Fleece And Stinky Cage

[Diane Owen]

View attachment 69654

 

[Reenie]

If it's any consolation, my three boys smell less now than when I first got them. I would try a wee while with the fleece and see if the smell eases up. As said before, don't change everything at once. I tend to leave in a hidey and their litter tray (as that's the smallest thing) when I clean them out, then change the tray a few hours later, which seems to help.

 

[Diane Owen]

If it's any consolation, my three boys smell less now than when I first got them. I would try a wee while with the fleece and see if the smell eases up. As said before, don't change everything at once. I tend to leave in a hidey and their litter tray (as that's the smallest thing) when I clean them out, then change the tray a few hours later, which seems to help.

Ty for replying what do you use? Also if I put a litter tray in it takes up too much space

 

[Reenie]

I just use fleece with towels underneath, but they do most of their pees in the litter trays, which are just lined with newspaper, and one under the hay rack and one downstairs where I put a second bowl of veggies. l poop pick every day (sometimes twice). It is a 5x3 C&C with a loft, which is quite a lot of space.
I've put on some pics...Chicco jumped in the hay rack while I was taking them so I had to put him in...he's such a diva. Lol

 

[JenniferG]

Ty for replying what do you use? Also if I put a litter tray in it takes up too much space

My cages aren't big enough for a litter tray either so I just put in a big ball of hay. Ideally, I will sweep up everything everyday, including the damp hay or shake it off onto the disposable pad underneath and change it, then put the fleece back down onto a fresh pad (depends on which type of fleece I am using and what's underneath but clearing daily what's on the fleece, is best).

 

[rome_italy]

Do you use just fleece no liner or anything stitched in and just newspaper/flyers? Not sure I could find that much newspaper but might try, Aldo can I just feed them on hay and pellets? Is there any real need for veg and fruit? Will find a Guinean pig friendly area I love that idea thank you for your reply.

My fleece is a simple piece of fabric because I am not able to sew... and I see that it works as well. Leaflets from supermarkets come to my building in a huge amount every day, then I have some newspaper available, too.
The floor into the cage is made of towels underneath which are always dry and clean (they make the floor thicker and more comfortable); then I have a layer of newspapers/leaflets and as a last layer there is the fleece which goes outside once a day (but not always). I have 3-4 fleeces but one of them has a different fabric quality and it does not work; it means that it absorbs the wet but is not dry and it smells... You should use a fleece which is always dry even when the underneath layer is wet.
About the diet, please don't make the mistake of feeding them with only hay and pallets because they might fall ill very soon with a lot of damages. My former stubborn piggie learnt to eat only pellets at the shop, only some carrots and some grass... this caused serious damaged in the next few years of life although the pellets seemed to be good and I gave him regularly also a supplement of vit C.
On the contrary, if you cut off all the pellets your piggies will grow up normally and you might also reduce the smell, if it is caused by a wrong gut bacteria... And if you give them the suggested dose of 10-20grams (one teaspoon) of a good pellet made of hay and grass, your piggies will grow healthy as well. But not too many pellets as firms (of course!) suggest to do.
Fruit, too, should be avoided because it is rich of sugars which ferment into the gut; but the vegs (bell peppers, coriander - which in Italy does not exist - and green leaves) are important for their vitamins (contained also in fresh grass, though). If you want to limit the vegs, consider to use a supplement of vit C (I also use it in a very little dose, although it would not be necessary as my sows eat in the correct way). You can buy it at the chemist, the one for children in drops and you should use a syringe for giving the piggies a proper dose diluited with water directly into their mouth. They need vit C and I would not trust the one of the pellets which disappears with the air, the light and time.
My two sows were adopted very young, one of them was underweight, but both have reached a very good weight eating grass (mostly), some vegs, some hay and no pellets (just some little pieces). Of course I am only following the latest rules suggested by the vets.
This is one of the fleeces I use, as you see it is only a simple piece of fabric.

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

I use fleece and a towel on the bottom for 4 girls and it never smells, not even when it comes to clean out day. I also have 4 hay trays with litter & hay in which can be changed regularly, they mostly do their business in there.

As others have said it's worth getting a bigger cage, boars mark their territory and it's my understanding that the small cage will just get smellier quicker as they don't have enough space to call their own. It will also be less likely that they will fall out in the future and result in needing 2 cages in the end.

Your boys are super cute

 

[emo699]

Oh great lol

Hello, what is the best way to clean the fleece or quilts?
It seems my wife puts them in a bag and then in the washing machine which seems disgusting.
They still seem to be covered in hair after this .....
Do we really need them?

It seems nice to just throw everything when you clean the cage. Maybe cardboard boxes could be used instead of quilts....

Thanks

 

[Piggies&buns]

Hello, what is the best way to clean the fleece or quilts?
It seems my wife puts them in a bag and then in the washing machine which seems disgusting.
They still seem to be covered in hair after this .....
Do we really need them?

It seems nice to just throw everything when you clean the cage. Maybe cardboard boxes could be used instead of quilts....

Thanks

Using a bag to wash then in is a very popular way of washing them as it stops stray hair and hay clogging up the washing machine filters.

Disposable bedding such as shavings, paper bedding etc is another way of doing it.
My own boys are bedded on megazorb and then topped with hay.
Disposable beddings can be messy though but mine live in a shed so the mess isn’t an issue.
You would also want to be sure your local council will take shavings/hay/piggy waste with your bins - not all will.

Cardboard boxes are fine to use as hides but a bedding is still needed

 

[Tnoz]

I have two boys about a year old and they pee everywhere, I’ve tried hay with shavings, fleece, wood pellets, tried training pads, tried cage fresh, putting litter trays where they go most and nothing works, think their bladders are constant lol