Cleaning: Can't Decide What to Do (At My Wits End)

[Slave to the Rose]

My two girls are currently living in my closet which is slightly larger than the C&C suggested room. I have been bedding them on aspen. Before that I had them on fleece. I got fed up with the fleece. Within one week it got so nasty and gross and it took hours to wash and dry. Being a college student I simply didn't have time to stand around and wait for it to wash and dry at my house. I am currently having some back problems which makes cleaning the cage very painful. I am considering switching back to fleece but I don't really want to because in one week it got so nasty and pee soaked and the towels under it were horrible too. Any suggestions? Since I'm kinda poor I don't want to have to spend a TON but currently I'm spending about $40 a month on bedding so I'd like something a bit cheaper.

Any ideas?

[Ilovemypiggies1]

I think you should go back to fleece and try it again, i haven't had fleece for that long and to me, it's okay. It smells a little bit but i think that's because i don't put towels down underneath the fleece, i have a shower curtain liner. You may want to add another layer of towels under the other towels and see how that works. I would use bedding but for a 2x6 cage, i would go through too much money for one month just on bedding.

[ferndalezoo]

I would revisit the fleece. In my experience, most people who have problems with fleece are doing something "wrong". Usually, they have too many layers of fleece, or not enough (or not any) layers of towels underneath. We have 4 boars in a 3x5 C&C. I have 2 layers of towels over the whole bottom level (3 under the loft, because they like to hang out down there), and a single layer of good quality non-pilling fleece (an extra layer under the loft). The poops get swept up daily, and the whole assembly changed and washed weekly. We have no odor issues. If you don't always have time to wash it right away, consider getting two or three "sets" of towels and fleece so you can change it out, and then wash the dirty ones as you have time.

[Thistlepig]

I use Pooch Pads they are washable and reusable. My piggies use there potty box or there hay box for most of there business. I sweep up the poops with a little broom and dustpan daily and wash the Pooch Pads one to two times weekly as needed. I have there primary cage and there play area lined with these. You can purchase them at most larger pet retailers and on the internet they work great. Easy cleanup low maintenance. Hope this helps. To add some cushion to there floor I have folded up towels under the Pooch Pads.