Bedding Temporary Bedding, Would This Work?

[mufasa]

The towels thread gave me an idea, and I'd like to see if it's feasible. I'm going on vacation soon and will be gone three full days and most of a fourth day. I use Carefresh with newspaper underneath and spot clean, including replacement of a lot of the paper and removal of soiled bedding, every day. I just know the pet sitters aren't going to be as thorough as I would be (they're great, but their main experience is with cats and dogs). I know the girls will live if I bed them deeply and change them as soon as I get home, but I hate the idea of being in yucky bedding for that long.

I can't use towels, since both girls chew the threads during floor time, but what about old t-shirts? This might sound crazy, but I'm considering getting some old shirts at the thrift store, using two or three as bedding in each cage, and just having the pet sitters throw them away and replace them completely each day, I'd put newspaper or a pee pad underneath. I just feel like it would be better for the girls; even though it would be damp for a little while, it would be completely cleaned each day. Is this crazy, or does it sound workable?

 

[CritterSlave]

If i don't have enough towels i put tshirts under the fleece.

 

[Pigaletto]

I used t-shirts for a while when I didn't have enough fleece to get to laundry day. They stay a little wet like towels, but changing them every day should help with that. My guy was never a chewer, but if your girls are, that might be a concern. And if they're used to burrowing in the Carefresh, they might still be able to slip inside a t-shirt. (Talk about a cute photo-op.)

 

[mufasa]

They do burrow under the Carefresh under their kitchen shelves and in the fleece forest. I'll cut the sleeves so they can't get stuck in the shirts. My husband suggested flat sheets as a possible alternative, since we could fold them a few times to wick the moisture down more.

I really like the idea of a complete every day change while I'm gone. This is the first time the girls have been left longer than an over nighter, and of course I'm being a paranoid mom.

 

[Pigaletto]

Of course, I'd be paranoid, too! In fact, I'm going to be petsitting at someone else's house this weekend and leaving my sort-of-husband home with the critters. He's here every day with them, he knows the routine, and yet I'm still worried he's not going to "do it right". Just goes with the territory when you're a mom.

 

[Pigaletto]

Although, another alternative for your situation is a fleece-and-towels setup, just while you're away. I don't know if that's practical for you, but your sitters would only have to spot clean.

 

[mufasa]

We went to the thrift store today, and I found some mattress pad things that look like they'll be perfect. That way, the sitters can just change the whole pad each day (I bought several, since they ranged from only $1.50 to $3.50 each). Everything else will be in bags to be given each day.

I'm going to try out the pads today, just to make sure they work as planned. I can't wait to see what the girls think. Amy went crazy when I switched her from the shavings she was on at her former home to Carefresh and Clean & Cozy. She went nuts, so I'm sure she'll something that's even softer. They're in their playpen right now, so I'll be stripping the cages and putting in the pads, with newspaper underneath, shortly.

 

[mufasa]

Well, I introduced the girls to fabric bedding, and they were quite confused! First I put Quinn onto one of the kitchen shelves, and she just stayed up there sniffing until I brought Amy. I plopped her down on the "living room" side, and she explored briefly, then went over to Quinn's side. That brought Quinn down, and she went to the other side and left a couple poopies. This inspired Amy to popcorn around the kitchen and do some butt marking. I served up some hay, and they promptly forgot about their confusion as they wolfed it down. It will be interesting to see how the pee drains (or doesn't) overnight.