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Fleece Would this work as bedding?

Sammi15

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I cant see why it wouldnt work... i made 2 of my 3 sets of bedding from fleece throws sewn together as if was cheeper then buying fleece from the fabric store....i did make one from fleece from the fabric store as they had a deal when i replaced my sewing mechine i could pick any fabric i wanted and get 5 meters 75% off. making as cheep as 1 more set of throws would have been.
 

LittlePiggie

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I used a fleece blanket for my piggies bedding too. It seems cheaper than buying the fleece at a fabric store. :)
 

Guineapiggies3

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I say you can do it its just like other fleece and its cheep plus it could possibly absorb more of the pee.
 
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Ithilgil

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Thanks for all your input. I've decided to buy it.
 

Nix16

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Just a word of warning that coral fleece is quite thick and fluffy so you may find it's a pain to get hay and hair off of. My son had coral fleece blankets since he was a baby, it's nice and soft but can be tricky to keep clean, also the pigs nails may pull the threads. It won't hurt to give it a try but probably just get one to see how it goes
 

Paula

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I definitely think it would be worth a try and would be interested in hearing how it works out. I had a blanket like this, although I'm not sure what type of fleece it was because I got it from a second hand store, that did seem to hold hair and hay more but overall wasn't bad.
 

toylady

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Wouldn't guiena pigs chew on any fabric, taking in threads and creating blockage in the intestines? I don't use any fabric, only natural materials they can ingest safely. Plus here in Texas , it is hot so fleece is way too hot for my guiena pigs.
 

Ithilgil

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@Nix16 It said it's made of 100% microfleece under Materials; and I've heard the microfleece is good. Is there a difference between coral fleece and microfleece?

And I'm also getting a hand vac made for pet hair. I've forgotten the brand name right at this moment. But the reviews says that it's pretty good, and works for carpet as well. So, I'd brush away the longer pieces of hay and poo. And then vacuum the rest. Hopefully, that'd work fine.
 

Paula

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Wouldn't guiena pigs chew on any fabric, taking in threads and creating blockage in the intestines? I don't use any fabric, only natural materials they can ingest safely. Plus here in Texas , it is hot so fleece is way too hot for my guiena pigs.
Fleece actually stays cool, generally and I've not heard of any folks having problems with pigs chewing fleece and I've used fleece for years with no problems. Chinchillas and rabbits and some other animals are a different story, but pigs usually are pretty trustworthy, generally speaking.
 

farmersdaughter

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I just started using fleece and since I am on such a tight budget right now I bought a few fleece throws from Wal-Mart for $2.88 a few weeks ago. They work great! Several great prints to choose from. :D
 

bpatters

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@toylady, surely you're keeping your pigs inside. I'm not a big fan of fleece (in fact, I hate it), but in an air conditioned house, it's certainly not too hot.
 

Nix16

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@Ithilgil as far as I'm aware yes they would be all made of the same stuff. In Australia coral fleece is quite thick and fluffy I guess you'd say a bit like a shagpile carpet while micro fleece has a shorter pile (hope that makes sense). However as always I'm never sure if the terminology is the same between countries. I certainly don't think this kind of fabric can really do any harm to your pigs, it just might be a pain to care for, that's all., so give it a go and let us all know how you get on, you may just start the next trend in bedding :)
 

toylady

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How often do you have to wash it though? How do you attach it to the flooring so it stays? I know my male pigs urinate alot and I have always used regular pine pellets which keep them really dry and clean.
 

MrWhistles

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pellets can create a hard uncomfortable surface

Fleece is used in combination with towels or uhual pads. You lay the towels or uhual pads down 1st/then the fleece on top. Some users also put little "cut outs" under the areas that receive more urine.

I wash my bedding once a week. Everyday is a poop patrol.
 
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toylady

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Cleaning up poop daily is ok if you only have one or two, I have 13 right now plus 4 dogs, children etc- I don't have time to do that. With large habitats, they don't soil it that much and tend to go in one area. Actually the floor is fairly smooth- cavies in the wild run on grass, rocks, etc. They also have hay to dig in , hide in and they love that!
 

MrWhistles

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Cleaning up poop daily is ok if you only have one or two, I have 13 right now plus 4 dogs, children etc- I don't have time to do that. With large habitats, they don't soil it that much and tend to go in one area. Actually the floor is fairly smooth- cavies in the wild run on grass, rocks, etc. They also have hay to dig in , hide in and they love that!

These aren't guinea pigs that closely related to their wild family.
 

bpatters

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pellets can create a hard uncomfortable surface

[MENTION=22188]MrWhistles[/MENTION], have you actually tried pellets? They're by far the best bedding at odor control and the length of time between necessary cage changes. My two have never had any foot problems on pellets, nor do they run around any less when using them. So since they're not suffering, acting any different, or complaining, I'm not going to worry about something thinking pellets are a "hard uncomfortable surface."

That said, [MENTION=24620]toylady[/MENTION], you need to make sure that the pine pellets you're using are kiln dried, as the oils in non-dried pine can cause severe foot problems. I have trouble finding the pellets except in the coldest winter months here in Texas, because their main use seems to be for pellet stoves in deer camps. When I can find them, I have to buy enough for a year's supply. I used to be able to get pellets that didn't smell of pine from Tractor Supply, but they switched suppliers, and I haven't found a good source for them since then.
 

toylady

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I use the pine pellets that are meant for horse bedding- I do not know if it is kiln-dried or not- I will have to check that. It comes in 40 lb bags for only $7, so works good for my budget. I can get them year around here in San Antonio at my local feed store. My pigs love to dig in it and I do allow hay on the floor where they love to root around in it and hide, so it is used as bedding somewhat as well. My feed store has loose coastal hay, which my pigs like better than the expensive bagged timothy, for low cost by the bagful, so I can be generous with it.
 
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