Where People & Piggies Thrive

Newbie or Guinea Guru? Popcorn in!

Register for free to enjoy the full benefits.
Find out more about the NEW, drastically improved site and forum!

Register

Bedding How do u make straw bedding?

arnab321

Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Oct 9, 2011
Posts
13
Joined
Oct 9, 2011
Messages
13
Well, this was my luck at making the bedding....


We don't get any kind of branded commercial bedding in our country, and buying from abroad is extremely expensive. I bought a straw bale and cut it into small pieces.

The problem with the current bedding, as u can see in the pic, as the Piggie moves, the straw gets displaced. I do a google image search for gp bedding and I mostly see straw bedding, with level of straw intact. How do they make straw bedding?
 

pinky

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Feb 11, 2010
Posts
10,837
Joined
Feb 11, 2010
Messages
10,837
What country do you live in? Maybe there's someone on here from the same country who can find a source for guinea pig bedding for you. Hay does not make good bedding. Once it gets wet, it's going to stink like a barn. If that's his cage, it's too small for a guinea pig.
 

bpatters

Moderator
Staff member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Posts
29,251
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
29,251
Straw is not a good bedding for a guinea pig. It doesn't absorb urine so the pig's feet and bottom develop problems, but the bigger issue is that the pig will eat the straw, and it does not have enough nutritional value for the pig's needs. If you go look at Guinea Lynx, there's a thread (on Cavy Chat, I believe) called "Raising a piggy in India." There should be some suggestions for bedding on there, but if not, PM the user Pimpinpuji and ask her for suggestions. She's corresponded with a number of guinea pig owners about finding supplies for their pigs.
 

pigsandme

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 19, 2011
Posts
65
Joined
Mar 19, 2011
Messages
65
I see you have newspaper in there as well. Have you looked at other threads that have instructions on how to make bedding with newspaper? You should take a look around and see.
 

Cindy Green

Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Nov 26, 2011
Posts
12
Joined
Nov 26, 2011
Messages
12
Yes the cage is way too small. They need a good amount of run space. In our rescue we use shredded paper over newspaper or pee pads. I prefer newspaper because it is eco friendly. We also use Aspen but never Pine or Cedar it is harmful to both their respiratory system and liver. Carefresh also works good, Yesterdays News (it is a bedding not newspaper) I prefer the shredded paper and the Aspen. Our cages are no smaller that 2'X4' often 5'long. I also use a very large box for additional run time a couple of hours a day. I put bedding and hay on the bottom and they love this.
 

arnab321

Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Oct 9, 2011
Posts
13
Joined
Oct 9, 2011
Messages
13
Straw is not a good bedding for a guinea pig. It doesn't absorb urine so the pig's feet and bottom develop problems, but the bigger issue is that the pig will eat the straw, and it does not have enough nutritional value for the pig's needs. If you go look at Guinea Lynx, there's a thread (on Cavy Chat, I believe) called "Raising a piggy in India." There should be some suggestions for bedding on there, but if not, PM the user Pimpinpuji and ask her for suggestions. She's corresponded with a number of guinea pig owners about finding supplies for their pigs.

thnx for guiding me... there werent any information about the bedding on that thread. i PMed her about this matter....

well if u can think of something which is easily available, or correct my previous mistakes, these were my attempts:

- 2 flat sheets of newapaper - my pig doesnt like to be on the newapaper. he would lift it up and go under it. he would also eat it sometimes.
- cloth - same problem. he liked to crawl under the cloth even more and by the morning i would find him wrapped up in the cloth. i know this is comfy for him, but this isnt a bedding.
- packaging newapaper strips - to my horror, he used to eat a lot of them.... imo, indian newapaper ink is extremely toxic.
- straw pieces from cow sheds - the straw gets displaced when the pig moves. and of course, he eats it, but its less dangerous than eating newspaper.
 

Nikkipig

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Aug 11, 2011
Posts
288
Joined
Aug 11, 2011
Messages
288
Is that his cage in the picture?
 

arnab321

Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Oct 9, 2011
Posts
13
Joined
Oct 9, 2011
Messages
13
Yes the cage is way too small. They need a good amount of run space. In our rescue we use shredded paper over newspaper or pee pads. I prefer newspaper because it is eco friendly. We also use Aspen but never Pine or Cedar it is harmful to both their respiratory system and liver. Carefresh also works good, Yesterdays News (it is a bedding not newspaper) I prefer the shredded paper and the Aspen. Our cages are no smaller that 2'X4' often 5'long. I also use a very large box for additional run time a couple of hours a day. I put bedding and hay on the bottom and they love this.
yep, but mine's the largest size available in the whole shop. and the stupid shopkeeper chuckled as i turned my back. he had stuffed about 8 piggies plus 2 rabbits in a cage smaller than that.... they are kept in horrible cnditions u know...
 

