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Piggies Peeing in Pigloos

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peachygrl

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Piggies Peeing in Pigloos

It sounds almost like the beginning of a clever poem... :)

Bedhead & Harry have two pigloos in their cage, they spend a lot of time in their pigloos, they pee a lot. Hence, my problem. Harry is a silkie and having a white bottom is a fashion faux-pas for him as he tends to sit in his own urine in the pigloo and his little bottom turns icky yellow :/

What to do? I can't be bathing him very often, I do keep his hair/fur trimmed up, but it still seems to get nasty. I am using aspen as bedding because, frankly, the cost of carefresh is prohibitive. I tried using cloth baby diapers inside the pigloos but those get nasty sooo fast and I'm worried about bits of junk (bedding) going through my washer & dryer. If anybody has any ideas let me know

:) Amy
 

SuperCavyLover

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Re: Piggies Peeing in Pigloos

Amy,
CareFresh bedding comes in different quantities which are all different prices- in 10 liters and 50 liters. At PETsMART, the 10 liter bags are around $4-$5, and the 50 liter bags there are $20 +. We just redid 9 cages with Carefresh- and it only took one 50 liter bag plus 2 small 10 liter bags. It is expensive........ but the pine shavings we were using we too messy! You could buy one or two of the 10 liter bags and put this under their pigloos. If this doesn't work, rearrange the piggy house and/or take the pigloos out for a day or so. Brake their habit. Good Luck :)
 

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CavySpirit

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Re: Piggies Peeing in Pigloos

1 1/2 bags of CF for 9 cages? I use practically a whole bag in one 2x4 grid cage if I'm using straight CF.
 
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peachygrl

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Carefresh great idea, but...

Okay, sure it is more absorbent than the wood chips, but you are assuming that it actually stays IN the pigloos. :) The boys do so much running around and racing into and out of the pigloos that nothing ever stays in there for long (except them).
 

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Re: Carefresh great idea, but...

Teresa,
Isn't that a little too much? You have over 60 pigs right? Gosh, I bet you *do* spend alot on Carefresh. I easily used one 50 liter bag to do 7 cages and then 2 10 liter bags to do 2 other cages. The bedding is 2 inches in all the cages. I think that's thick enough. I can not spend $140 each time I clean out 7 cages with 50 liter bags of Carefresh being at $20 a bag, nor another $10 which is approximately $160 each cleaning time. I clean out the cages once to twice a week- and we are in the process of building a garage right now, so money is a bit tight.
 

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Re: Carefresh great idea, but...

Amy,
If pee and/or poo is that bad inside the igloos, and you can't find anything to put in them that doesn't work, than I suggest you take the pigloos out! Otherwise, the piggies are going to continue to use their pigloos as their bathrooms. My piggies sleep in their igloos. Therefore, they don't use the bathroom much in them. I don't understand why your's are doing this? Do they sleep in them??
 

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Re: Carefresh great idea, but...

All of my cages are pretty much 2x4 grids, some bigger, just a couple smaller. How big are yours? 50 liters is 50 liters. It's just a matter of how much square footage you are covering.

I currently use Aspen Shavings with a light layer of CF on top.
 

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Re: Carefresh great idea, but...

I only have 2 cages that are 2x4. No, these cages aren't C&C, they are pet-store bought cages, but I find them to be big enough. The other 7 cages are bigger(not sure of the exact measurements). What do you mean "50 liters is 50 liters?" Of course it is. But, considering that my cavies kick most of their bedding out, it wouldn't matter if I kept 4 inches of bedding in each cage. There are 2 inches of bedding in each cage. I used *1* bag of CF for 7 cages, and *2* small 10 liter bags for 2 cages. The bedding is as thick as can be. Maybe my 50 liter bag was more filled?? I don't know.
Quite honestly, I don't find it as a big deal to have a huge cage for just a few cavies if you give them lots of floor time everyday. My cavies got about an hour of garden time today, so they were able to stretch their legs. I don't have any experience with a C&C cage but if it takes 1 whole 50 liter bag of CF to fill one up, then I think the idea of building a few for myself is not a good idea! Sure they're nice cages(very nice!)- but I have to clean the cages out very frequently- and spending $20 per cage-change is out of the question, or atleast until I can afford it.
Do you know if anyone sells a "carpet type bedding?" Meaning that the bedding is sold in a "carpet form?" The bedding is stuck to the mat and won't scatter everytime the cavies kick? I thought about this idea the other day- and was wondering if it has been made for cavies anywhere??
 

