Fleece smells awful

Immogen

Immogen

New Born Pup
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I switched to fleece bedding yesterday from shavings and after a few hours it was already starting to smell. It was so unbearable this morning I had to switch out the cuddle sack which seemed to smell the worst as my piggie likes to cuddle up in it a lot.

I have a 4x2 c and c cage with only one guinea pig (I am looking for another one to adopt) and she has a litter tray that she does most of her peeing in which I also changed today. I have a few pee pads down too but been checking them and they don’t seem damp so I think they are absorbing the pee correctly. I did was everything a couple times before putting it all in.

I don’t know if I’ve done something wrong or if this could be a sign of a UTI or other health problem?
 
Your piggy may be claiming the fleece, since it's new ... I would guess territory claiming over health problem unless there's something else to indicate an issue (blood in urine, odd discharge, squeaking when urinating, etc.).
 
Ah yeah it could be that, it looked like she was scenting the fleece yesterday. Is there any way to stop her doing it? I don’t want to wash everything just for it to get smelly again.

She’s had no other health issues apart from not eating her veggies this morning but she seems to be eating more now. Might have just been grumpy with me for kicking her out of bed to clean haha
 
I tried fleece once when I had a skinny pig, Lasted about 10 minutes before I gave up on that idea because of the stink. 🙈
 
Did you wash the fleece a few times to wick it? (Basically so the pee can go through to the absorbent layer underneath) There’s a guide on here to help in case it may be that :)

A Detailed Guide For Fleece Bedding

I’ve used fleece a long time now and it can smell after a few days (especially in pee corners my pig Cleo soaks!) but strange it’s smelling only after only one!
Smelly pee can indicate a UTI etc, I’d definitely keep an eye on her if it only started today and she’s off her veggies.
 
alpacasqueak said:
Did you wash the fleece a few times to wick it? (Basically so the pee can go through to the absorbent layer underneath) There’s a guide on here to help in case it may be that :)

A Detailed Guide For Fleece Bedding

I’ve used fleece a long time now and it can smell after a few days (especially in pee cocomy pig Cleo soaks!) but strange it’s smelling only after only one!
Smelly pee can indicate a UTI etc, I’d definitely keep an eye on her if it only started today and she’s off her veggies.
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I washed it twice and when I tested it the water didn’t pool on top but did stay damp for a couple minutes, could it just need more washes?
 
Fur & Feathers said:
I tried fleece once when I had a skinny pig, Lasted about 10 minutes before I gave up on that idea because of the stink. 🙈
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I really hope the fleece stuff won’t always smell this bad, I spent so much money on everything 🥲
 
Immogen said:
Ah yeah it could be that, it looked like she was scenting the fleece yesterday. Is there any way to stop her doing it? I don’t want to wash everything just for it to get smelly again.

She’s had no other health issues apart from not eating her veggies this morning but she seems to be eating more now. Might have just been grumpy with me for kicking her out of bed to clean haha
Click to expand...

No, you cannot stop them from scent marking. Its a normal behaviour to mark their territory.
 
Immogen said:
I washed it twice and when I tested it the water didn’t pool on top but did stay damp for a couple minutes, could it just need more washes?
Click to expand...
It could be, might be worth a try just in case it helps. It may just be scent marking as said and the smells might calm down soon though! Good luck! :)
 
I’ve only ever used fleece. There have been periods where it has stunk to high heaven for no good reason (probably a strong season or something) but usually it is fine. What smells more is the wet hay.

The scent marking is worse the cleaner it is so try not washing it all, leave something that marks it as theirs from the outset. Also don’t go mad with scented washing powder, they will have more work to do to get rid of that smell.

It should be fine, stick with it!
 
My boars scent marked their fleece when I first made the switch from wood shavings, it will take some time for them to adjust. When you go to change out your fleece, it's best to leave behind one of their pee pads or other soft toys so that their scents make it still familiar for them. Avoid using scented detergents as this can trigger more scent marking behaviour, they have super sensitive noses :D White vinegar is also a good replacement for fabric softener and can help remove some of the odour. Here is the same guide I used when I first got fleece: *links to external site removed by moderator* I hope these tips help!
 
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