Bedding Best Bedding for Guinea Pigs!!??

[Jostin735]

Hi!!
I have shavings of color between yellow and white that I bought for my guinea pig in a pet store, but now it turns out that it is not suitable for guinea pigs, but...
I was reading that pine or cedar shavings and others are toxic to guinea pigs because they have phenols that cause problems for the guinea pigs' respiratory system. But I also read in a couple of pages that pine shavings can only be used as guinea pig bedding only if it is baked first, since this removes all the phenols.
So pine shavings could be the best bedding for guinea pigs?? What do you think about.
Would I buy pine shavings from the pet stores or the darker shavings they sell in those places where they cut a lot of wood and then I put that shavings in the oven to remove all the phenols??

 

[bpatters]

Phenols not only cause respiratory problems, but over time, they can cause liver and kidney failure.

You shouldn't try to remove the phenols yourself. You don't need to breathe them either, and if you're heating them in the oven, you're just putting them into the air in your home.

There are wide varieties of bedding for guinea pigs. You can find a ton of information here: https://www.guineapigcages.com/forums/fleece-bedding.6/

I personally vastly prefer wood pellets covered with a thin layer of fleece to anything else on the market. It's by far the best at odor control, and by far the cheapest that you can use. However, you do have to be careful about the phenols in the pellets, just like with the pine bedding. You should avoid pellets intended for wood stoves that have an accelerant added. Hardwood pellets are best if you can find them at a reasonable price. Pellets should not smell strongly of pine.

I used TerrAmigo horse stall bedding. There was only a faint pine smell which quickly dissipated. I covered it with a thin layer of fleece, which made it easy to clean the cage -- just take the fleece outside and shake it. Occasionally you stir the pellets.

It works best in a large cage. My cage was 16 square feet, and two bags of bedding (less than $10 per bag at the time) lasted me nearly a year.

 

[Mousewife]

We use a mix.
In the spring, summer, and fall, we use flyers and newspapers as a bottom absorbent layer with fleece on top.

We use wood shavings and paper combined together in the winter months. I prefer to give my bedding a good shake outside before running it through the wash, and I can’t/don’t want to do that when it’s wet/cold/snowy and my back door is iced shut.

I really prefer fleece, and so do they.
We use Aspen, not pine. Aspen doesn’t contain any aromatic oils.
Combining it with the paper helps minimize the dust. Using it as a winter backup helps limit the general recurring cost associated with the bedding.

The thing I like most about fleece is as bpatters said…. It’s so easy to just take it outside, and shake it out (even between full cage cleans). It’s kinda awesome.

 

[CavyLover2]

I used a Guineadad liner and then layered with fleece.

You can get scrap fleece at fabric stores on discount, but need to wash it a few cycles before use. It’s good because it doesn’t get soaked as liquid passes through. It is also more easy to clean and keep tidy!

 

[Travis Gray]

"Hello everyone! I've been a guinea pig owner for a few years now, and I've found that choosing the right litter is crucial for keeping my guinea pigs healthy and happy. I prefer to use paper-based litter as it's non-toxic and absorbent, which helps keep the cage clean and odor-free. I also make sure to change the litter frequently to prevent any potential health issues. What type of litter do you use for your guinea pigs? Any tips or recommendations? Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!"

 

[bpatters]

Welcome, @Travis Gray!

There's a magnifying glass up on the menu bar, which is the search function. You'll see several gazillion posts on what people are using for bedding, as well as a whole forum dedicated to it. Click on the Forums link above to find it.