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Post by rocky on May 12, 2015 16:58:46 GMT
Hello experts, I have a question concerning my 2 buddies home bedding. I usually get lining made by Living Well wich has odor control etc. from my local pet store (it is not a big chain like Petco). I have noticed that most of you use fleece. I spoke to an employe at the store about using fleece as bedding (yea not smart on my behalf, I have my dumb moments) and she said that they would most likely eat it and that if I wanted to use fleece I would have had to do it when they were wee little ones. I put a few little/medium pieces that they could use to burrow and what not and they haven't eaten any of it. Should I try to switch over? Not that I mind buying bedding, but saving a few bucks with re-usable bedding would be fun.
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Post by Bean on May 12, 2015 17:27:58 GMT
Haha! I agree the shop aren't likely to talk you out of being a regular bedding customer! Lots of people just haven't heard of it though, so assume chewing would be a problem as it might be with other small animals. I'd imagine rats and rabbits would be worse for that, but have limited experience of using washable bedding with them, so that's a guess!
I alternate between washable and disposable bedding (I like aspects of both best) and have introduced it to young pigs and older pigs without any notable chewing problems. The fleeces I currently use are about a year old and I haven't had to repair any nibble holes yet! I think the only time I've had to do repairs is years ago when I used vetbed with cotton sheeting as the top layer (or the hay in the vetbed was a nightmare to get out!) and they nibbled a few holes in the cotton, but that was all. Some pigs will chew anything, but most seem to be fine with fleece, so I'd go ahead and buy some.
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Post by 3piggles on May 13, 2015 16:27:05 GMT
My fleeces date back 10 years, and while there are a few chew marks where they tried to move it out of the way, none of my pigs chewed it. Fleece is not a bedding, but part of the bedding. Fleece wicks the liquid down to an absorbent layer beneath, so you need two layers. I use the quilted packing blankets sold by Uhaul, and they are excellent. I have also used 100% cotton towels, which I had so they were free, and they also worked. I found the towel tended to smell faster than the quilted blanket, and took about 5 times as long to dry as the fleece. That just means spending extra money on the dryer. I also sewed my fleece and absorbent layer together, which really reduces cage cleaning time, and helps weigh down the fleece so vacuums don't suck it up.
I have also found that fleece/absorbent pads on top of pine horse bedding pellets really reduces odor better than anything else, though unscented, clumping kitty litter and Carefresh are also pretty good. I use a layer of fiberglass window screen, very inexpensive, to keep the loose bedding from sticking to the underside of the fleece pads. The screen can be rinsed in the sink or washed in the washer in cold water. The pine pellets only need replacing about twice a year. The kitty litter and Carefresh need replacing weekly.
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