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Forum DIET & CARE Do you use a water bottle or bowl?

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    • sarahthegemini
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        Just curious what would be the better option? I use water bottles for my bunbuns, I’ve had them for a month now (they’re 3 months and 3 days old ) and I believe they were using bottles prior to me having them. But are bowls better? I guess they are more ‘natural’ and I read an article about how bunnies drink more and are therefore more hydrated when using a bowl as opposed to a bottle so I’m considering changing. I’m just worried about them tipping it over or accidentally standing/sitting in it and getting themselves soaking and being without drinking water if it happens overnight or something. 

        What are your thoughts? I suppose a ceramic bowl would be heavy enough to not get tipped over, and I could provide a bottle in addition to the bowl in case it does get spilled so they have a back up but I still worry about them having a wet bum if they sit in it. 


      • Mikey
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          2 out of 3 of my bunnies prefer bowls. My Bombur prefers bottles, and i think its because the bowl we have is a bit too deep for him (hes the smallest of the three) so he has a hard time reaching the water when it gets below half, and with a water bottle he doesnt have that problem. The other two will choose a bowl over a bottle if given the choice


        • Azerane
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            I much prefer bowls, so do bunnies from what I’ve seen. Yes they can get hay or poop in them, but water should be checked on and changed at least daily anyway. As it’s starting to get warmer I provide two bowls. Heavy ceramic dog bowls are good, harder to tip and they hold plenty of water. Easy to clean too.


          • tobyluv
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              I use bowls.


            • Alfreds minion
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                I use a ceramic bowl, Alfred seems to prefer it and never spills it. Though he’ll often dip an ear in it! However a bottle is good to use with a pet carrier. So it is good that your bunny knows how to use it. I have occasionally attached the bottle to Alfreds pen, as a back-up to the bowl when no-one will be home for more than a few hours. Problem is I’m not really sure he knows how to use it, I’ve never actually seen him drinking from it. I think his previous owner used bottles. One day I’ll attach it to his pen, dab a bit of banana on the nozzle and then I can (hopefully) be certain he knows what to do when necessary.


              • jerseygirl
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                  I use bowls also. I would be always concerned of a sipper bottle becoming faulty and their not being able to get water.
                  I use ceramic crocks with straight sides as opposed to tapered at they can turn those over more easily. My single rabbit Tim Tim can manage to push his around with his nose though. I think I need to get a bigger one for him like the others have.


                • Bam
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                    I have a water-.dispenser like this: https://binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/aft/149126/Default.aspx
                    Scroll down to 12th post, where there’s a pic of two buns in a dog-crate. I’ve only had it for a couple of weeks, but so far it’s working out.

                    Bam has a water-bottle too just in case. I have a dog and there has been occasions when she’s drunk up all the water in Bam’s bowl. She of course has her own bowls. But somebody else’s water (and food) is always more delicious if you’re a dog. (She eats Bam’s hay-pellets too when she gets the chance.)


                  • sarah_ann
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                      I use a ceramic bowl


                    • sarahthegemini
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                        Posted By Azerane on 11/16/2016 8:00 PM 

                        I much prefer bowls, so do bunnies from what I’ve seen. Yes they can get hay or poop in them, but water should be checked on and changed at least daily anyway. As it’s starting to get warmer I provide two bowls. Heavy ceramic dog bowls are good, harder to tip and they hold plenty of water. Easy to clean too.

                        I always give them fresh clean water every morning and again before bed, and I check it throughout the day to make sure it’s not too low. Plus I can monitor how much they’re actually drinking! So I wouldn’t mind checking and changing a water bowl regularly throughout the day . I do think a bowl would be best, just worried about soggy bottoms….my bunnies are clumsy and careless 


                      • Peri and Poe
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                          We use a water bowl/ dispenser. I think this is a really good option cos the water always gets replenished, plus i find that my bunnies are more likely to drink from bowls (maybe cos its easier cos with the bottles they have to keep pushing out their tongues on the nozzle). Since switching from bottles to bowls they are drinking much more.


                        • Jessica
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                            Guess my bun is the odd one in the group! Amelia has a water bottle in her cage, sane type she had at the breeders, then there is also a bowl of water out in the dinner room. The water bowl is technically the dogs but she gets drinks from it too, but most of the time she hops back to her cage for drinks


                          • vanessa
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                              Bowls – they drink more water from a bowl than from a bottle.


                            • sarahthegemini
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                                I’m gunna get a bowl for my buns then and see how they get on with it. Where/how do you guys position the water bowl? I currently have their bottle positioned so they have to sit in the litter tray to drink, I’m thinking putting the bowl there would be best too.


                              • vanessa
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                                  I only put it in their litter box if they are having trouble with litter training. If they are reliably using their litter box, I put it at the perimeter of their room, so it doesn’t interfere with their running space. Nothing wrong with putting it in the letterbox. If the box is nice and big, they will still have space. If the box is on the small side, the water bowl might take up too much space.


