Amount of Water

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SoDak Thriver

SoDak Thriver

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I wasn't sure where to post this question; I hope this spot is fine.

Question: How much water should I give in a crock to keep my 4 pound Cali doe alive, but still encourage her to figure out the water nipple?

Details: I know the answer to the question "How much water?" As much as the rabbit wants, of course. But I have a new Cali doe who is just over 4 pounds (born mid-September) and will not learn to drink from the water bottle. It went until she would not eat and was quite listless until I put a little dish of water in her cage that she drained very quickly. Then she livened up, ate, and acted like a rabbit her age. I even tried putting her back with her litter mate (who took to the bottle very quickly) for a few days to see if she would learn. The dish freezes very quickly and she works harder licking the ice for water than trying the nipple. It's been 6 days. No rabbit has gone more than 18 hours trying to figure out the nipple.

This is the bottle I use, but I didn't pay THAT for them! http://www.amazon.com/Farm-Innovators-H ... ter+bottle

So the goal is: enough water to live, but not enough to be entirely comfortable.
 
maybe your rabbit can't figure out the spring loaded tip.

I use the lixit bottles with the ball in the tube http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... atid=21369
and i think they may be easier to learn. All my kits are using them by 3 weeks. Putting her in with others who use the bottle seems like the way to go. Guess her mommie must not have had a water bottle :(
 
I use the Lixit bottles about 9 months of the year, but right now it's 11 degrees F outside and that ball-tube system would literally freeze in minutes.

I have tried bringing her to the spring nipple and showing her. I also tap the nipple every time I go out to make sure there's a little water sitting on it, hoping that will bring her to it and her natural inclination to chew will do the rest.
 
I had a Holland doe who would never use it... I tried everything~ she and the other two we brought home~ were raised on dishes.
When I put a little honey on the end, the boys figured it right out, but she hated sweet stuff (acted disgusted when I tried to tempt her LOL) and I tried putting the spout over the crock, so she would inadvertantly hit it spout etc. and nothing worked.
I just kept her on a crock.
It has been mild so far, but on freezing days, I usually refill bowls 3-4 times a day, as able (all on crocks for winter).
 

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