Stinky Cage

[jackie ramser]

Why does my C&C cage always stink? I clean it out every day. I have 2 males who live mostly on fleece with newspaper underneath. I have a potty on one end of the bottom level and its filled with aspen and carefresh. The older one tends to use it more than the other one. Could it be from all of the veges they get? I thought I read on a thread that maybe it's from their age - 6months and 3 months. They live in the TV room, so the smell isn't good. The cage design was borrowed from Charlene@charso, but the top level is in a L shape.
Please share some advice please.
Thanks
Jackie and the boys

 

[dagwellismypigy]

I tried newspaper the other day in my cage, just to see if it worked as well as everyone said. But for me, it started smelling really bad after a few hours. Try using fleece with two layers of cotton batting.With my four boys it can stay in the cage for about a week if I spot clean.

 

[jackie ramser]

I use fleece throughout the rest of the cage, under it is the newspaper. The problem seems to be where they pee and poop. I bought a litterbox and filled it with aspen and carefresh and put it in the corner where they seem to relieve. In the rest of the end of that side -the shape is a rectangle with the box in one corner - i put newspaper, just incase they forget the litterbox. That is what seems to stink, I think? Now I am confused?

Thanks
jackie

 

[dagwellismypigy]

Newspaper itself isn't that absorbant and when it gets wet it smells bad. Maybe use fleece there or more shavings. (I'm having a hard time pictureing it so I'm not sure what would be easier)

 

[Eventrocker33]

I use fleece and newspaper in my to girl's 4x4 and it doesn't smell bad at all. I only have to change it about 1-2 times a week and I have to poop scoop every morning.

 

[laura220]

Maybe it's the boys scent gland?

 

[mab0615]

dag, is the batting attached to the fleece or just placed underneath? If placed underneath, does it get damaged in the washing machine?

I'm assuming it's the batting I've seen at walmart that comes in a bag.

 

[Slap Maxwell]

Fleece can stink REALLY bad. Sometimes it's awful. Try switching to a kiln-dried pine or aspen.

 

[dagwellismypigy]

No the stuff at walmart is polyester, you have to go to a fabric store and get at least 80% cotton batting. The polyester batting at walmart completely falls apart in the washing machine, I just got cotton batting and haven't washed it yet, but it seems much more sturdy than the other stuff. I sew it onto the back of the fleece and have noticed no smell what so ever.

 

[mab0615]

Do you have to sew it or can you just place it underneath? I can barely sew a button!!!!!

 

[dagwellismypigy]

I would reccomend sewing it. If you are really that bad at sewing maybe a sewing machine would be a good investment.

 

[aqh88]

My boys cage always smells for a few days after I clean it then it goes away. It's never really smelled when it needs cleaned except the time I missed cage cleaning day by another half a week. I thought maybe it was from their scent gland and having a new fresh cage that didn't smell like them meant they had to mark it again. I know my other small pets do that to their cage, especially when the hamster wheel gets cleaned, and one of my boy cats is bad about marking new things even though he's nuetered. Also if I get my boys out for floortime after the girls they catch the girls scent and start marking the carpet. It can really smell bad by the time I put them away. I gave up and bought a scented candle to use when needed and I have a small desktop ionic breeze next to the cage. I also got one of those heating pads for candles so you don't have to light them.

 

[Funnygpigs]

I would save time and money, switch to Aspen bedding. Easier to clean in my opinion. I have a boy now, never stinks. I had two males a year ago (they died of old age, I got them as adults, and had them for 5 yrs), I never had a problem with them stinking. Must be the flannel? :0)

 

[CuteButShyPig]

It might smell also because liquid goes right through fleece to whatever is under it. So you might want to buy something else to go underneath the fleece so it doesn't make the newspaper smell.

 

[jackie ramser]

Ok. Here is an update
We changed from fleece to carefresh and aspen mixed - adding some asped daily to absorbe some of the smell in the morning.
I didn't have to change anything for a week. There was no noticable smell. The only thing was I couldn't spot clean- the carefresh is grey. Even with that small problem, there was no smell. Boy, what a chore to clean though. I didn't know a large bag of carefresh could expand soooooooooo much. The cage is a 3x5 and it took 3 kitchen garbage bags to empty and clean the thing.
There is happiness and harmony in the tv room, so it's worth the weekly garbage bag routine.
Thanks for everyone's help and advice.

Jackie and the boys

 

[RubyPiggie2]

What I find will be really easy, I put a big thing of tarp underneath my bedding, so when cage cleaning time comes (I don't have to do it for 2-3 weeks minimum) I can just take the edges of the tarp, roll it up and throw the bedding away. It'll be really easy, maybe a 20 minute job (getting the girls on floortime, rolling it up, sweeping up all remainder shavings, putting shavings in then putting accessories in) at most. While if I scooped it all up, it'd take an easy 30-50 minute job JUST to scoop. I haven't cleaned the cage yet, it's been 2 weeks maybe (and dosen't look like it needs to be cleaned AT ALL yet). I'll do that and post how it was. The tarp is a 5'x7' sheet, I use two things. Got each for a $1 at the hardware store.
If you do decide to use tarp, make sure the piggies can NOT dig under the bedding and get to the tarp. A little eating of the tarp will be okay, but if your piggy eats a lot then you'll have to go to the vets. Mine don't dig, but I put newspaper down anyways.
By the way, my cage is a 2.5x5x2.5x8 L-shaped cage- so that's why I don't have to clean it for a long time. I don't see how you have to clean a 3x5 every week, it's such a big cage! Mine still has yet to even smell like guinea pigs live in there. I have 4 girls, twice as many as you do.