water bottles

[hotchocolatewithsmarties!!!!!]

When i first got Clover the breeder who igothim from told me that she would only ever usesmall ceramic dishes (like the ones used for food) to give her bunniesaccess to clean drinking water. This is because
Rabbit’s teeth growcontinuously throughout their life meaning they are a lot softer thenother small animal’s teeth such as Guinea-pigs. Because of this arabbits teeth can grow uncomfortably around the spout of a water bottleand if a rabbit uses a water bottle through out its life this resultsin a larger danger of teeth problems, which, as you probably know arevery common in older rabbits.

i have had cloverfor nearly five years and he has always only ever used dishesto drink from. this, i have found, is a much safer source of drinkingand is also perfectly clean method as long as you check it is alwaysfull which you should be doing any way whatever your bun is drinkingout of.

does any one else hereuse the same method of supplying fresh water?

 

[SLRabbits]

I started out using water bottles - but it wasjust more work and more expensive than using crocks. Plus, the firsttime one froze and broke I have had enough. I actually am using theplastic dog ones for water, and ceramic for food. It seems to workwell, unless you have a rabbit like my Aimee who constantly tips hers :?

~Nichole

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

I've never heard of water bottles not being safe!Many people here use them, I do but only in the summer because my boysare outside rabbits and they freeze and crack in the winter.

A water bowl, unless changed frequently, can become quite soiled! Mybunnies have been known to poop in their bowls, etc. I just think abottle is a bit better when possible.

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Bo never has his teeth on the spout! He uses onlyhis tongue and kinda tilts his head so that's all that touchesit. I've seen other bunnies do the same thing the same way.

I can't imagine not using a water bottle. Bo has access to alarge water bowl when he's out of his cage... and we sometimes get asmall bowl of water out for him when he's playing. He likesthe bowls, but the bottle is better for his cage.

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Good point. I also have never seen a rabbit touch the spout with their teeth.

 

[pamnock]

Dental problems due to the water bottle is not anissue. We've used water bottles and auto fonts foryears. Crocks are easier, although have to be changed moreoften. A disadvantage to water bottles is that they may leak,the font may block or it may not be noticed when they areempty. We put plastic milk jug tops in the water bottles, asthey float and serve as water level indicators.

Pam

 

[gjsara]

i used to have a dish but it got all kinds of sawdust and poops and food in it i find it much eaiser and cleaner with awater bottle

sara

 

[JimD]

We have 5 bunnies and 8 hamsters that all usewater bottles. The only issue is keeping the bottlesclean. Init's course, this only means constant clean water for the littlefurries. We give them fresh water every day and rinse and clean thebottles every couple of days.

They do leak, but if they are kept full it is a lot less of a problem.If you kept the bottles full, the weight of the water keeps morepressure on the ball and they don't leak as much. Also there is lessroom required to create a vacum. If a bottle should become empty, itbecomes a "noise toy" and anyone in the near vicinity soon notices thatsomebunnie (or hammie) needs water..NOW!! Temperature changes will alsocause a bottle to leak. In the morning, when the heat first comes on,the bottles all leak until the temperature of the water and the roomare the same.

And the vet says our bunnies have "beautiful" teeth .

Jim

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Jim, this is really odd. I found thatwith Bo's large waterbottle, if I fill it completely itleaks. If I leave about 1/5 of the bottle without water andseal it tightly, it doesn't leak. :?

 

[Buck Jones]

hotchocolatewithsmarties!!!!!wrote:

...rabbits teeth can grow uncomfortably around the spout of a water bottleand if a rabbit uses a water bottle through out its life this resultsin a larger danger of teeth problems, which, as you probably know arevery common in older rabbits....

Hogwash!

Buck

 

[Gabby]

i find bottles to be much cleaner, and the waterlasts longer...esp on warm days. when i get a new bun generally i offerthem both a crock and bottle of water if i am unsure what they are usedto using, but once i see them uising the bottle i remove the crock.

 

[bluebird]

Thats a new one on me, i have been raisingrabbits for twenty some years .no teeth problems.there are some rabbitmyths out there.the most common one is if you touch newborn rabbits themother will kill them.bluebird

 

[*nepo*]

I use a 32 oz. water bottlefor Nepo and it lasts abour 8 days. I prefer waterbottlesbecause the water doesn't get dirty and you don't have to keep changingit. With water bowls, the water might tip over and the bunny might getwet. Water bottles take up less space too.

 

[*nepo*]

bluebird wrote:

Thats a new one on me, i have been raising rabbits fortwenty some years .no teeth problems.there are some rabbit myths outthere.the most common one is if you touch newborn rabbits the motherwill kill them.bluebird

When I first gotNepo when he was about 12 weeks old, a lady said that I couldn't handlehim to much or he would die.

 

[Hannah]

I've used both. The one problem w/crocks is thatthe rabbits go in them and also tip them. I usually use the crocks overthe winter because waterbottles are harder to thaw. Water bottles aremore convienant in my opinion. Hannah

 

[hotchocolatewithsmarties!!!!!]

there isn't an issue of over turned water bowls as long asthe bowl isn't made of plastic and of some thing heavier.

 

[Stephanie]

We use a water bottle for our rabbits, puttingfresh water in it daily. We have to, with three rabbits drinking out ofit it, it empties pretty quickly. Our rabbit are water bottle snobs, wehave a couple of water bottles but they all only like the same one. Gofigure.

We do keep a bowl of water out for them (outside of the cage) that theyuse occassionaly, but mostly Valuran and Chompers spill it when they'rerunning around.

I have never heard of rabbits having problems with their teeth on awater bottle and doubt that they would develop one. To me, a waterbottle is just cleaner and healthier for them.

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

hotchocolatewithsmarties!!!!!wrote:

there isn't an issue of over turned water bowls as long asthe bowl isn't made of plastic and of some thing heavier.

Actually I do beg to differ. I cannot use something heavier like acrock because it cracks too easy in the winter. I do use platic bowls,they are actually made for cats and have a rounded edge so they cannotgrasp the bowl and over turn it. Not to mention that my bunnies canover turn crocks.

 

[lanna21974]

hotchocolatewithsmarties!!!!!wrote:

there isn't an issue of over turned water bowls as long asthe bowl isn't made of plastic and of some thing heavier.

LOL You should tell that to Rexi who has jaws of steel! I have notfound a crock she cant tip over YET!! I have used the stainless steelweighted crocks with her and it doesnt matter. Ive learned that a bun,once they set their mind to something, can be a force to be reckonedwith.

Lanna

 

[JimD]

Bo B Bunny wrote:

Jim, this is really odd. I found that with Bo'slarge waterbottle, if I fill it completely it leaks. If Ileave about 1/5 of the bottle without water and seal it tightly, itdoesn't leak. :?

I got a chance to experiment with the bottles the other day. It seemsto take the right combination of temp, vacum, and water level.

Eventually all of the bottle stopped leaking after a a few minutes no matter how I filled them.