Not drinking his water

[JingleBellTheBunny]

Yesterday morning, I switched my rabbits normal bowl of water to a heated water bottle, and he hasn't been drinking out of it. Should I bring back his water bowl?

 

[Luce21]

Hi there, I would advise keeping the bowl although some rabbit’s will use a bottle it is usually because a bowl is not available. Using a bottle will dehydrate the rabbit as they cant get the amount of water they require (both of mine drink the same as a large dog a day) you may be surprised if you freshen the bowl in the morning and at night time just how much he will drink. A bottle can also cause a lot of medical problems for them such as calcium build up in the stomach and blocking their stomach which will cost a lot at the vet or kill them, it is also unnatural for them to drink with a raised head. If you would like to know a bit more i suggest you to google ‘water bowl or bottle for a rabbit’.
Hope this helps

 

[JingleBellTheBunny]

Thank you!

 

[zuppa]

Hi, I can't tell about your situation and why you need a heated bottle, maybe your rabbit is outdoors so can't advise on that, but just can't agree what was said about bowl vs bottle, this is a very common thing many people believe in that but I rarely use bowls and think that water in bowl gets dirty really fast and if you set up the bottles properly and train your rabbit they drink a lot and water stays clean and you can control how much they drink etc. I can't tell about all rabbits, some don't like bottles so they use bowls, but I just don't like when it is all on repeat bottles are bad and bowls are nice, simply not very true.

I won't be fighting over it just wanted to let you know that there's another opinion on that.

 

[JingleBellTheBunny]

Hi, I can't tell about your situation and why you need a heated bottle, maybe your rabbit is outdoors so can't advise on that, but just can't agree what was said about bowl vs bottle, this is a very common thing many people believe in that but I rarely use bowls and think that water in bowl gets dirty really fast and if you set up the bottles properly and train your rabbit they drink a lot and water stays clean and you can control how much they drink etc. I can't tell about all rabbits, some don't like bottles so they use bowls, but I just don't like when it is all on repeat bottles are bad and bowls are nice, simply not very true.

I won't be fighting over it just wanted to let you know that there's another opinion on that.

He had a water bottle before, but the nozzle froze and it stopped working. So we switched to a bowl for about a month and a half. We switched it again because his water bowl kept freezing and his bedding would get in his water. But now, he's just not drinking it. my mom says to wait a few days, and if he isn't drinking it by then, we'll change it back to a bowl.

 

[JBun]

I wouldn't suggest waiting even a day of withholding water. A rabbit without water will stop eating, and a rabbit not eating will get a gut slowdown that could result in GI stasis.

He may have just forgotten how to drink out of a bottle. It can sometimes help to put a little dab of something sweet on the nozzle tip to get them started licking it. I would help kind of direct his nose to the nozzle and the 'treat' on the end of it, then hopefully he just starts licking away at it and realizes that's where his water is coming from. And until he does get the hang of drinking out of a bottle again, I would still provide a water dish until you are sure he is able to drink from the bottle, with a little bottle training help.

 

[JingleBellTheBunny]

I wouldn't suggest waiting even a day of withholding water. A rabbit without water will stop eating, and a rabbit not eating will get a gut slowdown that could result in GI stasis.

He may have just forgotten how to drink out of a bottle. It can sometimes help to put a little dab of something sweet on the nozzle tip to get them started licking it. I would help kind of direct his nose to the nozzle and the 'treat' on the end of it, then hopefully he just starts licking away at it and realizes that's where his water is coming from. And until he does get the hang of drinking out of a bottle again, I would still provide a water dish until you are sure he is able to drink from the bottle, with a little bottle training help.

Thanks!

 

[JingleBellTheBunny]

I wouldn't suggest waiting even a day of withholding water. A rabbit without water will stop eating, and a rabbit not eating will get a gut slowdown that could result in GI stasis.

He may have just forgotten how to drink out of a bottle. It can sometimes help to put a little dab of something sweet on the nozzle tip to get them started licking it. I would help kind of direct his nose to the nozzle and the 'treat' on the end of it, then hopefully he just starts licking away at it and realizes that's where his water is coming from. And until he does get the hang of drinking out of a bottle again, I would still provide a water dish until you are sure he is able to drink from the bottle, with a little bottle training help.

What do you recommend using?

 

[#SirThumpsAlot]

It could also depend on the style of dispenser the bottle has. I found when I switched from one bottle to another our bunny drank less for a day or two, but eventually he got used to the new bottle.

 

[Watermelons]

Bowls are always better then bottles. Luce is correct.
Just give him his bowl back if you are worried about freezing you can change it multiple times a day.

 

[AVIE]

Give him both and let him decide...