Liners and Bass Pans

[Euphoric]

So I recently moved into a much larger apartment, with one simple sacrifice. I don't have a washer or dryer in unit. I have an on site, but it is inconvenient and I can't just leave the clothes in the washer or dryer.

This has started to complicate washing my fleece liners I have in my FN cage. I tried hand washing, but they still smell and I don't think they are getting as clean. I let them soak, and scrub them, but it isn't working.

I needed to buy a new fleece set anyways, but should I just invest in two bass pans instead of liners?

I have aspen for my snakes and hamster so I could easily just use that with the bass pans.

But I am worried that the smell will be worse than it is with the liners...

Of course i would spot clean and clean every week, but it has been so long since they were on aspen I forget what it was like.

Does anyone have any suggestions or opinions on what I should do?

 

[threewingedfury]

I don't think that you're going to run into more of a smell with aspen or kiln dried pine than with liners. The smell should improve and you should be able to use the shavings longer than you do with each change of liners. Liners do smell much more after a few days, especially if you have more than one chin in a cage together. I think the main purpose of liners was less mess, they're much better looking, and in the end, they're not going to cost as much as buying shavings to throw out. But with every plus, there's always a sacrifice. Have you considered getting a couple of liners and changing them out more often, then having a large load of them to wash at one time instead of a small quick load? I think that would be more convenient than buying the Bass Pans, dealing with shavings, etc.

 

[Stackie]

Like Tiffany said, you'll most likely not have a smell issue. The main reason I switched to liners was the mess and the amount of time it took to clean cages. You'll probably be vacuuming more (shavings kicked onto the floor) and it will take you more time to clean cages.

I have about 4 liners per cage so I don't have to constantly be doing laundry when I need to clean cages.

 

[Euphoric]

I could buy more liners. I guess it is just expense wise. Since I already buy aspen (in bulk) changing it everyweek really would only make a small dent in my supply. Buying 3 more liners is about a $80 expense vs $54 for the two pans.

Thankfully the cage is on wood floors so I can just sweep! lol.

I think I have pretty much made up my mind to go with the pans...I have rabbits and have to clean litterboxes anyways..so a once a week cleanup on 1 FN cage is almost null.

I know I probably will have less of a urine smell, but more of a aspen smell. :/

But I am just really tired of the liners I think...and my chinchillas destroy them.

 

[threewingedfury]

Where are 3 liners $80? That's really expensive for liners.

 

[Dolyphinm]

I personally don't really smell much of that wood smell when I used aspen. Sadly aspen made me really itchy so I am back to pine shavings. I used liners for one chin for a bit and I felt like the shavings did a much better job with urine.

 

[menagerie]

I find there is less odor with aspen than fleece.

 

[SamiJami]

A bit off topic, are you rabbits litter trained?
I use carefresh. I buy 10 60 liter bags from petfooddirect.com. Normally with their coupon, I only spend about $150. It's normally $20-25 per 60 liter bag. So it's a big savings. My chins don't eat it, neither do my rabbits. I think it holds smells better than pine or aspen.

 

[missjess10475]

I could buy more liners. I guess it is just expense wise. Since I already buy aspen (in bulk) changing it everyweek really would only make a small dent in my supply. Buying 3 more liners is about a $80 expense vs $54 for the two pans.

You can make a liner for 5 bucks. I buy fleece for 5 a yard. It's doubled over, so that yard makes one liner. It only takes a few minutes and a sewing machine! I made 12 liners for like 60 bucks.