C&C OK, one more question....

LoveMyPiggies23 · Mar 8, 2010

First I want to thank everyone for the warm welcome here to the community and posting forum. Everyone's advice has been awesome!!!!! Being a first time guinea pig owner, I have to say I did not do any research before I got my babies, I just went and got them, and then started learning. Now to the question part....

Having constructed my first C&C Cage, I currently use carefresh as bedding, but I can easily see how this will become very costly not to mention wasteful over time... so I was wondering how exactly did you switch your piggies to fleece, how easy is the fleece versus bedding, do the piggies seem to enjoy the fleece more so?

Also my cage is 2x3 with a 1x2 loft, I am considering when I do switch to fleece turning the loft in their kitchen/bedded area for potty. Would that be a good idea. I know i read they potty alot where they eat and drink, so....

I do have pics of my cage in another post as well as in my album on my profile, so if anyone wants to take a look and give me any pointers on how to set this up a little more efficiently, that would be great. I will hopefully be able to expand the cage in a few months or so, my girls in there now are about 10 weeks old. Current pics do not show, but after some previous suggestions, I am going to buy more chloroplast and put between existing box and grid a little higher to make sure my girls are safe as can be.

Thanks for any input, I hope one day I can be as knowledgeable as ya'll and be able to help others like ya'll have been helping me :cheerful:

LoveMyPiggies23 · Mar 8, 2010

OKay so I am a dork, I forgot a couple other questions about fleece....

1. I have read here that the fleece is slow to absorb urine??? So does that mean it will puddle where they pee?

2. What do you put under the fleece, would putting puppy training pads under it be a good idea to somewhat protect the chloroplast? Would I change the pads once a week or how often?

3. Washing the fleece, am I correct that I should wash it 5 times before putting it in the cage the first time, I get it home?

4. No dryer sheet in dryer right because of scents?

5. Also saw a great suggestion to put velcro on chloroplast and fleece to help secure it, I love the idea, what does anyone think, and has this worked for anyone? My girls run really fast, I am afraid they will just run the fleece into a jumbled mess in the corner or something.....

Katrinah · Mar 8, 2010

What I did was went to my local thrift store and bought old matress pads then sewed the fleece to the pad. This seems to hold it in place pretty good because there is more weight to it and the matress pad helps absorb the urine from the fleece.

When you buy the fleece you want to wash and dry it at least 3 times so it will wick. Since I am in MN and during winter it gets very dry and you cannot use fabric softener on the fleece, I either air fluff the fleece dry or just let it air dry so it keeps the static down.

I intended to put velcro on mine since I did not know if they would burrow, but ended up doubling a piece of duct tape underneath in the corners and once in the middle. They havent bothered it nor has the fleece/pad combo slipped etc. Other cages I have seen make the fleece to cover all the coroplast and use binder clips or clothes pins to hold it on the sides, I did this with the first piece of fleece I had and worked well.

Onetwo · Mar 8, 2010

Kat- Vinegar does many things when added to the wash. It helps remove oils so it wicks, it helps prevent mineral deposits from hard water, it reduces the smells, it helps kill the bacteria from the pee and poop AND also (I think most importantly) it is a natural static reducer. It wont reduce it completely but it makes a difference. I put a lot in my wash but I usually put almost half of the amount of soap in it and about 3/4 of a cup of vinegar. We use the apartment washers so soap doesnt come out as well so this works for our washer... It might not work for all washers. But it definately helps with the static...

MaggieMae · Mar 8, 2010

LoveMyPiggies23 said:
OKay so I am a dork, I forgot a couple other questions about fleece....

1. I have read here that the fleece is slow to absorb urine??? So does that mean it will puddle where they pee?

2. What do you put under the fleece, would putting puppy training pads under it be a good idea to somewhat protect the chloroplast? Would I change the pads once a week or how often?

3. Washing the fleece, am I correct that I should wash it 5 times before putting it in the cage the first time, I get it home?