Nikkipig

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Aug 11, 2011
Posts
288
Joined
Aug 11, 2011
Messages
288
Why don't you make your own cage? You can use alternatives to grids and coroplast, if you can't find them. Plexiglass, wood, shower curtain, tarp... etc.

Edit: I also don't see a water bottle, but a water dish, which doesn't work as well as a bottle because they get dirty easily. :)
 

bpatters

Moderator
Staff member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Posts
29,251
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
29,251
You can extend the cage by using grids or closet shelving. Leave the original cage as the kitchen, and give your pig more room to run outside. You may have bought the largest cage in the pet shop, but it's still not large enough for your pig.

I don't know what you can use for bedding. Newspaper ink is generally soy based and not toxic, but newspaper isn't a very good bedding. The cloth sounds like the best of those options, and you can clip it down so the pig can't burrow underneath it. But it will need to be changed frequently, and it will work much better if the top layer wicks the urine through to an absorbent bottom layer.
 

Cindy Green

Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Nov 26, 2011
Posts
12
Joined
Nov 26, 2011
Messages
12
You can purchase thing to make your own cages. I would advise that and offer run time for your pigs as much as possible. You do not have to use store bought cages. It is not hard to make your own. We at the rescue actually use wire racks put cloroplast on the floor and wire panels from a home improvement store around all four sides of the rack. You can also put the cloroplast on the back and put the wire panels on the sides and front. She uses Wire panels from home improvement stores to make closets, and uses zip ties to secure them to the rack. This works very well. For my run time I just get a big box and put the plastic sheet on the bottom with bedding and hay and they can run around as much as they want. Be creative. Another good thing for run time is a kids plastic pool. The ones for very small children. They are a hard plastic. Put bedding on the bottom and they love this too. Do you have home improvement stores there. Sorry I have never been to India. You can get just about everything you need at one except the plastic sheet for the bottom of the cage. This can be fun. Just remember they need lots of space to run around.
 
Last edited:

Cindy Green

Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Nov 26, 2011
Posts
12
Joined
Nov 26, 2011
Messages
12
You can purchase thing to make your own cages. I would advise that and offer run time for your pigs as much as possible. You do not have to use store bought cages. It is not hard to make your own. We at the rescue actually use wire racks put cloroplast on the floor and wire panels from a home improvement store around all four sides of the rack. You can also put the cloroplast on the back and put the wire panels on the sides and front. She uses Wire panels from home improvement stores to make closets, and uses zip ties to secure them to the rack. This works very well. For my run time I just get a big box and put the plastic sheet on the bottom with bedding and hay and they can run around as much as they want. Be creative. Another good thing for run time is a kids plastic pool. The ones for very small children. They are a hard plastic. Put bedding on the bottom and they love this too. Do you have home improvement stores there. Sorry I have never been to India. You can get just about everything you need at one except the plastic sheet for the bottom of the cage. This can be fun. Just remember they need lots of space to run around.
 

Cindy Green

Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Nov 26, 2011
Posts
12
Joined
Nov 26, 2011
Messages
12
Yes I would never buy an animal from a pet store. They keep them in horrible conditions in most cases
 

Onetwo

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Jun 15, 2009
Posts
1,670
Joined
Jun 15, 2009
Messages
1,670
Ditto what others have said. I know we have other members on here from your country. We are getting more international all the time. Maybe other members can find other good members to help you. I would definately NOT buy from petstores. Not just animals but pet supplies as well.

The cage you have is about 1/4 of what she should have. She will also need a buddy at some point in time if you can afford it. Newspaper is not good (lowest of the low) and straw is terrible (if you leave it longer than 12 hours it will mold and if she eats any of that she will get terribly sick). I definately suggest fleece bedding with towels and clip it down (weigh it down) good. If you provide her with a place to hide she wont burrow around in it so much either. Take either a piece of fabric and drape it in the courner of the cage like a tent or hang a rope across one side and lay fabric over that like a canopy or get her a cardboard box with no bottom and a hole in one side for her to climb in and out of that will really help.
 

asdeokule

New Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Dec 20, 2011
Posts
2
Joined
Dec 20, 2011
Messages
2
Is dried grass good for bedding. What is the difference between hay and straw. Can someone put picture of hay,straw and dried grass to clear my doubt.Thank you;)
 

bpatters

Moderator
Staff member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Posts
29,251
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
29,251
Dried grasses of any kind -- hay, straw, whatever -- are not good for bedding. They don't absorb urine, and the pigs are living with their feet and bottoms wet. That can lead to bumblefoot and urinary tract infections.

You can used kiln-dried wood shavings (not cedar, though), or some kinds of kitty litter (recycled newspaper is good) or fleece with some sort of absorbent padding underneath. Nothing, however, is going to work very well in that small cage. You'll have to change the whole thing every day.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.
Top