# Bedding question?



## OllieTheHedgie (Aug 4, 2012)

My parents no longer want me to wash ollie's fleece blankets in our washer and dryer. My dad is threatening to make me give Ollie away if we don't switch his bedding. What is some other hedgie safe bedding I could use other then fleece? I still want it to be comfortable and some what soft! thank you


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## alexvdl (Dec 19, 2012)

They don't want you to use fleece specifically, or any fabric that needs the washer/dryer? Why? 

You can always go with kiln dried pine bedding. That's what we got Reginald in from the breeder. There is a concern with mites, but two ways around that are to purchase your bedding from a Tractor Supply or similar store where they don't keep animals, or to freeze the bedding overnight to kill mites before you put it in their cage.


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## Avarris (Dec 3, 2012)

This is my suggestion for you. Talk to your parents about the pros and cons and see what kind of compromise you can come up with. Here's a short pro/con list for you to highlight some key points..These are just *my* opinions, but I find that people tend to be more receptive when you are organized, especially when it comes in terms of cost effectiveness:

FLEECE: Pros:

Easy To Clean
Inexpensive 
Doesn't need replaced frequently due to wear
Doesn't need to be treated for mites prior to use (although I'd still recommend washing it)

Cons:
You have an extra load of laundry to do increasing water/electricity costs by a few cents
When you DO replace the fleece, cutting it down to size takes some time
When you do replace fleece, picking a print or solid color can be difficult. :lol: (okay that one not so serious)
If not changed or cleaned regularly, it can smell funky.
Risk of incurring a vet bill due to mites is substantially reduced.

Pine Bedding: Pros:
Easy to clean
Easy to Get Rid of
Um... I'm working on that part. (Again this is MY opinion. Not knocking anyone who choses to use it, I chose not to use pine shaveings for cost effectiveness on my part... and fleece prints are cuter IMO)

Cons:
While initially inexpensive, consistantly having to buy new bedding weekly or monthly adds up.
Recommend treating it for mites prior to use in your cage by freezing.
If you have carpet, every time you clean your cage, or take your hedgie out for play time, you will have to vacuum, and you might get all the shavings up, increasing your electricity usage a few cents.
You have to store it in a bag that can be spilled or buy something small enough to freeze overnight, or a rubbermaid or storage. Using valuable space in your freezer, whether its the one in your kitchen or the big freezaer in the garage.
If you forget to treat for mites and you ended up with a bag that has mites, you now have a vet visit to pay for, as well as medication to treat for mites.

Since they don't want you using the washer and dryer, the other option is to wash your fleece by hand and hang dry it. Its a little more time consuming but its a win/win. You still get to use the fleece, and you aren't using their washer and dryer.


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## meggles1410 (Jun 18, 2012)

I'm having the same problem with caspa, but its more odor control but I recomend this if they sell it were you are.

http://www.finacard-uk.com/index.php?ma ... 51898a9ib5


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## meggles1410 (Jun 18, 2012)

I'm thinking of moving both of my hogs on to that from liners x


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## alex_le_renar (Feb 21, 2011)

I have used a similar product with finacard, suggested by Loki's mom here and it is perfect!
Marquis de Sade can dig and hide in it and he still has two or three smaller fleece blankets to cover up if he wants. 
He smells much less than he used to and it does not get stuck in his quills or anything. 
I also checked his skin for irritations. Nothing.
I had to change his fleece liners daily as he is an extremely messy and active guy and if I didn't the whole house stank of ammonia, so I guess he was breathing it too and that can't be healthy!
I have been using this cardboard bedding for 3 weeks (changing it out every 3 days or so, even though it did not smell) and I do not think I am going back 

(still, keep in mind that fleece liners remain the cheapest options. Also, make sure that your hedgie is not interested in eating it))


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## OllieTheHedgie (Aug 4, 2012)

Thanks guys!

They don't want me using Fleece because Ollie poops A LOT and even after shaking it multiple times outside it still gets poop in our washer and my mom finds it very gross.

