Winterizing water bottles/dishes advice

[iHop]

Hey everyone,

For those who keep their buns outside, how do you keep water from freezing?

Thanks,
iHop

 

[CharlieRae]

This year I'm going to give heated bowls a try. I found some on Amazon. Usually I'm out checking for frozen water a few times a day.

 

[iHop]

What have you used in the past? I saw a few pet fountains but the reviews were awful.

 

[Preitler]

I put heating pads under the crocks, with an adjustable power supply.

 

[CharlieRae]

What have you used in the past? I saw a few pet fountains but the reviews were awful.

Water bottles. Which are a PAIN to thaw. I ended up having multiple extras in the house to just sap out. But the metal spout's froze quickly. So we switched to bowls that attach to the wire, way easier to thaw, but I'm still giving the heated bowls a go so they never freeze.

 

[Bellamy+Lilah]

Putting a thick sock (or several thick socks) on a water bottle helps them not freeze up. I replenish warm water in them 2-3 times a day when its freezing or below freezing out.

 

[Mariam+Theo]

Theo stays in a hutch in our shed, whenever it gets cold I put lukewarm water in his water bottle and if it freezes I change it out with his other water bottle. It stays warmer in the shed than outside so he stays warm. In January we got 10 inches of snow and it was so cold! His water bottle never froze, so if your rabbits are in a shed than I wouldn't do anything to there water bottle.
This year I will probably try putting a sock around it as Bellamy+Lilah suggested!

 

[iHop]

I saw some heated bowls at Rural King, but they were enormous, way too deep (probably made for horses). Any brand you can recommend?

 

[Motorcycle Chick]

They actually make heated water bottles. I think Chewy sells them.
Take an old cookie tin, drill a hole to put a light fixture through, and set your bowl on top. Be sure to use the old lightbulbs, or a low heat reptile bulb. New bulbs don’t really get warm.

 

[jamesewaller]

Hey everyone,

For those who keep their buns outside, how do you keep water from freezing?

Thanks,
iHop

---dear i hop,-WOW,if you somehow keep the environment warm-could be your best bet,,however-FIRE-and burns could be the biggest factor with any decision made-. you have to be very concerned when critters are kept in the cold..not just the water freezing..-not healthy..i use temperature sensors for everything-indoors/outdoors..and cameras--even then there are problems-usually minor--this might sound expensive,but it isnot--just have to be creative,within reason..i knew someone who used a old insulated trailor-and a space heater,-secured it and protected it from the critters.-temp.s would get to say below freezing and temp in the trailor would be 55 degrees--I have a 8ft-2x2ft.cage-which I cover with 4 mil plastic-for my 3 pigeons,and have a heater set to 55 degrees,it works very well and keeps them warm.i hope something here helps -every situation is different,sincerely james waller for joseph r cottontail-rip

 

[LyndaB]

If your rabbits' water is freezing, then it is too cold for the rabbits. My first rabbit was an outdoor rabbit, and he quickly became an indoor one once it got cold...transitioning to the garage area first. Like Mybunnytheo stated, if the rabbits are kept somewhere out of the worst freezing temperatures (garage, large shed, workshop, etc.), then the water won't freeze (unless you live in Alaska or the Yukon...). If they cannot be moved into a shelter, then it is time to erect a temporary lean-to shelter around them; move them next to one wall of your house so you are only erecting three walls and a sloped roof (don't forget the door). Believe it or not, this second layer of defense against the cold wind and temperatures makes a huge difference to the pets and their water supply.
If you don't want to take the time to build that, then I highly recommend heating more than just the water, employing a heating system (lightbulbs, pipewrap, etc.) under or around the covered portion of the hutch to at least help them stay warm as well.