Guinea Pig bedding - vet bed or something else?

[Baywonder]

We have just rehomed a male guinea pig and I have a question regarding bedding.

As it has been many years since we had guinea pigs, we purchased a huge cage, and we were advised to use a 'vet bed fleecy mat' inside the cage. It is super comfy, and our little chap loves it - but my question is, are they really practical enough to use? With loose bedding it is much easier to take out the wet every day or so. Wood shavings are out of the question because of the dust, so is there anything else you lovely people can recommend to use instead?

I am having a bit of a panic over putting this vet bed in our (extremely new) washing machine and clogging it up with fluff!

Any suggestions?

BTW - I know GP's should be kept in pairs, but our little guy has been battered black and blue by other GP's in the past, and he is petrified of them - hence he is kept on his own.

 

[pistolpete]

Weirdly cloth beds do seem to work. Their feet can get sore if surfaces are hard. Thin fleece can be rinsed out and dried really easily. Maybe vet bed in sleeping area only?

 

[Baywonder]

Weirdly cloth beds do seem to work. Their feet can get sore if surfaces are hard. Thin fleece can be rinsed out and dried really easily. Maybe vet bed in sleeping area only?

This is the bit I really can't get my head around! Years ago, it was just newspaper, shavings and hay for bedding!

I do like your suggestion - I was thinking about reducing the size of the vet bed and using it in the sleeping part only, and maybe a dust free bedding of some description elsewhere in the cage. I am not sure what to use though - as like horses, things have changed so much over the years.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Calling ester.....

 

[[153312]]

Anti pill fleece or megazorb.
You can still use substrate bedding, fleece is just easier, less messy, quicker and cheaper.

 

[ester]

There seems to be a push back to more natural beddings recently

I use aubiose (and heaps of hay). I don't get on with fleece, I find it smellier and I'm definitely not putting it in my washing machine . Also importantly the top stays dry. And no residual smell like some of the other chopped beddings (as much for me as them)
(they live in my kitchen if that matters )

They do have fleece tunnels with removal pads in occasionally, and a fleece shelf/hammock which stays clean. The preferred spot is usually on top of the castle in a heap of hay though, or buried under a heap somewhere.

 

[Baywonder]

Thank you all for your help and suggestions.

@ester - I'm not totally convinced on the fleece idea either. I think I'll cut it down and line the sleeping area and use megazorb or aubiose and hay in the main part. The vet bed is huge and it will be a royal pain in the a&$e to wash it every few days - loose bedding will be less smelly and much easier to deal with!

 

[ester]

When they are in 100% of the time (winter) I spot clean daily/take hay out as required - we have plenty a bale lasts us about 9 months ? and do a full clean - put some cage fresh granules on the floor of the usual corners and all new aubiose.

I have a lot of aubiose, it's possible I panic bought after they were having issues getting it here - I do only have a small shed . mine are on an ikea table with adjustable legs, so it's the right height to have an aubiose and a simple systems timothy upright underneath it.

 

[Baywonder]

Than you @ester

I am going to go for the aubiose - it really does seem much more practical in the main area of his cage.

All I need to do now is buy another shed to fit the mountain of aubiose in I am bound to buy...........?

 

[Griffin]

I use megazorb with my rescue bunnies for their litter areas (under hay) but I think aubiose would be better for piggies because they tend to 'go' anywhere they fancy.

 

[Baywonder]

Thank you @Griffin

I have just bought a smaller bag of hemp bedding to try out. I was a bit at the cost! If it works out okay, I will be buying the 20kg instead as it works out so much cheaper!

 

[webble]

Mine are on fleece with a towel under neath, I brush out daily and wash every other day

 

[ester]

Yeah that's probably part of my issue with fleece, I have neither the time or drying space to wash with that sort of frequency.

 

[webble]

Yeah that's probably part of my issue with fleece, I have neither the time or drying space to wash with that sort of frequency.

I found any less than that it got smelly. I'm actually trialling just towel at the moment and that works well too

 

[scats]

I used to use fleece on top of puppy pads, but I’ve actually gone back to a hemp bedding. I got fed up of washing smelly fleeces.
My pigs actually prefer a more natural bedding with a load of hay to lie in.

 

[Baywonder]

Well, we have had our little guy just 24 hours. I cleaned him out and the fleece was soaking - so I have chucked it in the bath and washed it.

He now has fleece just in his sleeping area (with some hemp underneath it to absorb some of the moisture) and hemp bedding and hay in the main part. He really does seem to like the hemp and hay, so I think I will stick with that - it is much less of a faff!

Thank you all so much for your help and suggestions - I really do appreciate it!

 

[julesjoy]

How exciting! I use aubiose and hay in the bedding areas, and fleece with bobbly bath mats elsewhere.

 

[Baywonder]

How exciting! I use aubiose and hay in the bedding areas, and fleece with bobbly bath mats elsewhere.

Thank you @julesjoy I really would not have considered hemp as bedding until everyone commented how good it was for piggies! I suppoe I was stuck in the horse bedding mindset!

Our little guy is fantastic, and he has settled in so well. He had been badly neglected and picked on by other GP's - so he has had a bit of a tough time. Thankfully, he is fully recovered now, and he definitely has a home for life with us.