r/Rabbits • u/WorriedStrawberrie • 20h ago
Care Water source recommendations??
My bun has got bigger and he's needing a new water bottle.
The problem is we both hate these ones that you have to remove every day and fill up over and over, and it's like half the time he's struggling so bad to get the water to come out because of the little metal ball and the tube not being lined up just right to let air in so water will come out. The positioning stuff is just ackkkk...
I've tried to do bowls but he just tips them right over, so I'm not even sure about using a weightier ceramic bowl, and he might just get it yucky. I'm wondering about something else I could attach to his cage that could be easily refilled where I don't have to undo the whole thing.
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u/MochiBunMice 20h ago
Weighted ceramic bowls are the best! Get a big one from those stores that sell random things for $5.
Rabbits don't drink enough water with those ball bottles. If you do end up getting another, I'd hook up two in case the first one stops working since they could be in danger if the first one stops without you noticing.
I've also seen plastic bowls that shelters use that attach to cage bars so they can't get knocked over. Those are small, so also get two.
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u/rocktwat69 20h ago
I got a small one of those auto-refill water bowls with the water tank on top. The weight of it prevents my rabbit from being able to flip it over like he did with regular bowls, and because it auto-refills, I don’t have to constantly add more water. I wipe the bowl with a washcloth every few days but otherwise it doesn’t need any maintenance except for when the tank gets empty
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u/Ok_Sea_6762 18h ago
My buns drink out of a birdbath. Low sides, very bottom heavy and can hold a lot of water.
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u/marissazam 18h ago
Get a gravity water bowl. I guess you could attach it to the pen somehow but it’s heavy enough that it would be difficult to tip over anyway
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u/Sensitive_Fish_72 15h ago
I loved having a gravity bowl. They can’t tip it over and I dont have to worry about them running out of water.
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u/BarracudaAccurate898 18h ago
The tapered dog bowls are harder to flip like the one shown below. Hard to get a hold with their teeth on the lip
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u/Meauxjezzy 17h ago
I have these
And these
My Buck stands in water bowls and gets his throat wet so bowls are a no no from him
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u/RabbitsModBot 19h ago
Typical water intake is about 10% of a rabbit's body weight or 50–150 mL/kg (22-46 mL/lb) daily. A 2-kg rabbit can drink as much water daily as a 10-kg dog.
Water consumption varies with factors such as environmental temperature, diet composition, and health. Rabbits that eat fresh greens may not drink water at all.
Generally, a bunny will drink more from a crock or bowl than a sipper bottle, so using a water dish is usually the better choice. However, drinking bottles avoid wetting dewlaps, which can lead to moist dermatitis, and are usually easier to keep clean as the rabbit cannot step in or kick in food and feces. Ideally, offer both a water dish and bottle so the rabbit may choose, but if circumstances such as a messy rabbit warrant using only a bottle, it is an acceptable option given the rabbit can comfortably drink from it. Many rabbits will choose to drink from a bottle when given both options. Please make sure to have at least one more bottle than number of rabbits in the group in case of malfunction.
As a hybrid choice, you can also try using a bottle with a small drinking cup. For rabbits that drink a large amount of water daily or bonded groups of rabbits, gravity water stations are a popular choice.
If you are concerned about dehydration, you can check your rabbit's hydration using the skin tent test.
If you notice your rabbit is drinking excessive amounts of water (known as Polydipsia), it is important that you have a knowledgeable rabbit vet run tests to rule out illness and confirm that they are healthy. Some illnesses, including kidney or liver disease, can cause excessive thirst.
See the wiki for more information and links to suggested products.