Vetbed or Fleece - my situation

[Char-x]

I'm unsure as to whether I should purchase vetbed or fleece for my large cages (my final plan can be seen in a previous post). This is what I think of them both, as you can see I have pros and cons about each and just cant make my mind up...:crazy:

Vetbed
I muck my pigs out once a day regardless and I find with vetbed that poops still get stuck in the thickness of it and I have a job getting some out. It takes a long while to muck out because of this. Also with white vetbed I find it goes a greyish colour within a few days because of the peices of hay sticking in it and smudged poop (lol). So I would purchase the coloured at £100 for a large role. I'm not sure how long vetbed lasts? I mean like stays soft and thick as I know I have a peice that was used for my dogs for a few years and it when slightly clumpy. If anyone has an idea I would be greatful..

Fleece
My mum was wondering if this is actually very absorbant as I have a fleece throw for my bed and when I put a peice of water on it, it stays on the surface for a while. How absorbant do you all find it? I like the idea of fleece because I can get various patterns etc. Also how long do fleeces last?
Fleece would cost me about £80 something, (£7.99 per metre) I'm willing to pay slightly more per metre because it's a pattern that will go with my room and it comes from planet fleece....

Oppinions desperatly needed lol I will be ordering pretty soon and I'm still not sure which would be for the best! Price doesnt matter too much with this as I'm not going to get much for under £80 so paying an extra £20 will be worth it for the best choice. I really want something that will last long and be the most hygenic for the pigs...

Thanks everyone!:heart:

 

[babybunny]

The fleece doesn't absorb the urine, it wicks it down to whatever you have under it, thus creating a dry surface for your piggies to live on. Read the sticky in the forum and it tells you how to break down the fibers in fleece so it doesn't puddle but wicks instead.

 

[Treacle]

Yes, you have to wash it first a few timesand then it kind of drains the pee to the underneath bedding it stays dry and it doesen't smell.

Sorry i don't know what vetbed is, but fleece is great. I vacum the poops everyday, it takes about five minutes and then once a week I wash everything in the washing machine(I shake the remaining poops and hay on the garden first). I have two fleeces and they last months!

I hope that helps.

 

[Ally has U's]

I am guessing that vetbed is a washable pee pad for pets. Fleece doesn't absorb it wicks like others have said. You need to put pee pads or towels underneath it so that they can absorb the pee. Fleece and towels is the best and the cheapest way to go! I am currently using pee pads/towels/and fleece to top it off.

 

[Char-x]

Thanks again everyone, I will use towels then newspaper underneth and prehaps puppy pads if I can find them for a resonable price. I'm finding at the moment I'm using Vetbed ontop of a thick layer of towels and the towels are very damp underneth, but this may be because the cage is too small for them to space their pee out so it builds up more than it would in a C&C...
God I hate petstore cages! lol

By the way Mod's sorry for posting this in the wrong section!

 

[babybunny]

I wouldn't use newspaper, it will get damp and start smelling quite quickly.

Good luck with your cage endeavor, I'm sure your piggies will be pleased when it's done.

 

[Maisiepaisie]

I use fleece but I recently started using pieces of vetbed under the hideyhouses as it was getting wet under there with just fleece. I like vetbed as it stays dry. I bought a 5m roll from ebay for £60 but it hasn't come yet. I'd like to use it over the entire cage but I think a piece that size will be too thick to fit in the washing machine.

 

[Char-x]

I have three peices of vetbed so I could put vetbed in areas that get overly urinated on...good idea, thanks.

 

[kwene_2009]

I use vetbed and put a layer of papertowl, newspaper, puppy pad, old towl, then vet bed down. It never smells and the vetbed is normally very dry. I take the vetbed out twice a day and shake it to get hay and other stuff off. It is white, so it does get discolored, but washes great. I also leave a cut-off piece under the manly used hiddy to absorb extra urine. Hope this helps!

 

[ramonesmom]

I have been using fleece right from the start. I actually cut the fleece to size then took an old king sized sheet, folded it in half and sewed it to the fleece. By doing this, the fleece stays dry and it is so easy to clean. Every 4 to 5 days, I take the whole thing outside, shake off the hay and hair, then throw it in the washer. My son and nephew take turns sweeping out the cage daily. I have yet to have anyone tell me that the piggies stink and they are in our livingroom. Hope that this helps you out.

 

[Char-x]

Hey thanks for all the replies. We went with fleece in the end and I've got three squares of vetbed to use in popular areas.

The cages are all finished and done and pictures are in my gallery, I'm really happy with them they have so much room.