Bedding Emergency--Please Help Me

[jab4307]

Well I know Im new but I guess we all have our problems.

My chins cage needed a good cleaning. The bedding has been in there for alot longer than I would EVER usually allow but because of being sick and missing work my check was alot shorter and I had hopped and I am unable to afford new bedding. I couldnt allow my babies to suffer with that bedding anymore so I took it out. My dilemma- Since I cant afford new bedding...my options are use the only fleece blanket I have to my name-but I dont think I will be able to take it to the laundry mat until I get paid again...so it will have to sit for atleast two weeks...or...use old towels and change them everyday.

I hate this so much and I hate making my chins suffer like this. I honestly only have 2 dollars to my name. My boyfriend is layed off so their is no income from his end.

Please Help!!

 

[threewingedfury]

Why don't you go to a local farm/feed store and get a bag of kiln dried pine bedding? A large bag could last you months on end, and I usually get them for $6 or so and make them last months. Thats probably your cheapest option ATM, considering taking it to the laundrymat is gonna cost just about as much.

 

[jab4307]

I would except when Smokey was little we used the pine from the local farm store and it had tons and tons of maggots in it and Smokey ate some and got so sick! I know things have probably changed but I refuse to ever buy the stuff again.

 

[HaleyGoBoom]

Right now there's not much help I can give you, but in the future you can try litter training your chins. I just put a metal pan full of bedding where he pees and he just started using it and never pees out of it. That way you can save $ on filling up the whole cage.

For now, I'd say use old towels and trade them out like you said, or cut the fleece blanket in half and put a towel in between the two pieces like a liner would be.

 

[addictedtochins]

Our local feedstore lets me pick up the stuff that has fallen on the floor in the indoor haybarn. I use that for bedding. I take it home in a large trashbag. My boys go pee in a litter pan. I guess if you had to you could dig up some dirt in an emergency. You can't keep them in dirty fleece, you could get maggots in dirty bedding. If you don't have enough money to keep them fed and cared for let someone here know (you can PM me if you want) so someone can maybe care for them while it's needed.

 

[jab4307]

As far as food goes...I just got Rocco last month and when I did I bought a ton of food, vitamins, and hay from her so I am good for another month or so. Thank you for caring and for the help. I think I am going to use the towels. If I find they are chewing them I will put the fleece blanket in and I will have to hand wash it.

 

[Chin_Pig]

what about soy based ink newspaper shredded?

i use yesterdays news and that is all it is, just in a pellet form, never had any issues with them eating it or anything

 

[Essentia]

You can use hay if you have a ton of it. If not, you can also use a thin layer of newspaper or paper towels.

 

[oxchincerelyxo]

I wouldn't use regular towels, becuase I've read stories about their toes being caught in the little loops...

why not use the fleece and just hand wash it every couple of days? Lay it out in the sun to dry or hang it some where (fleece drys pretty quickly) and in between cleanings just use some news paper or something.

That's just what I would do. Good luck!

 

[jab4307]

Couldnt they get sick if they eat the paper towel or newspaper and how do I know if the ink is safe. Are you ever worried that the paper used isnt from pine and it could kill them?

I never thought about the loops with the towels...I guess I will use the blanket and I will just have to hand wash it.

 

[aznmexaggie]

I would just use paper towels. That is what I use with chins that are injured or that I need to monitor their urine and poos. It's not pretty but it works.

Also, since you have the fleece, you can just wash the fleece blanket and reuse... and use paper towels in between washings.

 

[Terbear24]

If you have newspaper or paper towels I would definitly go that route for right now. But I just buy the gigantic bags of pine from Tractor Supply company for $5 so that will help you save money!

 

[alli713]

If you wanted to go the fleece route, you could hand wash it yourself at home. Just get a bucket or large bowl and wash it in that.
I've done that in the past when I had an injured chin.
Just take it out, rinse it out well in the sink first to get any extra pee out and then put some laundry detergent in the bucket with hot/warm water. Then wash it by hand. Then rinse it out really well. Then just let it air dry.
So you'd need two blankets though for this to work well so that there's one in there while the other is air drying.

 

[Essentia]

Couldnt they get sick if they eat the paper towel or newspaper and how do I know if the ink is safe. Are you ever worried that the paper used isnt from pine and it could kill them?

I never thought about the loops with the towels...I guess I will use the blanket and I will just have to hand wash it.

Newspaper is now printed with soy based ink and is absolutely fine to use with chins. As for paper towels, they are recommend for sick chins to monitor poo and pee, so I don't see why they should be used with well chins.

 

[jab4307]

Right now i have the blanket in the cage. Thank you all for your help!!

 

[CerLynn]

Sounds like you're set for now... and not to be a downer, but I just thought I'd bring this up. I understand that stuff happens sometimes, especially with the way the economy is right now, but you really should consider saving up for your chin if you haven't already. Emergency vet visits can be very expensive, and I would hate to see you in a position where you can't afford the care if your chin suddenly gets sick.

 

[Zach]

***, I sent you a PM... check your inbox.

 

[cherylslittleangels]

as for the hay that you bought that had maggots in it. Always check the bale, if there are any damp spots or moldy spots, don't get it. Those are usually the ones that could have bugs.