What is the Best Guinea Pig Bedding? Fleece vs Pine

What is the best guinea pig bedding? Fleece or pine shavings? Or maybe paper bedding? What type of bedding is not going to make my guinea pig cage smell bad. All these questions will be answered and more. Many of the links above are affiliate links. These help support my rescue efforts. As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases. They ad no extra cost to you.

[@susart7]

I have had guinea pigs 3/4 of my life and I’m 64 years old now. I have made mistakes in the past but now my current pigs are reaping the benefits of my experience. I use aspen bedding I order from Amazon for ridiculously cheap price! But all along the edge of the cage I use carefresh or pet fresh bedding (paper). This is where they pee! I replace it every day with fresh bedding. Every four days I replace the aspen bedding. This keeps my pigs happy, odorless and dry!

[@debbiebrett6689]

I'm like you, Susan. I'v been keeping guinea pigs since I was 10 and I am now 61!

[@Musicrazy531]

Will have to try your method sounds smart. Right now I’m making homemade fleece liners and giving it a try. Have to say wicking the fleece takes a long time and costs with water oil electricity and soap and vinegar kind of crazy at first.

[@susart7]

MermaidPrincess I think you are wonderful to try the fleece method! I hope it works well for you; it certainly makes for an attractive cage!

[@susart7]

Debbie Brett Life would not be complete without my piggies!

[@Musicrazy531]

Susan Warwas I agree

[@m3g4no50]

I literally dont know who's cuter, Scotty or those precious piggies! 😍

[@ScottysAnimals]

Aaaw, so sweet

[@stellaSOreal]

Scotty then the pigs! 😏💕😂

[@debbiebrett6689]

I know what you mean!

[@debbiebrett6689]

Yes, nothing or no-one can be cuter than guinea pigs - not even Scotty, although he compares very well.

[@skinnypigs1]

Toss up!

[@elirose6033]

Researching makes me realize how badly I took care of mine when I was a kid...

[@carolanddaryl922]

me too

[@jaytucker8834]

Me too, but that was 55 yrs ago, before the days of internet research etc

[@sarikamanchanda4888]

Oh

[@jennifersimmons9152]

Same!

[@ade1944]

I got my guinea pig when I was eight and she is completely mine. At first I did an okay job, then when I was like 9 I start researching and did as much as I could do for her. (I only had one guinea pig in a 1 by 3 foot cage) but she was still pretty happy But now I’m eleven do lots of research and she has a lot bigger cage, gets floor time fresh grass gorme treats and $50 dollars worth of pig stuff. Yet I’m still bad at spelling gorme

[@karaleetrapp]

For those who use fleece, Little Adventures has a video on her channel about washing fleece in a 'horse bag' that keeps your washing machine and dryer clean.

[@danykasilvernail]

Thank you!!!! I've been looking for the answer to this problem!!!! You're my hero right now!!

[@karaleetrapp]

@@danykasilvernail, happy I could help you

[@ChilupaKing]

Really!? Dang, yeah I really goofed once. Thank you, this channel is introducing me to a lot of helpful advice from a majority

[@guineagurlll9884]

I’m subbed to her too I love Sylvester

[@gabriellesmith4552]

Or a pillow case too

[@skcjanelle9061]

I have a hard time keeping up with the spot cleaning on fleece so I have better luck with pine shavings. I find it easier to spend a half hour once a week versus 10 minutes twice a day. Pigs seem to enjoy fleece more but are also happy on shavings as long as they are fine enough.

[@hyperfixationcentral6200]

I spot clean around every other day, you dont necessarily need to spot clean, but people prefer the look

[@samanthasanders233]

This helped that’s my biggest issue I like how “clean” pine can look .... but I know the babies enjoy the fleece 😫

[@_atruth]

How do you deal with pee every second on fleece?

[@georgiahewitt3495]

Same xx

[@salma-pf5sj]

0:06 I’m dead 😂😂 Scott said “come on turtle man” to Mike lifting the hut with his tiny head ❤️

[@yvonnehickey6291]

Nails is so chunky and fluffy now. He looks great :)

[@margaritaradoslavova5642]

My guinea pig is addicted to her pine. When I've tried with a fleece, she just started crying and rumbling... When I've changed the fleece with pine - she was just a happy guinea pig, popcorning all around 😁

[@susanfaulkner2304]

I use shredded paper and my piggies like it. With fleece and any cloth, it is messier and I was constantly washing!

[@possumaintdead]

I started with pine shavings but switched to fleece. I feel it’s easier to clean and allows me to see their poops and pee to see if there are issues. They love new fleece and popcorn like crazy! Only issue is that I have to run the washer a lot.

[@skinnypigs1]

Yes, fleece is handy to spot issues!

