Wattle bottle and food bowl?

[katnanw]

So I hope I'm not being annoying by asking too many questions :B

How long will it be till I have to throw out their bottle and bowl then buy them a new one from the store? A year? Two?
Even though I wash the bottle thoroughly I know there will will be bacteria buildup And I was thinking if I should change the bottle (not that water, I change that daily) every few months or half a year or something :S

 

[LakeCondo]

I use ceramic bowls for water as well as food. I have 2 water bowls that I rotate daily, so each one dries out when not in use. So you could get a 2nd water bottle & rotate them weekly. Right after you stop using one, empty it, then add fresh water with a little vinegar or bleach in it, leave it in a half hour or so, rinse it out several times & let it dry until you use it again. Somewhere in the process you could use a bottle brush in it.

 

[JimD]

I use ceramic bowls for food.
If you clean and disinfect them on a regular basis they can last for years. Some of mine are almost 8 years old now.
The only ones I've had to replace are ones I've broken by dropping them :rollseyes.



Plastic water bottles will also last a long time as long as you keep them clean and disinfect them.
Mine get washed on a regular basis.
I soak them in a vinegar/water solution, then wash them using Dawn dish soap & a bottle brush, then rinse-rinse-rinse with hot water.

I have had to replace some of the rubber washers in the tops when they wear out, but other than that the bottles have lasted for years.


The tap water in my area tends to be "hard" and can cause mineral deposits to build up in the bottle tubes and on the fonts (the balls in the tube). Soaking in straight vinegar will help dissolve the deposits.
Because if this issue, I switched to giving my buns bottled water. (I also didn't want them consuming extra calcium through their drinking water. )

 

[MILU]

I used plastic bowls for food and water - changed the water and washed them, never knew we had to change them after a year or so...

And Kat, I wouldn't worry about asking too much. I think it's always better to be safe than sorry. You want to treat your bunnies well, and if you ask for information there's nothing wrong with it!

 

[katnanw]

Wow thanks guys I tried using a bowl today and they popped in it.

 

[ZRabbits]

Are you sure they pooped in the bowl or did they jump and it flipped in? Once a while I find a poop in one of their water bowls. It's not intentional. They love their ceramic bowls. Even Willard, who seems to have been raised on a water bottle, got the hang of the ceramic bowl.

Plus with the ACV, no slime in the ceramic bowls. Or urine odor. Great to cut down on the odor. My boys love it, even my dog Jake gets it and loves it.

K

 

[katnanw]

I'm not sure, judging by what I just saw this evening it could be both. The do occasionally place their ass on top of the bowl while eating at hay :O

 

[ZRabbits]

katnanw wrote:

I'm not sure, judging by what I just saw this evening it could be both. The do occasionally place their fluffybunnybottom on top of the bowl while eating at hay :O

Then can you move the bowl away from the hay? Maybe the location could be changed. I did the same thing. It's all trial and error until you find out what works best for your bunnies.

K

 

[katnanw]

Thanks Karen I'll try that! :biggrin:
Ah taking care of a bunny requires lots of patience huh x)
(and I just realised I spelt water bottle wrong hahah )

 

[ZRabbits]

katnanw wrote:

Thanks Karen I'll try that! :biggrin:
Ah taking care of a bunny requires lots of patience huh x)
(and I just realised I spelt water bottle wrong hahah )

Does take patience. I think a lot of folks take ownership of a bunny and somehow think they are going to be a dog or cat. And it's just not that way. Bunnies are individuals and they set the tone of the relationship. Because they are prey animals and hardwired to be very cautious about everything. That's just a bunny.

Lots of good guidelines and starting points out there, but it's up to you to get to know your bunny and change it to his/her needs. That's the fun part of ownership and raising.

Regarding spelling water bottle wrong, oh well, never an English major, but I knew what you were talking about. lol

K

 

[katnanw]

Thanks anyway haha you've been a great help
Yeah they do require patience, something which took me quite awhile to understand .____. Thanks again

 

[Nancy McClelland]

We run everything through the dishwasher once a week. We usually get 2 to 3 years on a bottle and the ceramic dishes last til some dummy drops them.

 

[JimD]

Nancy McClelland wrote:

...... and the ceramic dishes last til some dummy drops them.

:embarrassed:

 

[Nancy McClelland]

I hate when that happens! Thanks Jim.

 

[katnanw]

BAHAHA thanks guys :B but I don't have a dishwasher so I guess I'm gonna go get a second water bottle and rotate them