Premium Orchard Bundle: Hay and Soft Bedding Setup Guide
By Small Pet Select UK | Published: 2026-11-03
Category: Guias Práticos
Set up the Premium Orchard Bundle the right way: layer orchard hay and soft bedding for a cleaner cage, a cozier nest, and a rabbit or guinea pig routine that actually lasts.
Quick answer
Use the Premium Orchard Bundle as a two-part system: soft bedding as the absorbent base layer and orchard hay as the edible top layer and nest material. Refresh the hay daily and spot-clean the bedding, then do a full bedding change when it stops feeling dry.
Why hay and bedding work better as separate layers
Orchard hay is food first. When it doubles as bedding, it gets trampled, soiled and wasted, and your pet may eat less of it. Keeping soft bedding underneath and hay on top protects the hay's job as forage while giving your rabbit or guinea pig a dry place to rest.
This layered approach also makes cleaning faster: you lift out the soiled hay, check the bedding, and only replace the base when it is actually wet. That is the practical reason the bundle pairs the two items rather than treating them as interchangeable.
Where the bundle fits and where it does not
The Premium Orchard Bundle suits owners who want one purchase to cover both the edible hay supply and the cage base, especially for a single rabbit or a pair of guinea pigs in a standard indoor setup.
It is not a complete diet on its own. Orchard hay should be the main forage, but rabbits and guinea pigs still need a measured pellet portion and fresh water, and guinea pigs need a daily vitamin C source. If your pet is a heavy hay eater, you may go through the hay faster than the bedding, so plan to restock hay separately rather than stretching the bedding layer.
Step-by-step setup for orchard hay and soft bedding
- Clear and dry the cage base: Remove all old bedding and hay, then wipe the base and let it dry fully before adding anything new. A damp base traps odor and encourages mold under fresh bedding. If the base still feels cool or damp to the touch, wait before layering.
- Add the soft bedding as a base layer: Spread the soft bedding evenly across the floor of the cage to a depth that covers the base without burying the sides. Keep one corner slightly shallower for a feeding area and one corner deeper for a nest. Check that the bedding does not block the water bottle or bowl.
- Place orchard hay on top and in the nest corner: Put a generous handful of orchard hay in the deeper corner as nest material, and place a separate pile near the feeding area. Keep the hay off the wettest spots so it stays edible. If the hay looks soiled or flattened by the end of the day, add a fresh handful rather than mixing it into the bedding.
- Set a daily refresh routine: Each day, remove soiled hay, check the bedding for wet patches, and top up the hay pile. Spot-clean the wet areas of bedding rather than replacing the whole layer every day. A dry top layer of hay is the quickest sign the setup is working.
- Do a full bedding change on a schedule: Replace the soft bedding fully when it stays damp after spot-cleaning or when odor returns soon after cleaning. In warm weather, check more often because damp bedding heats up faster. Do not wait for visible mess; smell and dampness are earlier signals.
What is in the bundle
- Premium Orchard Bundle: Orchard Hay & Soft Bedding: The bundle combines award-winning Orchard Hay with premium soft bedding in one package. You get the edible hay and the absorbent base together, so you can set up a layered cage without buying two separate items.
Premium Orchard Bundle: Orchard Hay & Soft Bedding
