Guinea pig droppings and bedding?

My first post of the new season! It's great to be back!

We have just been given a guinea pig. I'll have to clean out his cage today or tomorrow. Am wondering if I can just dump it all in the compost pile. Piggies are herbivores - no meat. His bedding is shaved red cedar. Pkg says "natural, biodegradable and makes great compost or mulch material" but I wanted to check with "the experts" first!

Thanks!
Sherry

Yes and welcome back firstyard! Gp doo doo is great and so is the cedar chips. Only cedar chips are bad for GP if they are in an aquarium because the oroma and chemicals are hard on GP lungs. I am a vet is why I commented. Pine shavings much better.

Good ! I will dump everything!

The person who gave him to us said he was allergic to pine shavings (His hair started coming out) so she switched to the cedar. He is in a cage tho, not an aquarium. He does scratch quite a bit tho, poor thing. And I'm afraid he's depressed. But today is just the third day we've had him so maybe he'll perk up.

Sherry

Eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana), the aromatic stuff with the pink heartwood and the creamy sapwood and the multitudinous knots, used to line cedar chests, does have some resistance to rot. I suspect that shavings in an active compost heap with urine will probably rot soon enough, but I can't say for sure.

Mark., I wouldn't worry, personally

Every wood will rot eventually, cedar takes longer than most, but when mixed with urine and in a compost pile, it should decompose fairly quickly.

What else can you use for bedding for him? Straw? Shredded newspaper? Poor little thing.

Brigidlily, I am so glad you asked. I had not even researched that bcs of what the previous owner told me but now I have and it turns out cedar is very bad for them! Something about phenols evaporating. Apparently straw can injure them. Not sure abt newspaper - I'll have to see abt the ink. There are other options tho so I'll have to shop tomorrow and see what's available here. I live in a small town tho so may have to order off the internet.

There is a corn cob base that works well. I like paper towells, Sand will do a good job. You know the bagged type you buy in the home inprovement store. IE playground.

We just got a Petland a few months ago and it turns out they carry a couple of the types of litter that seem to come highly recommended - Aspen shavings and CareFresh (made from reclaimed wood pulp). The thing is, they're expensive. If that becomes a problem I will use Soferdig's suggestions (thanks, Soferdig).

And guinea seemd much happier with us today!

As a veterinarian I always use the common sense approach to medicine. 1 dont fix what aint broke. 2 If it aint working use something else. Remember if you see them suffering they have been at it longer than you have seen It. I like your open air approach to GP housing, and you desire to help a GP in need. You are an "old soul". Thank you for your effort. STEVE