4. No dryer sheet in dryer right because of scents?

5. Also saw a great suggestion to put velcro on chloroplast and fleece to help secure it, I love the idea, what does anyone think, and has this worked for anyone? My girls run really fast, I am afraid they will just run the fleece into a jumbled mess in the corner or something.....

1. Fleece will wick the urine down to the bottom layer pretty quickly. The more used the fleece gets over time the better it works which is why you need to "train" it to do this by washing it before hand. Make sure your fleece is 100% polyester and anti-pill is nice. The less fluffy/soft and shiny it is, in my opinion, the better it works. You will find some fleece has more of a shiny, soft feel.

2. I haven't used puppy training pads but I have heard they work. I used a couple layers of towels which works just fine. They are changed out once a week in my cage.

3. Wash it at least 3 times, the more the better.

4. No dryer sheets or fabric softener of any kind. It isn't the scent that is the problem so much as the fact that it will prevent the urine from wicking away properly. I personally and a fan of air drying but not everyone can do this.

5. I plan to use some velcro in the future on my cage, I just want to make sure the cage is going to stay the same for a while (I am always changing it). My guinea pig never disturbed the corners or anything. My new pig has moved virtually everything and anything in there including pulling up the corner of fleece. lol

Onetwo · Mar 8, 2010

https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/bedding/21568-fleece-project-study.html

here is all the info on fleece...

meaakn33 · Mar 8, 2010

Don't think you have to go out and buy expensive fleece or such. I got mine at kmart.. 3 towels @ 2.50 each & 1 fleece (50x60")@ 4.99 = $12.50 total for one set! I recommend a 2nd one so when you change you already have a clean set waiting!
I purchased more towels & fleece when I come across a good sales. I bought 2 yards of fleece the other day for 7.50, I was then able to cut it to fit the ramp and hayloft! I cannot cut but I just tucked the fleece under neath the towels. I need to update my pictures, but I love fleece!

Sarah84 · Mar 8, 2010

I switched from carefresh to fleece when I built their c & c. I will NEVER go back! I have kitchen area, which is also mostly fleece with a litter pan that has carefresh on the bottom and hay on the top, they love it! They will burrow in it, and take naps in it, all while eatting away at the hay! I personally use puppy pads under the fleece. I find this to be the best way to keep the smell down. I've tried other things, such as towels, bedding, and other pads, but for some reason I kept getting a smell, with the puppy pads I don't get a smell. I've been researching for awhile the re-usable puppy pads, and I'm considering giving them a try, especially since we are going to be upgrading from a 2 x 4 c & c to a 2 x 6 c & c.

I personal change my fleece about 3 times a week. I have several sets I use, and switch them out on a rotation, so one set doesn't get "over used" When I wash them I don't put any softner, or color safe bleach in, just a dab of detergent, and thats it. When the weather gets nice, I won't even put them in the dryer, I plan on line drying them.

Good luck with your switch!

LoveMyPiggies23 · Mar 8, 2010

Thanks everyone for the help!!!! I think I am going to go to JoAnn's today to by some fleece, after finding another post on here this morning, I found out their fleece is 40%off!!!! They have wonderful patterns and everything. Some was 5.99 a yard some 7.99 a yard. Great prices, SO I think I will go stock up on plenty of fleece so I can have mutiple change out sets ready when needed. I am so excited with their new cage and just want to make them happy. I think they love the room, but I don't think they enjoy it as much as they could right now since all that carefresh is slinding around with them. I think they will love it more with fleece. I think I will love it more also, less mess....lol. Thanks again and any future readers if you have any advice on how to use the fleece or even any changes I could make to the layout of my cage please let me know. I love all the input

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C&C OK, one more question....

LoveMyPiggies23

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LoveMyPiggies23

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Katrinah

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Onetwo

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MaggieMae

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Onetwo

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meaakn33

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Sarah84

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LoveMyPiggies23

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