indoor piggies

Status
Not open for further replies.
E

EmmaClaire

Joined
Jul 30, 2007
Messages
255
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
walsall west midlands
Hi all just wondering all of you who keep there piggies indoors as in in the house like me do they smell yesterday my pigs were ouside all day in the run they didnt come in till 8 last nite and they were put in clean cages this mornin at 8 when i went in they smelt why have they started to smell my hubby seems to think they have always smelt but we have only noticed in the last 4 months cus he has given up smoking he thinks the smell of fags covered the piggy smell i am not convinced but they have started to pong why why why they are cleaned out every day i have got 2 pigs in a 3 ft by 2 ft and 4 pigs in a 5 ft by 3 ft is this too many? thanks for readin Emma x
 
What bedding do you use? I use megazorb (horse bedding made from paper) for my indoor pigs and it does seem to absorb the wee and smell. Do they smell more because it's summer and the heat?

I think (someone will probably correct me!) that 4 x 2 is the right size for 2 pigs - I've got some pairs in a smaller indoor cage but they are small pigs and it's only while they need to be indoors (I use indoors for new pigs / quarantine / sick pigs!).

Do the actual pigs smell, do they need a bath? Or is it just the cages?

I throw my windows open first thing in the morning and let the air circulate!

Sophie
x
 
The pigs dont smell , i have just sniffed one she smells like a cuddly toy ha ha it seems to be the fleese as this is the only place they weee on the fleese i use easi bed and recently have started useing readigrass would this make the wee stronger? thanks Emma x
 
I don't think readigrass would change the smell of their wee.

Do you wash the fleece in the washing machine? I know some people use washing powder that's meant for babies / nappies? I don't know because I don't use fleece but lots of people on here do, perhaps do a search for other threads about fleece?

Sophie
x
 
Hi EmmaClaire,

Do you use newspaper under your fleece? I find that it is the newspaper that smells. I use towels and they are much better at absorbing the wee and they don't smell. I spot clean poos daily but only do a full change of cage once or twice a week.

Personally I would not use readigrass as bedding. It's a bit sharp and could get stuck in places if you see what I mean.... also it must be very expensive!

Also as Sophie says the minimum recommended size for 2 piggies is 2x4 ft, so maybe this contributes to your cages getting smelly quickly?

L
 
My 3 piggies live in the living room with us - the 2 girls in a Nero 4 and Basil in a Nero 3. I am meticulous about cleaning and do the cages on alternate days. I know there's been discussion about this, but I do use wood shavings (natures best, dust extracted) - a very thick layer on the bottom, and then a lot of timothy (oxbow) hay on top. I'm paranoid about whether they smell, and everyone who comes here is asked that, and they all say that the only smell (which is nice) is the hay. So I don't have an answer - but could it be the smell of veggies as they get a bit old if the piggies don't eat them all. I'm just thinking maybe a small bit of cabbage leaf could smell a bit.
Sue
 
we have our girls inside and they don't smell either. perhaps you have changed something in the last 4 months for the smell to just come about now. a change in bedding or food? hoping you find the cause, sending hugs :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
I have 7 piggies in my livingroom and think they smell. I clean them everyday and use megazorb. I am convinved however that it is the newspaper that stinks. xx
 
sarsmccabe said:
I have 7 piggies in my livingroom and think they smell. I clean them everyday and use megazorb. I am convinved however that it is the newspaper that stinks. xx
Click to expand...

Yes I agree. I found that newspaper got smelly. Since I have stopped using it there is no smell at all.
 
I use towels and fleece on top. I haven't had any problems with mine digging but maybe I am just lucky. If you use fleece at the moment and they don't dig then you shouldn't have any problems with the towels.
Also you could try hooking the fleece over the side of the cage with the towels underneath so that they can't reach them (if that makes sense)
 
i have got lino to out in the bottom of my cages, and think i'll just stop newspaper, i'd rather i gave the cage an extra scrub then have the newspaper smell. xx
 
EmmaClaire said:
I have already cleaned them out today but tommorrow i am going to try just fleece and easi bed x
Click to expand...