[@aylenebarr8627]

I agree! The saving grace is building up your stash of fleece so that you can wash it just once or twice a week and always have backup available. :)

[@baleighclanton]

Hey I know this comment was a while ago but I have a few questions! I have two girls and the pine bedding I used (cheap enough) is not in the store anymore so I think I am going to have to switch to fleece but I’m not sure at all how it works I have the Midwest cage do I put things under the fleece like can I use a blanket or is there specific fleece I need to get? Can I hand wash it and hang it out to dry? (My mom doesn’t want me to use her washer but I don’t mind doing it I just wanna make sure that’s okay)

[@yoyea2087]

@@baleighclanton i purchased some fleece fit for a midwest cage on amazon! it’s by the brand small pets and company, it has the absorbent layer already inside and requires 3 washes to begin the wicking process. i bought two since i connected two midwest cages together and i haven’t gotten them yet. i plan to put puppy pads beneath the fleece just in case. it should be fine to hand wash and hang to dry but it would take a very long time to dry as opposed to putting it in a dryer after hand washing. is she opposed to letting you use the dryer after the fleece has already been cleaned?

[@baleighclanton]

@@yoyea2087 I’m not sure I still see tysm! So I bought some bedding for now because for some reason my fleece blanket wasn’t wicking tysm!

[@emilyfrancis8243]

"fleece can almost become an addiction" calling out skinnypigs1 😂

[@skinnypigs1]

LOL I am in complete control...🤥

[@karaleetrapp]

😇😈😇😈😇😈😇😈😇😈😇😈

[@jessicak.8910]

You should sell some of your older pieces so it can be affordable for us broke people!!!!😊🙏🏼

[@kimvuong4581]

@@jessicak.8910 lols

[@skinnypigs1]

Fleece "expert" here :P 1. You can use anti-pill, polar, blizzard (those are the main names they are given). But don't use any plushy or fluffy fleece as it does not wick properly. 2. If your fleece is not absorbing the pee away from your piggies there is a good chance the fleece needs to be washed more in order to wick properly. Wicking means the fleece is allowing the urine to pass through it properly. 3. Best absorbent layers for fleece are u-haul or zorb. You can also use incontinent pads or old towels but it might need to be change even more frequently so buying cage liners already put together is your best bet. 4. Fleece does best being changed twice a week and small pads changed every day or ever other (pads where they pee most). Pads put in beds to change out as needed help the beds last longer as well. 5. Once you buy some fleece and love it, you will keep buying it and buying it and buying it...

[@erink8074]

That's great advice, thank you! So, if I buy the U-Haul, I have to buy and sew the fleece? Is that the idea?

[@skinnypigs1]

@@erink8074 It is much easier to sew it together, prevents bunching and is easier to sweep up poops off of. You can always just layer it but I found that takes forever and gets moved around. My liners are fleece on top and bottom, with 2 layers of u-haul in the center, all stitched together :) Make the liners 4 inches wider and longer than needed, as it will shrink naturally the first few times you wash and dry them.

[@erink8074]

@@skinnypigs1 thank you sooooo much! 🤗

[@lilacKurage]

Thank you for all this tips!!!

[@andreavictoriasanchez7082]

I have all this beautiful blizzard fleece I bought on sale from Joanns and Uhual pads but I’ve yet to see them because I haven’t touched a sewing machine in 10 years 😂 Also I only bought in increments of 2yards for a 2x5 C&C what is the best way to sew that up? Ex: the whole length of the cage, horizontal (1) vertical wise? (2-3 liners?) hope I’m making sense 🤪

[@andrewhh9913]

Right now the best setup I've had is bathroom chenille rug! Very easy to maintain.i still put towels under them just in case. Sometimes I use fleece and 2 towels under it when I'm really in need, but I still prefer the bathroom mat. I would love to be able to buy proper cage liners somedays, but it is quite expensive to make good ones ship to my country 🙈 one day tho!

[@tracypiggy_love1348]

Hi Scotty. I use waterproof mattress pads under my fleece. That seems like it works pretty well.

[@TheSaraibsb]

Your videos always get me in a great mood. They're always so helpful for everyone

[@TheSaraibsb]

I love my guinea dad fleece I really love it cause it stays clean and dry for my girls ❤️. My girls love when I change their fleece Everytime

[@MrJakeFan]

sara how do you odor control? I find it difficult using their fleece

[@Shhhhhhhhhhhhh-s7p]

Where do u buy the fleece?

[@lorenablackburn8636]

I tried all fleece and all kiln dried bedding but what works best for us is 3/4 of the cage fleece and 1/4 of the cage is the “kitchen area” I made a litter box with coroplast that fits perfectly 2x1 of our 2x4 c&c cage and i have kiln dried in there. My piggies are getting really good at doing their business just in the pine bedding.

[@Ricki_Raquel]

Both of my girls use a toilet, thank goodness. So I just use regular fleece blankets to line their cages. I dump their large toilets(packed with paper bedding) about once a week and wash their fleece bedding about once a month. I've been blessed with an extremely easy care routine. They are happy/clean piglets.

[@oje7257]

Ricci Raquel Did you train your girls for potty training and use the same area as toilett, or they just did it by themself?

[@Ricki_Raquel]

@@oje7257 They just gravitated to doing it themselves. I hope they always do 🤞🏼

[@oje7257]

Ricci Raquel, Yeah hope they do :)

[@StarBright1976]

Ricci Raquel my first boy used a litter box, that was so great. Made cage cleaning so easy and clean. After a year I bonded him with another boy. After that it was over, no more litter box. It was nice while it lasted.

