10.15.2013

How Fleece Bedding Works

Article 1 of 7 from Guinea Pig 101: Fleece Bedding Guide.

How Fleece Bedding Works. Abby-Roo shows how to layer fleece bedding in your guinea pig's cage

Many guinea pig owners are curious when they come across fleece bedding for the first time. As a longtime piggy slave, I receive quite a few questions:

"Are you using blankets instead of bedding? How does that work? Is it a chore to clean?"

To answer a few commonly asked questions, let's get back to the basics by explaining how it works.

WHAT IS FLEECE BEDDING?

Fleece is a type of fabric that can be used in combination with an absorbent material as an alternative to conventional paper or wood-based bedding.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

With traditional wood or paper-based bedding, droppings mix into the material. Urine is absorbed by the material, which can remain damp for some time.

Properly prepared fleece allows urine to pass through, soaking the layer of absorbent material underneath. Solids such as hay, poop, and food remain on the surface. The fleece acts as a barrier, wicking liquids downwards so the top layer (and your piggy's bottom!) stays dry.

7 comments:

  1. True. Towels and moving furniture blankets (I use a combination of both) do add an extra step to the cleaning process. I don't mind because I find it helps reduce odor, but then again I wouldn't be able to get hold of enough newspaper to cover my cage. Whatever works to keep your pig clean and happy :)

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  2. Hope you manage to get hold of some!

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  3. Bienenbaroness Von BieberbachNovember 3, 2013 at 6:20 PM

    Corrugated plastic.



    I use fleece, with a very thick helping of newspaper underneath, that gets swapped out and the fleece gets washed very hot. Daily sweeping of the leftover food and poopies keeps the place neat in between washes. I didnt think to use towels under the fleece yet.... I might try it.... but that seems a bit m ore off putting to transport and wash that compared to tossing the paper for recycling when its used.... hmm.

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  4. coroplast...corragted cardboard with a wax surface?

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  5. I use this system for Rufus, and we both love it! Clean-up is so much easier than with shavings or pellets. :-) xo Jennifer

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  6. Lead Burrower Belka agrees wholeheartedly with Jaina! She was extremely disappointed after determining that the current setup was not conducive to fleece diving. I could see her thinking "darn humans, ruined all my fun!"

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  7. I need to show this to Jaina - she believes that the proper order is Fleece, Pig, Absorbent Material, then the coroplast. Hence the reason I sew down the edges of my pads ;) I love that little nut!

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