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SuperCavyLover

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Re: Carefresh great idea, but...

The above post was made by me(SuperCavyLover)- I accidentally used another name for another board. Sorry about that!
 
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peachygrl

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Bedding change... works better

I've been using aspen bedding in the pigs' cage - ran out of one brand so used the stuff I bought at the ferret store online:
(broken link removed)

This stuff is great! The other aspen bedding I had was in huge chunks, this stuff is really fine and compresses together very well so the piggies have less chance of scattering it everywhere. You can also pick the poops right off the top of it, things don't get so mixed up.

As for the piggies sleeping in their pigloos, mine do too. Are they terribly discriminate about where they pee though? Mine aren't, apparently.
 

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Re: Bedding change... works better

I mean that 50 liters of CF isn't a subjective thing. A 2x4 grid cage is 10.5 square feet. It takes a full bag of CF to fill one to about 1 1/2 - 2" depth. And I agree the cost is high. If you only have one cage, it's not that big of deal if money isn't a concern. I can get CF for $8.10 for a 50 liter bag. Even at that, I put a thick layer of Aspen Shavings down first, then a very light covering layer of CF.

I don't know of very many people that have much bedding kickout of CF with 6" high sides. I know in all the cages I have in my home, I get hardly any kickout.

That's my CareFresh experience.

What pet store cage, exactly, do you have that is 2x4 feet? Most pet store cages are about 3.5 square feet tops. A few exceptions. I like to know about the big ones. If there's one I don't know about, I'll add it to the list of pet store cages on the site.
 

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Re: Bedding change... works better

Two of the cages I have are found at this link:
(broken link removed)

Mine were bought in the teal and purple. These cages may not be *that* big, but they only house 1 male to each of them. Not to mention- 1 hours to 2 hours of floor/garden time everyday. In my opinion, these cages are big enough. Maybe not so if you don't give your cavies floor/garden time regularly.
The sides of these cages aren't 6" apparently, but what can I do about that? We've tried tape and it doesn't work(meaning sticking duct tape around the base of the cage to prevent kick outs). So, I guess they're not 2x4, but since I'm only housing 1 guinea pig to each of the 2 cages- why is a big deal to still have the cage at 2x4? I plan on building some C&C cages in the future I guess, if I can find cheaper Carefresh. Or maybe just do like you do, and mix beddings.
Single bags of Carefresh here are around $20. If I could get a 50 liter bag of CF for $8.95, I would use this straight. You probably won't add this cage to the site, since it is a bit smaller, but I still find it nice to house 1 cavy.

What do you think?
 

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Re: Bedding change... works better

I do have similar cages on the site. Since there is no manufacturer mentioned in the link, I can't really track it down. I believe I've seen those cages.

Definitely too small, even for one gp in my opinion. I think gps in huge cages still need floor time for an hour or two a day. So, my position on cage size is separate from the floor time issue. Even gps in big C&C cages need time to get out and run around and play in a non-bedding, non-cage environment. It makes a big difference to them.

I've stated the recommended cage sizes on the website. I won't deviate from saying that a single guinea pig needs 7.5 square feet of cage space AND a goodly amount of floor time. I consider that to be a minimum. As I've stated on the front page of the website, I think most people want to rationalize their cage as acceptable because that's what they have.

You don't have to use CF if money is the problem with the bigger cages. People use towels, cheap kiln-dried pine, shredded newspaper, etc. There are ways to make it work.