[@Ricki_Raquel]

@@StarBright1976 StarBright1976 Oh man, that sucks. When my girls shared a cage, it was the same thing. It's funny how much a cage mate can affect behaviors. My girls have to live in cages right next to each other because they think biting is cool when they live together. They'll bite each other and occasionally me. But when there's a barrier, they're the sweetest, most affectionate piglets. They also magically become potty trained again. Ugh. I love them so much, but I do have a couple naughty ones. Are your boys easy other than not using their potty?

[@evelynnino457]

We have become new piggie owners in the past few weeks. I had no idea what went into taking care of a guinea pig or how much personality they had! Our Feona and Peaches have brought so much joy to our home. You have been SO HELPFUL! Just wanted to say thank you for making these videos.

[@faith5563]

Top of my wish list: a top rated washing machine & updated house plumbing

[@kirstybroens4456]

Sorry, just to add that I use large drawstring mesh bags to put the towels and fleeces in, for the washing machine. And I use 100% natural veggie flakes or soap nuts in the wash, with a nice dollop of white vinegar in the 'softener' compartment for each wash, and they come up smashing! 🙂👍

[@constancemyers5298]

I am new to the guinea pig world. I just adopted two female piggies. I really appreciate your videos. I have found them so helpful in learning to be a good mother to Primrose and Fern. Thank you Scotty!

[@yankeegirldownunder1375]

Scotty needs to be given a award for guinea pig knowledge you rock Scotty and those piggies love you ;)

[@tamrabrooks9609]

Love pine shavings. Glad to hear you do too. I tried paper and fleece but just feel pine shavings are soooo much easier and nicer to work with for all the pro reasons you listed in your video.

[@gavinbanton3511]

I mainly do aspen shavings but have the shredded soft kaytee bedding in there sleeping area they will just lay all belly up on the soft stuff they love it. It's adorable

[@shawnsegebarth6707]

Gavin Banton so aspen has worked well for you? My girlfriend buys aspen in bulk for her mice and I was thinking of using some of the extra for my pigs.

[@gavinbanton3511]

@@shawnsegebarth6707 yes I find it to work great the shavings are long and kinda look like ruffels the piggies don't mind them but prefer there shredded kaytee for sleeping

[@Becky-ll1vl]

I had piggies for my daughter when she was 12 - and that was 35 years ago! I had no clue how to care for them. I am so grateful for so many informative and educational videos available these days. So glad to have found your channel, Scotty. I plan to adopt 2 piggies by mid April or first of May. In process of DIY cage like Squeak Dreams and sewing many fleece flippers, pee pads, beds, cozies and tunnels for my piggies. Can’t wait! Thanks again for great videos!

[@BagelsLife]

Guineadad liners are good too

[@SaraValentineyoga]

I just found your channel and I'm grateful I did. Being new to owning a guinea pig and loving it we had to take our little one to the vet for an upper respiratory infection. We are hoping he's going to make it and I didn't know about cedar shavings being a cause of that. I've now switched his bedding to fleece and pine shavings. Thank you so much for this information!

[@karenjamieson1206]

I love fleece for my piggies but after many years of using it had to change back to pine. It was much more expensive for me because I have to pay for laundry in my building ($4.50 a load wash/dry) and I was doing 4-5 loads a week for my piggies and 2-3 for myself. It just got to be too expensive and time consuming. I think it was also becoming an issue for my neighbors too because I was using the machines so much. The pine shavings are about $7.00 a bag and I will go through 1.5-2 a week. I have 9 piggies right now. In the future when my heard is a little smaller or if I move to a place with my own washing machine I may go back to fleece.

[@claudieC.]

The public laundry mats have washers that can hold like 3 to 6 loads. Just fyi for those who need a bigger washer to do more faster. Lots of them have free dryers to dry your stuff.

[@CapysGardenShop]

Claudie C. ...They have signs up for no animal bedding, so i didn’t want to risk getting in trouble...& it’s kinda gross to do that to others. imo. no shade anyone. lol

[@claudieC.]

@@CapysGardenShop I shake and brush it off first outside somewhere, before putting it in the washer, then I just take a damp towel and wipe out the inside. But you know what works best for your situation. Did you know you can buy a small apartment washer? One side washes, the other side spins it to a damp state. Then you just hand dry or throw in the washer.

[@angelguesman9161]

I use cloth incontinence pads with fleece sewn over top.

[@queerlilsunflower3625]

Currently we have bath mats in one side of our cage where the girl's huts are, and doggy pee pads under dog fleece blankets on the other side with their food bowls, water bowl, and bedding/pee tray, our cage is a 2x6 c&c cage. We used shavings for about 3 days before we changed over, and since changing over the cage is so much cleaner and easier to clean. I plan to sew some fleece with an absorbent bamboo inner in the future, but for now this is working. I spot clean daily.

[@Devious-Minds]

7:00 So sweet. Awe.... Nails he is so special.

