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SamiJami

SamiJami

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 11, 2010
Messages
445
Location
Salem OR
We bought a pet vacuum, I believe it was Bissel. The hay has killed it. I bought a shop vac 2 days ago and it is continuously getting clogged. Vacuuming 1 cage takes me almost an hour because I have to keep stopping. If it picks up 2 pieces of hay, I'm in trouble. I need one that's going to be able to pick up the hay and the mountains of poop without making me stop. :banghead:

What do you use? Does it clog? Do you suck up hay easily with it? Please help!!
 
Hey Sami

You know, I have been wanting a really powerful vacuum that can sweep up all my chinnies can dish out. I use a bissel bagless and can pick up poop and crumbs, but I can't pick up hay. I did have a cordless little vac for quick pickups, but it lost suction power pretty quick. I have learned that cordless vacuums are no good. I would be interested to see what others have to say..
 
I would think a big shop vac would do the trick. I have a 16 gal. - 6.0 horsepower Craftsman wet/dry vac and it sucks up just about anything I dish out in my wood working shop. Not sure about the noise though...it is pretty loud.
 
I have a heavy duty shop vac. It only clogs if I get wood in it but even then I can twist the intake tube where it enters the tank and it goes through. Tube size matters.
 
What do you use? Does it clog? Do you suck up hay easily with it? Please help!!
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I use a 20 gallon shop vac. The more hay you stuff the nozzel with, the faster it sucks it down. Been using it to clean 30-40 cages for two years and the only complaints I have are that it is hard to empty and the hose is starting to get bent where it attaches to the vacuum.

Otherwise it's been through some pretty rough abuse.

The funny thing - it's terrible for actual construction work, it won't even pick up a penny nail!
 
I have a 5 gallon Kobalt shop vac from Lowes that has a 1.875" hose and I never have the hose clog, but I always pick up the big piles of hay by hand. You'll want one with the fattest hose and most power. Most of the smaller vacuums have little power and a small hose, but there are a few that have the guts needed for chins and still not too big. If you aren't worried about storing it, by all means get one like Spoof has!
 
I guess I should mention for future buyers that I also own the Bissell Garage pro shop vac - it has a four gallon container. I figured I could mount it on the wall and clean the cages with it as the canister is easy to change.

Discovered the hard way it is a terrible vac for anything large or fluffy - including shavings. It does nails, cars, dirt, spiders, etc like a pro but it clogs the second it sees anything like a shaving or piece of hay. I use the pelleted bedding which turns to sawdust - it clogs on that too. The four gallons is wet, I barely got two cages into it and it would claim it was full vs. the whole barn with the 20 gallon.

Have also had it for two years and just use it to vacuum my house and car - which it is o.k. for but bulky and a pain in the butt.

One of these days I'm going to get around to selling it. lol.
 
i usually scoop most of the debris (hay, shavings, poop) with my hands and my big shop vac with the larger hose attachment does the rest. although it could do the whole job, the suction is so strong that it sucks the whole fleece liner in with it!
That is why i only use it on fleece changing day. the rest of the time, everything is by hand.
 
I do pick up the big piles of hay, but I like to get off as much of the hay before throwing the liner into the wash, and to get the hay off the carpet. I can't shake the liners because I'm in an apartment and my downstairs neighbors want their grass brown from their dogs...
 
this prob sounds gross but i shake mine onto the floor and then sweep it up!! i then put them all in a pile and before i wash them, i shake them again and sweep that floor.
my shop vac is so strong it would just suck the whole liner. i ususally use it to get all the hay, shavings, & poop that get stuck between the bars and between the pan and cage, as well as what is in the bottom of the pan. i also use that same vac to do the floor. but nightly i actually take my broom to my carpet and get some of it onto the vinyl floor area. to help keep the vacuuming down, i have a large piece of plexiglass under my cages on the carpet. then i can just sweep or shop vac under there with little effort aside from being on my hands & knees on the floor!
 
I have a Sears 6 gallon, 3 HP shop-vac. It has the larger hose which seems to do the trick.

I usually pick up the larger clumps of hay by hand and then let it do the rest. It is very powerful and really sucks up the liners, but I have them attached at the 4 corners.
 
Here is a tip for those with larger shop vacs, line it with a trash bag then put the lid on it, it makes for super easy emptying.
 
Michelle43 said:
Here is a tip for those with larger shop vacs, line it with a trash bag then put the lid on it, it makes for super easy emptying.
Click to expand...

OMG! This sounds like a great idea! I will have to do that.

Sami, this s the shopvac I have: http://www.lowes.com/pd_236625-20097-9302411_0__

I've had it for just about 3 years now, and it's still going strong. It has a 2.5 inch diameter hose, so it picks up large clumps of hay, and even large apple twigs. I highly recommend it!

Whichever shopvac you end up getting, a large hose diameter is going to be key for being able to pick up hay and other large objects.
 
Thank you, everyone, for telling/showing me! I'm going to see if I can find a bigger hose for mine. If not, I'm off to the store for another one-rawr! Unclogging every 30ish seconds does not make for a happy mommy, haha
 
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