General Can I use something else besides fleece?

[jessesarmywife]

I got some fleece but not a bunch and I do have a lot of baby blankets. Can I use any material?

 

[ellisa]

Fleece is is the best because it wicks moisture away from your pet and down to an absorbent layer. Any other material would stay wet I think, which could make your pet sick and it would start to smell. You also need to make sure you don't just use fleece alone. You need towels, puppy pads, u-haul pads, or mattress pads under the fleece for it to work properly.

 

[Duffinvt]

Not really. Fleece is 100% polyester so it does not retain moisture but wicks it to an absorbent material below. A baby blanket will stay wet and will not work. You can use the baby blankets underneath the fleece though.

 

[Catahoula]

Check out this thread to learn more about fleece. It's lengthy, but very helpful.

https://www.guineapigcages.com/threads/21568/

 

[Jaclyn]

I was also wondering this. At the moment I have two recieving blankets in the bottom of my girl's cage, and a litter box with carefresh. I change and wash the blankets every 3rd day or so, and the litter box daily or every other day. She has the OCCASIONAL accident outside her box, but it's almost never a pee accident. Her cage has no smell to it. I know that she is young so she might get more fiesty and this arrangment might not work later, but isn't it okay for now? I was thinking of having my mother in law make a liner, but a C&C cage might be nice too, and I would like to upgrade together. I am thinking that the hubs might not like it too much if I tell him I want to upgrade the cage only 2 weeks after buying it! LOL

 

[Catahoula]

@Jaclyn - If the receiving blankets are made out of fleece than this set-up is fine. But, do you have an absorbent layer under the fleece like towels or puppy pads?

The whole idea is that the fleeces wicks moisture down to an absorbent layer to lock it in and keep your pig dry.

Fortunately C&C cages are very inexpensive to build, so hopefully it won't take too much convincing to get the Hubby on board for an upgrade. And if he's a handy fellow, he might enjoy the quality time with you and y'all can build it together.

 

[Jaclyn]

@Jaclyn - If the receiving blankets are made out of fleece than this set-up is fine. But, do you have an absorbent layer under the fleece like towels or puppy pads?

The whole idea is that the fleeces wicks moisture down to an absorbent layer to lock it in and keep your pig dry.

Fortunately C&C cages are very inexpensive to build, so hopefully it won't take too much convincing to get the Hubby on board for an upgrade. And if he's a handy fellow, he might enjoy the quality time with you and y'all can build it together.

It is not fleece, but like I said, she isn't really peeing on them. She has a couple of time, but I change the blankets right away.

I also have matress pads that I should link to that might work. I have them for my son, but I would not mind buying them for the cage, but they would just sit into the cage, and I am thinking that she might just mess those up?
Here is the link: (broken link removed)

What do you think?

And it isn't so much about the cost of a C&C cage, but rather the stand it would have to go on, and the "waisted" cost for the cage we just bought, it was $120.

 

[Catahoula]

It is not fleece, but like I said, she isn't really peeing on them. She has a couple of time, but I change the blankets right away.

I also have matress pads that I should link to that might work. I have them for my son, but I would not mind buying them for the cage, but they would just sit into the cage, and I am thinking that she might just mess those up?
Here is the link: (broken link removed)

What do you think?

And it isn't so much about the cost of a C&C cage, but rather the stand it would have to go on, and the "waisted" cost for the cage we just bought, it was $120.

I understand now, think I missed something the first time I read your post.

If she uses her litter box regularly and she isn't sitting in a wet cage, then she'll be fine. Just be vigilant about changing her bedding if she does have an accident. And those mattress pads look great. I don't see any reason they wouldn't work just fine.

I understand not wanting to feel like you wasted money, but it would be healthier for your pig and she would definitely be happier. It's just one of those things that happens to many of us when we don't research BEFORE we buy, and that goes for everything not just pets.

A stand wouldn't add too much expense to the cost. You can make it out of grids, buy a card/banquet table, or a sheet of plywood can be cut to size and all you have to do is add some 2x2's for legs. Check out the photo galleries in the "stands" sections for more ideas.

 

[bpatters]

Also, you can find mattress pads much cheaper than those. I bought mine at neighborhood thrift store, and don't think I ever paid more than $3 for one, even a king-sized one.

 

[Thumper27]

Wow, glad I stopped in! Dude, that's perfect for mine! I'm not using Fleece (at least not right away) but I'll need something under my bedding, and the hope is t hat by using like a mattress pad, I can foll it up, put the bedding into a trash bag, dumping it out, then washing it... in theory right?

 

[Hhbean]

You could always just add onto the cage you have to make it larger?
Thats what I did when we first brought Huey home and I already had the grids. One of the biggest reasons I love using fleece is that my boys won't eat it! Any other fabric is fair game to them, even if you happen to be wearing it at the time! I swear they have some goat in them!

 

[Thumper27]

Ya know the funny thing, I use baby blankets during the floor time and they don't eat it, but they do the cotton....