[@19guineapigsandme99]

I used to use aspen bedding but switched back to fleece, I thought the aspen was too messy but now that I have 7 I might start using both, I still have aspen bedding left over🥰 🌳

[@alisonlouise6406]

I’ve got my three boys on fleece....however they have a large 2x4 box in their cage on the one side where I put in pine shavings and hay and they love it. They have a 9x2 cage with 2 hay lofts and I have made my own fleece pads there are many tutorials on you tube to make your own and I use the u-haul and anti pil fleece. in making my own I can make them with many extra absorbent layers, I have so far not had them smell of pee. I make large pads and many small pads so I only need to change the large pads weekly and the small pads as and when the need it. I have 13 dogs, 2 cats and the 3 guinea pigs so my washing machines ( I have one for the pets and one for my hubby and myself ) are always on the go. I wouldn’t have it any other way ❤️💋❤️

[@wrinkleintime4257]

I was thinking of paper bedding but now I will get my piggies kiln dried pine and I’ll buy things to make fleece liners! Woo to sewing skills!! 🙌🏼

[@MunchiesPlace]

I was looking for this type of video on your channel several weeks ago, so this is great it's all summed up. Since being a small mammal rescue, i am use to our 3 species we take in. Hamsters/Gerbils/Mice only due to their care being similar so they can share food/bedding/chews/etc. After taking on two guinea pig girls through a mutual contact, i said i'd only take Guinea pigs on once in a blue moon since i do love Guinea Pigs. Unfortunately there care requires different needs and they do not share the same stuff as our regulars. So i'm having to buy them things they need except i'm using the rescues bedding we have. I have noticed that paper bedding needs to be spot cleaned often and it does like you said, make it more costly and also it produces a funky smell. Clean and Cozy is terrible, don't ever use that for Guinea pigs. Carefresh i found works so much better. But I need to get these gals a one and done deal with that fleece here soon because the rescue needs that bedding for the other animals and we are going through it like crazy for the two girls, so washing fleece would be ideal to save money for our rescue. I'm on Etsy looking at some shops but would really love it if the community could tell me their favorite shops i should check out or maybe your favorite patterns. I'll be treating them to something nice ;)

[@WanhanAjanMansikka]

I recently switched to fleece, and have found it to be the option for me. It's an investment at first but it should last you a few years at least. That being said, it's very important to be informed before you make your decision, and this was a very informative video.

[@leeannhill2582]

I just rescued a male guinea pig who was living in a very tiny cage. He's so sweet. I am having him fixed so we don't have more babies. And l make all there bedding by hand .. I use old comforters and cut them up and see by hand pads for them.

[@susanbelrose2767]

I use pine for some cages and fleece for my pigs with health concerns. Fleece has odor no matter what, pine is much easier, but makes for a lot of garbage. Fleece takes more maintenance but looks better and is softer. Pros and cons with both. I prefer pine.

[@MarrisaPlays]

Scotty While i dont use the same set up anymore I found mostly fleece and then a section used for the "kitchen" using aspen worked best. I had a 2x5 house i did a 2x1 kitchen were food water and hay were placed and it made daily cleaning easy then the weekly clean out of the kitchen well soon as you scoop in you will know just how much peepee it held off the fleece areas. I did eventually get a 2nd food dish and water bottle but used an old cake pan as a "kitchen" area with one of the small hay racks so there was a full kitchen and a kitchenette in the cage LOL this was after i attached a midwest cage to the 2x5 cage i didnt want someone to get stuck on one side with no food or water

[@laneyperkins840]

I recently switched my piggy to fleece, he loves it and I noticed him snuggling up more! I put a container of normal bedding in there incase he wants to lay in it but he only sat there for a bit when I first put it in there.

[@mediocrepoetry]

We line our enclosure with a u-haul pad and then use an absorbent camp towel (very soft like fleece and super quick-drying) on top of that, plus pee pads in all of the favored areas. It's super easy to swap out the pads and the camp towel every couple of days and everything is washable.

[@artsyhipster]

I love love love your channel! I rescued 5 guinea pigs in the last two months! I am soooo happy and they are too! Although I am allergic to them, I will never let them go. I just have to take allergy medicine daily.

[@freedomwitch]

I have a hybrid system. I have a tiny "Kitchen" area where I place the hay and veggies that is sectioned off in my Midwest cage with pine shavings, and then the rest of the cage is fleece. This way where they eat is where they poop the most and where they sleep. I use fleece cubbies as well in the winter for warmth and can just change those out every couple of days. The majority of my cage stays pretty clean.

[@Dreamaboutapet]

Your piggies seems to be very healthy and happy 😊

[@lisaenglert3202]

I’m loving switching to fleece. Just sewed up some fleece and Uhaul pads. Much less hassle and the guys like it so much better. Much less upkeep for me but I get the laundry issue if you don’t have a washer. I do put pee pads underneath to keep the chloroplast extra clean.

[@WinnieDaou]

Where dis you get the UHaul pads? I mean, did they sell or gave them to you? If sold, how much? TIA

[@lisaenglert3202]

Winnie Daou I’m in Cali. I went to my local U-haul (a bigger one that sells stuff) but they only had the polyester ones for sale. I just asked about the denim ones and the nice guy there just gave me them, since they didn’t sell them. I’d just ask and offer to buy them. Never hurts to ask 😁You can find them online too for sale. Just make sure they are the recycled denim ones.

