1. Fleece: Fleece bedding is soft, comfortable, and absorbent. It’s also reusable, which can save you money in the long run. Fleece bedding requires regular washing and may need to be replaced if it becomes too worn out. Many Guinea Pig owners struggle with cleaning fleeces. The hay and waste material clogs the washing machine and creates a second cleaning process. Odour control is not good either and the labour can really outweigh the benefits. Also, there is always a question on what is safe to wash the fleeces with, chemical cleaners causing another concern for the health of the Guinea Pigs. One minute you have a tidy enclosure with clean fleeces that you have worked hard on but the record breaking pellet makers are quick to ruin all your efforts!
2. Paper-based bedding: This bedding is made from recycled paper and is often sold in compressed blocks. Paper bedding is absorbent, dust-free, and easy to clean. It’s also affordable and readily available. Paper is not the best for odour control. Also be careful with the type of paper as newspaper or printed paper can be toxic.
3. Aspen wood shavings: Aspen wood shavings are a popular option because they are absorbent, non-toxic, and have a pleasant scent. They are also a good choice for guinea pigs with respiratory issues because they produce less dust than other types of wood shavings.
4. Hay: Hay can be used both as bedding and as a source of food for guinea pigs. It’s absorbent and comfortable for them to nest in. However, it can be messy, and some guinea pigs may be allergic to it. Guinea Pigs love hiding in the hay mounds so add hay generously and clean regularly.
5. Pellets: Pelleted bedding is made from compressed wood or paper fibers and can be a good option for guinea pigs that like to chew on their bedding. It’s absorbent, and easy to clean. However, it can be more expensive than other options. Also, it’s worth noting if you want an environmentally friendly bedding to make a pellet requires the material to be dampened and then dried off. The drying process that requires artificial heat is not environmentally friendly even if the pellet is made of recycled material.
6. Ecoshred Bed shredded Cardboard. Is made from factory rejected egg cartons (that have never had eggs in them). Ecoshred Bed is Soft, Warm, Absorbent, Sterile, Low in Dust and very easy to clean with long periods in between cleaning. It is fully recycled and environmentally friendly as well as totally compostable so it can be put straight into your food bin. If you want to use it again you can even grow delicious greens for your pet from the used bedding, see here to see how to do this: https://ecoshredbed.com/how-to-grow-greens-for-your-pet/. Taking in all these factors the Big Bale at 18 Kilos is also great value.
