Which bedding should I use?

[Littlypiggy]

Hi, I'm going to be getting my new piggies on 5.11 and am a complete novice to guinea pigs so please forgive my daft question!

Would shredded paper be an option? My husband thinks he can get some from work. Wood shavings seems a popular option or I have heard that just hay directly onto newpaper is fine.

Can anyone help please?

Many thanks in advance.

[crazywiggy]

I personally don't like shredded paper as a bedding. It tends to get soggy and gross pretty quick.
I also don't like newspaper and hay. Its okay for small areas (my pigs hay box is like this) but I find it needs changing every day. The pigs are also far less likely to eat the hay if it is soaked in pee!

I use the fleece method - it costs less in the long term, and I find the cage looks much tidier and I love not having bedding all over the floor. Check out the fleece project (and various other fleece threads) for more info.

If you want to use loose bedding, be aware that not all are actually safe.

Cedar, and normal pine are both softwoods which contain high levels of phenols, which can cause respiratory and liver disease, as well as allergies.

Kiln dried, dust extracted pine shavings are supposed to be safe, although I personally wouldn't risk it just in case.

The best loose beddings are hardwoods (eg aspen) or the paper based litters such as carefresh and megazorb.

Hope this helps!

[rabbitsncavyluv]

Hay over newspaper is not okay. It isn't absorbent enough and hay will get moldy.

Read over www.guinealynx.info for correct care info

[Littlypiggy]

Many thanks for that link - full of useful advice for a newbie like me!

At the moment the Megazorb I've seen in other threads is looking promising as I live close to a supplier.

[starshine123102]

In all honesty fleece is much easier than any sort of loose bedding. When your piggies start running around it gets all over the floor. That and you go through loose bedding like crazy since you need to constantly change out the wet spots so they don't lay in it all week. Since you are planning on a 2x4 cage you will most likely find that you will go through enormous amounts of bedding.

With fleece however, you just need a few towels and fora cage that size about a yard of fleece and you're good to go. At the end of the week all you need to do is wash and replace, and is much much cheaper in the long run!

[auburnmare5]

No to paper and hay. They are not very absorbent and they probably get smelly after a short amount of time.