Flywired hutch - placement of water bottle?

[curiouscarrot]

New bunny owner......

I live in Australia and we have mosquito-borne diseases that kill rabbits, one of which you are not allowed to vaccinate against (myxomatosis), so it is recommended to put flywire on the hutch to minimize exposure to mosquitos. I've got the flywire for my new adopted rabbits' hutch and it's all cut to fit and ready to put on tomorrow, but after I've screened the hutch, what do I do with their water bottle? It won't be possible to put it on the outside and poke just the drinking spout inside without cutting a hole in the flywire, also because it's a secondhand hutch already constructed, I want to put the flywire on the outside, so the wire mesh will be on the inside of the mosquito net and it won't be possible to attach the bottle to the wire mesh. Is it ok to put the bottle on the inside of the hutch or will they wreck it somehow? Is it just for ease of refilling that the bottles go on the outside, or is there another reason? Any advice gratefully received, thanks.

 

[missyscove]

If you can rig up a way to attach it so that it will work on the inside, that should be fine, but most bottles I've seen are constructed so you can only really attach them from the outside.
Personally I prefer a bowl of water for my rabbits as I've found it encourages them to drink more.

 

[curiouscarrot]

Yes, thanks. The advantage with the bottles I suppose is that the water will stay clean and won't get hay and stuff in it. I can always put a bowl as well, with the bottle in case they knock it over or something. I need to get to know them to have an idea of what they are likely to do. They've knocked things over, but they are only in their indoor cage while I get the hutch sorted out and also they are dealing with coming to a completely new environment and people and pets and other things that might affect their behaviour., so when they have their bigger house, they might leave things undisturbed. I'll try a bowl as well.

I think I might have to cut an opening for the bottle spout to go through. It won't need to be large, so shouldn't affect the efficacy of the screening too much.

The thing that I'm finding quite frustrating is why the shops/manufacturers haven't addressed the things I'm reading about in what they have for sale. If I was in the pet supplies business, I'd be selling something that complies with what you are supposed to have, sizewise, flywire-wise, floor wise, etc.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

There are water bottles that are designed to go on the inside of the cage. This one has a hanger that supports the spout and a thing that goes around the top.

You can also buy hangers that work with regular bottles.

If you can't find one that goes on the inside, you could make a holder for it. Wire would be easy to work with and not too expensive.

For having it on the outside and not interfering with the mesh, I would cut out a hole just big enough for the spout to fit through. The bit that holds it up might need a small cut in the wire, but it should not be too big. You could try using a rubber band, but it might not stand up to the weather well and need to be replaced often.

 

[curiouscarrot]

I have bottles like that, just not labelled "chew proof". Obviously if they'll eat the plastic, they can't have it inside. Yes, a small slit for the spout shouldn't be a major drama, but access to the mesh to attach it is also an issue. I'm about to pop out and work on it, so hopefully I'll be able to figure out a good way to do it. It is more convenient for filling to have the bottles on the outside.

EDIT: All sorted. I cut a tiny hole in the flyscreen for the spout to go through. Then found it was on the sunny side of the hutch, so also put one inside on the other side. The run has a roof, so the one inside should stay cool, even if the sun hits the other one at some times during the day.

 

[Azerane]

Can I ask how you attached the flywire to the hutch?

 

[curiouscarrot]

Sure. I didn't do it "properly", I'm afraid. I got aluminium flywire and screwed it on with galvanized screws (stitchers). I can get it off again to get the hay out from underneath where it goes between the mesh and the frame.

 

[Blue eyes]

How about a bowl that attaches to a clip. The clip can probably be attached on the inside of the flywire. Once attached it won't need to be unattached again since the bowl will just twist out of the clamp.
[FONT=&quot]http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752724


This photo shows how it is inside. The part the bowl sits on stays attached to the cage. (oops, sorry it's so big, but at least you can see it, lol)

[/FONT]

 

[curiouscarrot]

Yes, thanks for the suggestion. The hutch is wire mesh (squares) rather than wire like yours. I do have a coop bowl from the budgies that I could put in there, but I've just got a sipper bottle inside and one outside. I'm thinking of putting a ring into which to fit a bowl on the timber outside the "bedroom". That'd work, too. I worry about those sipper bottles that they can get the water out. Bowls on the floor get made such a mess of with hay in them.

 

[Blue eyes]

The wire mesh could work with the attachable bowl in the photo. Only a screw passes through the bars. The flat pieces against the cage wall are 2 separate pieces - one on inside, one on outside.

With the bowl on the side of the cage and not on the floor, I've not had issues with stuff getting inside the bowl. I find it much easier to deal with than a bottle.

 

[curiouscarrot]

The flat pieces against the cage wall are 2 separate pieces - one on inside, one on outside.

Yes, the difficulty is that there's the wire mesh and then the flywire which is aluminium and the mesh is on the inside and flywire on the outside, so there's the timber frame's width between them. I wouldn't be able to screw the fixture together. I'd actually bought them a cage bowl, but gave it to the budgies when I realized I couldn't put it on their hutch. I'm going to figure out how to mount a bowl on the inside wall though. That'll work.

 

[sray]

In England they sell this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Large-Inside-hutch-water-bottle-holder/281131909788? _trksid=p2047675.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D11%26meid%3D8915607778872303606%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D1005%26rk%3D2%26sd%3D271228714853%26

maybe you could try and make one?? it looks quite simple with a few pieces of small wood. I actually use a bird bowl, that hooks on to the side of the wire inside and just make sure it's checked throughout the day so it's clean. It's great for babies that don't know how to use a bottle yet as well. I'm surprised a firm hasn't caught on to this in Australia... of course we can't import because it's wood...

 

[curiouscarrot]

Thanks. Yes, since I asked, I started using a "coop cup". That works well, although they don't seem to use their bottle any more (just cut a little hole in the flywire) so I have to fill it up a lot. It's less convenient having to reach in to change it, but that's ok, needs must.