Anyway, off my cage size soap box for now . . . :)
 

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Re: Bedding change... works better

Well, I obviously don't have what it takes to be a "perfect guinea pig" owner, so I've decided to sell some of my piggies- but don't know where to start. I don't like the idea of taking them to a shelter, because if they aren't bought in a time span, then they will be put to sleep. There's no guarantee on my cavies finding homes at a shelter.
Selling them to the pet store is NOT an option(of course) since I too disagree with pets being sold in pet stores. I guess the only option left is too place ads in the newspapers.
My plan is this(which I think you will be more pleased with)- I'm wanting to sell the males:)( - hate to part with them), and keep all of my females. I will make a large C&C cage back inside and put the females in it. I would like to house 8 females in one C&C cage- but at that number, half of my living room would need to be devoted to the guinea pig's cage! :evil: Apparently, their cage cannot be the exact space required since there's not much room in the house, which I've mentioned to you before. I wish you lived closer, then I could bring my boars there and a bag of veggies!!! I know you'd be the PERFECT cavy owner. No doubt about that whatsoever.
But, I can't since I'm in Ga. and you're in California( :evil: ), so I need your advice in going about selling them. I don't care to take the risk of getting my cavies pregnant again, even though they are watched carefully at floor/garden time. I really would like to keep all 17 of them, but even being on the screened in back porch, it gets hot out there and bedding is constantly thrown on the indoor/outdoor carpet which makes the porch look unpleasant. Not that a vaccum can't take care of this, but it's a non-stop chore everyday. I would like for my females to be inside, then I could afford more fruits and veggies, and bedding instead of using the money to also spend for the boars. The cage I showed you on the link isn't a "cavy palace" by no means, but I do think it's reasonable for 1 guinea pig to live in. I'm not just saying this either because it's *my* cage and what *my* cavy lives in.

What are your suggestions? Thanks!
 

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Re: Bedding change... works better

Even if you lived next door to me, you couldn't bring me your boars. I'm no longer taking private surrenders. I am now only taking guinea pigs from shelters IF I have the space, which I won't for some time to come. I'm to the gills with pigs from irresponsible breeders and pet owners of various descriptions.

If you really want to 'sell' some of your guinea pigs, then see this site: (broken link removed). There are lots of resources and advice there.

If you really can't afford to properly take care of the pigs you have, then yes, you need to do something about that. If it's just that you disagree with my cage space requirements, then go with what you feel is right. Just don't expect me to leave alone statements about too small cages being okay. The whole entire point of this website and forum is to promote larger cages for guinea pigs. You won't find me accepting someone stating that the traditional pet store cages are acceptable. They aren't, even for one gp. But there are still a ton of people who disagree with me and go about their business of being good cavy slaves while keeping their cavies in such cages.

Also, you'll notice that there are no specific sizes mentioned when the number of guinea pigs is more than 4. The size required depends on a lot of things. The mix of the herd. How well they get along. Males or females. Size of the guinea pigs. How much do they drink/potty. Personalities. There is no one answer for a herd.

And I'm curious about one other point. If you are saying that a smaller cage is okay for one guinea pig and it's not because it's what you have, then why are you saying that? I've based my cage size requirements on experience (moving the same pigs to different-sized cages over time), and there are many, many testimonials which highlight the same experience, of the guinea pigs being happier and more energic and perkier and all of those things once moved to a larger cage. In essence, healthier in larger cages. I've backed up my reasoning on why the cage sizes espoused have been too small for so long.

And no, I'm not the perfect cavy owner. I'm a rescue. I don't have the time required to be a perfect cavy owner for all of the pigs that get dumped on me. I try to give them the best care I can while I have them and hope that their new homes will be good cavy homes.

And yes, taking care of 17 guinea pigs is a lot of work every day, no matter how you slice it.

I think you should have as many pigs as you can properly take care of, including money set aside for vet bills and emergencies. And that includes space resources as well.

I have confidence that you will figure out the right thing to do with your guinea pigs that works in your situation.
 