                                • sarahthegemini
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                                    Posted By vanessa on 11/18/2016 12:46 PM

                                    I only put it in their litter box if they are having trouble with litter training. If they are reliably using their litter box, I put it at the perimeter of their room, so it doesn’t interfere with their running space. Nothing wrong with putting it in the letterbox. If the box is nice and big, they will still have space. If the box is on the small side, the water bowl might take up too much space.

                                    My buns are pretty darn good at peeing in their litter boxes, there’s the occasional accident but it’s very rare. I’ll start with it in their litter tray just so if they accidently knock it over or something, it’ll be absorbed by the carefresh so they won’t have wet feet. Then I’ll move it next to the litter tray and gradually move it to a good convenient spot

                                    On another note, I’m planning on changing their cage on Sunday – we have a bigger ‘dog crate’ that we bought for them so it’ll be a completely different enclosure without their scent. Any tips on making it as stress free as possible for them? I was planning on introducing the water bowl then too but should I limit the amount of changes?


                                  • Sr. Melangell
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                                      We use a water dispenser, it is easier for Olly and when it comes to rabbits eating and drinking I think how wild bunnies do things, wild bunnies drink from rivers and streams so I try to keep everything as natural as possible for Olly on the ground.


                                    • LittlePuffyTail
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                                        Mine are bowl bunnies.


                                      • jerseygirl
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                                          With the new crate, I expect they’ll be more curious then stressed. Positioning it the same way where you had previous one may help. Also, something on the base for traction if it needs it. Add a hidey box or tunnel if there is room. They’ll have other familiar things like their litterbox, food bowls etc.


                                        • sarahthegemini
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                                            Well we kept them occupied with a hay cookie while we were switching everything – they came up to investigate but didn’t seem stressed at all, phew! We kept the layout the same, and of course they had their litter box, water bottle and hidey home in their so it wasn’t too drastic a change. They were definitely curious! Mostly they spent the evening sniffing around the new enclosure, playing in their castle and doing the bunny 500s! They don’t seem particularly interested in their water bowl though but I’ll stick with it for a few days and see what happens.


                                          • Violet
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                                              I had a scare yesterday. Violet wasn’t drinking any water from her bottle and wasn’t eating her pellets. We put a bowl of water in or her and she drank it right now. We check the nozzle of the bottle and somehow it had gotten stuck. I’m looking to find a bowl for her that she won’t be able to fling around.


                                            • vanessa
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                                                If you are worried about the bowl being knocked over, Make sure the top is not wider than the bottom. I like to use a dog watering bowl, or those glass bowls from petco. The dog bowl is wider at the bottom, and can’t be tipped over. The glass bowl from petco is about the same at the top/bottom, but it’s low, wide, and heavy. I wouldn’t use plastic. They would flip it in a heartbeat.


                                              • Bam
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                                                  Plastic is useless!

                                                  A wide bottom, heavy ceramic bowl is great. Not too thin sides or the bun can bite around the rim and throw the bowl around. That appears to be a very, very entertaining thing to do if you are a bunny. It creates a mess, makes the hoomin have to dry the floor and refill the water and worry about the bun getting dehydrated. All those things are on the bunny top ten list of favorite things to do =D


                                                • sarahthegemini
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                                                    My bunnies have no interest in the water bowl  They drink happily from their bottle and aside from a curious sip from the bowl, it got ignored. I might re-visit the bowl idea when they’re a little older. 


                                                  • Krose
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                                                      My guy came home and refused to drink from a bottle… even though that’s what he had at the shelter…spoiled kid. I gave him a small, short tupperware bowl to bide time for us to see if he’d start using the bottle or for us to go get a bowl but he ended up loving the tupperware and it’s the perfect size for his cage so he is still using it!


                                                    • SeeShmemilyPlay
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                                                        My buns used bottles for the first couple months I had them, and a couple weeks ago I switched to bowls, just because I read that they’d prefer it.  I’m considering switching back to bottles because my buns kick their bedding into it and it ends up soaking a lot of the water up and wastes bedding.  They also have a habit of throwing their toys into the bowl!

                                                        I will say, you don’t have to worry about them tipping the bowl over, if it’s ceramic.


                                                      • princessbookworm
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                                                          Jake uses both! He has a small ceramic dish I fill with water and a bottle attached to his cage.

                                                          Ive seen him happily use both so i refill both daily. But Im considering one of those automatic waterers


                                                        • vanessa
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                                                            I like the idea of a waterer. I have used it for chickens, quail, and bees. Doe anyone have an opinion or experience with automatic waterers for bunnies?

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                                                        Forum DIET & CARE Do you use a water bottle or bowl?