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cleaning hutches out

**Bonnie**

Mama Doe
Hi all,

I usually clean out Alfie's hutch on a Sat morning at 8am - It was still damp at 6.00!!!

I know there is prob no answer to this question, but with the current weather, how can you get hutches to dry quicker??

Saturday is going to be freezing and the hutch will never dry!

I have a hutch that i put in a run that he stays in all day while the hutch is drying but i usually go out on a Sat night, plus its not that strong!

any ideas?? what do you all do>??

Thanks

Bonnie
 
DURING COLD , BAD DRYING WEATHER OUR HUTCHES GET EMPTIED , SCAPED AND THEN LIGHTLY SPRAYED WITH DISINFECTANT RATHER THAN BEING SCUBBED OUT AND WET THROUGH . THAT WAY THE BUNS CAN GO STRAIGHT BACK IN .

ANGIE
 
Thanks - where do you get spray disinfectant from??

And what about the wet patches where they have wee'd??

Thanks so much
 
could you not put a litter tray in the hutch? we did this when we had thumper

we use keep it clean disinfectant

lisa
 
Code:
could you not put a litter tray in the hutch? we did this when we had thumper

he wees in 3 different places..i have a litter tray on one of the areas but he keeps missing it slightly!

Alison....a hairdryer - did you just plug it to an extension lead them?? maybe i'll give it a go - knowing me will prob end up electricuting myself :lol:
 
Could you dry the hutch out thoroughly one 'warm' day cover the floor with lino, then you can just rince and wipe dry. Using a litter tray in the offending corner certainly will help keep everything so much cleaner.

Janice
 
Please don't electrocute yourselves :shock: :roll:

I think the solution in this weather is not to get the hutch that soggy in the first place. You could varnish the floor (stops water/wee soaking in so can be wiped dry) or line the hutch with lino again so it can be wiped dry.

Tam
 
Hi thanks..

Maybe i'll get some lino!

I am also limited and only have sat and sun to clean out as i work all week, and according to the weather forecast its going to snow on sat!!

I am interested in where this sprayed disinfectant comes from though!
 
Or get a bigger litter tray. Amber has a large cat litter tray, it nearly fills up one side of the hutch but she enjoys sitting in it munching hay. I clean it out every other day so its nice and dry to sit in. She does most of her wee and poo when she's out in the garden :roll:
 
Most pet stores sell animal cage discinfectant. For those people who have large numbers of animals, particualry like those in the rescue situation where turnover is great, it is necessary to use a stronger discinfectant you can either get from a vet or on line. This is usually mixed up and placed in one of those spray bottles.

Janice
 
Most pet stores sell animal cage discinfectant. For those people who have large numbers of animals, particualry like those in the rescue situation where turnover is great, it is necessary to use a stronger discinfectant you can either get from a vet or on line. This is usually mixed up and placed in one of those spray bottles.

Thanks Janice!
My last hutch had a plastic sliding tray was sooo much easier!
 
hi

All Benny has in his hutch is an underbed box with sides about 7" high, 2foot x16" or so - in the 'bedroom' of the hutch - the rest of the hutch is bare and just needs a sweep of the bits of hay he drops.

He did miss the litter tray once, when I put soooo much hay in it last week to keep him warm - but I didn't bother washing that one spill - it really doesn't matter (well it had better not matter, since Tia spots it all over my living room carpet - ahh I love scented candles!)

My guinea pigs indoor hutches are lined half way up the walls with fablon (sticky backed plastic from DIY or Wilkinsons) - I stuck it going partly over the floor, then did the floor on top of that, so it's really easy to clean - I just spray it with a mix of 10% bleach and water, which I make up in a plant spray bottle (Wilkinsons again) - leave it to soak for 15 mins to kill all mites and viruses - get a bowl of hot soapy water and a flannel and rinse off the bleach a couple of times, then dry with another flannel - it works great - You need to stick the fablon up the walls first because otherwise the wee will just soak the wall and seep onto the floor that way.
 
I have started using shavings because of the still damp hutches. During the summer when they can dry out completely I only use hay, but the shavings soak up the excess moisture so the hay doesn't get ruined straight away. It also adds a layer of insulation. The rabbits who will use litter trays without banging them about all night have them, the noisy whatsits who like rearranging their hutches have soggy patches :roll:
 
I use the puppy pads you can get from most pet shops. They are really absorbent and Amy always has a dry hutch :) She does have a litter tray but always misses!! I line my litter trays with these too as much easier to clean + keeps the trays cleaner. They aren't that cheap but are brill in terms of keeping things cleaner and drier!!

I use Ark-Klens to disinfect the hutches. http://www.noahs-cupboard.co.uk/detail.asp?catno=4&pnum=A2A5B
Very good and gets rid of any nasties!!

Nicola
 
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