How to: Make Cage Liners & Pee Pads

[@SheikyPets]

Hello everyone! Check out my channel for a new updated how to make cage liners and much more :)

[@girlfriend0730]

This is the most helpful fleece liner video I've seen and I've watched quite a few >_< Thanks!

[@cynthiahofer825]

I think this is the best I've seen so far... thank you!!!

[@SheikyPets]

you're welcome! :) I'm working on a remake better quality which should be up in the next couple months if all goes well

[@cynthiahofer825]

+SheikyPets looking forward to it!

[@vanebabe03]

The best How to: Cage liner and pee pads! Thank you!

[@ldswife5339]

Please show how to make cuddle cups/snuggle sacks💜

[@SheikyPets]

Unfortunately I lost my guinea pigs (I posted a video about it) im not too sure if im willing to make more DIY videos about them but i still might do some tutorials and maybe ship them out so its still possible :) thank you for watching

[@snuggleinnmore4764]

Re: question about sewing machines...If you're sewing multiple thick layers, a heavy duty machine is a better choice to handle and ease of sewing through all those layers. There is a big name brand that sells 'heavy duty" sewing machines which you can search on line for and a lot of times you can get them on sale prices around $150 or so. I say this, because I own one.

[@houseonthehill7625]

With fleece on both sides, do you flip the liners over before washing or do you use one side only before laundering? Have you had any trouble with the Uhaul blankets not lasting? Great video!

[@SheikyPets]

I use the liner for a week long since my pigs pee on it I have to wash it weekly as urine will smell if I just flipped over the cage liner and it wouldn't be very clean. I haven't bumped into any issues with the uhaul so far I've have cage liners last over a year and they still work great! I hope this helped :)

[@houseonthehill7625]

+SheikyPets Thanks! I was thinking they were a one time use before wash, just making sure. Hope the babies are all well!

[@SheikyPets]

+Joann Sakaguchi lol just make sure u wash them n put them through the dryer before sewing them they tend to shrink a lot first wash and this prevents it to do that in the cage liners :) and all the babies are doing well, getting a little chubby actually haha

[@gabbybizon6289]

Awesome video! It actually really helped me out thank you :3

[@SheikyPets]

So glad it helped you out! :) I'm learning how to sew new things lately and was thinking about remaking this video and creating a series

[@gabbybizon6289]

+SheikyPets that's a great a idea! Goodluck and can't wait to see

[@hamsterallstars4786]

Great video I am so happy you did this video because my fleeces aren't as good as yours but where would I get that absorbent blanket from? And would you like to do an Xmas trade ?

[@SheikyPets]

I got the absorbent layers online from the us. They were expensive because I live so far north but if I were in the U.S I'd be probably able to buy the blankets 8$ a piece I think. And a trade!? Am I able to think about it? Maybe start a convo of personal messages? :) I've always wanted to do a trade just I'm not sure yet as I was thinking making a contest. It'd be either or. I really like the sound of a trade tho! Also I'd need to make sure I'd have the money for it lol

[@hamsterallstars4786]

SheikyPets okay yer sure that`s fine and okay great thanks

[@SheikyPets]

I will let you know 100% by next week on Saturday :) (should have my work schedule on that day) if ure still willing to make a trade on that day and I'm able to then well do it ^_^

[@hamsterallstars4786]

okay yer sure

[@SheikyPets]

Alright I've Bren thinking about it like crazy, I just got some news, but I was wondering if we could do maybe a Easter trade instead? Right now my money's going to a surprise happening Wednesday (ill post wat it is then), I'm ordering comp parts that I've save for for 4 months and the pay right after that wil need to go directly to Xmas as I haven't gotten my family anything yet and then in January I'm moving to a new place so ill be jobless and will only have enough money for 2 months rent! It's annoying wen you need to pay for so much lol! Anyways just let me know what you'd like to do. I will still have a contest up tho. The contest prizes I already bought most of them last month. I made a list of what I wana get you but, it would be to expensive right now for my budget :( I'm so sorry if this disappoints you

[@TS-xv3jn]

Is it cheaper then the bed pads you buy?

[@sandrabrown2072]

they look great

[@SheikyPets]

Sandra Brown thank you! :) soon I'll be making a remake of this video! my sewing skills have improved so I can give more tips and tricks and actually sew somewhat straight haha

[@sandrabrown2072]

I'm just like you I can't saw straight but I get there and my piggies love it so that's all that matters. I have watched this video and it's better then what I can do xxxx

[@SheikyPets]

Sandra Brown haha just keep working at it and ull get there :) the best tip is make it bigger than needed ;) that way if it's cooked atleast it still covers majority of it haha

[@sandrabrown2072]

Yes I know so sorry about the spelling my tablet some times misses out some letters

[@Rainbowhamster39]

Wow that is awesome I just subbed to your channel and I love it 😄

[@SheikyPets]

Thank you! :) it means so muh and everyone's inspiring me and making me want to post more videos lol :)

[@Rainbowhamster39]

Yw cool

[@janiesundahl9059]

You added an inch to each side for seam allowance, but did you find that after washing/drying it shrunk at all? And I notice you didn't use a waterproof layer. Do you not recommend this?

