What kind of bedding should I use?

The bedding you use depends on what works best for your guinea pigs and your lifestyle.

Fleece bedding (this is what I use!)

Fleece bedding works by allowing liquid to pass through the first fleece layer and being absorbed into the middle layer, leaving a dry surface for your guinea pigs to walk on. It is able to be washed in your washing machine and reused. This makes fleece more affordable in the long run, but it does have a large upfront cost as fleece bedding can be expensive. Although, you can DIY guinea pig fleece bedding.

With fleece bedding, you will need to spot clean poop once a day to manage the smell. It should be changed every 4-5 days. Although with spot cleaning and extra layers on top, it can be used for up to a week before changing. Skinny pigs must live on fleece.

Pros of fleece bedding

Reuseable, Soft for piggy feet, will not irritate guinea pigs’ respiratory systems, easily customize your cage themes/colors,

Cons of fleece bedding

Large upfront cost, daily spot cleaning, washer/dryer access, fur/hay sticks to fleece, potential to smell

Disposable bedding

Guinea Pig disposable bedding works by absorbing liquid. It can be cleaned once a week.

Safe guinea pig disposable bedding

Kiln-dried pine (air dried pine is not the same)

Aspen

Dust-free paper crumbles

Paper pellets (double check that there is no baking soda in it.)

Unsafe guinea pig disposable bedding

Pine (air dried pine still contains phenols which causes respiratory and liver issues)

Cedar (contains phenols which causes respiratory and liver issues)

Sawdust (Easy to breathe in. Causes respiratory issues)

Shredded paper/newspaper (Doesn’t absorb enough liquid + ink could be harmful)

Cat litter (lots of dust + baking soda + chemicals = bad for guinea pigs)

Pros of disposable bedding for guinea pigs

Fresh smell, Inexpensive, easy to clean

Cons of disposable bedding for guinea pigs

Buying bags of bedding every month gets expensive over time, incorrect type of bedding can cause respiratory issues, can be kicked out of cage and get stuck in carpet, will stick to any fleece hideys in cage

Learn more about bedding and what works for your lifestyle.