I live in the USA so sadl that product isnt sold here.

does anyone know where I could get something like this? http://www.finacard-uk.com/index.php?ma ... 51898a9ib5


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## ponylover317 (Nov 20, 2012)

OllieTheHedgie said:


> My parents no longer want me to wash ollie's fleece blankets in our washer and dryer. My dad is threatening to make me give Ollie away if we don't switch his bedding. What is some other hedgie safe bedding I could use other then fleece? I still want it to be comfortable and some what soft! thank you


If its fleece that your parents don't want, I use vellux, a soft type of thread-less blanket. It's a little more pricy and you should ONLY use it if your hedgie is co pearly potty trained, but if you can't use fleece, it's great! Plus it doesn't ever have piling or occasional loose threads. Just make sure when you use it that the top layer is never ripped, exposing the foam layering underneath. So as long as your hedgie is potty trained and NOT a digger, it's great, and won't clog up your washing machine or anything...

If its the money your parents are worried about, offer to pay them like 25¢ every time you wash your hedgehogs stuff. Even though this is much more than it will cost on the electric/water bill, they will probably appreciate you trying to help


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## OllieTheHedgie (Aug 4, 2012)

ponylover317 said:


> OllieTheHedgie said:
> 
> 
> > My parents no longer want me to wash ollie's fleece blankets in our washer and dryer. My dad is threatening to make me give Ollie away if we don't switch his bedding. What is some other hedgie safe bedding I could use other then fleece? I still want it to be comfortable and some what soft! thank you
> ...


The problem isn't cost. The problem is when I wash his blankets even after shaking it multiple times (ollie isn't potty trained so its all over) it still leaves poop sometimes in the washer and it grosses her out.


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## ponylover317 (Nov 20, 2012)

OllieTheHedgie said:


> ponylover317 said:
> 
> 
> > OllieTheHedgie said:
> ...


Ahh, I would go with soft aspen shavings


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## Katis228 (Aug 19, 2012)

if the issue is the poop, you could handwash the fleece initially using water with a bit of vinegar in it to get the worst of it out. 

You probably do this already, but every morning I make sure to pick up all the little bits of poo that Mal tracks around her cage and place it in her litter box for disposal later. That way, there are no huge chunks of poo when it does come time to wash the liner. When I do a load of hedgie fleece I make sure to add 1/2 cup of vinegar (cheap, natural disinfectant, and natural fabric softener). I also make sure to put the liners through an extra rinse in the washer to get the last of the vinegar smell out. Works like a charm for me


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I like the handwashing idea, but if you absolutely have to switch, I would go with a pelleted wood bedding if you can't find a Finacard substitute. Shavings would have a small chance of getting caught in his privates, so pelleted would probably be a bit safer. Carefresh is an option too, nice and soft, but can be especially messy with how light it is, and gets stuck in their quills too. And whichever bedding you end up choosing, make sure you put it in the freezer at least overnight before using it, since wood beddings and Carefresh can all have mites in them. You'll still want to keep an close eye on him for signs of mites even with freezing it.


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

I have 8 hedgies on liners that are made with flannel on the top and fleece on the bottom and I have never found any poop in my washer. The poop doesn't stick to the flannel as bad as it does to the fleece so I just use a papertowel to brush it off the liners. None of my hedgies are litter trained.


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## momIImany (Oct 14, 2012)

I would just do the small fleece laundry load myself instead of having mom do it - then do a small "no laundry" load to wash out the washing machine of poo and quills. You can then inspect it yourself and mom won't get grossed out!
Voila - problem solved.


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## OllieTheHedgie (Aug 4, 2012)

momIImany said:


> I would just do the small fleece laundry load myself instead of having mom do it - then do a small "no laundry" load to wash out the washing machine of poo and quills. You can then inspect it yourself and mom won't get grossed out!
> Voila - problem solved.


I always wash his stuff myself. She just isn't comforable with it in there anymore because it gets very messy. But I will try and convince her if I try the free wash after. But I do always wash his stuff myself.


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