[@SheikyPets]

+janie sundahl Amazing questions! :) I did find my liners shrank after putting them through the wash a couple times if i had my water on hot and my dryer settings on high. If you use cold water and lower heat settings it doesnt seem to shrink nearly as much. Personally now I add a extra 2-3" as I like the larger cage liner fit. I personally dont recoment using a waterproof layer for these few reasons: 1. The cage liner would be very thick to sew through 2. it wouldnt really be 2 sided which means you wouldnt make the most out of ure fleece 3. The only reason youd need a water proof layer is if theres a extremely large amount of pee (as in lets say you dumped a glass full on it) if you let your cage get that dirty thered be a problem 4. I never had a issue with pee passing the whole way through 5. Waterproof layer can be pretty expensive and 6. itd make it a lot harder to wash. The only thing Id consider putting a waterproof layer in would be the pads under water bottles as some tend to leak so much that it passes through (its why people tend to change those daily). I hope my answer helped :)

[@janiesundahl9059]

SheikyPets Ok, here's one more. There is a right side and a wrong side of fleece. The thing is, the moisture wicking property is only on the WRONG side. For instance, if you wear a fleece sweater with the pretty right side on the outside, and the wrong side against your skin, it will properly wick moisture away from your skin. Otoh, if you turn the fleece sweater inside out, so the wrong side is on the outside, it will absorb moisture from the air and draw it toward your skin. So, what I can't figure out is...if we want piggy urine to wick away from them and into the absorbent layers underneath, we should have the WRONG side of the fleece on top where the pigs are. Here is a link to an article which explains this right side/wrong side issue and how it affects moisture wicking. sewing.about.com/od/fabricsindex/qt/fleecerightside.htm

[@SheikyPets]

+janie sundahl the article only speaks of polar fleece. your missing the antipill fleece which is the most recommended type for this project. personally I haven't had a problem with any of my fleeces having a absorbing problem either no matter the type.

[@janiesundahl9059]

SheikyPets Anti-pill fleece is polar fleece. Polar is available as either anti-pill or non-anti-pill. Whichever variety of POLAR you choose (anti-pill or non-anti-pill), their moisture wicking property is the same. www.fleecefun.com/1/post/2011/10/which-fleece-is-which-your-quick-start-guide-to-fleece.html

[@SheikyPets]

+janie sundahl ah that's cool lol. either way I'm still using the good side up as the urine still goes through and hasn't caused me any problem

[@actwisted5054]

Is it ok if I use only one layer of uhaul instead of 2?

[@SheikyPets]

AC Twisted yes that's completely fine it just will be thinner so it'll absorb a little less and have a tad less cushion

[@jessicateh2314]

Any substitute for u haul? I'm from malaysia..No idea where to get it

[@SheikyPets]

You can use towels or the fabric used in reusable diapers (i forget what its called)

[@mollydog444]

how do you know which side of the fleece is good side ? Both sides of mine look the same.

[@SheikyPets]

mollydog444 i use the one with the clearest image as my good side but to be honnest it really doesnt matter too much as it will still do the same thing

[@OhhowHelovesus777]

How do you wash them? And do you machine dry or air dry. Thanks!

[@SheikyPets]

Youre supposed to wash on cold/cold washer settings (heat can cause shrinkage) with unscented detergent no fabric softener (ive accidentally put fabric softener before though, the pee doesnt seep through very easily when u put fabric softener). Although some people do put it on hot water to clean because they think it cleans it better since they do pee and poop on the fleece but all my laundry is done on cold anyways and i havent had any problems with cleaning it using cold water. I prefer machine dry as its faster as long as its on a low heat setting (to prevent major shrinkage) also machine drying leaves it feeling soft. air is fine too though, its really what works best for you :) I hope this helped.

[@OhhowHelovesus777]

SheikyPets thanks very much :)

[@jordanawholemess5452]

Very helpful thank you 😊

[@collettecaudalie5491]

I am looking for an alternative to fleece since the hay sticks to it. One guinea pig slave said they used microfiber suede. Has anyone else tried this? I know it's easy to clean, but does it really wick away moisture?

