GliderCENTRAL

Fleece for bedding

Posted By: Anonymous

Fleece for bedding - 09/29/05 07:03 AM

My large cage does not have a grate separating the cage from the drop tray which is why I am currently using puppy pads and shaking them out daily...

How do you get them not to go under the fleece??? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thanx.gif" alt="" />
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Fleece for bedding - 09/29/05 11:33 AM

We had the EXACT same problem!!! It drove me insane!

I went to JoAnns & bought like $20 worth of velcro- for nothing. I tried sticking the bottom piece on the floor of the cage and then a sticky piece on a fleece blanky the size of the bottom. Yah- it held it down to the floor but pulling it up to wash it was a pain- it would come unstuck or pull the stuff off the floor & it got totally disgusting in the washer.

I was going to try getting the stuff that isn't sticky- to sew to the bottom but I didn't even bother trying because of how the other stuff pulled the bottom up off the floor.

Basically- if you find a way to make it work let me know- because right now we're looking at having to do some major reconstruction on our cage!
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Fleece for bedding - 09/29/05 12:08 PM

we had this problem with the bottom of the tent.. I was thinking of sewing the bottom of the velcro into place... instead we now have a true glider room... though worried a but about bonding with the boys since they won't be playing in the small space the girls started out in.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Fleece for bedding - 09/29/05 12:11 PM

I'm a little confused, does your cage have a drop pan? or not?

If it does, and the gliders can reach, then I just use paper towels (or nothing if the glider still reaches through the bars) and clean out daily.

If it does not have a bottom grate, maybe we could help you figure out a way to raise the cage up and use fleece/papertowels/puppypads underneath so they are not walking on the droppings.

Do you have a pic of what your cage looks like?
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Fleece for bedding - 09/29/05 03:16 PM

here is how to resolve the issue of velcro NOT sticking to the bottom of the cage when you try to remove the fleece.

You'll need the following:
-Velcro (doesn't have to be adhesive backing, but if it does locate the good stuff with a 3M brand adhesive)
-Rivet gun and rivets
-Drill with drill bit sized for rivets
-hacksaw (metal cutting blade for jig saw will work if you have a jig saw)
-Aluminum flat bar (at least width of velcro) thickness can be simple 1mm.
-Washers that have a inside diameter small enough not to allow the rivet to pull out of it.
-sharp tip knife (razor type) or a ice pick will work as well

Step one: Sew the velcro to your fleece square (pre-wash fleece to get any shrinking out of it).

Step two: cut the flat metal strips to fit the inside of your tray (or bottom of cage as long as the cage has a solid bottom)... your making a square with these.

Step three: using the drill make a series of holes down the metal flat bar. about 2 inches apart.

Step four: wipe the metal down with alcohol to remove any residue (oil, grease and so on)... if you have found the velcro with 3M backing then put this onto your metal strips.
Run a iron on a medium setting over it to help the adhesive set to the metal.

step five: with the sharp tip knife or ice pick puncture through the velcro where each hole is on the metal strip you drilled out.

step six: Using the rivets and the washers put them into place through these holes. The washers are meant to help give added support to holding the velcro in place as over time it would come loose even with the best of adhesive.

You should have now created a frame that will sit down into your tray that the velcro is secured to. The fleece is cut to the same size as the frame should go in place as well. Note you may want to pre-wash the fleece to make sure that you get rid of shrinking before cutting to size.

You can also do the above, but rivet the frame to the tray. Then you can pull the tray out and wash it alson with the velcro that you have now secured to it

If you don't rivet it to the tray you can also flip this frame upside down and have the velcro underneath and the fleece wrapping under it as well which will cover all the edges of the metal strapping. Though the metal strapping should have rounded edges on it other than where you made your cuts.... a file will take care of the cut edges.

The straps you can get from lowes, home depot, or any hardware store... most everything above is available from such a place. Even the velcro. The fleece head to your local fabric store/walmart.

If you don't want to try the rivets then use bolts with nylon lock nuts. Though this will raise the frame up off the floor of the tray.

This should work with or without a mesh bottom divider, the gliders should not be able to get under the fleece now.

You can create your own mesh bottom if need be using square aluminum tubing that you can buy from a hardware store and using wire mesh as well. I advise not to use a wood frame since this will soak in the urine and hold the smell.

cheers,
Joe
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Fleece for bedding - 09/29/05 05:28 PM

Okay, I have a possible solution... MAYBE. LOL

What if I made slits into the fleece like a no sew method and then tied off the slits on to the cage bars??? Too much work, huh? LOL
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Fleece for bedding - 09/29/05 10:01 PM

Ok Joe... where were you 6 months ago!?

That is a great idea! Sounds like a job for Chad though <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> I wish I would've thought of something like that. I think now we're already beyond the point of trying to get fleece to work- and we're going to try to make a mesh bottom. I guess what I was thinking about doing is similar to what you described- but what is the square aluminum tubing you were talking about?

Tina- I think that sounds like way more work than you're going to want to do every few days! I think Joe's idea is the best I've read so far & I asked the same question as you did, when I first started on here.

Probably would be a little bit of work to install but I think it would save you way more time than tying all those knots!

P.S. I forgot if I said this before or not- but if you get the sticky velcro- don't assume you can just stick it to the fleece you put on the bottom. It does disasterous things in the washing machine! If I were to do it again I would just buy the hooks & loop sides separately so I could sew to fleece & stick to the floor!
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Fleece for bedding - 09/29/05 11:44 PM

That sounded like a really hard and confusing task... But more b/c I can't use tools. LOL I didn't want to do any more drilling if I dont have to to to my cage. I made it myself and the bottom drop tray is metal... Easy to clean and not rusty, but just don't like using tools if I can help it. LOL
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