How do I get my bunnies to drink from a water bottle?

[CCWelch]

All winter they have been using a bowl and now that it is spring I would like to get them using a bottle. I know my adults have been "bottle broke" because they took to it immediately, the little ones won't even try. Do I need to take their bowl away for a day?
The water bottle they have drips almost constantly because of the temperature changes so I know it works.

 

[slavetoabunny]

Is there a particular reason you want to use bottles? I use bowls (lock-it crocks) for all of mine. They drink so much better out of these than from bottles.

 

[naturestee]

I prefer bowls to bottles anyway. Most rabbits drink more from bowls than they do from bottles because it is easier. Hydration is important, especially during warm summer weather.

 

[Cheyrul]

Mine prefer bottles, so do I because they kept flipping the bowls, crock and/or pooping in it.

 

[Halucinate]

Im excited to see what people have to say myself, as I would like to do the same. My lionhead girl gets hair in her bowl after one drink >.O

Good

 

[Nela]

Maybe you could put a crock bowl with some water under the bottle so that they can drink from the bowl but also be exposed to the bottle. I'm sure at some point they'll be curious enough to try it. Once you see them drinking from it, you can remove the bowl if you want. I left the bowl in before though because it would catch the drippings from the bottle. I now have a better bottle so I don't need the bowl anymore. Just a thought.

 

[CCWelch]

Ok to answer all questions, I have been using a bowl but I am getting ready to rehome these little ones and I want them to be ready for what ever situation they are put in.

I have given them the bottle with the crock and they ignore the bottle, last night I took out the crock and left them with just the dripping bottle. I am on my way up to do chores and will give them a crock this morning. I am hoping that overnight they are using the bottle.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Ours just took to it--the plus part was no more poop in it and no spilling.

 

[CCWelch]

Well after leaving the herd (I have 14 5 week old bunnies in one large hutch )with the full 2 liter bottle over night I went out this morning and found it empty. As soon as I refilled it better than half of the bunnies were there to get a drink. I put the bowl back in and they basically ignored it for about an hour. They finally used the bowl after drinking about half of the 2 liter bottle.

Any tricks to keep them out of the feeder? They keep getting up in it and soiling it. They are on a self feeder and it is up high enough they have to almost stand up to get to it. One tried jumping on top of it today:rollseyes

 

[buns2luv]

I don't really know. Our 1st bun we adopted from the humane society. She used a bottle there, when we got home, she wouldn't use the bottle. We gave her a day and noticed she wasn't drinking from the bottle so we gave her a bowl. She has had a bowl ever since. She loves to dump it though so I have to say, I am happy the other 3 like their bottles. We just bought her a bowl that screw onto her condo...one for her water and one for her food so she can't dump them now

 

[MiniLopHop]

I use heavy crocks sold for dogs that have a large enough base they can't flip. I found the bunns like the bowls better.

 

[amdfarm]

Hope's kits just seemed to figure it out by copying her. They do have a bowl now, too, but that's only because I was going out of town and there wasn't enough water in the bottle to accommodate everyone overnight. I still leave both in there and they can't dump it, it's a big dog bowl. So far they've not pottied in it, but they've put toys in it. I found a very wet toilet paper tube in it this morning. More fiber, nope, don't think so kids. LOL

Good luck. They'll figure it out eventually.