choices, choices, and more choices - 2007/04/16 11:46Ok, so, I am soon to be getting my first hedgie and have heard pros and cons about almost every type of bedding or liner conceivable. I am hoping to maybe use a combination. So, here is my plan. I want to line the bottom of the cage with velour and/or fleece pieces cut to fit. Then I was thinking of sprinkling a thin layer (about 1/2 and inch) of kiln dried pine shavings over the liner, with a small mound of it in one area foir the hedgie to root around in. I will then be putting a litter pan in the corner to encourage "using it" in one spot. The laundry issue wouldn't be much of a problem. My family has several dogs who sleep on various blankets, so we end up doing a load of "animal only" items about 2 times a week. Does anyone think that this may be a good idea, or if not, how would you improve on it. I just want something that's not too hard to clean and that can keep the hoglet happy.I love my baby Emma!
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Knitzel
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Posts: 76
Re:choices, choices, and more choices - 2007/04/16 11:58I would advise against the fleece under the shavings idea--fleece is like a magnet for shavings, and I don't think you really need both. I've been switching out my bedding as it runs out, to see which my hedgie likes best.
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hedgiesteph619
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Posts: 88
Re:choices, choices, and more choices - 2007/04/16 13:51Other than shavings, are there any other materials that you guys have found the hedgies like to root around in? I think I like the idea of using liners for the cage but I would still like to give something for the hedgehog to play in.I love my baby Emma!
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danapie
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Posts: 20
Re:choices, choices, and more choices - 2007/04/17 13:36I would suggest using cloth linners. You can make them yourself or buy them (some breeders sell them, for ideas check out www.freewebs.com/hedgiedelight and check out the cage linner section) Then you could get a igloo and either but a sleep sack in it for your hedgie with a few hedgei sized blankies or ive heard of people also using strips of polar fleece for a bed and place to burrow. I feel that the cage liners are the most easy to clean (just through in washer) and also have a less chance of introducing mites to your hedgie (always a possility when using beddings/shavings).
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zorra578
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Posts: 405
Re:choices, choices, and more choices - 2007/04/17 14:58I would stay away from products such as Yesterday's News since I've seen and heard horror stories about the things found in it (staples, plastic pieces, plastic plug shaped pieces, sharp pieces of metal). I've also heard of Carefresh? I think it is, the one with the fluffy paper chunks being a possible choking hazard.
I've heard decent things about Aspen and Hemp bedding, and I'm currently using hemp which seems to be working out fine for the time being.Jessica Des Plaines, IL
Used towel... make sure there are no threads or lose things where you're hog can get stuck too...
That used towel should cover the entire bottom of the cage.
Then take 2 shoe boxes, combine them to make one.
In the shoe box, put ASPEN SHAVINGS (I do not recommend pine) On the aspen shavings, put the wheel.
Put his sleeping place on the towel.
THe hog will never poo on the towel... because he knows better.
He will poo on the wheel or right next to it.
So cleanup is take the wheel out, take the shoe box out, empty and refill.
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RobinLee06
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Posts: 46
Re:choices, choices, and more choices - 2007/04/17 19:44I would like to find that hedgehog that "knows better than to poop on a towel"! - lol. My Snowflake used to be like that, but her daughters do not seem to have her good sense of cleanliness! Robin
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Peppersmama
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Posts: 129
Re:choices, choices, and more choices - 2007/04/18 18:53There are hedgehogs that don't just poo wherever they want?!?!? Actually Pepper is fairly litter trained. We use yesterdays news and haven't experienced any issues...best thing we've tried that works for both us and Pepper. A little pricey, but smell fresh 10x longer, isn't really dusty, doesn't need washing, no allergies to it, and doesn't stick to clothing and scatter around the house as much. He used the tray under his wheel until we got him a new cage....then it took about 3-4 days for him to remember what the tray was for again....It's a personal preference go for what works best for you and your prickly friend! JUST DON'T USE CORNCOB!!! That is a horror story if anything is!
Annette
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I have not seen him poop in ... maybe 2 weeks to a month !!
ANd I see him regularly, every night at around 7:30 to 10pm (about 30 min to an hour average)
He has not pooped on me in god knows how long. Has not pooped anywhere outside of his cage... actually yes, on my bed while I was letting sleep in an almost empty clenex box... (got out of his temp bed to poop outside of sleeping quarters would be my guess)
And I know he does poop all the time... his wheel always has some poop. And the shoe boxes have more and more poop...
His den, the towel under it... nothing... and its been about a week.
I am happy
Today, I gave him his first bath. No he did not enjoy it. The container is not high, he was trying to escape, I pushed him back in
I put him in the towel, while I put more water in the container.... he escaped the towel, hid under a table, and to show me his appreciation, he gave me a little bite lol... not hard at all tho...
I got him, contenued the bath (no poop) finished the bath, turned on a heater... now he is taking a nap in my pillow... (After a few mealworm bribes)
Yes I will check my pillow for poop before sleeping.
All in all, I do recommend having a half towel, half shoe box hedgesafe wood shavings with the wheel over it...
But I do understand now, its not the hog that is to be trained, but the master, who must understand the hog...
I started off with full aspen shavings in the entire cage... realized that poop was only around the wheel, nothing around the den... so I adjusted to that and he seems to like it.
Post edited by: PermenentMarker, at: 2007/04/18 20:57
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Skeet11
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Posts: 9
Re:choices, choices, and more choices - 2007/04/20 01:05Ya I too am not sure what kind of liner or bedding I will be using in my hedgehogs cage. At first I just figured I would use some CareFresh bedding but now I'm having second thoughts on maybe using another bedding, or using some vellux blankets. I've heard good things about the vellux blankets and I may go with that.
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