Tile vs shavings

[Encantadora]

If these were your options to use, which would you do? A pan with shavings or tile in the cage bottom? Why?

 

[ChinnyMom]

i would use both, as in tile for the floor of the cage and a small litter pan with shavings. if using just tile, there is nowhere for pee to soak up and your chins would most likely be sitting in it at some point, plus it could run off the edge of the tile and out of the cage if near an edge, making a gross mess on the floor (i have carpet under my chin's cage, that would be disgusting! lol).

 

[JodiO]

I also would use both. Given a glass pyrex pan w/ shavings, my boys will use it 75% of the time. The other 25% of the time it would be easy clean up!

 

[ticklechin]

I have tile on all shelves and a potty box with shavings. I LOVE tile, you can clean it easy and no more stained shelves, no more sanding.

 

[Encantadora]

So I guess so far it's tile with a litter box (forgot to mention that would be necessary) over something like bass pans and shavings.

 

[ChinnyMom]

why not fleece liners with a litter box? or are you trying to stay away from fleece for a certain reason?

 

[Encantadora]

I've been doing fleece but may try something different. Fleece and Pyrex pans have been a lot of work. I don't think they're going in the pans 100% and the fleece has to be washed almost daily.

 

[fanofdmb84]

I have tile with litter boxes. However one of my girls won't use the box, so her cage has a fleece liner over the tile, but its still easy cleanup.

 

[Encantadora]

I switched to litter in the bass pans plus litter boxes with old pee and no smell after two days yet. The old way had the girls smelling. The boys were better and are still on fleece.

 

[Encantadora]

So I just went back to fleece. My chins like it better and they promised to start using their litter pans. I may add extra tile though as summer heads here.

 

[StevieP]

Hey Dawn - Do your chins chew on the tiles that are on ledges? I am afraid to tile ledges because I think they would chew the tiles and eat it.

 

[Twilight Chinchillas]

What do you use for the tiles to adhere to the shelves? Do you grout them like you would a normal tile floor? I have tons of left over ceramic tile from a kitchen remodel.
Also, the potty box, do you only have shavings in this so they will use as a bathroom? Details!

 

[ticklechin]

The tile was glued down with liquid nail, the grout is kitchen grout. Here is a picture of the bottom and the potty box

The chins have the pine around the edges to chew if they want, but they don't and in my old cages they did not touch the tile.

 

[Twilight Chinchillas]

This would save me a ton of money in not having to purchase so much pine shavings! I just picked up a melamine cage from someone on Craigslist that needs a bit of remodeling,and I'm totally going to do this! Thanks so much Dawn! Awesome cages.

 

[Olallie]

How do you get the shavings out of the potty box, it looks like its could be a long reach?

 

[ticklechin]

The cage is 24in deep, I use the shop vac to suck them out along with the hay and poo in the rest of the cage. The big door makes it easy to clean.

 

[Twilight Chinchillas]

I've taken over hubby's chop saw, band saw, drill press, and now on my list tile cutter! Your Awesome Dawn! He didn't even ask this time, just shook his head. I think the chins get more done on their cages, than my husband does to our own house! Maybe I'll move up to carpenter status after getting used to the power of the tools!!!

 

[rainey]

I use both tile and shavings in my cage that has a wire floor. But man am I jealous of your pictures, Dawn! My tile is definitely not grouted or glued down; I have to take each piece out to wash/clean and a lot of poo/hay falls through the cracks.

I'm also still working on potty training them...