# do you sew your fleece liners?



## scarletbegonias (Oct 24, 2012)

im having a dilemma with my fleece. I have a DCN. 
when I first started using fleece in my cage, I made a few sets that I had sewn like a pillow case so I could just slip them over the pans and then id use a couple binder clips to close the openings. and this method works fine except I usually end up buying more fabric, plus I still have to buy towels to sew under the first layer of fleece for each set.

I like to get the cute designs and then for the other side id just get a cheap fleece cus you're not gonna see it, about $2.99/yard at joanns so its not very expensive but im still using more fabric and spending more money by doing them pillow case style. ive been toying with the idea of sewing my liners like a fitted sheet using elastic so itll just stretch around the pan.

then im toying with the idea of just forgetting the sewing all together and just cutting the fabric to size and using binder clips to keep them down. I really hate the clips though because they ALWAYS rust. I clean them and dry them cus they somehow always get peed on so I think its a combination of the pee and washing that causes them to rust but ive gone through quite a few of those things and I dont like the idea of having anything rusted in the cage in case they wanna chew on it or something.

just wanted some input of which method may be best before I go out and spend money on new fabric for new liners. so what do you all do?
just looking for the best way to craft the liners, lord knows the rats dont care at all how i make them as long as they get to destroy them. they dont even appreciate the cute hello kitty fleece that i buy!


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## Grawrisher (Sep 10, 2013)

I just cut them a little over the size and tuck it under the pan....may not work if your rats are particularly meddlesome


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## scarletbegonias (Oct 24, 2012)

im probably going to have problems no matter what I do cus they like to chew a hole right in the center and play underneath it, just wanna make it easier for myself


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## zmashd (Dec 25, 2013)

I gave up on liners really quick. It's IKEA Borris mats all the way now! Much cheaper, and they don't get moved around and destroyed.
In the year of having them, I've only bought 8 and they are all in pretty good condition (I use 3 at a time - 2 on the lower lever and one on the top).


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## sierrasmom97 (Dec 30, 2014)

Where do you find those mats at in IKEA? I am liking that idea!. I am using the All Living Things cage and I could probably trim those mats to fit in my base.


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## zmashd (Dec 25, 2013)

sierrasmom97 said:


> Where do you find those mats at in IKEA? I am liking that idea!. I am using the All Living Things cage and I could probably trim those mats to fit in my base.


With the doormats! http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80186688/


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## webspinnr (Jul 27, 2014)

Also for fleece sewers out there by far the cheapest fleece I found is a whole throw that is just enough to make a pillowcase liner for top and bottom at Walmart for 2.88.


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## scarletbegonias (Oct 24, 2012)

webspinnr said:


> Also for fleece sewers out there by far the cheapest fleece I found is a whole throw that is just enough to make a pillowcase liner for top and bottom at Walmart for 2.88.


good to know. I shall keep an eye out. 



zmashd said:


> With the doormats! http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80186688/


im actually really loving this idea. do they clean up well? This seems so easy, tempting.


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## Phantom (Apr 4, 2012)

I don't buy fleece because I live in Florida and it almost never gets cold here. Fleece is a little thick. I usually buy flannel and sow two pieces together pillow cast style. If the corners of the fabric get chewed I usually cover it with another piece of fabric and put a tile on top of it. If one side gets bad enough I flip the fabric (excluding the middle section). Usually my fleece liners last me half a year. =P


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## webspinnr (Jul 27, 2014)

My fleece will last me 2 hours before the first hole appears. Why the mats out of curiosity? How are they different from the trays themselves? I ask because my main problem with having exposed trays is they tend to poop and pee all over plastic and smear it everywhere, whereas they don't with fleece. I'd worry I'd have the same problem.


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## zmashd (Dec 25, 2013)

scarletbegonias said:


> im actually really loving this idea. do they clean up well? This seems so easy, tempting.


They do! Throughout the week, they are sturdy enough that I can vacuum when the cage gets messy. When it comes to cage cleaning day I just shower them down in the hottest setting (REALLY HOT) until the water comes clean, soak them in a vinegar solution (to sanitize and get rid of smells), and again with the hot shower. It takes no time, really. I'd guess the machine would ruin the silicone, but I've never tried machine washing them, as I'm not allowed to wash mats at the laundry room here.



webspinnr said:


> Why the mats out of curiosity? How are they different from the trays themselves? I ask because my main problem with having exposed trays is they tend to poop and pee all over plastic and smear it everywhere, whereas they don't with fleece. I'd worry I'd have the same problem.


