Towels as bedding

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chinakit

As an experiment I have started using towels as bedding for my 2 boys. I change the towels every day (which will mean a lot of washing!) but I do have plenty of old towels (I buy them from charity shops as 'dog towels').

So far it is going really well. I am saving on hay as they only need enough to eat, as the towels are thick and warm so extra bedding isn't needed. Incidentally they live indoors; if they were outside they would need extra bedding as well.

Will let you know how things proceed. If it works well I will use this method with all my piggies.
 
I was debating that last night, with me having C&C's I use reams and reams of fleece and thought toweling might be more absorbent. Let us kniw how you get on :)
 
I always start new piggies that come to me on towels to make them feel warm and secure and then after 4 weeks or so take them out. I also line the corners of my room and under my bed with towels each night and morning for when they play out so they've got somewhere cosy to go. I do find that it makes an extra lot of washing and have at least four piggy towel washes a week - just for three piggies! If you leave them in the cage of a adult pig they can become a bit soggy throughout the day as the pee doesn't soak through like vetbed. I also find that face flannels work just as well as towels and they are piggy sized! - you can get 6 for £1 in the £1 shops - I have hundreds!
 
I will. It's working well so far, and although I need to clean out the cage every day, it's a quick job (no spilling shavings etc on the floor, I just roll it up, shake towels out on the lawn (much to the pleasure of my 2 dogs :P ) then into the washing machine they go! (the towels, not the dogs LOL).
 
;D Bearing in mind I have 13 piggies and an iminent birth to contend with :o
 
Hmmmm .... well I have eight piggers now, but currently using the towel method with my 2 boys Cameron and Brecon. They seem quite happy to be guinea pigs ..... sorry about that, had to say it ;D
 
I use some fleece as well, on top of the towels, although I don't have enough to cover the whole cage with it.
 
I get mine for £1 a meter, so it doesnt matter if I throw it afte a few washes, I save loads
 
I used sleeping bags last year for mine and got in really bad trouble with o
Maryh as I clogged washing machine up!
 
When my Lily had diarrhoea and I wanted to monitor her, I had her on towels. However when they wee, towels need to be changed so quickly, and take ages to dry if you dont have a tumbledryer...

So what I did was: Putting normal woodshavings into the cage, then putting one huge bathtowel to cover the whole area.

Bedding underneath soaks most of the urine, you just need to pick up poo from the towel, and therefor you dont need to wash quite as often (every second or third day only). Piggies get the cuddly towel to sit on, you have less work to do because of the shavings :)
 
Abnoba said:
When my Lily had diarrhoea and I wanted to monitor her, I had her on towels. However when they wee, towels need to be changed so quickly, and take ages to dry if you dont have a tumbledryer...

So what I did was: Putting normal woodshavings into the cage, then putting one huge bathtowel to cover the whole area.

Bedding underneath soaks most of the urine, you just need to pick up poo from the towel, and therefor you dont need to wash quite as often (every second or third day only). Piggies get the cuddly towel to sit on, you have less work to do because of the shavings :)
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Do the shavings not stick horribly to the towels?
 
Not really... when I have to change them, I shake them out over the cage, then take a brush and quickly go over it..
Shake it out one more time and then thats it!

the terry cloth fabric isnt like fleece, with fleece I made the experience that it just had to come into a one meter radius of shavings and they would stick to it like glue ::)
 
I think I'll stick with good old newspapers, shredded paper & hay. You lot will be mentioning nappies next! ....
 
I'm a vet bed fan myself....The only problem that I have with vet bed (and towels would be the same) is you generate a lot of washing!
 
Jillybean said:
I think I'll stick with good old newspapers, shredded paper & hay. You lot will be mentioning nappies next! ....
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towels are handy though, especially if you have a sick piggy that you need to monitor...
 
I did try shredded paper at one time, but it gets horribly wet very quickly.

Terry Towelling nappies are good!

I personally don't think shavings are a health problem with cavies. However they are terribly hard to hoover up as they stick in the carpets.
 
Its a good idea.I'm getting lots of idea,advice and help from everyone!Thanks you lot!

:-* ;D
 
Abnoba said:
Jillybean said:
I think I'll stick with good old newspapers, shredded paper & hay. You lot will be mentioning nappies next! ....
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towels are handy though, especially if you have a sick piggy that you need to monitor...
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I use towels for ill and convalescing piggys, farty artie who damaged his leg last week is at this moment snuggled up with 2 towels vet bed and his cuddle cup looks like lord muck to be honest
 
michellemuffin said:
Abnoba said:
Jillybean said:
I think I'll stick with good old newspapers, shredded paper & hay. You lot will be mentioning nappies next! ....
Click to expand...

towels are handy though, especially if you have a sick piggy that you need to monitor...
Click to expand...

I use towels for ill and convalescing piggys, farty artie who damaged his leg last week is at this moment snuggled up with 2 towels vet bed and his cuddle cup looks like lord muck to be honest
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Oh bless! ;D
 
:) Why do people use towels and fleece when God invented VetBed that keeps them drier- still high maintenance but soooo much better than towels? Or is fleece another word for VetBed :-\
 
karenrgpr said:
:) Why do people use towels and fleece when God invented VetBed that keeps them drier- still high maintenance but soooo much better than towels? Or is fleece another word for VetBed :-\
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I think the difference is cost if you have a huge cage. I use vetbed and I used a bit of fleece on steps etc, but I couldn't get on with it. Vet bed is brill, and you can buy it cheaper off ebay, but it is still a big initial cost.
 
Its like fleece but safer and the pee pee runs through so it stays dry, but it is expensive if you need loads. I save mine for illness and cold winter nights.

I use face flannels, hand towels, floor cloths - anything that is cheap in the £1 shop! I put them in thier beds and also around the room (dark corners) and they dry really quick when washed. All animals love to lay on towelling its comforting even for humans when its a hot summer night Distant memory now - save for the odd hot flush lol!) if you put a towel over your pillow you'd be surpirsed how cooling and comforting it is!
 
kayjay said:
karenrgpr said:
:) Why do people use towels and fleece when God invented VetBed that keeps them drier- still high maintenance but soooo much better than towels? Or is fleece another word for VetBed :-\
Click to expand...

I think the difference is cost if you have a huge cage. I use vetbed and I used a bit of fleece on steps etc, but I couldn't get on with it. Vet bed is brill, and you can buy it cheaper off ebay, but it is still a big initial cost.
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Thanks KJ. Most of my VetBed comes from Ebay :) They still prefer to lay in the hay and eat their bed though :)
 
I used hay in the cage (lots of it - for hiding in) and towels for floor time (flat has wooden floors) as well as an assortment of cuddle cups, piggy arm chairs, and old boxes with tea towels in

I think I'll do the same with my new chap but I might investigate the vet bed for illness

Thanks for the info
 
I love the vet bed pro fleece, it really is fantastic. I use it for all my piggies. Nice and warm too. :)
 
I am now using fleece on top of the towels, and this is working better than towels alone. I do have some vetbed (but not enough for all the cages) and buy more as and when I can afford it (I am on sickness benefits so can't afford to buy a lot of it all at once).

I change the cages every day and they are staying pretty dry. I also have indoor rabbits but have to use shavings for them, as they 'wee' so much, and also if I use fleece they just dig it up into a big ruck ?
 
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