Pink slime in water bowl???

[bunny_charlie]

Hi guys,

I kinda freaked out just then because when I wiped my bun's water dish, I found pink slime all over it. I don't use dishwashing soap to clean his water bowl and usually just rinse and refill every day, but I guess it has resulted in bacteria growing. I did a quick search and turns out the pink stuff is serratia and that you use bleach to clean it? I'm wondering if that method is safe and whether this form of bacteria is harmful to buns.

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

I would say it’s alright. Just make sure to wash it well after that and let it air dry for a few hours. You may want to wash it once more after to bed sure, but as long as you rinse the bleach well, it should be okay.
Also, I was all my pets bowls every three days with washing up liquid without any problems. Just make sure to wash it out well

 

[SirLawrence]

Rinse, rinse, rinse! ...and you should be just fine!

 

[bunny_charlie]

Rinse, rinse, rinse! ...and you should be just fine!

So far I just scrubbed with dish soap and rinsed a ton with hot water. Hopefully it'll be fine.

 

[bunny_charlie]

I would say it’s alright. Just make sure to wash it well after that and let it air dry for a few hours. You may want to wash it once more after to bed sure, but as long as you rinse the bleach well, it should be okay.
Also, I was all my pets bowls every three days with washing up liquid without any problems. Just make sure to wash it out well

Ok I'll try it tomorrow when I can go and buy bleach. Thanks for the advice

 

[SirLawrence]

So far I just scrubbed with dish soap and rinsed a ton with hot water. Hopefully it'll be fine.

Should be. I'm in the US, and use blue dawn. Not sure if you have that brand, but they wash ducks with it after oil spills (according to the commercials) so I assume it's pretty safe. But even knowing that, I still make sure to rinse a LOT!

 

[WhiteBunnyEcho]

This happened to me once, it was just build up from not washing the bowl soon enough as well.

I use dawn dish soap and simple make sure I rinse all the soap out well.

 

[John Wick]

I would suggest making sure when you rinse to use your finger to physically wipe the bowl during the rinse. I personally don't see any problem with using a dish soap to wash your rabbits bowl unless it's a soap that's highly perfumated or something.

 

[Bunnygreen]

I would suggest making sure when you rinse to use your finger to physically wipe the bowl during the rinse. I personally don't see any problem with using a dish soap to wash your rabbits bowl unless it's a soap that's highly perfumated or something.

I've also purchased just plain cheap toothbrushes to use as little scrubbers and they work really well! I have definitely gone the finger route too, the toothbrush might be easier if you're using soap though!

 

[bunny_charlie]

I would suggest making sure when you rinse to use your finger to physically wipe the bowl during the rinse. I personally don't see any problem with using a dish soap to wash your rabbits bowl unless it's a soap that's highly perfumated or something.

Ok i'll do that from now on. Thank you!

 

[bunny_charlie]

This happened to me once, it was just build up from not washing the bowl soon enough as well.

I use dawn dish soap and simple make sure I rinse all the soap out well.

Should be. I'm in the US, and use blue dawn. Not sure if you have that brand, but they wash ducks with it after oil spills (according to the commercials) so I assume it's pretty safe. But even knowing that, I still make sure to rinse a LOT!

Oh dawn is not available here in Australia haha but that's interesting that they wash ducks with it????

 

[bunny_charlie]

I've also purchased just plain cheap toothbrushes to use as little scrubbers and they work really well! I have definitely gone the finger route too, the toothbrush might be easier if you're using soap though!

I just use the normal dishwashing sponge but I don't use the abrasive side, I use the spongey yellow side ^^

 

[Watermelons]

Bowl should be stainless or ceramic. Plastic is not ideal. It harbours bacteria easier and does not clean as nicely as you can never get all the scratches clean.
Water bottles or bowls should be cleaned with a scrubbie and refreshed daily. Sometimes twice or more daily in warm weather.

 

[Momma Luvbun]

I don't think you have to go so far as to use bleach.
In fact, I wouldn't.

A good hot soapy wash with the rest of your dishes will be fine, you just have to wash the bowl more is all . A simple wipe and refill isn't good enough or you'll end up with exactly this situation.

 

[bunny_charlie]

I don't think you have to go so far as to use bleach.
In fact, I wouldn't.

A good hot soapy wash with the rest of your dishes will be fine, you just have to wash the bowl more is all . A simple wipe and refill isn't good enough or you'll end up with exactly this situation.

Yeah thats what i did, but I was worried that the bacteria would linger if I don’t give it a thorough enough clean This website is the one that said to use bleach: Keeping Your Pet’s Food & Water Bowls Clean - Amigo Animal Clinic

 

[Watermelons]

Nothing wrong with using bleach to clean. Just rinse well after. Unless the bowl is plastic the bleach smell wont linger either and again I would not be using a plastic bowl anyway.

 

[bunny_charlie]

Nothing wrong with using bleach to clean. Just rinse well after. Unless the bowl is plastic the bleach smell wont linger either and again I would not be using a plastic bowl anyway.

Yeah I use a ceramic bowl

 

[Watermelons]

Yeah I use a ceramic bowl

Then feel free to even pour bleach into the bowl and let it soak for a little then scrub. Rinse, can even air dry for a little and you will be good to go. Remember it will evaporate on its own too.
Bleach is great for getting the stink out of travel coffee mugs that get "forgotten". Both steel or plastic ones.

I use those green scrubby pads to do all my animals bowls daily with just tap water. They are all stainless steel. Every so often they get a run through the dishwasher but actually scrubbing them daily or twice a day means nothing can build up.

 

[Cinn-a-bun]

Oh dawn is not available here in Australia haha but that's interesting that they wash ducks with it????

When there was a big oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
The spill when was washed up to the beaches in the U.S. and Mexico.
And yes they used Dawn (only the Blue one) to clean the Ducks, Birds, and other animals.
It's great stuff, it will all most clean anything.

 

[bunny_charlie]

Then feel free to even pour bleach into the bowl and let it soak for a little then scrub. Rinse, can even air dry for a little and you will be good to go. Remember it will evaporate on its own too.
Bleach is great for getting the stink out of travel coffee mugs that get "forgotten". Both steel or plastic ones.

I use those green scrubby pads to do all my animals bowls daily with just tap water. They are all stainless steel. Every so often they get a run through the dishwasher but actually scrubbing them daily or twice a day means nothing can build up.

Ok I have the bleach now but the problem is I dont know what the dilution ratio should be because it doesn't list it for bowls and utensils. The ceramic bowl I use also isn't glazed so I'm wondering if that's also a problem because it might be porous?