How Much Bedding?

[Disaidra]

Initially I was planning on using fleece, but I've been persuaded by my mom to at least start off with some pet shop bedding. We've got some back 2 nature bedding from pets at home since it seemed to get good reviews, but on setting up the cage we seem to have used an awful lot of it. It's a 2x3 c&c cage, and with a lining of newspaper I think we've ended up putting about a third of a 20 litre bag in (it might be less, I cant remember how full the bag was). Is this about right? How thick should the newspaper layer be, and how deep should the bedding on top be? I can take some photos for reference if needed, but I've seen people mentioning that this bedding lasts them much longer (can't find it now but someone mentioned a 30L bag doing 3 cages, full cage cleans for all of them, plus spot cleans?). It seems rather expensive otherwise. Are there any cheaper bedding varieties? I've looked at things like fitch and auboise but since they're sold by weight instead of volume I have no idea how to compare price. Megazorb seems very cost effective but not sure I have space for 85 litres at one time.

 

[Guineapigfeet]

I use Aubiose and a bale is 20kg. I can't accurately convert to volume, but when I empty a bale out into big bins (and therefore un-compress it) it fills two 80 litre bins and then about another 30 litres is left in the bag.

To completely swap out all the bedding in my 7x2 C&C takes about 2/3 of a bale (bedding layer about 1 1/2 inches deep), but because my cage is so big, I can treat it more like a stable and spot clean the highly soiled areas twice a day (contained in trays under the hides) and weekly these are totally changed over and then I turn the rest of the bedding to take out stray poos and wet patches. A bale this way lasts me 5 or 6 weeks, which I concider pretty good value when a bale costs me just a under £10.

I don't use newspaper under the bedding as I think the paper would need changing too often. I can't stand the smell of pee-newspaper!

 

[Wiebke]

Initially I was planning on using fleece, but I've been persuaded by my mom to at least start off with some pet shop bedding. We've got some back 2 nature bedding from pets at home since it seemed to get good reviews, but on setting up the cage we seem to have used an awful lot of it. It's a 2x3 c&c cage, and with a lining of newspaper I think we've ended up putting about a third of a 20 litre bag in (it might be less, I cant remember how full the bag was). Is this about right? How thick should the newspaper layer be, and how deep should the bedding on top be? I can take some photos for reference if needed, but I've seen people mentioning that this bedding lasts them much longer (can't find it now but someone mentioned a 30L bag doing 3 cages, full cage cleans for all of them, plus spot cleans?). It seems rather expensive otherwise. Are there any cheaper bedding varieties? I've looked at things like fitch and auboise but since they're sold by weight instead of volume I have no idea how to compare price. Megazorb seems very cost effective but not sure I have space for 85 litres at one time.

Hi and welcome

I find that 4 sheets of newspaper thickness do the trick when rolling up the dirty bedding; Ideally you layer them, so they interlock if you use smaller formats or have a larger cage. The thickness of the bedding is about an inch, just so it covers everything. I put a thin layer of soft hay on top. Change the bedding twice a week.

Have you considered fleece bedding, which is very popular with many members? I have switched to it 8 years ago and find it much easier. You will need an absorbent fabric underlay for it and pre-wash the fleece at first to get rid of any surface sealing softener. There is a shallow hay tray for my piggies.

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[Disaidra]

In case anyone finds this thread further down the line, I'll post a follow up. I'm going to switch to dust extracted wood shavings once this bag of back 2 nature runs out and see how that goes. It's much cheaper and pets at hone sells big bales. I've also looked at aubiose properly and I think that may be a better choice long term. It's more expensive but seems to be less likely to cause respiratory problems down the line.

Still not sure if I'm using the right amount of bedding, but I'd rather be using too much than too little. It may be a matter of trial and error.

 

[eileen]

i use an inch if it is aubiose,dust extracted kiln dried sahvings i use 2 inches.aubiose is way more absorbent than shavings,so less work,and cost effective.i buy bales of snowflake from horse suppliers,at £6.99 for 20kg bale.