[@WinnieDaou]

@@lisaenglert3202 thank you! I'll do that.

[@blazerking2140]

I love how your Guinea pig squeak when you go near them it’s so cute 😊

[@natures_snack]

I use fleece but am seriously considering the switch to shavings. I'm a broke and exhausted grad student so I really don't have time to be doing 6 loads of just guinea laundry a week. I barely have enough time to do 2 loads of people laundry. 😔 Plus my boys are nasty and now their fleece is nasty... Ugh. I think shavings might do better for our life but there is something satisfying about a clean fleece cage.

[@marianordenvald]

Hi Mia, maybe You can use fleece with some extra hay on it, then You dont have to wash so often. If hay wet You just take it out. The idea is hay suck the the wet out. I do so right now. A combotechnic sortof. It works for me and my ginnygirls. Be well, Maria, Blackie and Beauty

[@natures_snack]

@@marianordenvald I do that! I bought 100lbs of hay from a farm store so they get a lot every morning and night. I went out today and bought some shavings. 😂 I'll give it a try and if I don't like it I can go back to fleece. Thank you for your suggestion! Mia, Peanut and Kevin

[@AggToaster]

As someone who has worked for cloth nappy (diaper) companies and has also used reusable cloth for my children, it occurred to me when watching this a similar approach could be taken when using fleece bedding. Scotty mentions uHaul padding or cotton batting - I'm not too sure on those as I'm in the UK. However, for use between the fleece I have some recommendations. Different fabrics hold liquid differently. The most common used are microfibre, cotton, bamboo and h*mp - if you look up reusable nappies you'll find they come as rectangular pads (known as 'boosters' or 'inserts') or 'prefolds'/'trifolds'. Microfibre absorbs very quickly, but like a sponge any pressure will cause the liquid to leak out. Bamboo and cotton are about equal, they absorb somewhat slower but they hold liquid in much better. H*mp absorbs very slowly but it locks in moisture. Now in terms of a cage, h*mp would work out really, really expensive over a large area, but it might be something to consider if your piggy tends to pee in one area. I am planning on trying a combination of a layer of microfibre layer (the thicker type used in nappies, which is available online per metre - not the thin type used as cleaning cloths) which will be directly under the top layer of fleece, then some sort of cotton (I may use some of my old cotton prefolds, but something like flannelette doubled up or even an old cotton towel would work well) underneath that. I am planning to stitch a sort of fleece pillowcase with an opening underneath to slide said padding into, as it will dry a heck of a lot quicker if you can remove the booster fabric. My theory is that the microfibre will soak up the liquid quickly so piggies don't roll into any puddles, then the cotton will lock in the moisture as it soaks through. I would also say a thinner fleece, especially for on top, would be a good idea to allow moisture to soak through quickly, which shouldn't affect comfort levels. I'm currently recovering from illness but will post back once I've given it a go, if anyone has anything to add or any suggestions please let me know, I've not owned guinea pigs in years and this will be my first time trying fleece bedding, but decided to use my knowledge of pee catching (lol!) to see if it would work! P.S - love your channel Scotty I'm so glad I found it after looking up C&C cage guides!

[@teewatson8168]

Oh my gosh Nails is such a chunky boy now!! Amazing to see his transformation from when you rescued him Scott!

[@kayesguineapigs]

With 16 piggies I have to use pine in some of the cages or go insane. Also get wash bags for your flannel it will save your washer. Wheeky Pets sells the best one. Amazon has green wash bags too. I use old towels and don’t have problems because of the wash bags.

[@marcichatfield1478]

Great video!! My favorite is fleece however in my 2 by 5 I have a separate coroplast that is a 1 by 2 that has paper bedding the're hay and there food station. Also under my fleece I have like people potty pads that are one by twos and also a layer of towels however I'm finding that I'm almost duplicating my work so this week I'm not going to put towels because there's nothing on them. It's a process of elimination and that's why I love the videos. You get new ideas and you try new things find out what works for you. Thanks for opening this conversation love to all the piggies especially Piggie Smalls. Got to pick an different one for you to love on each time haha

[@susannus983]

I use fleece bedding from a Guinea pig store online, bought two so I can alternate for wash days. Also I do buy pine shavings from time to time to give me a wash break.

[@kellakasha8337]

We like using fleece, mostly because I find it less messy and one less thing for me to remember to buy. My piggies don't smell like pee or get wet, but the fleece will smell. They will usually pee on the corners and they will usually don't lie there. But after we got our third one we had to change the fleece twice a week because it was getting nasty quick. Now is a little more manageable.

[@sienahopkins1173]

Your piggies are so precious! You videos help me alot with my two males!!

[@PeaFriends]

I like to use fleece plus smaller fleece flipper pads for houses/poop and one under the messy (another poop area !) hay eating area. They are changed frequently. I think my preference for fleece comes from good experience of fleece(or bamboo) nappies when my kids were babies. Its the whole idea of washing and re-using and minimising waste. I'm not a fan of the wood shavings because when I acquired two of my piggies they had lived on them and one had respiratory infection. However, as you say, that's more likely about hygeine than the shavings. Thanks for all your informative and entertaining videos x

[@hyperfixationcentral6200]

I use very thick (and folded like 3 times) fleece blrankets from the store, I've never had a problem with it, I have shower curtains underneath. I never smell it, and my piggies love it

[@ellengriffith1585]

I like to use fleece and wash it everyday. My husband has a dirty job so I have 2 washing machines in my house. One for regular washes and the other for very soiled items. But a tip I learned from when I was a cloth diapering mom is to do a rinse and spin cycle first THEN do a regular wash.

