Hey, first post so let me know if I've managed to put this in the wrong spot!
I've had my guinea pigs for just over a week, and switched them to a C & C cage a few days ago (2x4 grids on the bottom level with a "kitchen" full of Clean & Cozy paper bedding, and an offset 2x2 loft with two ramps up top). I have fleece over towels both upstairs and on most of the bottom until I can pick up some uhaul blankets, and that's working great- I don't think they've peed on the fleece at all, and stray poops are easy to deal with.
My problem is the kitchen. They're doing exactly what they're supposed to do since I put their hay rack and food dish there, and peeing and pooping in the paper bedding, but I've had to completely empty it out every single night. The bedding is totally soaked in a few large areas, which I don't want them sitting in, and the smell is noticeable. While I'm very happy that they're peeing where I want them to instead of all over the cage, at this rate bedding is going to get insanely expensive.
I keep seeing once or twice a week as the most common frequency for changing the bedding in the kitchens- am I just being nutty, or do my pigs pee more than most? Is there something other than that bedding that would be worth trying? I don't necessarily want to put fleece there too and wind up confusing them about where to pee, but this is a little excessive.
I've had my guinea pigs for just over a week, and switched them to a C & C cage a few days ago (2x4 grids on the bottom level with a "kitchen" full of Clean & Cozy paper bedding, and an offset 2x2 loft with two ramps up top). I have fleece over towels both upstairs and on most of the bottom until I can pick up some uhaul blankets, and that's working great- I don't think they've peed on the fleece at all, and stray poops are easy to deal with.
My problem is the kitchen. They're doing exactly what they're supposed to do since I put their hay rack and food dish there, and peeing and pooping in the paper bedding, but I've had to completely empty it out every single night. The bedding is totally soaked in a few large areas, which I don't want them sitting in, and the smell is noticeable. While I'm very happy that they're peeing where I want them to instead of all over the cage, at this rate bedding is going to get insanely expensive.
I keep seeing once or twice a week as the most common frequency for changing the bedding in the kitchens- am I just being nutty, or do my pigs pee more than most? Is there something other than that bedding that would be worth trying? I don't necessarily want to put fleece there too and wind up confusing them about where to pee, but this is a little excessive.