need new bedding suggestion

**SantaCruzPigs** · #1 01-20-06, 03:31 pm

Hello! When I went home for the winter vacation, I made constructing a new cavy cage a priority. I bought new coroplast and constructed a great cage. I used a mixture of wood pellets and aspen wood shavings for the bedding and it seemed to work very, very well. I am now back at college and forgot the wood pellets at home. I have aspen shavings only as the bedding and it doesn't seem to be working well. I didn't think the wood pellets made that much of a difference but now I'm not sure. My biggest problem is that the shavings near my girl's water bottle is ALWAYS soaked. I try to change the aspen frequently but it seems like the somewhat large section around the water bottle has to be changed at least once every 24 hours. The actual water bottle is outside the cage so I know it's not leaking. I just wonder if anyone has any suggestions, probably as far as bedding goes, that would help resolve this problem? I'm not sure if I should purchase wood pellets again or maybe carefresh would work better? Has anyone had this problem and if so, any suggestions as to what to do and/or what not to do? Thanks!

**tattooyu** · #2 01-20-06, 03:43 pm

I have never used shavings, but we use fleece and it works great. Very little smell at all. Fleece is cheap at fabrics stores so you can buy multiple pieces to have ready. Towels are cheap at the 99 cent store or its equivalent.

From top to bottom we use:

Fleece
v
Towels
v
Puppy Pads

As an alternative to the Puppy Pads, you could use more towels, crib pads or VetBed. I'm looking into getting some VetBed for the under layer since it's washable and lasts for years (supposedly).

**Giplet** · #3 01-20-06, 03:58 pm

How many layers of towels do you use and how often do you have to change it? I am thinking about changing to fleece (fed up of wood shavings all over the house), and I tested it with water. When I tested it, I had one layer of fleece and four layers of towel and the water went right to the bottom layer. Is this right?

Sorry to but in on your thread SantaCruzPigs, but the answer could help you as well I guess.

**tattooyu** · #4 01-20-06, 04:18 pm

We have one layer of fleece, one layer of towels and one layer of puppy pads.

Except...

We double up on the towels and pads in the corner where they go the most. It stays pretty darn dry on top and we change them out about once a week, maybe every 4-5 days depending if it needs it.

What we absolutely do every single day is a poop scoop (vacuum).

**Giplet** · #5 01-20-06, 05:15 pm

Thank you.

**tattooyu** · #6 01-20-06, 05:17 pm

I mean, how couldn't we give them a clean home? Just look at that face under my name!

**SantaCruzPigs** · #7 01-20-06, 05:44 pm

LoL I agree! I used fleece for awhile but I had to constantly take it out or else my small room would stink. I am SUPER busy Monday through Friday and was hoping for something that only needed to be changed once a week, not every 3 or 4 days. I switched to wood shavings and we all seem to really like it, other than the wet problem near the water bottle. Maybe I will use some of the old fleece for the corner in which the water bottle is in? Thanks for the tips!

**muffin** · #8 02-01-06, 03:40 pm

Try putting a rock under the spout of the bottle, the water will land on it and then eveporate off-hopefully

**Percy's Mom** · #9 02-01-06, 04:01 pm

I was going to suggest something similar to muffin's rock. I went to Lowe's and bought an unglazed paving tile to place under the water bottle. It acts sort of like one of those super absorbent coasters. I have several, so I can scrub one with an old nail brush when it gets dirty and still have a clean one for the cage.

**jdomans** · #10 02-01-06, 04:38 pm

Ok it sounds to me that it is more of a water bottle issue than bedding. Two things I found that work or help. First the old brick trick under the bottle to catcht he leaks and playtime mess. Now here is my extremely scientific discovery. I had water bottle 'A' that was perfect. Never leaked or anything. I moved the girls into the living room, enlarged their cage, and wham we had a sunami. I tried other old bottles that once leaked and what have you. I finally came to the thought that maybe it has to do with the water line being level in the bottle. Not that the water has to be a certain level but the water line should look quite level. Well it was the answer for me. I have two water bottles in those metal holders and one as is. I also use clothes pins and tiny bungee cords and manipulated them so the water line was level. Ta da! works for me. Funny thing, the perfect water bottle still doesn't work. Now my chinchilla has the same one and it never leaks a drop!

**SantaCruzPigs** · #11 02-01-06, 07:41 pm

Thanks for all the advice! I'll definitely give a few of those suggestions a try, it sounds like they'll help a bunch. And to jdomans, I just adopted my first chinchilla yesterday! I am sooo excited! She gets along really well with my 3 cavies which is awesome too! Anyway, I am just really really excited about all of my girls and wanted to share that with you guys. Whoo hoo!!!

**jdomans** · #12 02-01-06, 07:43 pm

You are lucky about the chin and the gps. Buddy immediately bit Polly and she went after him! Not a good thing. Take a look at my chin cage. As with all our babies, the bigger the better for them.

**SantaCruzPigs** · #13 02-01-06, 07:50 pm

Nice cages! I have the three guinea pigs in a multi-level C&C 2 by 4 cage. I'd like to go to 3 by 4 but I have a very tiny room so we'll have to wait until I graduate and get a bigger place. I'm buying a 26x26x48 cage for the chin tomorrow and hope to add more chins soon. She's in a small cage now and I know that's not good but it beats the small cardboard box she was living in on someone's back porch! Plus, she hasn't been in the cage much, she's been out and about all over my room! I'm sorry your chin doesn't get along with the cavies... hope mine stay pals.

**FanGirl** · #14 02-04-06, 07:17 pm

put a brick under the water bottle. It will absorb any water that drips onto it and your piggies nails will be shorter beacuse of it.

I use "yesterday's news". I buy the big bag of the unscented cat one but they are all the same. I olny need to clean my cage once a week and can even make it to to days. They even put a $2.00 off coupon in each bag.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SantaCruzPigs

Hello! When I went home for the winter vacation, I made constructing a new cavy cage a priority. I bought new coroplast and constructed a great cage. I used a mixture of wood pellets and aspen wood shavings for the bedding and it seemed to work very, very well. I am now back at college and forgot the wood pellets at home. I have aspen shavings only as the bedding and it doesn't seem to be working well. I didn't think the wood pellets made that much of a difference but now I'm not sure. My biggest problem is that the shavings near my girl's water bottle is ALWAYS soaked. I try to change the aspen frequently but it seems like the somewhat large section around the water bottle has to be changed at least once every 24 hours. The actual water bottle is outside the cage so I know it's not leaking. I just wonder if anyone has any suggestions, probably as far as bedding goes, that would help resolve this problem? I'm not sure if I should purchase wood pellets again or maybe carefresh would work better? Has anyone had this problem and if so, any suggestions as to what to do and/or what not to do? Thanks!

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