Hay box/tray liner?

[rattata]

Hey Team GPF!

So on Friday I’ve got 2 boys coming home to me and they’re used to being bedded on shavings in a hutch.

What would be the best thing to use as a liner in a large hay box/tray?
I have got unbleached unscented puppy pads, and paper pellet litter. I’m a little nervous that the Guinea pigs may chew/eat the pads, especially if they’re not used to them? Should I put the paper pellet litter on top to “weight down” the pad, or just the litter by itself with a lot of hay on top?

 

[fluffysal]

I use litter pellets under hay as it helps keep urine smells at bay.
Can't wait to see pictures of your boys

 

[Posyrose]

I use puppy pads under the hay

 

[Adelyn]

I use cardboard trays, the kind canned food is set on at the grocery stores. I usually use two small ones a day, but if I'm lucky I'll find a large one. They are completely free, I just pull the empty ones off the shelf! They would have been thrown away anyhow, plus clearing them out saves the employees some work!

I like using them because they are acceptably absorbent, and are safe for the piggies to chew on if they wish. Just make sure the small spots of glue they use to assemble the box are not accessible. I have never had a problem with it.

These trays fit perfectly in my hay box! I don't know how well they will fit in yours, but it's worth a try.

Here's a large one in my hay box.

 

[Hannah_xx]

I use newspaper

 

[YvonneBlue]

We use puppy pads topped with newspaper and then hay in our 'hay trays' (potting trays from the garden centre).

 

[rattata]

I use cardboard trays, the kind canned food is set on at the grocery stores. I usually use two small ones a day, but if I'm lucky I'll find a large one. They are completely free, I just pull the empty ones off the shelf! They would have been thrown away anyhow, plus clearing them out saves the employees some work!

I like using them because they are acceptably absorbent, and are safe for the piggies to chew on if they wish. Just make sure the small spots of glue they use to assemble the box are not accessible. I have never had a problem with it.

These trays fit perfectly in my hay box! I don't know how well they will fit in yours, but it's worth a try.

Here's a large one in my hay box.
View attachment 253134

This is ingenious! Brilliant tip - thank you!

 

[rattata]

We use puppy pads topped with newspaper and then hay in our 'hay trays' (potting trays from the garden centre).

I was going to get one and then I decided to make my own version of a “cage creation’s haymate” using a large IKEA bag

 

[CavyMum58]

Hey Team GPF!

So on Friday I’ve got 2 boys coming home to me and they’re used to being bedded on shavings in a hutch.

What would be the best thing to use as a liner in a large hay box/tray?
I have got unbleached unscented puppy pads, and paper pellet litter. I’m a little nervous that the Guinea pigs may chew/eat the pads, especially if they’re not used to them? Should I put the paper pellet litter on top to “weight down” the pad, or just the litter by itself with a lot of hay on top?

Hey Team GPF!

So on Friday I’ve got 2 boys coming home to me and they’re used to being bedded on shavings in a hutch.

What would be the best thing to use as a liner in a large hay box/tray?
I have got unbleached unscented puppy pads, and paper pellet litter. I’m a little nervous that the Guinea pigs may chew/eat the pads, especially if they’re not used to them? Should I put the paper pellet litter on top to “weight down” the pad, or just the litter by itself with a lot of hay on top?

I had to separate my piggie boars due to fighting, so they each have their own litter box. I use a double layer of paper towels, then a shallow layer of paper litter, then another single layer of paper towels over the litter... and hay on top. If needed due to wet hay & paper, it's easy to change... I actually use the disposable aluminum cooking pans as their litter box. They are cheap, disposable when need be, and easy to wipe out when changing the litter. Plus I can bend down one side to be easier for my older boy to climb into (he has some arthritis and maybe a little weakness in his hind legs). Also something I learned when working in hospitals, metal is hard for germs to live on... so I suspect bacteria and fungus probably don't live well on the aluminum surface of the pan. ?

 

[MnJ]

I had to separate my piggie boars due to fighting, so they each have their own litter box. I use a double layer of paper towels, then a shallow layer of paper litter, then another single layer of paper towels over the litter... and hay on top. If needed due to wet hay & paper, it's easy to change... I actually use the disposable aluminum cooking pans as their litter box. They are cheap, disposable when need be, and easy to wipe out when changing the litter. Plus I can bend down one side to be easier for my older boy to climb into (he has some arthritis and maybe a little weakness in his hind legs). Also something I learned when working in hospitals, metal is hard for germs to live on... so I suspect bacteria and fungus probably don't live well on the aluminum surface of the pan. ?

Do you find them chewing the pans? I personally won't trust mine with them,since they love to chew everything. I don't think aluminum is safe for them to digest.
I use cat litter trays with paper letters at the very bottom and put the"bad" hay, they don't like for what ever reason, in the middle and the best on top. Though I think the plastic box with the cut side is a lot better, since it's bigger.
Bath noodle mats work well under hay as well as the hay doesn't stick to them as much, but I prefer using the letters, since I have a lot and there is a constant supply somehow