Spot cleaning wooden shelves

[Chin_Parent]

My new girl Persephone likes to pee on the shelvees in her cage rather than the floor, right now she has plastic shelves that I've covered in fleece, but soon I'm going to get her pine ledges and on the off chance that she continues to pee on the shelves, how do you spot clean them?

From what I've seen people use a mix of vinegar and water, but when you clean them do you have to remove them until they're dry?

If anyone has any other suggestions about now to encourage her to pee in a litter pan or some place that is easier to clean that'd be great. I thought about putting a litter pan on the shelf because she tends to pee in the same place, or possibly making a "urine pad" out of fleece.

 

[Anfsurfer]

I'm so glad you asked this question! I have the same problem with my male chin. He tinkles on the wood shelves and on his wheel. I also would love to hear if there is a way to remedy it.

I have been cleaning up the affected areas with Mango Pet Focus. Then on the weekends when I do my full cage cleaning, I sand down the spots and clean with Pet Focus again. I've heard about people using a vinegar/water mix as well. I have never tried that.

 

[ChinnyMom]

you could sand the shelves down until a clean layer shows. i've read that peroxide will work to clean wood too.

she may be peeing on the shelves because the fleece is there to soak it up. my Rhino never once peed on the bare metal bottom of his old cage, but now will pee on the odd occasion on his fleece liner. my theory is that he knew the pee wouldn't soak into anything on the metal pan, and he knew he'd be stepping/sitting in it if he did pee on the metal. he's never peed on his wood shelves or any other fleece items in his cage (tube/hammock/house, etc).

 

[Chin_Parent]

you could sand the shelves down until a clean layer shows. i've read that peroxide will work to clean wood too.

she may be peeing on the shelves because the fleece is there to soak it up. my Rhino never once peed on the bare metal bottom of his old cage, but now will pee on the odd occasion on his fleece liner. my theory is that he knew the pee wouldn't soak into anything on the metal pan, and he knew he'd be stepping/sitting in it if he did pee on the metal. he's never peed on his wood shelves or any other fleece items in his cage (tube/hammock/house, etc).

Yeah, I thought she might be doing it because of the fleece, but there's a fleece liner in the bottom too, and she seems to ignore it for the most part. I removed the fleece liner on her favorite shelf to wash it and the stinker STILL pees on the bare plastic. I'm hoping that she won't pee on the wood once I get it because that would be a pain, and I'll be using fleece or bedding in a pan (or even a cooling tile where she goes to make it easier to clean from day to day) to try to discourage her/potty train her.

She also gets on her hammock JUST to pee on it. She's a weirdo.

 

[ChinnyMom]

you have yourself a pee monster! lol!

 

[Chin_Parent]

I know right, lol. It drives me crazy because somehow I expect chinchillas to be organized and pick a corner. She's just throwing me for a loop. I love her to bits though.

 

[StevieP]

Peroxide is the best thing i've found to clean up pee stains from pine. It doesn't completely remove the pee stains though. I used to spray the pee spots with peroxide and let it sit for a minute then wipe it up. Now almost all ledges in my cages are tiled so I just have to wipe them down and i'm done.

 

[Twilight Chinchillas]

I dismount the perches, and use peroxide, and sometimes baking soda, and white vinegar for mine.

 

[ticklechin]

I got tired of wood shelves and tiled them, best thing I ever did!

 

[misty]

I'd always read too that they usually pee in one corner, but mine pee everywhere, even on their pillow, which they will still sleep on once it dries.

Dawn, the tile sounds like a good idea! Easier to clean and nice and cool for the chins!

 

[6Dusters]

I have several who pee on the wood ledges. And they switch places as well.:hair: For one group they will pee in the same place and I can use care fresh. I don't have a litter pan. Just put it in the area. The other two are a wreck. I can't use carefresh with them. They eat it.
I clean my ledges and boards with Murphys oil soap. Good old bucket of water/Murphys oil soap. I use just enough to clean but not super soapy. Murphys is vegetable based. Smells good. I don't care if my pine is urine colored. As long as I know its clean.
I do wipe the wood down well with paper towel to dry.
Good luck. It drives me wild too.

 

[Chin_Parent]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. I think I may just put a tile where she pees to ease cleaning. I'm planning on introducing Persephone and Chalupa together, so hopefully that'll work out, because Chalupa likes to pee on shelves too sometimes. :hair: