Water crock dish versus Lixit Bottle

[MyRabbits]

I am not sure if I am placing this in the best forum for advice and discussion, but here goes anyway. . .

Suzette, our 6-month Flemish Giant doe, is very messy with her water dish. Actually, her water dish is one of those two-dish feeders that are "non-tippable", manufactured for cats and dogs and purchased at the local WalrusMart. Suzette gets food in the water dish side, strews hay in the water, places her feet in the water dish and gives them a soak, and sometimes defecates in her water. I have been trying to switch her to a Lixit bottle and have on numerous occasions attempted to demonstrate for her that this is a source of water. So far she is uninterested in the Lixit bottle and does not seem to use it.

This morning she finally succeeded in tipping over the double non-tip bowl. Right now she is in a cage, and I want to keep the cage clean for her, but it is a little hard when she does things like this. What should I do? Should I just stop giving her water and assume that in the drought she will start using the Lixit bottle?

 

[Becca]

I would put in the bottle and take out the crock, watch her though and make sure she is drinking and make sure she gets lots of veggies as they are "wet".

If that makes sense!

 

[MyRabbits]

Thanks, I think you are right. Giving her a carrot or two would certainly ensure that she not dehydrate entirely until she definitely started figuring out the Lixit on her own. . .

 

[Becca]

Let us now how it goes

 

[Maureen Las]

You could also get a heavy crock bowl made for a larger animal like a dog. It isn't good to deprive her of water so if you are going to try the bottle alone watch it carefully to make sure that she is taking some of it.
I use heavy bowls for my buns and they do make a mess of it butI have heard of accidents with the bottles spouts poking eyes.
Use your own judgement but don't deprive her of water for any extended period

 

[degrassi]

I bought 2 dishes that clip/bolt onto the side of my bun's cage. My bun was always tipping over his water and food dish causing a LOT of mess. He also doens't like using a water bottle so I thought i'd try these dishes.

They are a metal ring and clips onto the side of the cage and the bowls fit into the rings. So the bunnies can't tip them over or move them. I love them. There has been no more food/water mess since getting them.

They might also be good for the pooping in the dish thing. You can attach them a little higher, so your bunny can still eat/drink but wouldn't be able to sit in them.

 

[Flick]

I use the Lixit crocks that attach to the side of the cage

(http://www.rabbitstop.com/mm5/merch...Product_Code=CBC20&Category_Code=2BowlsCrocks)

You can place them high enough so the feet and butt can't easily reach them, but low enough to comfortably drink/eat from. And the rabbits can't spill or toss them around. They dishwasher safe, too. They come in different sizes. The smallest I've seen are 8 oz. Petco and Petsmart carry them, usually in the ferret section.

 

[MyRabbits]

Thanks everyone for your input. In the end, even giving her "wet" veggies, I couldn't bear the thought of Suzette getting even a little dehdrated as she figured out about the water bottle. I juggled some bowls in the house around and have her now with a heavy enough crock that I don't think she will be able to tip. That doesn't change the problem of her getting the water so messy though.

I have seen some of those plastic bowls that attach onto the side of the cage and think in the long run that ordering something like that would really be the best solution. ..

 

[BSAR]

angieluv wrote:

I have heard of accidents with the bottles spouts poking eyes.

I think that is probably VERY VERY rare. I have never heard of that in my life. And I don't see how it could possibly poke out their eyes. Rabbits are smart enough to get the tip into their mouth, babies even know how, well they learn from their mamma but still. Plus the water bottle spouts aren't even sharp enough to do that.

I had a blind rabbit, Artie and he used a water bottle fine. He never got his eyes poked out. He wasn't totatlly blind but mostly.

 

[Leaf]

Mine all use crocks. One way I trained a few over was to put a bowl under the water bottles, especially if/when the bottles were leakers. They learn fast that way, IMO.