Coro Alternatives: Cardboard vs coroplast

[sharkite]

I was wondering is it okay to use cardboard instead??? I'm using cardboard and secured it too the cage and then have fleece covering all of it. The bottom of the cage is old yard sale signs covered by a thin sheet of fleece and then layered it will blankets. Is that safe or not??

[akstrohm]

I'm really confused about your current set up. You say you have old yard sale signs on the bottom of the cage, then a thin sheet of fleece, then blankets... so where is the cardboard and the fleece?

Either way, cardboard will get wet and smell. Coroplast (not chloroplast--that's a plant organelle), is water proof. If you're using fleece, you should use coroplast or an alternative waterproof material (i.e. signs), then towels, and then one layer of fleece.

[fieryone]

Cardboard isn't waterproof and would get soggy and probably leak in no time. Coroplast is waterproof. It's plastic.

[princesspoppy]

No cardboard.That wont last you even a week. It will stink. Waterproof bottom,linolium,cloroplast for example. Newspaper(plenty) towels and fleece.(washed several times with out fabric softner)

[sharkite]

I have the cardboard linning the outside of the cage so they can't climb, etc. The bottom of the cage is old yardsale signs, then a thin layer of fleece, and then blankets.

[Ly&Pigs]

You need the fleece on top of the blankets, not under. Fleece wicks moisture down to what is underneath it. It defeats the purpose by having it on the bottom.

[sharkite]

Oooh okay thank you . I might be able to some colroplast too I'm trying to buy some but not having much luck where I live.

[YayPiggies]

If you really can't find any, laminate the cardboard.

[Rnd210]

Have you tried your local sign shops?

[AudreyNicole]

Since I built my cage, I have been using the white foam core board instead of coroplast. I cut and scored it just as the instructions said to do with the coroplast. Over the foam core board, I layered a vinyl shower curtain liner, followed by 2 layers of towels and then a layer of fleece. I have everything clipped securely, and so far everything is working well. Nothing is getting wet because of the shower curtain liner, and my piggy is staying dry.

[sharkite]

I've tried a bunch of local sign shops. So far none of them carries it. I know someone you can signs that are like on the side of the road. Will those work just the same?

[Kipsie]

Ew, cardboard will get wet, stinky, soggy, and sticky. When you try to remove it, it'll drip because it's not very absorbant, period.

And lots of people use those political signs on the side of roads. That's actually a good plan. But I dunno if taking them off lawns is okay or not...

You can also use any cheap plastic shower curtain until you get coroplast, but make sure the pigs don't get to the curtain. Cover it up with towels and fleece.

[akstrohm]

Originally Posted by sharkite

I've tried a bunch of local sign shops. So far none of them carries it. I know someone you can signs that are like on the side of the road. Will those work just the same?

If they are waterproof and you are able to score/cut them, then yes.

[sharkite]

Okay. Thank you very much for putting up with my questions.

[fieryone]

I would suggest old towels instead of blankets. They'd be more absorbent. I buy my bedding towels from the Goodwill

[sharkite]

They like towels better than blankets??

[fieryone]

Originally Posted by sharkite

They like towels better than blankets??

The pigs? If you have fleece over the absorbent under layer then it doesn't really matter to them what it is I would imagine. I use an old mattress pad (also bought at Goodwill) and the equivalent of 3-4 layers of towels. It's plenty soft. The old comforter that I use for floor time over a waterproof tablecloth isn't absorbent at all.

[Ly&Pigs]

The yard sale signs you are using, do they look like cardboard with corrogated insides but made of plastic? If so, then that is coroplast. Try calling printing companies in your area. Sign shops are not the only place to find it. Old political signs are usually made of coroplast too and they can often be found at the dump just after election day.

[sharkite]

I might be able to get a small sheet of coroplast but I was wondering which is more important the bottom of the cage or the side of cage?? Because I'm not sure if I'll have enough to cover all of it (which I'm trying really hard to get enough).

[barbanderson]

Originally Posted by Rnd210

Have you tried your local sign shops?

YEP someone said that to me here too and YES try sign shops cause they all carry it