Liners ? Mattress Pads? Huh?

[Zuidy]

I need a crash course on Liners/Mattress Pads.......

What are they and what are they used for?

Sorry, newb question, but I have to know! They sound helpful......

Help?

Thanks!

 

[lissie]

Some examples:
(broken link removed)

Amazon.com: Priva Ultra Plus Waterproof Sheet Protector, 34" x 52", White: Health & Personal Care

 

[Zuidy]

What would you use for liners? I am using 2 layers of towels but not sewed into the fleece.

What should I do?

 

[lissie]

I'm using uhaul pads. Towels are fine. I like the uhaul pads more than towels.

 

[Zuidy]

I'm using uhaul pads. Towels are fine. I like the uhaul pads more than towels.

OK thanks!

What are the advantages of U-haul Pads?

 

[whittles]

More absorbent, keeps odor down, cheap. You don't have to change them as often as towels.

 

[snowball002]

Where can you buy U-Haul pads?

 

[lissie]

U-Haul stores and online.
(broken link removed)

 

[sdpiggylvr]

I also use UHaul pads for my guinea pig cages. They absorb really well but stay much dryer than towels. You don't smell anything for quite a while, too. I personally like liners the best, because it's all sewn up into one piece and is much easier to manage. You can sew your own or you can buy them online.

Here are a few tutorials for sewing your own:
Cage Pad by Lis
(broken link removed)

Here are a few places I would recommend for cage liners:
Jens Custom Crafts: (broken link removed)
Cassandra's Cuddle-Wee Things: (broken link removed)
Piggy Bedspreads: PiggyBedSpreads.com Making Your Guinea Pig's World a Beautiful Place!
Cobb Cabin Crafts: Small Animal Accessories and Quality Handknits by CobbCabinCrafts

Hope this helps!

 

[kananaka]

Here are a few places I would recommend for cage liners:
Jens Custom Crafts: (broken link removed)
Cassandra's Cuddle-Wee Things: (broken link removed)
Piggy Bedspreads: PiggyBedSpreads.com Making Your Guinea Pig's World a Beautiful Place!
Cobb Cabin Crafts: Small Animal Accessories and Quality Handknits by CobbCabinCrafts

Hope this helps!

Holy cow are they expensive!!! Cute but expensive, I am going to have to learn how to sew eh? lol

 

[snowball002]

Yeah they are expensive! Sewing is alot of work too, but its worth it. If I sewed, I have a feeling they wouldn't turn out as nice!

 

[adorelfn]

I just sewed my first cage liner the other day. LOL It looks like a five yr old sewed it but it will work! I use uhaul pads AND mattress pads. I buy the mattress pads at thrift stores do they are really cheap. I hadn't tried actually sewing them until the other day. Tackling number two tomorrow. Luckily the piggies don't care if the stitches are straight!

 

[kananaka]

I don't have a sewing machine or I totally would. Hand sewing would take such a long time and I am really really bad at it. Glad it worked out for you adorelfn! I think I'm just going to have to pin or staple the underside....

 

[adorelfn]

My machine is a mini sewing machine I picked up at Goodwill for $2. LOL at least it worked!

 

[Zuidy]

So, if I am cleaning my Guinea Pig's cage every week, should I get U-Haul pads?

 

[sdpiggylvr]

Holy cow are they expensive!!! Cute but expensive, I am going to have to learn how to sew eh? lol

Yeah, but if you think about it you're actually saving loads of money each year because you aren't buying bags of disposable bedding, which can cost over $30 each month alone, as opposed to a once-a-year purchase of a $40 cage liner. This place has lower prices on cage liners: (broken link removed).

 

[kittymalone]

I use Uhaul pads and towels (my cage is huge so I use a combination of the 2) and I do a complete cage cage twice a week (I have 4 pigs). When I only had 2 pigs and a smaller cage, I used only Uhaul pads and changed it out once a week. I have extra pads in the kitchen and bedroom areas bacause these areas get more soiled. I change these out every other day (they are about 3x2 for the bedroom area and 2x2 for the kitchen). Uhaul pads work very well but I haven't had an issue with towels either.

 

[Africa]

Thanks for the great links, I have been buying piggybedspreads for a while now (bought 2 sets over 2 years - one set a year) and they are really worth it. But i didnt know about all the other sites that have popped up over the last couple years. Its getting way more popular. Are there any cage liners that include the sides sewn on to drape over the coroplast? (so similar to piggy bedspread but cheaper)?
I also like the idea for a hay rack on Jens custom crafts website.

 

[Zuidy]

I guess maybe I wasn't straightforward with the questions I had.

What is the point in making liners?

Is using towels just as good?

What is the best thing to use for liners?

If you have to replace liners yearly, but they are sewn into the fleece, how do you replace them?

 

[kittymalone]

Making or buying premade liners is really just a convience thing. Liners make it easy to change the cage because it is one piece, as opposed to using towels/Uhaul pads with fleece over it. Liners are fit to the cage so it is a quick change. Using towels and/or Uhaul pads is basically the same thing minus the convience of the one piece. The best thing to use as liners is a personal preference. I have heard good and bad things to using towels and Uhaul pads. It depends on what you prefer. I use both and have no complaints with either. I have noticed that my Uhaul pads have torn in the wash. To replace premade liners, you'd have to replace the whole thing. Another thing to take into consideration is your pigs. Some will burrow under the liners unless they are attached to the coroplast somehow. I use towels/ Uhaul pads fit to the size of my cage and fleece that is a bit bigger that's attached to the grids so they can't burrow under the fleece. This system works best for me. Everyone is different and all pigs are different so you just have to figure out a system that works for you and your babies.