Cleaning Why does it smell already?

[SugaPwum]

I just cleaned all of my fleece and towels 2 days ago and it is already smelling! I don't understand why it stinks when I just changed it. I don't think its my pigs...they are both healthy. And I'm guessing it's urine I smell...or a combination. I do give them fruits with alot of juice...tomatoes, oranges, apples, ect.

I have a 2x3 C&C cage with a 1x2 kitchen/loft that houses 2 sows. The baby guinea pig (Pippy) is 6 months old and im not sure how old the mom (Penny) is cause she was almost grown when I got her on april 14, 09.

I use newspaper on the bottom then lots of old towels & then one layer of fleece. It used to start smelling bad towards the end of the week, right before its time to change it...but now its almost instantly after I change it. :guilty: It's really bothering me and my mom...if we can't figure out why it's smelling so bad we may have to find them new homes & I really don't want to do that. :guilty:

Anyone have any idea why it's smelling already? Is it because I have 2 pigs or is it the fruit/veggies im feeding them or am I over feeding (I feed veggies/fruit 2 x's a day & I fill their bowl of pellets 2xs a day)? Any help/tips would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Brittany

 

[Peggysu]

Newspaper is disgusting. That doesn't help with odor. Also a 2x3 is the minnimum for two sows and because it's small you should be doing full cleaning about every 5 days. Coroplast should be cleaned with a 50/50 vinegar to water solution.

Please check out the diet and nutrition section as fruit should only be fed twice a week in small amounts because they are high in sugar. Pellets for guinea pigs older then six months should be limited to 1/8 cup up to a 1/4 cup per pig per day.

 

[JD In Van]

High blood sugar in animals (and in humans) can lead to a sharp, unappealing smell to their urine. Infact my diabetic cat we knew needed her insulin adjusted when her litter started to smell foul immediately after being cleaned.

Try cutting down on the sugar and see if that makes a differance?

Also do you spot clean daily? That can help a lot.

 

[SFailed186]

Newspaper made everything in my cage stink. The newspapers would get stuck to the towels and fleece and it was just awful. We are finally, just now getting the stink out of our old fleece. Ditch the newspaper completely and buy a couple of extra cheap towels. Also, if you wash your fleece/towels with fabric softener every once in awhile, that will help. Yes, I know you are not supposed to, but my fleece wicks extremely well and we use softener every other time we wash to help it remain soft and smelling fresh.

 

[Bamysmum]

I have a coroplast pen (aprox 3x6 grid size if I had grids). I too use newspaper under a towel and I have to clean the entire pen every night (it houses 3 guinea girls and they make a hell of a mess). I use a vinegar and water solution to wipe clean dirty areas.

I recommend cleaning every night doing at least a spot clean.

Following the posts I've read here I'm going to try getting rid of the newspaper layer under the towel and popping down a double towel layer instead.

I wash the towels every night. I've not found any way round this. Living is a messy business!

 

[SugaPwum]

Okay thanks. I think I solved the problem....I was feeding them too many Satsuma oranges (we have a tree thats loaded with em). So I cut em back & now the smell is just about gone.

 

[lissie]

You should not feed fruit more than twice a week.

 

[SugaPwum]

I'm cutting them back on their fruits now. I read the chart and it said each fruit could be given 2-4 times a week, but I didn't read it good...I now see that it's 1-2 x's a week. I printed out the chart so I can look more often. Anyway, thanks.