In Sweden, a lot of rat owners use Borris mats on their cages. They are sturdy, easy to trim, and rats don't seem as keen on chewing them. Plus, they are even cheaper here, at around $0.40. 
They aren't like plastic trays at all. They have a soft layer on top that actually absorbs water/pee super well! Feels kinda like felt? In any case, I have no complaints about it (other than I wish it came in pretty colors, but hey.... xD). And then it has a silicone backing, which really does help keep the mats in place (and keep my floor from getting pee stains, seeing as I have the cage directly on it.

I really like them, and I don't think I'm changing my system anytime soon - it works super well for me!
I do recommend you guys trying it, if you're curious! It's so cheap anyway, and if you don't like it you can use them for something else, like shelf liners... or actual mats.


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## zmashd (Dec 25, 2013)

Sorry for double posting, but I couldn't edit! 
I went and checked with other people that use Borris mats if they clean them in the washing machine - one washes them at 30°C and has no issues; another washes them at 60°C which she says works, but they become softer over time. I still feel like showering them is the way to go though - I'm not sure how hot my shower gets, but it's over 60°C for sure and even my older mats are still really sturdy!


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## ilovescience (May 14, 2014)

Cheapest fleece I found was $1.98 or something at Menards, but it's terribly thin. I prefer the blizzard or anti-pill fleece from Jo-Anns. Still, it does get expensive, esp since my girls are rambunctious chewers. Was thinking about trying out heavier carpet-like pads.. I saw the Borris Door Mat at Ikea on my last trip there, but it seems really thin and easy to flip a corner up.. Someone mentioned doggie pee pads at the Dollar store, but i've never seen them despite my frequent trips to Dollar Tree >_<

Right now, I'm just using fleece or towels that I bought from Ikea (they have a beautiful, beautiful blue beach towel) and tucking them under, so that when my girls go to pull up a corner, it will minimize ripping of fabric.


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## scarletbegonias (Oct 24, 2012)

ilovescience said:


> Cheapest fleece I found was $1.98 or something at Menards, but it's terribly thin. I prefer the blizzard or anti-pill fleece from Jo-Anns. Still, it does get expensive, esp since my girls are rambunctious chewers. Was thinking about trying out heavier carpet-like pads.. I saw the Borris Door Mat at Ikea on my last trip there, but it seems really thin and easy to flip a corner up.. Someone mentioned doggie pee pads at the Dollar store, but i've never seen them despite my frequent trips to Dollar Tree >_<<br>
> <br>
> Right now, I'm just using fleece or towels that I bought from Ikea (they have a beautiful, beautiful blue beach towel) and tucking them under, so that when my girls go to pull up a corner, it will minimize ripping of fabric.


<br><br>ive actually used pee pads under fleece and my rats were really attracted to them and they utterly destroyed them. I don't know how my new girls would fare but from the looks of it, they are big chewers. they weren't even in their new cage for 2 hours before they chewed a hole right in the center of the pan. I free range them in the bathroom and I have to periodically remind them to stop chewing the rugs. <br><br>
<br>


zmashd said:


> Sorry for double posting, but I couldn't edit! <br>
> I went and checked with other people that use Borris mats if they clean them in the washing machine - one washes them at 30°C and has no issues; another washes them at 60°C which she says works, but they become softer over time. I still feel like showering them is the way to go though - I'm not sure how hot my shower gets, but it's over 60°C for sure and even my older mats are still really sturdy!


<br><br>well I dont have a washing machine, but what about the drying time?


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## zmashd (Dec 25, 2013)

ilovescience said:


> I saw the Borris Door Mat at Ikea on my last trip there, but it seems really thin and easy to flip a corner up..


I've never had that issue, and it doesn't seem to be a common problem - I've never seen any complaint about that on the Swedish forums 
They aren't all that cozy to get under, and they just fall back to place if lifted.



scarletbegonias said:


> <br><br>well I dont have a washing machine, but what about the drying time?


They tend to dry overnight, and I keep spares so I can switch them around.


Maybe I should make a thread about this.


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## untidyvenus (Jan 14, 2015)

Im loving these ideas! thanks for this post. Also for the binder clips, do you think spraying them with rustoleum would work? I have done this in the past on bad patches in old cages, sand it down, rustoleum, dry return. 

