GliderCENTRAL

CANT GET RID OF THE SMELL!

Posted By: Anonymous

CANT GET RID OF THE SMELL! - 04/08/06 06:17 AM

So im at my wits end guys! I cant seem to get my boys' cage to stop smelling. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crying.gif" alt="" /> Its gotten so bad my roomate is complaining and getting really upset with me! I cant handle it anymore cause i would NEVER get rid of my babies just cause of their smell! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> a little info:
1) i have 2 intact boys
2) I feed them bml and fruits and veggies, every night, and also give them mealies or yogurt. they get small yogies or dried mango for treats every now and again.
3)ive tried completely replacing their pouches, washed everything down(tried it every other week and than twice a week)
4) their cage is pvc coated, with a plastic dropping pan
5) their pouches are made of fleece
6)i put new paper towels in the bottom every day!

Can anyone think of what i can do to cut down on the smells? i hate using air fresheners around them! i think its making it worse! and i cannot afford to get them both neutered this month(due to some serious car problems) but i plan on doing it as soon as possible. PLEASE HELP GUYS! YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE SOME TRICKS UP YOUR SLEEVE FOR CUTTING DOWN THE SMELL!!!

thanks so much everyone
---cass---
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: CANT GET RID OF THE SMELL! - 04/08/06 11:29 AM

How long have you had them? I found that when I got mine they smelled too and I panicked because my husband was not happy! But I did some research and the general finding was the diet plays a big part in keeping the smell down. I find alternating protein sources is good (hard boiled egg some nights, broiled chicken breast, then canned crickets or mealies) also if you clean the cage too abrubtly they will mark and urinate all over to "reclaim" thier space. Try cleaning the bedding one day (I recommend the Care Fresh natural bedding it is all natural and seems to be very absorbant) then wash the pouch in the next few days and don't forget to wipe down the inside of the cage bars as a lot of urine is dropped as they climb around. Hope this helps.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: CANT GET RID OF THE SMELL! - 04/08/06 11:36 AM

I hope the above ideas work for you but I have heard that once you are able to get them neutered that the smell will improve greatly. So hopefully your car can get fixed and then you can be on the road to get your boys neutered. I also wanted to say that I read in another post recently that air freshners and candles were bad for thier respiratory system. HTH! Good Luck <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: myangelbear77

Re: CANT GET RID OF THE SMELL! - 04/08/06 12:34 PM

It can also help to cover the back and sides of the cage if possible. And make sure you remove last nights food dishes first thing in the morning. Also the rule of less cleaning is better. I have 4 intact males together and once we found a happy balance the smell did go down. The care fresh litter works great to. I use fleece velcrowed down in the drop pan and change and wash every few days. Got tired of them playing in the stuff.
Also try a bit less yogurt - vet said it was not needed when feeding BML - and diet does greatly affect the smell.
Also make sure that the room they are in has plenty of fresh air and ventilation. Once you nueter it will be better but untill then you can make some adjustments to help with the smell. I never clean everything on the same day. They will re-scent everything! And then its worse!
Good Luck!
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: CANT GET RID OF THE SMELL! - 04/08/06 12:41 PM

Nothing will reduce the smell more than neutering, especially since you have two intact males together in the same cage. They are both probably marking everything and then trying to re-mark what the other glider has.

When you do clean, do not clean everything at once. One weekend clean just toys/pouches, but leave the actual cage itslef smelling like them. Then the next weekend clean the cage, but leave the toys/pouches smelling like them. If you do replace pouches, leave one in the cage the smells like them.

Also, be sure to take out and pick up any dropped fruits/veggies. Any spoiled fruits/veggies can add to the smell to.

Check all the wooden items in the cage. The wood tends to soak up pee and after a while, the smell of it just cannot be cleaned away.

Also, what wheel are you using? I know when I used to use the Wodent Wheel (or any closed track wheel) they would start smelling after just a day or two of use. Clean that daily if you need to.

HTH <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumb.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: glidrz5

Re: CANT GET RID OF THE SMELL! - 04/08/06 02:24 PM

I agree with Kristin, neutering the boys will cut down on the smell and reduce the risk of them fighting for dominance when they become mature.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: CANT GET RID OF THE SMELL! - 04/08/06 07:28 PM

WOW! thanks so much for your guys' input! im already trying to plan a date to get to the vet! haha. either way, i think that the whole dominance/remarking what the other has already marked is probably what my boys are doing. Harry is SO dominant over Ron!

i was contemplating switching them slowly to darcys diet or suncoast diet to see which one leaves them the least smelly. i have all the ingridients/ necessary vitamins/ zookeepers etc. to do either diet. but thats another question to put into the diets forum <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />


---as for the care fresh bedding, do you guys have like a platform above the bottom? my cage doesnt have anything separating the bottom and the rest of the cage so im worried they would roll around in their own stuff <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />
also with the care fresh, how often do you change it out? once a week?
and for those that use a piece of fleece, do you change it every day? or every few days?

i try to keep the room ventilated but its still pretty chilly here in seattle so i worry them getting cold, especially while im at work and cant have them with me!

thanks a lot!
Posted By: Dancing

Re: CANT GET RID OF THE SMELL! - 04/08/06 07:44 PM

If you don't have a grate at the bottom of the cage, I would not suggest anything but a fleece blanket on the bottom. Change it out atleast every other day with a clean one.
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