SuperCavyLover

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Re: Bedding change... works better

Well, like I said, I don't want to just throw them in a pet store and let the people put prices on them. I'm not dumping them anywhere. I will go browse around at the CavyRescue site after I finish this post. No, I don't disagree with your cage size requirements, but I do disagree that you need a "huge" cage for just 1 guinea pig. If one piggy lives in 1 huge cage and still gets 1-2 hours of floortime everyday, this is only a minimum to you? Now, my single boars do not live in huge cages, which you've already seen, but even though you are a rescuer(and you love guinea pigs just as much as I do or more), I still think the requirements are way too big.
But, I do understand that since you are a rescuer, you want everything to be *perfect* for each cavy, including proper cage sizes, proper foods, vet check-ups, etc., but what about the people who aren't rescuers and can't afford all of this? I guess your answer would be, "when you purchase a cavy, you need to be responsible, etc......."
Maybe so, and maybe some people can afford alot for their cavies, but money doesn't grow on trees(as you know).
You also devote your whole house to guinea pigs, which brings up another point. When all 17 of my cavies lived indoors, there was hardly any room and knew we needed larger cages which brought us to the idea of putting them outdoors.

Anyway, like always I appreciate your advice, and will now go check out the website you referred me to. And of course I will let you know what I decide. Have a great day!
 

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Re: Bedding change... works better

I personally don't think 7.5 square feet is huge. As far as cost, the cage itself is about half to 1/3 of pet store cages. So the cost of the cage is not an issue. As far as bedding, kiln-dried pine is pretty darn cheap. Towels are even cheaper if you want to do laundry. Shredded newspaper or just sheets of newspaper is free if you get a newspaper and change it frequently.

[/i] . . . since you are a rescuer, you want everything to be *perfect* for each cavy, including proper cage sizes, proper foods, vet check-ups, etc., but what about the people who aren't rescuers and can't afford all of this?

Actually, it's the other way around. I'm saying that my setup isn't always perfect. Sometimes I have to compromise on cage space here in their temporary home at my rescue because if I don't, they will be dead. I do however, expect the people who adopt from me to darn well be able to afford the space, the cage size, the care, the vet bills, etc. No exceptions.

And the reason they've taken over my house is because I am a rescue. But that is changing. I am reducing the numbers I take in, because I can no longer support this many guinea pigs. I'll still be doing rescue, but I can't financially support as many as I have right now--which is a lot.
 

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Re: Bedding change... works better

I visited the CavyRescue website, and found two Guinea Pig Rescues. One is in Atlanta, and the other is in Warner Robins. I'm in Macon, so will probably go to the one in Warner Robins, GA.

Another reason we are getting rid of some our cavies is due to cost, like I've said a few times. The garage we're making is alot of money, and it's hard to buy everything that a cavy needs- including 6 types of vegetables, 6 types of fruit, bags of food, timothy hay, bedding(will NOT use towels), etc. Towels get too messy and I can't find kiln-dried bedding here.
It's either Chlorophyll, wood shavings, or Carefresh. There's also Aspen bedding here as well. We only started out with 4 cavies, then two of them got pregnant(I know, didn't know not to breed)- then we had 10 pigs- 4 adults, and 6 babies- then we purchased another adult cavy and then was given a 5 year old cavy- this came out to 12 piggies. Later 5 more babies were born giving us 17 piggies. Most people think we are starting a small rescue of our own, but that's not the case.

Some piggies just need to go, so we will call the two rescues. I hate to part with any of my guinea pigs, but have to. I just want to make sure they go to perfect or ideal homes.

And believe me, if there was room in the house, the cavies would still be indoors today. I'm going to start using a vinegar/water solution like you suggested on your site to wipe down their cages with. Sounds like it will work.

I will continue to give you updates on what I decide.
 

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Re: Bedding change... works better

Sounds reasonable. Please try to find homes on your own. Rescues are a last resort, not a first option. Use the Cavy Classifieds, the forums, print a flyer from the classifieds, post them in pet stores in your area and vet offices. Advertise in the paper. It costs the rescues the same amount of money to take care of your guinea pigs. We are just people with limited resources, too. They have to go to all that same effort to find a home for your guinea pigs. Good luck.
 

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Re: Bedding change... works better

Teresa,
You'll be happy to know that I've printed out about 20 flyers and have already hung a few at Kroger, Petsmart, and Lowes. I'm going to hang the rest at other places as well.
My nephew, Tyler, is also a cavy lover, and he wants to adopt two of our females, so now we are keeping 6 females(and they are going back inside!!!!).
My nephew's dad also likes the piggies, so the cages will be kept in their living room.

Thanks for everything- I appreciate your help soooo much!!
 

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