Our hardware store have 3 lavish colors- john deer green, john deer yellow, john deer white. I know they make more colors though, lol.


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## Kuildeous (Dec 26, 2014)

untidyvenus said:


> Im loving these ideas! thanks for this post. Also for the binder clips, do you think spraying them with rustoleum would work? I have done this in the past on bad patches in old cages, sand it down, rustoleum, dry return.


My wife suggested clear fingernail polish to prevent rust.


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## ellebelleeee (Nov 24, 2014)

I just cut pieces bigger than the pan and tuck it under. it works really great for me and is half the fabric. I don't worry too much about ilttle holes or if it gets pulled up. I clean the pans weekly and change out the fleece every few days once it gets smelly.


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## Kuildeous (Dec 26, 2014)

ellebelleeee said:


> I just cut pieces bigger than the pan and tuck it under. it works really great for me and is half the fabric. I don't worry too much about ilttle holes or if it gets pulled up. I clean the pans weekly and change out the fleece every few days once it gets smelly.


There's no danger of a rat pulling the fabric out from underneath the pan?

I ask because I put together my DCN last night. I got some fleece 30"x42", which fits the bottom pan with about 3 inches left over on each side. Maybe I needed more material to tuck under?

I duct taped the fabric to the pan underneath. Even then, I still noticed one of my rats pulling at the fabric. She's seen that material before in my starter cage where she managed to pull in a huge chunk of fabric. I put a binder clip at that spot. She wasn't making much progress when I saw her, but I know how persistent she can be. I suspect if I did not clip it down, I'd come in to find half the fleece mussed up. But I don't really know.


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## brindle (Dec 17, 2014)

I loved the idea of the Borris mats - cheap, just cut to size and use it, no sewing required! So I went to Ikea to look at them. However, they were very small, only 15"x22". I would need one-and-a-bit to cover the bottom of my cage, or else I'd have to leave a bare strip along the sides. What do the Borris mat users do about that?

There was another mat right beside the Borris at Ikea called Lynas which seemed similar only bigger. Has anyone tried that one? http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/90225533/ 

My other concern with both mats, is that they have sort of a looped-carpet finish. I am pretty sure I read somewhere to avoid fabric with loops as little toes might get caught. Have any of the Borris users had issues with that?

brindle


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## Velo (Dec 30, 2014)

I started by making pillowcase style too (after I discovered how much I hated binderclips), although I never clipped that style down.

I hated how much fleece it took to make, especially since they would get chewed through. Now, I make mine with 5" flaps on the two short sides. You just slide the two 5" flaps over the pan. I use cheap plain fleece for the flaps and designs for the top / part you see. I hate binder clips with a passion so this was my solution to holding the fleece in place without them haha.
I make them a little bit bigger than the pans. The entire middle part of the liner lifts up, so my rats don't feel the need to chew holes through the fleece to get under it anymore. Lately I also put a cut-to-size piece of fleece under the liner for extra pee soaking up / comfort.


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## zmashd (Dec 25, 2013)

brindle said:


> I loved the idea of the Borris mats - cheap, just cut to size and use it, no sewing required! So I went to Ikea to look at them. However, they were very small, only 15"x22". I would need one-and-a-bit to cover the bottom of my cage, or else I'd have to leave a bare strip along the sides. What do the Borris mat users do about that?
> 
> There was another mat right beside the Borris at Ikea called Lynas which seemed similar only bigger. Has anyone tried that one? http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/90225533/
> 
> ...


As for the size of the mats, I just use two of them on the bottom, side by side... never thought it was an issue.
As for the fabric: my boys are perfectly fine with it (even the little baby), and I've never seen anyone complaining about caught toes on the Swedish rat forums (where most use Borris mats). The fabric is very tightly woven tbh... I think that is much more of an issue with towels, for example, and a lot of people use those for their rats (I wouldn't, personally...).
The only common complaint I see about the mats is that they smell too rubbery... but that smell goes away after the first wash so who cares? 

I'm sure the Lynas would be fine too though! I've just never felt it was worth it to pay so much more when I can just use two Borris ones....


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## LilCritter (Feb 25, 2014)

The Borris mats work well for me so far, though it's only been a day. I was thinking of getting the Lynas one, but I find that it would have been ill-fitted in my DFN. There is some bare space left over in the full pans, but I just cover that with tile or a litter box.


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