Need opinions...Shavings VS Blankets?

[EvenLater]

Ok, here's pics as promised.

After a full night (10 hours) this is what it looked like:

And after 5 minutes of "cleaning" it looks like this:

And just because he's adorable, here's an extra pic of Cas today watching me clean his house lol

 

[EvenLater]

Forgot to mention the prices of this change. The mat (which was big enough to cut into 2 mats that exactly fit his house) was $11.99 at Home Depot. The hard plastic tray under the food and water dishes was $4.64 at Walmart, and the elevated food and water dish set up (came with both bowls) was $10.34 also at Walmart. So for a little over $25 he now has (what I hope is) a set up that will last him into adulthood. He can't swim in his water anymore, but can still fully submerge his bill and head to clean his nose and eyes and blow bubbles. The plastic tray catches nearly every splash and head shake so the mat stays dry, and just rinses off. The mat whisks away wetness of the droppings, making it a breeze to shake off the dry stuff, and then spot clean any "gooey" messes, or just vacuum it up (I do use a wet vac just in case any is still wet so I don't ruin my house vac). Cleaning is quick, efficient, and there's literally NO ODOR at all (even when I stuck my head in when taking that before pic).

 

[Skyfire]

A second vote for EvenLater's idea of floor mats. We got these two nights ago. My back has been seriously jacked lately and these mats have given me time to nap & heal. They do everything she said: absorb odor, keep carpet underneath clean & dry, easy to shake out and steam cleans very well. We have an old Bissel carpet cleaner. The mats come out much drier than when I clean the carpets. This has cut my laundry load (which was steadily climbing to 6-7 loads daily) in half. Highly, highly recommend for indoor pet geese!

 

[EvenLater]

Oh good Sky! I'm so happy to hear they're working for you as well! I just couldn't keep up with the bending and scooping those shavings (I have a horrible bad back too) and the barn smell (while I do enjoy it...IN a BARN lol) I just couldn't handle in the house. This seems to be a happy middle ground. Cas has a rotation of 3 mats so when I clean him out I don't have to "rush" to clean a mat, I can just swap it for a clean one. Honestly, after nearly a week with this set up now, I can say with confidence that the only thing I DON'T like is TO ME it doesn't seem as comfortable as something softer like shavings. However, Cas is quite happy with the switch. For MY comfort, I put blankets and old towels beneath the mat to make it a bit 'squishier' while still reaping the benefits of less laundry.

Also...I have found (if it helps others with bad backs) the EASIEST way to clean them with no bending or stooping involved. I take it outside and shake off the bulk stuff, then hang it over the porch rail and hose it down. Letting it then air dry adds that "dried in the sun" smell we all love from hanging our clothes on a clothesline. I do greatly recommend having at least 2 mats so you can take time cleaning one if needed. Especially on those "OMG his butt's a projectile fire-hose" really messy days