[@SheikyPets]

+collette caudalie I dont know any other alternatives as the purpose of the fleece is so your animals arent stepping in their urine. With fleece the pee seeps through easily instead of floating on top or staying a wet area for long. Perhaps switching to other types of paper base bedding or use ways to contain your hay. Personally i would get a short but large container, line it with something that can absorb the pee and keep your hay in there. Clean daily. Pieces would always fall out while they jump in and out but its easy to just pick it off the fleece. Other suggestions are to shake out your fleece before washing. I hope I helped ^_^

[@janiesundahl9059]

+SheikyPets Thank you. I have a Midwest Habitat and think Piggy Bedspreads are too pricey. This vid is perfect.

[@SheikyPets]

+janie sundahl I understand that completely! Its the reason I make my own ;) 100$ for a cage liner is far too much for my pay especially wen i can make 2 for half that price. Youre welcome and thanks for watching :)

[@thecookingnerd8384]

Do I have to use 2 layers of fleece and 2layers of U Haul?

[@SheikyPets]

I do recommend the 2 layers of fleece as itd make it easier to wash and such but you can definately use one or two layers of uhaul :) ive done both n they both work well

[@thecookingnerd8384]

SheikyPets Thanks, I love your videos so so much. It would be so cool if you could do a daily routine video with you piggies.

[@SheikyPets]

@@thecookingnerd8384 yes :) I have had others request it as well! Its definately a video on my to do list :) I did have it recorded once but i have very bad luck and lost half the footage XD

[@mariabrett6712]

great vid very interesting thank you

[@SheikyPets]

+Maria Brett Youre welcome glad you enjoyed :)

[@alyrose215]

Where do you get uhaul blankets????

[@SheikyPets]

Alisa Silvestre I'm sorry for the late reply for some reason I didn't get a notification! :) I get it online but u can get them at a moving supplies store as well

[@nataliegarcia3529]

can I use towels instead?

[@SheikyPets]

Natalie Garcia yes although they take longer to dry and tend to be heavier but towels do work :)

[@carolinasoares844]

What sewing machine did you use?

[@SheikyPets]

Hamilton LPS21 in this video i used a not very good walmart one that jammed often enough but still did the trick

[@gretchenreetz1769]

How do you get the u-haul pads?

[@SheikyPets]

+Gretchen Scharringhausen hello there, I order the u haul pads at the official u haul website. Just do a quick Google search "uhaul furniture pads" and it should bring you straight to them. Some uhaul stores also carry it which would mean free shipping for you but I've looked everywhere and haven't found any Canadian ones. I hope you find them :)

[@Jack-dz8nj]

+Gretchen Scharringhausen They are just moving blankets. Uhaul is a moving company and just happen to sell them.

[@xZaphira]

what can i use to replace he u-haul pads? i can't find them in my country :( they doesn't exist here

[@SheikyPets]

+Paulina Schöbitz Theres quite a few different materials you can use :) You can use towels that are available everywhere but they might just not last as long and ud need a nice absorbent one and they might take a while to dry. I know you can buy the absorbent material in reusable diapers but thats extremely expensive and I forget what its called. For other absorbent layers you can always search on google "absorbent layer in cage liners" and there might be something that you can purchase. I hope this helped!

[@xZaphira]

SheikyPets i'll try to find something because as you say, towells take a lot to dry and they're also more difficult to wash :( thanks for the answer!

[@roberts2080]

+Paulina Schöbitz Mattress pads might work. They are suppose to be very absorbent.

[@mariareginarosito1908]

CAN you use it both sides or just front? @SheikyPets

[@SheikyPets]

Maria Regina Rosito you can use both sides :) it's what I really like about this cage liner

[@mariareginarosito1908]

SheikyPets i don't find it in italy.. a matress protector can be right? sorry for english

[@SheikyPets]

Maria Regina Rosito as long as it's absorbent on both sides

[@mariareginarosito1908]

is there a web site where I can buy the uhaul?? where did you buy it?

[@SheikyPets]

Maria Regina Rosito I bought it online at uhaul.com. it's available at many moving stores but unfortunatly not near me haha. if u buy a certain amount it is free shipping though

[@karmicfenix]

does the u-haul pads need to be washed first?

[@SheikyPets]

yes! they need to be washed and put into the dryer on high as they shrink A LOT and she'd A LOT on the first wash. half way through the dryer I clean out my lint thing as its packed full with u haul fibers. once it's washed and dried the first time you should be good from much of any shrinking :)

[@karmicfenix]

+SheikyPets thank you.

