# water BOTTLE versus water BOWL



## rupertismygod (Sep 10, 2010)

My two bunnies havebeen drinking water from a *bowl *for the past 5 weeks -since I've had them.

However, whenver I replace their old water with new water, I notice hair in the bowl. As a result, I change their water frequently, about3-4 times a day. 

SO, today, I decided to buy bottles to replace the bowls, which I placed on the side of their pens. I decided to go with the bottle, because I don't want them to drink their hair!

Are bottles good? Are bowls better? Should I worry if they drink the water and their hair?


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## Amy27 (Sep 11, 2010)

I really don't think one is better then the other. I have one rabbit that prefers a bottle and will not drink out of a bowl. My other rabbit prefers a bowl. 

I do think it is harder to keep water clean in a bowl. But I just give my rabbits what they prefer. I don't think they will drink enough hair to hurt anything. But I find it a pain to keep the water in a bowl clean. 

If I was you, I would offer both for awhile and hope the buns take a preference and prefer the bottle over a bowl.


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## okiron (Sep 11, 2010)

We usually offered both. I like giving them as choice. They might prefer a bowl but in case they knock it over while I'm gone, it's nice to know they do have water from a bottle if they get thirsty before I return. If you think about it, they will end up eating their hair when cleaning themselves. As long as they have a good balanced diet a little hair in their water wont hurt them.


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## rupertismygod (Sep 11, 2010)

If I notice they don't use the bottle tonight, then I will offer both options tomorrow.

I thought drinking water with hair in their bowl would be bad for their intestine and bladder - like causing a blockage.


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## OakRidgeRabbits (Sep 11, 2010)

I have rabbits on both since I've gotten a few rabbits from people who use bowls and didn't feel like switching them. But overall, I definitely prefer bottles. It keeps the water fresh longer and since I'm at class most of the day, it's nice to know that they always have water (bowls can spill, get splashed out, get hay or fur in them, etc.)

I find that I have to refill bowls constantly because they always have stuff in the water.


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## purplebumble (Sep 11, 2010)

my very first house rabbit wouldnt drink out of a bowl..she sat in it instead!! BUT one day i went upstairs to get the dirty washing and found her on the landing drinking out of the cats water bowl...little devil!!

I dont like bottles as hers broke free and tipped up as she was drinking..and smashed her teeth out....she took several tooh clippings and in the end had to have all inscisor teeth removed.

i like bottles as an idea but i have never ever found one that didnt drip..and with housebuns the noise is a uge issue!!

i change the bowls twice a day..more in hot weather. But a really really thirsty bunny cannot get a drink fast enough so a bowl allows them to drink fast.
You can buy some bottles that are called sippy bottles and they are used alongside bowls with a lot of bunny mummys i know.
the upsideof a ceramic heavy bowl is that buns who are lops can dangle their ears in the water to keep cool..or is that just mine?!
we had a mini lop who used to dip his front paws in his water bowl and then wash his face with his wet paws:biggrin:

our uppy eared bunny used to sit his cuddly to teddy in his bowl when he decided teddy needed a bath!!!


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## Flash (Sep 12, 2010)

i started with the bottles and that didn't last long, mind you I've had GP's, hamster's and gerbils and I hated those bottles. They drip even tho there is a trick and I don't think the bunnies get enough water from them. They are hard to clean I would have to stick them in boiling water to get the inside clean, TO MUCH WORK. I love the heavy crocks the bigger the better but for Bentley he gets the bowls attached to his pen so he doesn't tip them.


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## Rosey (Sep 12, 2010)

We have a small ceramic dog bowl for ours. He doesn't get it too dirty but it's not close to the litter box either. It's in his hidey hole area so I think that helps keep it clean. We had a plastic bowl but that got chewed up..surprise surprise!


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## Happi Bun (Sep 12, 2010)

All of mine prefer bowls and drink more water when provided with one. I don't have much of a problem keeping them clean and hair free, surprisingly. So I only have to change/refill them once or twice a day. I can see how water bottles are more convenient and sanitary for certain bunnies. I would love to go back to using a water bottle but I always feel bad.


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## slavetoabunny (Sep 12, 2010)

I've found that they drink more water with bowls. Yes, the bowls get some hair in them, but in the long run they are easier to keep clean than bottles. I usually clean the bowls every other day. When you consider how much hair they consume just grooming, the hair that accumulates in the bowl doesn't amount to much.


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## Rabbit Hero (Sep 13, 2010)

I also prefer a good ceramic bowl over a bottle. Shino started on bottles and I bought several, expensive "no leak" bottles and found that the only one that didn't leak (because there was a spring pushing the metal ball down) was to difficult for my rabbit to push in with his tongue. 

I switched and noticed a huge difference in my rabbit's water consumption. You can get something heavy, which prevents spillage. And I know that there are several people who buy bowls that can actually hook onto the cages, that may prevent some hair getting in if you elevate the water bowl off the floor a little. 

and I've said this before... it's ridiculously cute to listen to them gulp and slurp water from a bowl!


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## Bunny parents (Sep 13, 2010)

First I started giving my bunny both too. She didn't know how to drink from a bottle and drank only from a bowl. I kept offering her both but the amount of water from bottle is always less than a bowl. She tipped her water bowl over, so we hooked it up, but she tried to push it away. So I give her now only water in a bottle and she still drinks the same. Also I change water for her everyday, twice a day in Summer.


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## SnowyShiloh (Sep 13, 2010)

My bunnies drink more out of bowls too. Each of my rabbits drinks about 2-3 cups of water a day- I wonder if that's unusual? I actually think water bowls are easier to keep clean than bottles. All you have to do is wash the water bowl just like any other bowl, but with a bottle you have to use a bottle brush or else eventually algae/slime will start growing inside the bottle. Ew. All of my bunnies have shelves in their cages and I put the water bowl on the top shelf where it won't be near the litter box or hay so it stays pretty clean. Also I wouldn't worry about the bunnies drinking a little hair, as others pointed out they swallow much more when grooming themselves.


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## elrohwen (Sep 13, 2010)

I prefer bowls - I find that they drink more, and I like that bowls are easier to keep clean (it's so hard to clean inside the bottles). They can get messy, especially if there is hay nearby that can get kicked into them, but my two generally do a good job of keep things out of their water. I only have to change it once or twice day.


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## tonyshuman (Sep 13, 2010)

Bowls are more of a pain for me, with hard water and bunnies that send fluff flying everywhere. I just change the bowl daily at least and make sure the bottle is full as well.


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## goneforbaroque (Sep 15, 2010)

Every bottle I've tried has leaked which is a major problem for me. Additionally they can be really loud! Like wake up up in the middle of the night loud. I have 2 ceramic bowls so even if 1 gets knocked over, there is still another one just in case. They do get hair and stuff in them, but its a good idea to change the water and check the levels several times a day if possible.


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