[@thenewageshop]

I use Guinea Dad fleece and a litter box with wood stove pellets. I put their hay rack in the litter box and they do most of their pottying there. I have an 8 girl herd. The woodstove pellets are made of hard wood and absorb better than pine shavings or pine pellets. I get mine at Tractor Supply. If you want to try woodstove pellets just make sure they dont contain anything that makes them easy to light. They should just be wood.

[@ScottysAnimals]

I am familiar as I have a pellet stove out here in the desert

[@chloe3355]

So i’ve been using old towels, blankets for over a decade layered on top of each other. I’ve recently started investing in some decent fleece pieces but it will take time to build up my collection lol. I agree about the paper bedding. I used to use it and it was yuck. I don’t think i will get pine bedding because I’ll have to buy more repeatedly but that’s my personal preference.

[@Winnipig2]

I started with old towels too.. But I guess they don't dry as fast?? I bought 3 fleece at Wal-Mart. Then I have bought more at yardsales. I have peed pads under the fleece.

[@tiffanyleclaire4524]

I use a combination. I use fleece in my main part of the cage and paper bedding in the kitchen area. Although I recently discovered hemp bedding, which I will probably use a combination of of hemp and pine pellets in the kitchen area.

[@outofthebox1238]

i do pine in the summer and then fleece in the winter!

[@handgunner1911]

im a 54 yr old father that eventually took over my sons 2 guinea pigs and i love them alot i take good care of them one of them is going on 8 yrs old and he is still going strong.i also use pee pads underneath the pine it works out real well with odor and keeps them dry especially if there is a spot that they like to sleep all the time the pads soak up and keep smell down but i still use a nice amount of shavings too,thanks scotty for all the videos they have helped me out alot

[@KermitAdventures]

Don’t use puppy pads! They can be dangerous

[@glendawallace6423]

I am so glad that Nails is doing so well! You did an awesome job with him Scotty. I just adopted another female guinea pig for my first female. Both pigs are so happy. I love them both. I use fleece on both of them

[@kirstybroens4456]

Thanks a lot, Scottie 🙂👍 I am a newby piggy adopter, and I opted for bath towels at the base of the C & C cage (8 x 4) for our 2 boys (Bernard and Dougal), with the top layer covered with standard fleece blankets where I bought either on Ebay or the Marketplace on FB. I appreciate the 'proper' fleece bedding loks very good but as I have had no problem with what I am using, I will not invest in the ready made waterproof fleece bedding, specifically for piggies. I have found that the cat carrier (that we adopted them with, and kept for them) is one of the primary locations for peeing, along with a corner cat litter tray. They do also pee at the sides of the cage a little, and I am sure as they have a large space this helps with them not getting damp from their pee. I make sure to check twice daily, when picking up poo, to check for damp patches, and make sure to clean out the cat carrier and litter tray, putting fresh hay in.

[@user-go8ey6gp8b]

HINT: I use the kitchen mats that are for the dishes to put on to dry they work really good and are nice and soft and come in all colors!..easy to hand/machien wash (in a bag) and cheap! I still put some cardboard under or kitchen paper. I Looked at fleece specially made for GUINEAS they are crazy expensive! I am guinea sitting for my grand daughter all the time they have only a small house..but the girls..(marshmallow and rainbow😁) go out in the grass everyday for hours so it is only for night time.

[@talithacumi8034]

There is Hemp shavings as well and works well. I use a combination of 3. Mostly kiln dried pine. But also use Aspen and Hemp to give variety to Gizmo's surroundings.

[@amusementsrevisited]

We have 3 GP’s and a C&C cage with the same bedding combo as Piggy Smalls & Nails and it works perfectly for us all. It means I can do spot poop cleans twice a day and then a full clean once a week. Also as the piggies are indoor ones, it really works to keep the room they’re in smelling nice and fresh. Great video Scott! 👍

[@meatballthehammy7410]

LOL when you said how fleece can become an addiction I immediately thought of SkinnyPigs1😂😂😂 she’s the fleece queen

[@jordancorner9585]

I have only recently discovered your channel and I love it, it's so informative and your love for the piggies is so evident its brilliant. We use fleece and have found it works best for our furry potatoes, u were right about it being an addiction to, I spend more time picking out which piggie fleece design I'm going for then what I'm going to wear ☺️☺️

[@stanleeajrdabeatles1523]

Thank you so much for these videos you make! Guinea pigs are so underrated and thought of as just a beginner pet. Not enough people post videos about just them.

