So I've had my pigs on pine wood shavings for two years. And my parents are tight gits and don't want to change because we get the wood shavings free. I've noticed their feet being extra red and I know it the wood shavings fault, and I can't just lay hay on the floor because last time I started doing that, my guinea pig got a hay seed in his eye and it cost us £60 for treatment and consultation! My dad says he doesn't want their wee and stuff in the washing machine and I can almost see why. When I mention cloth bags he says the dirty animal water still gets through, how can I solve this problem and how else can I convince him to start using fleece?
Washing fleece bedding?
- Thread starter MillieT
- Start date
Guineautopia
Forum Donator 2024/25
Hi, if fleece is not an option then there are many more that might be softer than wood shavings.
Have a look at this thread and the various options. Some people use a paper based bedding like fitch which could work for you
Bedding For Guinea Pigs - Overview
Have a look at this thread and the various options. Some people use a paper based bedding like fitch which could work for you
Bedding For Guinea Pigs - Overview
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2009
- Messages
- 53,852
- Reaction score
- 38,553
- Points
- 3,350
great advise from @Guineautopia
Kindness
Junior Guinea Pig
It can be hard if your not paying for the washing machine and the water bills. I wash my fleece seperately from my clothes and find fleece a million times easier. You can pop fleece in a horse wash bag but your dad is right the dirt has to come out the bag, it shouldn't ruin the clothes in any way but fleece must be washed on 60° minimum if not more so if your Dad is only washing at 30° or even 40° then the fleece will still smell.
If woodshavings are free that's fantastic for your parents after all no one wants to pay their hard earned money on buying loads of bedding.
What I would do is buy a large bucket pop all the dirty fleece in, pour in washing up liquid, then pour on kettle water (boiling hot) let it sit for 30 minutes then hand wash with thick rubber gloves on. Then rinse. I used to do this before I got my horse wash bag and it's really easy, quick and gets all the smell out and the fleece looks like new. Maybe you could do this?
Woodshavings can also be pressed down flat to avoid your piggy getting poked. If not use newspaper and change it daily to give your piggys feet a rest. However the only reason they would be sore is from built up waste in the cage. Piggies have foot pads which toughen up on rough surfaces so shouldn't be a problem at all.
If woodshavings are free that's fantastic for your parents after all no one wants to pay their hard earned money on buying loads of bedding.
What I would do is buy a large bucket pop all the dirty fleece in, pour in washing up liquid, then pour on kettle water (boiling hot) let it sit for 30 minutes then hand wash with thick rubber gloves on. Then rinse. I used to do this before I got my horse wash bag and it's really easy, quick and gets all the smell out and the fleece looks like new. Maybe you could do this?
Woodshavings can also be pressed down flat to avoid your piggy getting poked. If not use newspaper and change it daily to give your piggys feet a rest. However the only reason they would be sore is from built up waste in the cage. Piggies have foot pads which toughen up on rough surfaces so shouldn't be a problem at all.
PigglePuggle
Senior Guinea Pig
We use woodshavings with hay on top no problem. We might get fleece for the winter because the pet room gets a bit cold but the piggies are fine on woodshavings. Maybe you could get fleece just for the bed area and have woodshavings where they poop? Or change the sort of hay you use on top?