Underlays

What type of bedding do you use for your cage pets to help with odor?

I'm going to get a guinea pig but I've heard they naturally stink. Like even if you clean their cage once a week, they reek. But I asked a few people and they said it depends on what type of bedding you use and recommended not use cedar because it holds odor. She said to use something called simple green bedding but I cannot find that. What do you recommend?

Public Comments

1. Well, I used CareFresh bedding and it never smelled too bad... but that was for my hamster. so for guinea pigs... I don't know
2. Never use pine or ceder bedding for rodents, that is how my guinea pig died. Use a pine and ceder free scented bedding. At pet stores they have a brand with different scents. Lavender is a popular one.
3. Guinea pig bedding is a difficult subject b/c while one bedding might smell better, it isn't always better for your guinea pig. Since guinea pig are especially prone to respiratory problems, any bedding with dust isn't the best, but this can be a difficult problem b/c bedding is SO expensive and budgets are especially tight for everyone right now. Plus, guinea pigs poo and pee SOOOO much that they use a LOT of bedding. I fight the most economical, time saving for cleaning purposes, and smell is to use a combo of wood chips like pine shavings with fleece. Fleece makes a great bedding b/c you can just wash it. You can use a fleece blanket or buy a pet rug at you local store usually which is fleece that can be cut to fit your cage size and is quite literally a rug. It is also washable. Fleece lets the pee soak right through to keep guinea pigs clean and dry. The poo just stays on top and is quickly and easily collected once or twice daily to clean the cage VERY quickly compared to the digging through loads of bedding for the poop and having to remove wet bedding. However, since the fleece allows the pee to go straight though, you have to have something beneath to effectively absorb the pee. Newspaper alone doesn't do the job, towels work but don't dry much or absorb smells much. The best I have found is a layer of newpapers or potty/training pads, top that with a layer of pine shavings or other bedding of choice (I like pine best b/c it smells good and absorbs well, even though pine isn't the bedding of choice for guinea pigs this is b/c of the oils on it and since it will be under the fleece it will be ok b/c it won't be touching your pig and they won't breathe the dust since it is under the fleece however you still shouldn't use cedar b/c this is still too strong of fumes), you should top the wood shavings with a single layer of paper towels to prevent the fleece from sticking to the wood shavings. Every few days I look under the fleece and throw out soaked areas of wood shavings and replace them with fresh ones and then put the fleece back. Once a week I redo it all. This will save you some money and time since you can wash it and you don't have to use as much bedding and you don't have to dig through all the bedding daily for poo and pee spots. The best regular beddings are Eco bedding that is only recycled paper and has NO dust, but this is very expensive.
4. well i have wood shavings and i cant smell anything at all with wood shavings so i would use that myn dont seem unhappy with wood shavings and the good thing is you only have to change the cage every 2 weeks
5. Carefresh Ultra bedding is what I use for my two hamsters. Guinea pigs don't naturally stink...their pee and poop is what smells, and if you don't clean their cage it smells simple as that
6. never use the green chlorophyll or cedar. They are toxic to all rodents and causes liver/lung/kidney damage. Use only white pine. I have been a cavy breeder for 25 yrs and show the cavies. This is common knowledge with experienced cavy breeders. Go on our website and look around. ACBA=american cavy breeders association.
7. I havent' found a bedding that really takes care of the odor that well, so I found something that really really helped. Go out and get a couple of the FRIDGE-IT activated carbon odor absorbers - little purple carbon odor absorber - not the imitations. costs around $3 dollars each and clip onto cage. Totally unscented so it actually eliminates odor rather than covering up with some nasty fragrance. I've used these for worst smells including spoiled fish in car . litter box and for closets, fridge etc. they are FANTASTIC> No spills or chemicals to worry about. You can buy these in kitchen gadget stores or just go direct which is what I do - contact them at customerservice@innofresh.com and ask for order form. You get it right away. I also heard that they have a pet odor absorber, so I probably will also try it. Definitely the way to go. try it. Good luck