[@c.v.gonzalez1940]

I want to thank you! I have learned soooo much from you with just two of your videos. I love how you explain everything. Thank you! 🙂

[@emilymerriken4826]

I started my piggies with fleece but switched to carefresh when my piggies developed sores all over their feet. However, it seems I shouldn't have been using regular fleece! I did all this research and it broke my heart to move them to carefresh, but it seems there is a better type of fleece to use for them. I wish I knew this sooner! Also haven't used pine in years because I was told about the upper respiratory thing as well and always believed it.

[@monkeylady54]

Where do u buy the special fleece for Guinea pigs?

[@ravensluna]

I don't know how available it is from country to country but I swap between fleece and Aubiose for Geralt and Vesemir. I used to use Aubiose for my horses too. It doesnt have respiratory effects as far as anyone is aware; great wicking qualities where any wet will sink to the lower layers leaving the top fresh and dry. Doesn't get stuck in fur and is so easy to spot clean. In the UK it's usually around £11 for a 25kg bale

[@daphnerandolph6084]

I have a skinny and a pig with hair. So fleece is really my only option. I'm lucky and they both are litter box trained which i use paper pellets for . Accidents happen on the fleece but for the most part it stays very clean.

[@ladyfay7589]

OMG!! I LOVE their names!!! I have learned so much watching these videos! my husband and kids LOVE our piggies! Petco sold us only one piggy and very small cage! We have upgraded her cage and added another piggy after watching these videos!

[@emilyfrancis8243]

Scotty have you heard of hemp bedding? I've tried all the bedding options and it's by far my favorite. $38 for 20 pounds. It's not very potent but very absorbent and it's biodegradable!

[@alexH08108]

Wow sounds very interesting? Going to look into this!

[@darleneb6084]

Is it soft? I was looking at that ..as I have a male pig that eats everything..so I put him on aspen ...

[@courtneywollitz5650]

I LOVE IT TOO, BUT IT IS SO HARD TO FIND.

[@edensmith9199]

I have to use fleece because one of my piggies eats any loose bedding she can get a hold of

[@darleneb6084]

Hi I have just the opposite problem My male pig eats liners :( ..I use the waterproof pee pads ..so now hes on aspen :(

[@nayokacampbell5738]

Gary is so cuuuute he looks like a mini bear

[@ChilupaKing]

I'm really striving to find a middle ground. If want them to be happy fluff potatoes, but I dont want to be messy, tired or money stricken. I actually find it fun trying to test what works and doesnt work. Thank you for your advice

[@tamarafjsulzbach3647]

I love watching you with the piggies. Your ideas are very helpful. I use the crumpul up newspaper which is too expensive. So I will layer it with wee wee pads in corners and the shavings you said that were better for absorption and smell.

[@frankiecarea4602]

Scottie this was helpful. I didn't know there was a difference in fleece. I have 5 guinea pigs. Usually buy blankets at the good will and cut them in small pieces for the cages. I throw them out every few days if they get wet. I can't wash them in my washer where I do my clothes and kitchen towels. Thank you. Love your show

[@claudieC.]

I use cotton towels on the first floor where they have their beds they don't pee there . I use noodle mats as their beds under their wooden huts. They do pee there. Noodle mats are so absorbant. On the the loft I use noodle mats on top of adult incontinent human washable pads. They come in several sizes. I also have a potty bin they pee there too, that has kiln dried wood shavings. I also have a tray where I place the hay and under the hay I put the kiln dried wood shavings to catch and obsorb pee. I get the gigantic bag of kiln dried wood shaving at Walmart, its huge, for under 8.00. Lasts several months. I have 2 guinea pigs.

[@HealingAutomatically]

My son's girlfriend helps him buy a guinea pig, and I am in love with it, I just tell my son that he needs to keep it clean if not he has to donated, I know I don't want to do that, but since he brings it, he needs to take responsibility, I gave the piggie food, cilantro kale ect, I love the way he eats it's lovely, I want to get him a playpen to take him out when I am at home, I haven't pick him up yet. Thankyou for all you do I'll be needing advice, God bless!!

[@feemuller7107]

Thank you, this was very informative. I've had pine bedding until now but I'm thinking about changing to fleece because two of my guinea pigs are allergic to the pine shavings. Also, I have a 5m² cage (~53,8196 square feet) and I spend around 60€ per month for bedding

[@ScarlettRayvyn]

I've been using store brand paper bedding from Pet Supplies Plus. For some reason you dont get that funky smell that you do with Carefresh. Ive also found that small pet select and oxbow brands paper bedding dont seem to have much of that funky smell typically but pet supplies plus seems best. Definately more expensive though. O want to switch to fleece but seems like more maintenance. And I've found just washing fleece cuddle cups seems like I get too much hair in my washer and dryer. Thanks for the comparison!

[@Die_Schweinchen_vom_Meer]

I tried a few types of bedding and endet up with wood litter because it's absurbed the smell the best. Once a week is cleaning time and it takes 40 Minutes for 2x 4x8. So we are happy with that.

[@dianehilliard9256]

I love fleece-less messy and looks so cheerful.