[@karmicfenix]

+SheikyPets I have another question. what kind of sewing machine did you used? because I went to JoAnnes and they duscorage me of buying a cheap one...that I beleive it will work perfectly fine. Any tips about the sewing machine?

[@SheikyPets]

+Perik022 oh gosh! sewing machine!! personally I do recommend a good sewing machine if you're going to do a lot. I would recommend borrowing one if possible. I used my mom's good one. if this is Ure first time sewing I'd deff look at reviews for different sewing machines to figure out what you should get but I'd still Def try borrowing a sewing machine to see if you like sewing if possible as sewing machines cost A LOT and there's so much to learn with them. I hope it helped on some level, personally my machine I have right now is handed down to me from my mom so I'm not exactly sure which ones to recommend, maybe if I browsed online it'd be more help :)

[@shanellesantamaria1786]

Is this a good option for ratties too (: ?

[@SheikyPets]

Shanelle Quitangon that's very hard to answer as rats like to chew and destroy things they'd likely chew through the fleece and burrow between the layers but you can always try it, keep a close look and see how they react. I know a lot o people have their rats potty trained with a single layer of fleece on all the levels. I hope this helped I'm not the most familiar when it comes to rats with fleece as I only had rats when I was very little and used other means for bedding. if you do try it I'd suggest a single absorbent layer over 2. best of luck! :)

[@kokonutkatxo]

How many days does it last up to until you would have to change it out and wash it?

[@SheikyPets]

Katelyn Rucker it all depends on how many pigs and how large your cage is :) typically I'd say a full cage cleaning every 5-7 days or as needed for 2 guinea pigs in a 2x3. It very much depends on if they're litter trained, if you clean out the poop daily and if you use extra pads on heavy soiled areas by example under water bottles or hiding places. hope this helped!

[@kokonutkatxo]

SheikyPets it did. Thanks!!

[@SheikyPets]

Youre welcome! :) If you have any more questions just let me know im in the process of creating a Q&A video regarding cage liners and Ill be happy to answer all and any questions in the video with detail.

[@kokonutkatxo]

Jaiden Kilroy hi!!

[@thisbibliophagist]

What size needle did you use for this?

[@SheikyPets]

Amy Lou I'm honestly not very sure what I used at the time of the video I was pretty new at sewing and used whatever was on the machine. I'll get back to you in a few hours what I'm currently using as a needle though if you'd like I'm just not quite sure off the top of my head

[@thisbibliophagist]

Ok, thanks! I figured a larger would be needed to go through all of those layers but I'll see how the one I already have does.

[@SheikyPets]

Amy Lou yes! I did admittingly break a few needles haha if you'd like; these cage liners are still good with only one layer of uhaul it's just not as plush and wouldn't be AS absorbent but it still does do the job :) since them I've invested in a heavy duty sewing machine and I use the recommended needles

[@mayurisoni2373]

Can I use something else instead of uhalu blanket

[@SheikyPets]

towels work although it takes a long time to dry and on comments bellow someone had mentioned mattress pads which would be a good thing to try (I might make one and compare) there's a material that I'm not sure what it's called but you put them in cloth diapers. pretty much anything that's very absorbant can go into the center of the liner. if you make it let me know what you used and if it works well :) I hope this helped!

[@mayurisoni2373]

+SheikyPets thank you for your help I will update you soon 😊

[@joanndavis7356]

zorb

[@mayurisoni2373]

+SheikyPets I made it with towels and it works perfectly for us thank you so much for your help.

[@SheikyPets]

+mayuri soni you're welcome I'm glad it worked!! :)

[@dianeowen1766]

i cant get uhaul in uk

[@SheikyPets]

Diane Smith towels, Zorb and mattress pads work as well as many other things :)

[@senpaininj1736]

why do u use 2 layers of uhaul??

[@SheikyPets]

Mariah Carey's Diva Shade a layer alone wouldn't absorb nearly the amount of 2. think about for example you get out of the shower and wrap yourself with 2 towels. the inner layer would be wet as it absorbs the main water then ure 2nd layer would be hardly wet but would absorb the extra the first towel couldn't. I hope this makes sense

[@SheikyPets]

Mariah Carey's Diva Shade they are actually thinner than towels. 2 of them in my eyes would equal as 1 towel it was only a example. I still make 2 layers only to be sure and confident that one pee wouldn't spread out and wet half the cage. once my pigs are fully potty trained perhaps one day I may think of reducing it to one layer but until then I prefer being on the safe side

[@senpaininj1736]

SheikyPets really? How thick are ur towels? XD

[@SheikyPets]

Mariah Carey's Diva Shade I would say regular size although uhaul is just as thin as beach towels

[@SheikyPets]

Mariah Carey's Diva Shade just more absorbent*