Not Drinking

[Hannah]

Hi. Because of the water beginning to freeze, Ihave been giving my buns dishes during the night and then replacing thedishes with water bottles during the day. The problem is Idon't think my one bun is drinking from the water bottle. Shehas had it for two years and knows how to use it. I have noclue why she is not drinking. Any suggestions what to do?Thanks-Hannah

 

[bunnytopia]

try putting either a sock over the bottle atnight to keep it protected, i tiny bi of salt in water will help it notto freeze or if they dont like it try glycerine which is availiable atmost chemists. hope one of these suggestions help.

 

[Carolyn]

Hi Hannah,

Sounds like the metal on the ball may be freezing. Often times breedersor outside pet owners will change their waterbottles to crocks in thefall and winter. The waterbottles freeze too fast.

I'm sorry if you know this already, but at the idea that you don't,rabbits can easily pass away if they become dehydrated. If I were you,I'd change over to crocks and check them morning and at night as soonas you get home, assuming you are away from the rabbits during the day.They can freeze over that quickly.

Is she pooping and eating okay?

-Carolyn

 

[pamnock]

bunnytopia wrote:

try putting either a sock over the bottle at night to keepit protected, i tiny bi of salt in water will help it not to freeze orif they dont like it try glycerine which is availiable at mostchemists. hope one of these suggestions help.

The sock is of no help because the metal fonts freeze very quickly.

Never give salt water as the sole water source(this causes a fatal chemical imbalance).

Large amounts of glycerine may be harmful to rabbits, so never add it to their water source.



Using a crock in the winter as well as adding moist foods to the dietcan be very helpful in keeping the rabbit hydrated during the winter.



Pam

 

[Carolyn]

Thanks, Pam, I was going to reply to thosesuggestions, I just had to look the reason for glycerine. Itconcerned me when I saw that advice.
-Carolyn

 

[pamnock]

Carolyn wrote:

Thanks, Pam, I was going to reply to those suggestions, Ijust had to look the reason for glycerine. It concerned mewhen I saw that advice.
-Carolyn

Glycerine (aka glycol) is used as a food additive, however, afterchecking several sources, I found that it can be fatal to small animalsin large amounts. Adding enoughto the water thewater to keep it from freezing would put it well over the toxicitylevel.



Pam

 

[Carolyn]

Thanks Pam.

 

[Hannah]

Thanks all-I guess I will use the crocks-she iseating and pooping, so maybe she is drinking more than Ithink. Thanks again-Hannah

 

[Carolyn]

Glad to hear the good news, Hannah!

:great:

-Carolyn

 

[pamnock]

Great! The poops are an excellentindicator of whether or not the rabbit is getting enough todrink. Larger, moist droppings are good. Smaller,hard, dry droppings are bad. Highly concentrated, strongsmelling, reddish urine can also indicate that the rabbit isn't gettingenough to drink.

Pam

 

[bunnytopia]

The information i wrote wasadvice ihad given to me when i asked another site when i got concerned for mybuns water freezing, i have never had the freeze problem so i havenever done any of them, im sorry about the info and please be assuredthat i will NOT be doing any of them! i feel awful:tears2:

 

[pamnock]

bunnytopia wrote:

The information i wrote wasadvice i had given tome when i asked another site when i got concerned for my buns waterfreezing, i have never had the freeze problem so i have never done anyof them, im sorry about the info and please be assured that i will NOTbe doing any of them! i feel awful:tears2:

No need to feel awful This issue has been discussedpreviously. While in theory, it seems like a good idea to putsalt in the water because salt water freezes at a lower temperature, inreality it takes a large amount of salt to stop the water fromfreezing. The kidneys would have to use enormous amounts ofwater to excrete the excess salt which would leadtodeathfrom dehydration.



Pam

 

[feewishart]

Dear Hannah

If you feed your rabbit greens then i wouldnt worry about them notdrinking the water. I barely ever see my rabbits drinking andasked my vet about it. She explained that they probably getall the water they need from their greens and the grass they eat whenthey are outside in their run. Obviously they must haveaccess to water but if its there and not frozen for a few hours thenthey would find it if they needed it. On another note, i havea cat that never drinks water, milk or whatever i offer, same scenariowith the vet, probably get all the fluid they need from their food.Animals that are thirsty will find the water you provide.Rabbits are pretty smart really. If your rabbit is eatingonly dried food and hay then it definately needs water.

You can buy pet hot water bottles that look like thick discs, thesestay warm for about 4 -6 hours and are made of very hard plastic soyour bunny cannot chew though it. Tape it to your water bottle or putit under their water dish. You microwave them for 6 minutesand they can be put inside your rabbits hutch. Hope this is useful toyou. good luck I have the same problem in scotland.

Fee

 

[bluebird]

I also use crocks in the winter the bottlesfreeze so quickly.at least with crocks they can lick the ice when itfreezes.i had two sets so i didnt have to wait till they thawedout.bluebird