Fleece What to have in loft? Fleece or other bedding?

[labeadel]

I'm going to get a loft for my 2 boys and am planning to do the kitchen up there. I'm going to change to wood pellets with fleece on the bottom of the cage. What is your opinion, fleece with wood pellets in the loft, or should I do paper bedding and no fleece? I've seen both and am just wondering if anyone has any opinions they could share with me.

Thanks a bunch!

 

[lunarminx]

The pellets are heavy if you are going to use them, I would order two of the wonder bars from the cage store, they can hold the weight.

https://www.guineapigcagesstore.com/candc-wonder-bars#.VWeYhkZ9OM8

 

[MrsATeaches5th]

I have U-Haul pads covered with fleece in my upstairs but I was thinking about switching to a bedding too. Maybe pinefresh /care free combo? It is such a pain to try to get the bedding & hay off the fleece but I want them to have plenty of hay to roll around in - as well as eat from their feeder.

 

[labeadel]

Nobody else with a loft want to chime in? I have my new cage set up and I haven't decided what to do with that area so I haven't put the ramp in yet.

 

[SquigglyPigs]

I like to use Yesterday's News Cat Litter in my kitchen area.

 

[megakamattsmom]

Do they kick it all over? I'm looking for something that doesn't get stuck to my long hair girls fur. Care fresh is better than shredded paper and shavings.

 

[SquigglyPigs]

Yesterday's News is a pelleted recycled paper so it's heavier than carefresh. I don't have any long haired pigs so someone else might have to give you advice for that. If they are in the kitchen and suddenly get scared of something, the pellets will be kicked around a little bit but not enough to fly out of the cage or the kitchen.

 

[labeadel]

@allisonj30, thank you! So you have it in the entire loft, or just in a bin for the kitchen area in the loft? If just the kitchen bin area, what is in the rest of the loft? Any fleece up there? I'm heading out tonight after work to find a bin that will fit in the loft. I looked through the entire cage pictures thread. Yep, all 79 pages! Then I posted my new cage. I have a little carefresh yet, so maybe I'll use that up until I figure out what the heck I'm planning to do! LOL

 

[Easefirst]

I keep fleece with towels underneath on my loft, but it is still new, and they rarely go up there, so I didn't put hay up there. I will be using wood pellets eventually though.

 

[SquigglyPigs]

I have a bin area in my loft for the kitchen. It makes it easy to clean that way because you will be cleaning the kitchen area more often than other areas. For the rest of the loft and cage, I use two layers of uhaul with fleece on top. Then I just vacuum poops every day and dump out the kitchen whenever it looks or smells gross.

 

[labeadel]

I put some carefresh up there with 2 small-ish bins frm 99 cent store and one of their hay racks and a bowl of pellets. One of my guys has gone up, the other hasn't ventured up there yet, so I am keeping hay down on the first level for him, along with pellets and water.

 

[AnnikasMommy]

I have straight up pine pellets in my loft as that is their kitchen. I have 6 wooden braces under it to help with the weight. I just redid the boys McMansion and went fleece and incontinence pads on the bottom and pine pellets in the kitchen loft.

 

[Easefirst]

What did you make wooden braces out of? Just flat boards?

 

[megakamattsmom]

I have straight up pine pellets in my loft as that is their kitchen. I have 6 wooden braces under it to help with the weight. I just redid the boys McMansion and went fleece and incontinence pads on the bottom and pine pellets in the kitchen loft.

Do you have the pine pellets covered with fleece,,uhaul, or something else?

 

[AnnikasMommy]

Do you have the pine pellets covered with fleece,,uhaul, or something else?

No ma'am just the pine pellets in the loft with no wicking material.

 

[megakamattsmom]

No ma'am just the pine pellets in the loft with no wicking material.

How long does it last? I'm trying to find something that works in the kitchen besides carefresh,

 

[pigger123]

I use wood pellets (nothing over them) in the 2x1.5 kitchen for my two girls. They mostly pee in two spots in there so I have to scoop out the wet stuff every day. I change all the pellets every couple of weeks.

 

[AnnikasMommy]

How long does it last? I'm trying to find something that works in the kitchen besides carefresh,

Sorry just saw this, like @pigger123 said, my boys only tinkle in two spots so I just scoop that out and stir in a cup of fresh would pellets. I don't always get all the "dust" out so I'll change the loft pellets in about 4 weeks or more. So far we are on week two.

 

[megakamattsmom]

I've switched to pine pellets covered with uhaul this week. So far it's easier to just dump off the poop. However the initial smell was horrible.

 

[bpatters]

If the initial smell of the pellets is pine, and it's a strong odor, do NOT use it for your pigs. It can cause bumblefoot in the short term, and liver and lung disease in the long term. Pine pellets are ok if they've been thoroughly dried, and that takes care of the phenols that cause the odor.