Australia bedding ideas from locals

[hutchthecavy]

Hello,

I am a soon to be cavy owner and I wanted to know what all my aussie/melbournian friends are using for their cavy. I dont want to use fleece.

 

[Fluffball]

You can use:
Wood -- Aspen shavings, pine shavings, and pine pellets

Paper -- Processed paper products newspaper e.t.c

Hay & Others -- Hay, Towels

AVOID -- Cedar, corncob bedding, straw, etc.

Read this link for tips and hints on what bedding is right for you.

Hope I have helped a little:

https://www.guinealynx.com/bedding.html

 

[shermn]

Hey,
I thought I should copy & paste some information here:

- Avoid pine scented beddings (the kind
you're most likely to buy at the pet store)
like the plague! (Many studies show that
they cause liver damage). Opt for
brands made with unscented wood shavings
or compressed newspaper instead.

Is this true????

 

[pignewton]

Absolutely true and dont even consider using cedar! Only kiln-dried pine or aspen is recommended.

 

[shermn]

Ok, another question, well two really hehe.

I used to use pea straw untill I found out that it was bad so I stopped using it straight away. I looked for tomothy hay and alfalfa hey, but I am having trouble finding it. So I got lucern hay. lucern is an ingredient in proper feed, so I assume its good for them for bedding... Do *you* agree or disagree:?:

Also, I have read that, instead of timothy hay, oaten hay is the best substitute. Do *you* agree or disagree:?:


*you* referring to anyone and everyone on this forum

 

[Aertyn]

Hay is a very poor choice for bedding, it molds easily and smells...a lot when wet.

Your best best is to use Breeders Choice wood shavings, or some other cat litter, such as the Coles brand (I use this one in the litter trays and highly recommend it) As long as it paper based and non clumping.

Timothy Hay is indeed very hard to find, and I have yet to find someone that sells it, in a year of searching. So, I too, use Lucerne Hay. As long as it is green, and smells nice and fresh then it is fine to use. If you can find good quality Oaten Hay, then it is indeed a good substitute for Timothy, but it takes a lot more water to grow and with the current weather conditions it is both hard to grow and expensive (it sells for $40 a bale where I live, whereas the Lucerne is $25).

 

[shermn]

Yeah, I'm only putting them on the lucern for the time being. As soon as I get the C&C finished, I will use the Breeders Choice litter or shavings (as mum called them today and they said that their wood shavings ARE kiln dried (pine) ) And then perhaps sprinkle a little of the lucern over the top to make it a bit greener.
I only bought the lucern today and I made sure that it was green...
OHHH it smells so good! lol I love that smell

 

[guineapigfan9000]

I have to use Lucerne as well. I bought some today and it does smell wonderful, doesn't it?
Mine use fleece, two layers, and a bit of hay scattered around for them to nibble.
However in the past I have used:
- Newspaper, hay on top (serious thick layer, not scattered)
- Towels or thin blankets with shredded paper on top
- Newspaper with shredded paper on top (ran out of hay).
- Fleece with shredded paper on top
- Fleece with straw UNDERNEATH, in such a way that they couldn't get to the straw.
I wouldn't recommend the newspaper and hay/shredded paper arrangements. Shredded paper just goes gross and flat in minutes.
Shredded paper and fleece is okay, but the paper sticks to the fleece so I only did that for a while.
The fleece with straw underneath was okay, but cleaning out took AGES and I had to put in heaps of bricks to stop them from getting at the straw - lost cage space.
I'm liking fleece and scattered hay at the moment, but if you don't want to use fleece, you could use shavings. I've never used shavings as they sound like a massive waste-disposal problem, but maybe you could find something that works?
EDIT: Once I pig-sat for someone who used shavings in their piggies' bedroom area, they seemed okay but when it came to cleaning, the wet ones were hard to sweep out.

 

[shermn]

Ohhh fleece and hay sounds good... But don't the piggers get in underneath the fleece start running around and cause a huge mess?? lol
Gee, Maxine would do that.. She's a nutter lol funny to watch though hehehe
OHHH I FINALLY got the start of my c&c cage built... the 2 girls are in a 2x3 cage on newspaper and lucern. I need to give them some toys and then it will b better. but right now I think they are just loving being able to run around in a new area... They have already made a huge mess lol crazy girls

 

[staphjermz]

I'm experimenting with fleece, towels and newspaper. It works great and makes work so much easier. i use to clean mine ever second day now it can last for a week. I just love the fleece except when you cant really toilet train them and theirs poo and i have the urge to always pick it up and clean it

 

[pigloverr]

I would never use lucerne for bedding because the piggies will eat soiled and bacteria filled lucerne from the cage floor and they could get sick couldn't they? I use wood shavings under a couple of layers of newspaper. Then about 3inches of mulched up newspaper. Its very cost effective because you only have to buy the wood shavings and the piggies love it.

I'm not a fleece-fan either.