Cage Cleaning

[piggielover92]

Does anyone have any techniques that they have found to work great when cleaning a C&C cage? I have a 3x4 C&C cage with hay and newspaper as bedding that is kind of a pain to clean. Thanks!

 

[cinn&sprinslave]

Does anyone have any techniques that they have found to work great when cleaning a C&C cage? I have a 3x4 C&C cage with hay and newspaper as bedding that is kind of a pain to clean. Thanks!

Well newspaper was always a pain for me to clean, because the bedding and hay would slip under the newspaper and then half the bedding would be wasted (because it would get stuck under and be of no use). Maybe I might suggest instead of newspaper on the bottom, a peice of fabric, or crib pad? Just a suggestion. Anyways maybe you could try the dust pan technique. Or when you go to clean the cage since you use newspaper, (you could probably use the roll it up technique or what ever its called) you could put another layer of newspaper on top of the hay so that when you roll it up the hay, hair, poop, and dust doesn't fly around the room. Well I don't know if I have been much help but oh well.

 

[mncavylover]

www.guineapigcages.com/cleaning.htm

One word of caution: hay is not great for bedding. (see www.guineapigcages.com/bedding.htm) It needs to be changed very frequently, doesn't absorb much moisture, molds, and then they will eat it. Aspen bedding is much better, or something like kiln-dried pine, which is safe--NOT the usual pine. I use aspen with a thin coating of carefresh on the top, and it works well for me. =)

 

[piggylover101]

Does anyone have any techniques that they have found to work great when cleaning a C&C cage? I have a 3x4 C&C cage with hay and newspaper as bedding that is kind of a pain to clean. Thanks!

Personally I think how easy cleaning the cage is depends on what type of bedding you use. Like hay has to be hard to spot clean.

Oh I have a question for anyone who can answer it - Is Kaytee's Pine Bedding kiln dried or not?

 

[mncavylover]

I'll check... Nope, it's just natural pine. Not good bedding. They sell aspen, litter, and soft-sorb which are better. If you can buy CareFresh, that's the best. It's pricey, though, so I use aspen bedding underneath my carefresh.

 

[piggylover101]

I'll check... Nope, it's just natural pine. Not good bedding. They sell aspen, litter, and soft-sorb which are better. If you can buy CareFresh, that's the best. It's pricey, though, so I use aspen bedding underneath my carefresh.

Ok thanks, I was just wondering because at a store by my house they sell Katees Pine Bedding for $1.00 for a nice sized bag. Now I know I can't buy it.

 

[mncavylover]

Oh, wow! That's a great deal... argh. That's probably why. Sorry about that. If they sell kiln-dried pine, that stuff is usually cheaper than aspen, if not harder to find.

 

[piggylover101]

Oh, wow! That's a great deal... argh. That's probably why. Sorry about that. If they sell kiln-dried pine, that stuff is usually cheaper than aspen, if not harder to find.

yep great deal but its not kiln dried so that krushes my money saving idea (lol)

 

[mncavylover]

I know, I'm sorry!!! What are you using now?

 

[piggylover101]

I know, I'm sorry!!! What are you using now?

Right now, one 1/4 of the cage towels, 1/4 of the cage aspen with carefresh on top, 1/4 of the cage super shavings with carefresh on top, and another 1/4 of the cage with pine pellets and carefresh on top. I am using so many different beddings because those are all the different kinds I had left over. (I didn't have enough of each bedding to use just one kind) My mom thinks carefresh is too expensive and says I shouldn't buy it (its my money why not??!! so I do any ways sometimes) and she says it probably has chemicals in it, (I thought it was made from paper or wood products). Sometimes I use towels or fleece, but when I do she won't let me use the washing machine so I have to wash them outside and dry them outside or go to the Laundry Mat place. And spend $1.75.

 

[mncavylover]

It doesn't have chemicals. That's a lot of different types! If she won't let you, something like aspen would be good, too. Sounds like fleece and towels are a hassle. =)

 

[piggylover101]

It doesn't have chemicals. That's a lot of different types! If she won't let you, something like aspen would be good, too. Sounds like fleece and towels are a hassle. =)

Ya they are ! The piggy loves them but having to wash/dry outside or go the laundry mat place is just too much of a hassel. I will try aspen. She thinks I should use regualr pine

 

[piggylover101]

I think I am going to use aspen or try to buy wood pellets. (I don't like wood pellets much because when they get wet or peed on they turn into sawdust.) How long would aspen last with one piggy in a 2x4 cage?

 

[kennethlhm]

I think I am going to use aspen or try to buy wood pellets. (I don't like wood pellets much because when they get wet or peed on they turn into sawdust.) How long would aspen last with one piggy in a 2x4 cage?

It can last 1 week or more. But recommend clean the whole cage once a week.

 

[mncavylover]

I found this link on GuineaLynx about making regular pine safer. Here it is:https://guineapigcages.com/location.htm

Oh, and the aspen would probably last about a week in there. Depends on how much you put in. I put a good 2.5 inches in mine, and it's a total of 2x9 now after my recent addition. Pics coming soon--my digital camera died today, so I'll have to recharge the batteries. Sorry for the delay!

 

[MetallichicA]

I was just reading above and someone asked about Kaytee pine... I've got a bag of it right here, and on the back it says "shaved from lumber that is kiln-dried."

 

[mncavylover]

Really? Don't you think it would say that, instead of just saying it was regular pine? I'll go check once again...

 

[mncavylover]

This is a direct quote from the Kaytee site. It says that it is kiln-dried on the bottom, but it also says it contains aromatic oils and the description mentions a "clean, fresh aroma". I think I would still air out the shavings, just to be safe.


Natural Pine Bedding & Litter

Kaytee Natural Pine Bedding and Litter is manufactured with all natural pine shavings specially processed to eliminate dust and wood debris found in other beddings. The natural pine oils help suppress microogranisms and provide a clean, fresh aroma.

*Recommended for open, well ventilated cages and aquariums.

*Not recommended for closed environments, such as habitrails or in aquariums with limited ventilation.
*Contains aromatic oils
* For more information on Natural Pine Bedding, contact [email protected]


Ingredients
Kiln dried pine shavings.

 

[MetallichicA]

*scratches head* Weird... well phooey, maybe I better not use it after all. I was excited that it was kiln-dried because it's so much cheaper than aspen, but if it still claims to have pine oils...

Looking at the bag, though, it says nothing about the pine oils, but it does mention a "fresh aroma".

Are we looking at the same product? Does anyone know of a brand that DOES sell kiln-dried pine with no oils?

 

[mncavylover]

All Pet sells kiln-dried pine that's safe. Read here: (broken link removed). Cool! =)