Are you putting the easybed under the fleece?
You really need something under the fleece as fleece is not absorband and will stay wet unless there is something absorbant underneath to soak up the wee.

x
 
Well at the moment its newspaper under the fleece but as from tomorrow it will be easibed when i used wood shavings before i read they were bad for piggies feet i had no smell at all x
 
Yes I wouldn't use woodshaving. I think the oils in them are bad for their feet but to me it is the smell that would be bad for them. It smells so strong and they have to have their little noses into it all day long :( also they are quite dusty.

I have never used easybed so don't know much about it. Would it not stick to the fleece and make it a nightmare to shake off?
I used megazorb under fleece once when I ran out of towels and it was the most effective combination I have ever tried but boy trying to get the megazorb of the fleece was painful!

Let us know how you get on.

L
 
Laure said:
Yes I wouldn't use woodshaving. I think the oils in them are bad for their feet but to me it is the smell that would be bad for them. It smells so strong and they have to have their little noses into it all day long :( also they are quite dusty.
Click to expand...
 
sueg said:
Laure said:
Yes I wouldn't use woodshaving. I think the oils in them are bad for their feet but to me it is the smell that would be bad for them. It smells so strong and they have to have their little noses into it all day long :( also they are quite dusty.
Click to expand...


Stoopid me - I posted before I wrote! Was just going to say that I do use shavings, but it's a brand called Nature's Best and it's "dust extracted" - there truly is no dust at all. But I do also put a thick layer of hay over it.
Click to expand...
 
sueg said:
sueg said:
Laure said:
Yes I wouldn't use woodshaving. I think the oils in them are bad for their feet but to me it is the smell that would be bad for them. It smells so strong and they have to have their little noses into it all day long :( also they are quite dusty.
Click to expand...


Stoopid me - I posted before I wrote! Was just going to say that I do use shavings, but it's a brand called Nature's Best and it's "dust extracted" - there truly is no dust at all. But I do also put a thick layer of hay over it.
Click to expand...

Is it a big bag full? how long does it last? where do you get it from? Megazorb is driving me crazy. xx
Click to expand...
 
sarsmccabe said:
sueg said:
sueg said:


Stoopid me - I posted before I wrote! Was just going to say that I do use shavings, but it's a brand called Nature's Best and it's "dust extracted" - there truly is no dust at all. But I do also put a thick layer of hay over it.
Click to expand...

Is it a big bag full? how long does it last? where do you get it from? Megazorb is driving me crazy. xx
Click to expand...

I don't know the weight of it but it's quite big, and yes, I suppose it is expensive at £3.75 a bag. I use a whole bag each time I clean which is alternate days, I put about 1/3rd into Basil's cage (nero 3) and the rest in the girls cage (nero 4). That gives a thick layer of shavings, and I put hay over it. (my vet says I look after them too well - she's joking of course). I buy it at the pet shop, and the brand is called Nature's Best (I think the firm is in Devon). Next time I use it I'll see if I can get more details off the packet for you - sorry to be late replying.
Click to expand...
 
Right, I just went and delved in the shed. Oddly enough it doesn't state the weight on the packet, but it's about 23 inches high and 13 inches wide, and about 4 inches deep when full. The company is Natures Best (Devon) Ltd., and the address is The Barton, North Tawton, Devon EX20 2BB. No phone number, and to be honest I've not checked if there's a website, but it claims to be totally safe as bedding for all small animals because it's dust extracted. And I've never had a problem nor seen any dust. One time she'd run out and I bought some "ordinary" shavings, but as soon as I opened them I knew I wouldn't use them. Now I make sure I buy one or 2 ahead of myself, so I won't run out again. Theyare expensive at £3.75 a pack - maybe I could make them last a bit longer, but I use a whole pack for the 2 cages each time I clean out. I did once use newspapers under the hay when Basil had (shudder) walking dandruff as they called it (is that mites?) ..... when he was better I went back to the shavings.
Hope this is of some help for you.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top