similar last time I cleaned out but found it impossible to get rid of the poops from the dry layer so abandoned that idea and just threw it all away.

If anyone has a good way of removing the poops from the dry layer, I'd be interested!
 
PiggySmitten said:
I certainly don't pick out poops daily in the pairs who are fully on Aubiose. I do sweep up for the girls on fleece every day.

I'd describe spot cleaning on Aubiose as removing any hay that seems wet and, on the off chance the top layer of Aubiose was wet, then I pick that bit out (using my hands - haven't found a better tool yet).

The bag suggests (when using for horses), removing deposits then raking the dry stuff to one side and removing the wet stuff underneath then using the dry stuff you raked as the new bottom layer. I tried to do something similar last time I cleaned out but found it impossible to get rid of the poops from the dry layer so abandoned that idea and just threw it all away.

If anyone has a good way of removing the poops from the dry layer, I'd be interested!
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Yes a poop magnet would be great! Feel the same about shavings/hay . Thank you
 
I do keep thinking there must be some sort of sieve out there that the Aubiose would fall through but the holes be too small for poops.
 
I've been
PiggySmitten said:
I do keep thinking there must be some sort of sieve out there that the Aubiose would fall through but the holes be too small for poops.
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I've been wondering the same about shavings! So much of the shavings are dry when we clean out but of course scattered well with poops .
 
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