Fleece new owner, fleece help PLEASE!!! :(

[TexasGirl]

so im a fairly new piggie owner. I got my first guinea pig, Precious, right before christmas and didnt really know about c&c cages or anything about them really. So after some research, and finding this website, i decided to get another piggie, Pebbles, and also built my first 2x4 c&c cage this week!! So anyway i need help about bedding. Im currently using fleece, as in theory it sounded much more practical than using carefresh in such a large cage. The cage is so messy its overwhelming :[ its not as easy to clean as i imagined. any cleaning tips, or anything would be appreciated!and also can guinea pigs be litter box trained? when i only had Precious, she would generally stick to one corner and i would place something down and cleaning was really easy. in her new cage her and Pebbles just seem to go wherever lol. so please advice please and thank you!!

 

[Zendrick]

I am new to guinea pigs and would like to hear what advice you are given...

I know I saw somewhere that fleece is taken outside and shaken out a few times a week, not sure if that is an option or not for you.

 

[ellisa]

With fleece, poop needs to be picked up at least once a day. I did it more than that, because I liked the cage to be nice and clean all the time. Also, pigs mostly go to the bathroom where their food is located. Many people section off an area of the cage as the "kitchen" and use bedding in that area. This way that part of the cage can be cleaned more often. Use a hay rack of some sort, if you aren't already. Hay can sure make a mess in the cage, and smells awful when peed on.

I forgot to add, welcome to the forum!

ETA: I also forgot to say, that I used a mini hand brush and dust pan to sweep poops up. Some people also use a hand held vacuum.

 

[kittymalone]

Also, are you using towels or uhaul blankets under the fleece? Did you wash the fleece 4 times before using it (washing it multiple times helps with the wicking)? As ellisa said, many people use bedding in the kitchen area. I use it only in the hay loft area because #1 my girls tend to poop and pee in their hay (I put the hay in a hay rack and so now I'm not wasting any) and #2 hay is incredibly hard to get off the fleece. Basically, I pick up the poops AT LEAST once a day. I do a complete cage change twice a week, though I've heard that you can go a week. When I do the cage change, I gather the fleece and shake it outside to get rid of the poops and whatever else is stuck to it. I wash everything with vinegar (in the rinse cycle) and dry without fabric softener. You'll figure out a system that works for you. Good luck and welcome!

 

[CLV71]

Watch this video. Cleaning out the Messy Piggies and Hammies! - YouTube It seems that piggies are just messy. Thankfully they are really cute.

 

[TexasGirl]

i actually only washed the blankets once, and under the fleece is newspapers. should i use towels?

 

[ellisa]

Newspapers won't cut it. They aren't very absorbent. I used towels, but you can also use u-haul pads, mattress covers, puppy pads, or some other kind of absorbent material.

 

[sleepingchild]

I always say that fleece is an ongoing experiment, because you have to try several different methods before you find out what will work for your pigs AND you.

For me and my three boys, this is what I do: I fold a UHaul pad cut to fit my cage in half, place a towel over that, and then fleece in top. The kitchen areas are just a large absorbent towel wrapped in fleece.

I change the cage out every 4 days, and that works for me. I pick up the poop many many times during the day, because I don't like to see it everywhere lol. I just use my hands and wash them afterwards, because it doesn't bother me.

But yeah, like I saId, fleece can be an ongoing experiment at times, but just be patient, and you'll figure out a method that fits your lifestyle and your piggies best.

 

[jennsc83]

I am a newbie myself; have had our girls for almost 7 weeks. We have two 2x5 cages with a "kitchen" area. I used the extra coroplast to make a tray for bedding--spot cleaned with a dustpan daily and changed completely weekly. I use cut-to-size Uhaul pads under the fleece and wash weekly. My son helps by scooping poop up with his sand bucket and shovel a couple times a day. On long days, I just take the fleece outside and give it a good shake.

Good luck finding the method that works best for you! Enjoy your piggies

 

[Mrs_Ames]

Be sure that you prepared the fleece properly. You have to wash and dry at least 3 times before your first use. Do NOT use fabric softener. I use puppy pads or towels under my fleece. I have a small broom and dust pan and sweep at least twice a day. I also have a small hand held vacuum that works great. I have heard that people say there piggies use a litter pan...Mine just poop ALL over! I don't think they would use one. I have no idea really though. I also have the hay in a hay "box" so that it doesn't get everywhere.

 

[pinky]

I have two fleece pads per cage... fleece on two sides with a single layer of uhaul padding in between. I have a single layer of uhaul pad underneath. I shake out one pad at a time and my pigs just walk over to the other side while I do it. I also have a dust pan and brush but it's messier than shaking it out since the brush leaves dust and debris behind. I flip the pads to other side on the second day of use. It works for me. I have three cages, a trio of females in one, a mom and daughter in a second and two males in a third.