what is the best way to start a litter box for 5?

[piggi_zone]

I want to know what would be the cheapest and easiest way to start
a litter box. I was thinking about using a storage container but I thought
that it would be to difficult to cut for an easy entrance and exit.
I guess my other option is a box made of coroplast. And I dont know what
size I would need for a decent size for their food hay and potty area

second question how do you serve their hay in the litter box since this is
meant for them to be doing their bussiness?

 

[Zuidy]

Personally, I would just make a large pad out of Fleece and U-Haul pad if you have any.

That is what I use, Litter Boxes became WAAAAYYY to much of a hassle for me over time, so I stopped using them and made "Potty-Pads" if you will out of 1 layer of Fleece on top and 2 layers of U-Haul pad on the bottom.

They work great and last the whole week for my 2 girls, but for 5 you may want to have a spare so you can take it out halfway through the week and put in a new one.



Good luck in your Litter-Box endeavors!

 

[piggi_zone]

thanks for the advice and the luck
I have tried litter training before when i had just 2 and it was very difficult
That and they seem very spoiled. Before I tried keeping their hay in a grid corner
and they seemed to know I would eventually put it down for them loose they seem
to eat it more and enjoy it more even though I dont know since they are always pottying in it
I am gonna wait to see what other people say before I try this

question is the uhaul pad heavy so that they wont burrow under it or should i weight it down with a brick?

 

[PigPandemonium]

For my litter area, it's a 2x2 that has before been used for 4 guinea pigs, so for five I think that would be fine, basically I just have the hay in a pile, it works well since they can all gather around it in the bedding area. Since I have a sorta big cage though, I also have two other places with hay and pellets where they seem to go to the bathroom a lot if they don't want to go all the way back to the main bedding area.

I also have a big hiddy in the bedding area, pulled a little out from the wall, this makes it a place that they love to sleep, since it's nice, dark, and soft behind it, that's where they always sleep altogether. Here are some pictures so you understand what I'm talking about, this system works out great for me, and just by strategically making these areas, they are about 95% "Potty trained" (I have that is quotes because I never train them for it)

Sorry this picture is dark, it's the only one I have of the bedding area that's good, I've also since switched to Carefresh.



And in this one you can see the other two potty stations I have, the small litter pan and the loft with towels, a hay pile and one pellet bowl

 

[Zuidy]

question is the uhaul pad heavy so that they wont burrow under it or should i weight it down with a brick?

If your Piggies ARE burrowers, I cannot say for sure.

My girl's don't burrow under their Potty Pads.

I would give it a trial run for yourself before ruling out Pads as good or bad-- Each pig is different in some way, and I can't predict what they will do for you!

 

[Delaine]

I made my litter tray out of coroplast. I have a 2 X 3 C & C cage and made a 10" by 55" tray with 4" sides and back and only a 1" lip on the front so they don't have to jump in. It fits the whole length of the back of the cage. I put down some newspaper and for now are covering it with hay. Sometimes I will put down pine shavings and then hay, but I am not too crazy about pine bedding. They spend most of their time foraging in the hay. I buy my hay by the bale so I can be generous with it.

I made a total of 3 trays so I always have a clean one ready. It takes seconds to pull out the dirty one and replace it with a clean one. I have very little mess in the rest of the cage because most of the mess is in the tray. I change it every evening and add more hay in the morning. I also have a piggy height hay trough which I keep full of clean unsoiled hay. The tray is large enough for them to have access to hay that hasn't been peed on.

It works great if I have to go away for a night or two. I leave a couple of clean ones ready for whoever is looking after the girls. It is easy for them to pull out the old and put in the new one without having to remove the girls.

 

[mommmyof2]

i have a kinda stupid question. how bales of hay do you get if you buy a 5lb bag?

 

[PigPandemonium]

You would get a small bag of hay that weighs 5lbs, it wouldn't be a bale

 

[Delaine]

There is never a stupid question. The last bale of hay I got weighed 95 lbs. I have gotten some bales weighing 65 lbs. and up to 120 lbs. The bales can cost between $7.00 and $30.00 depending on the size. This is for Timothy Hay (usually 2nd cut). It works out to anywhere from ten cents to 25 cents per pound. If you have room it is a great way to buy hay. You can get them from farmers, feed stores or hay dealers.

 

[mommmyof2]

oh ok. thanks for the info. i have a farm 5 mins from my house. i should check them out

 

[Delaine]

Make sure you ask what kind of hay it is. In our area alfalfa is the most popular to grow. I usually get mine when I visit my family, or from a feed store that brings it in.

 

[mommmyof2]

oh ok. i will ask them that. thanks for the help

 

[jacqueline]

the best thing i've used for hay/litter is something i stumbled on by accident. i had no intention of potty training my 3 boys, but, as we know, they just naturally poo where they munch on hay. i have utensil holders laying on their sides and zip tied inside a small cat litter box. i put hay in there. underneath the utensil holder, lying on its side, is a fleece liner, with a uhaul pad sewn in, then underneath the liner is another layer of uhaul pad. i have several of these pads and find they need to be changed every couple days or so. the little box contains most of the hay, as well as most of the poo. and occasionally, i can find a pig asleep in the litter box, teeny mouth right on top of the hay, so he can munch in his sleep if he gets peckish.!

 

[boofp]

I only have two but this is what I do. I made hay rack out of coroplast and put it on side of cage over a plastic container with a folded towel.

 

[piggi_zone]

I have another question my husband doesnt want to get bale hay because he baled he thinks hay would be mostly dead,or brown hay is this true or does this depend on the farmer?

 

[PigPandemonium]

Depends on the farmer, however you have to make sure it's 100% timothy, some places will mix in alfalfa. Also ask how long it has been stored. It's should smell very sweet and fresh, and look very green.

 

[piggi_zone]

well my prob is that I dont have any farmers advertising that they are selling
around me most them are large bales and I dont have any room for a large bale like that.
And I dont want to spend gas money to go look at it, to find out it is bad

 

[piggi_zone]

if you can, can you take a pic

 

[PigPandemonium]

Take a pic of what? Lol Hay?

 

[piggi_zone]

i was replying to jacqulines reponse I clicked reply but it didnt appear the way I thought it would
she said she used a utensil holder