Question regarding the kitchen area

[fiannah]

Hi guys
I am being a bit dim!!!!
I have been looking in the galleries to see what you guys put on the bottom of your kitchen area.

I have the bottom of a store bought cage that i would like to use as the kitchen area.

I use fleece on the main area of there c&c cage but would like to use something else in the kitchen.

Would it be ok to put loads of hay in it, then a hay rack,food bowls and water bottle too?

Any advice would be great
Thanks

 

[AnimalHouse36]

I wouldn't suggest hay as a bedding. You have to change it every day and it can often get moldy and really smelly! :yuck: I use carefresh and also sometimes the kaytee extra soft bedding. Care fresh is very obsorbent and hides the poo and the smell! The kaytee stuff from target is lighter so it doesn't hide the poo's as well but is really soft and keeps the oder down quite well. Its also dustier than carefresh but cheaper.

As I see however you aren't in the states! My bad! So I'm not sure you have carefresh there! Sorry I couldn't be of much help.

 

[RainKindle]

Most people here say that the hay isn't absorbent, and you need a layer of something else underneath. Right now I am experimenting between aspen shavings and a generic carafresh. The generic carafresh that I got is horrible. It says on the bag, "virtually no dust!" but it has more dust than sawdust! (I am exaggerating if you can't tell.) So I am using up that horrible stuff so that I can get something better.
I have aspen too, and I'm not sure how I feel about it yet.
The generic carafresh absorbs better, but it makes it feel damp on top. The urine sinks to the bottom of the aspen, and the top stays dry, but the aspen forms a gross mass of urine and stains the coroplast. (I clean often, so I was shocked to find stains since I've literally never had them before.)
I'm just not completely happy with either.
I do love the brand carafresh, and it might be worth it to just buy the brand.

 

[willowfaery]

I wouldn't suggest hay as a bedding. You have to change it every day and it can often get moldy and really smelly! :yuck: I use carefresh and also sometimes the kaytee extra soft bedding. Care fresh is very obsorbent and hides the poo and the smell! The kaytee stuff from target is lighter so it doesn't hide the poo's as well but is really soft and keeps the oder down quite well. Its also dustier than carefresh but cheaper.

As I see however you aren't in the states! My bad! So I'm not sure you have carefresh there! Sorry I couldn't be of much help.

If I were to make a 2x2 or 2x3 kitchen area with Care Fresh, how often would I need to change the Care Fresh? When I had Willow in a store bought cage before coming to this site, I used Care Fresh. I would spot clean daily and do a total change of bedding once a week. Is that would you do?

 

[fiannah]

So if i use care fresh do i need anything underneath?
could i also just use something like fleece/towels?
And will this kitchen area also act like the toilet area?
Thanks guys

 

[AnimalHouse36]

So if i use care fresh do i need anything underneath?
could i also just use something like fleece/towels?
And will this kitchen area also act like the toilet area?
Thanks guys

For carefresh you son't need anything else absorbent but you will need something to hold it. And as for if they will "go" there, that depends on the pig. Mine pee and for the most part poo but, eh! Guinea pigs will be guinea pigs! You could use fleece for it but it would be pretty messy! :yuck:

 

[dra&pigs]

I use fleece in my cage as well, but my old pet store cage is attached with a bridge..and in there I use Carefresh. I like it better than aspen or pine because it doesn't stick to their bums and trail all over the nice fleece. Its also very soft...and a extra-large bag of it lasts me about three cleanings, although I spot clean the wet and poopy spots in there with my regular spot-cleans. I vote for Carefresh...100% of the way.