[@rachcampb]

I've used all sorts of bedding. Started with pine, and used that for a long time, but it does get everywhere. Have also tried some horse bedding called Megazorb, which is like smaller pieces of Carefresh (much, much cheaper though), which was OK, but bits went everywhere like it does with pine. One of the odder ones was a type of litter made with recycled paper called Back 2 Nature, which I got a free sample of, but I thought the pieces were hard, and uncomfy for the pigs to walk on (it's also expensive). More recently I tried puppy pads, which are really easy, but I wonder about the environmental impact of them. Currently using fleece, and am slowly building up a collection - it's nice and soft on little feet, really easy and quick to clean the cage out, and I seem to get more zoomies when the cage is freshly cleaned.

[@deanssavvycavies]

I started out with Carefresh paper bedding but it bothered me that my piggies were walking around on the uneven surface and the funky pee smells didn’t agree with my allergies so we switched to fleece soon after...it’s much easier to keep cage clean and kinder to Josie & Fuzzy’s is little feet. I lucked out-my girls mostly poop/pee on the extra fleece pee pads I put in the spots where they go naturally. Spot cleaning a couple times a day and layering the various size fleece makes fleece easy to keep cage clean even on a busy human schedule. And oh, the fleece addiction...It’s so fun making & collecting all the fun prints and decorating the cage in themes! Did you ever get around to making fleece with what you picked out from your fleece shopping video? Curious to see what you end up making with it. As always Scotty, it’s nice to see your piggies..love and kisses to your boys! ❤️

[@RmBlRoSe]

What do you do for spot cleaning the fleece?

[@deanssavvycavies]

Rose Tonkin ..sweep up the poops with a cat litter scoop and dust pan. If the fleece has a lot of hay or treats debris sweep with a small dust broom and pan. Sometimes if you catch the piggies peeing you can blot the fleece with a rag or paper towel....very special piggy slave room service!

[@susanbarbella6844]

GuineaDad fleece is great

[@LianneLohnes]

Ahahahaha, Ha, Hah, Scott; I LEUVE @14:14 When You Go: "Now, I'm Not Just SAYING This Because I'm a Bedding SNOB ..."

[@Vanessanavarrovet]

Scotty thank you for all your info, you should recommend people to adopt before buying, we adopt ours just a few days ago from the local shelter 💫

[@ScottysAnimals]

I hope you will hit the subscribe button and watch my videos when they come out I say it almost on repeat adopt don't shop! I am a volunteer at the Los Angeles Guinea Pig rescue myself. Welcome to my channel

[@CapysGardenShop]

i use both fleece & pine at the same time! mom of 3 kids, 2 dogs, had 3 now down to 1 pig...i’ve tried it all in 5 yrs piggie life & if anyone wants to know more, i’m happy to share or make a video. i’ve figured out the most affordable solutions as well! ☺️ (i was 12 when i started w/ piggies)

[@helgal.rodriguez2186]

I'm planning to have my first piggy but I'm not sure what bedding is better to start and also I'm trying to choose the right cage for the new member of the family. Due to is my first time , I'm searching all the information a Icould get to learn and get the right care knowledge. I would be more than halpy if you coulde give your tips , your care list , or even how to wash the fleece liners ( kind of soap...), or combine pine shaving and fleece, etc...

[@lebe9993]

My pigs live on fleece and it works great! Because they don’t sleep in the same spot every time the fleece dries in between and they stay dry. I have a little area with paper bedding with their food and hay but am not a big fan because it clumps together when wet. I will definitely try the pine shavings in the future. Awesome video!

[@bryguy7304]

What fleece did you get? My parents don't really like the idea of my piggies, so im trying to find something cheap but any suggestions help.

[@owengreen696]

I’ve been using paper bedding for about 1 year and it’s really expensive and just started to use a carefresh mix of paper and pine shavings and I’m excited

[@angierobertson2907]

So far Peach and Teddy are on pine shavings. Would like to try the fleece. Maybe make some. When Teddy zooms it’s like snowing shavings. LOL

[@cazadoo339]

Megazorb and plenty of Timothy hay for my 2 boars, the paper works great clumps together when wet, changes colour so I can see when it needs spot cleaning

[@lisalindberg726]

I prefer Aspen but will use kiln dried pine I find they have the best odor control and it is important to spot clean frequently no matter what type of bedding you use

[@loshorts7623]

Omg you are the sweetest man alive

[@pepcaladno6251]

I use fleece because I and my bf agreed that we don't want pine shavings all over our apartment. We had guinea pigs before and it always was a very big issue for us. Happy to use fleece, piggies love it.

[@kayleesanchez1067]

I’ve been doing this for about two years you can use dish dying mats where they pee!! Cheap at the dollar store

[@eileenaguilar7071]

Hey that's not a bad idea. Thanks!

[@rubyisabel7634]

Kaylee Sanchez super clever, thanks!

[@angiemangin1032]

We use these as well. get a 2 pack at Marshalls or Homegoods for around 4.00

[@dominiquemace6543]

I use fleece and my piggies never smell pee. I do my fleece myself and it isn't exactly the same process. I put a foam layer between two slices of fleece which is no absorbant at all. Under my fleece liners I put an absorbant material. Sometimes I only have to change this absorbant material. I do spot cleaning twice a day and the whole cage twice a week. A lot of laundry but great fun and not expensive and. no waste either. OLD FRENCH LADY