Question about bedding

Post Reply
Skyler

Post   » Mon Oct 01, 2018 4:08 pm


hello there, i believe this is the wrong forum for such a question, but i'm not quite sure where it's supposed to go.

could i get some opinions on what kind of bedding is best and healthiest for a guinea to have in their cage? fleece/other fabrics? woodchips? wood pellets? I've used everything. i'm currently using wood pellets, because that's what i've been using for 10 years for my rabbits, and they work alright. however, we all know how much messier piggies are. one of my pigs has visible mange, and i suspect that the other one is also a carrier with no current visible signs. i will be asking a vet if we can treat both with ivermectin or revolution tomorrow. but i want to improve the living conditions of the pigs as much as possible, to ensure a cleaner environment. they both had mange mites the moment i got them from the pet store. but i dont want to risk them somehow getting infected again. so am i good to go with using the pellets? i clean and wash the cages twice a week. should i just go back to just using pieces of fabric? i have seen a lot of people use fleece, which i've also done and boy is it messy. gets soiled with pee so fast. i'd have to wash them daily. if that will guarantee my pigs a better life quality with lower risk of infections of any kind though, i'll do it.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Oct 01, 2018 8:49 pm


The bedding should not have anything to do with the mites. Just go ahead and have them both treated. With ivermectin, at least three treatments for each guinea pig is recommended, one week apart. Revolution can get rid of them with one treatment but two is better if you are seeing mange.
www.guinealynx.info/mites.html
www.guinealynx.info/ivermectin.html

And more about beddings:
www.guinealynx.info/bedding.html

Pine shavings that are aired well (not aromatic) would be okay. Large cages make all the difference.

JJGiebz
Make Good Choices

Post   » Mon Oct 01, 2018 8:51 pm


What kind of cage do you have? I too was having to wash the fleece daily and was worrying about UTIs from the moisture, so I got a bigger cage.

I have a 4x2 c&c cage with a “kitchen” area. There is absorbant, disposable, paper bedding in the kitchen where they do most of their business, and fleece in the rest of the cage. It’s been a dream, we’re all much happier.

Piggy Mum7

Post   » Wed Oct 03, 2018 6:35 pm


Personally I find that it really is what you find easiest! For my piggies, I use wood shavings, they work quite well, fleece is alright but it’s true! It gets messy very very quickly!

TurianLannister

Post   » Fri Oct 12, 2018 10:06 am


I use lignocel bedding, it's great and pretty absorbent. In Europe (not sure about elsewhere) it's possible to get it in 12.5kg bags, I pay about €35 incl delivery to Ireland, I get the big bags as I also have snakes (little snakes love it!) and it takes almost 1/2 a bag to cover my boa constrictor's vivarium

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri Oct 12, 2018 10:43 pm


How often do you need to change out the bedding for your boa?

Post Reply