Questin about water bottles

For some reason, I cant post this in the area as there is not a post new topic button.

So, I am using some water bottles rght now, until I figure out what is wrong with my vale on the water bucket,

But, even when I do go full time water valves, I want some bottles, for when I go on vacation and such, and I keep hearing about water crocks. I looked on bunnyrabbit.com and saw some there, and was just curious, what does everyone else use

I saw some Flip top bottles, but they are a bit expensive, but was just curious what everyone else uses.

I use water bottles with spring valves.

What area can you not post in? Equipment?

yes maam It just don't have an option there for Posting a New Topic. I refreshed, tried a different computer, and it just don't want to show up for me

Ithought maybe that Sub-forum was closed/locked

I use ordinary water bottles most of the year, and crocks during the winter.

I purchased a flip top bottle and never found any food use for it. It just didn't work well with my setup.

weissangst":3owlqcdc said:

yes maam It just don't have an option there for Posting a New Topic.

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I think you may have tried to post in "Housing and Equipment", which is a Category, and you can't post there. You need to go to the sub forum "Cages, Hutches, and Equipment".

I'll move this thread there for you. Let us know if there is still a problem, and we will try to figure it out.

weissangst":3owlqcdc said:

what does everyone else use

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I have an automatic system in my main barn, but the growout pens are on "gravity fed" crocks... I invert a glass bottle into a crock so it automatically refills, which gives me a few days of water for each rabbit. You can see the idea fully explained here:

gravity-fed-crocks-now-available-in-designer-colors-t6638.html

I use crocks year-round. Some are rabbit crocks from TSC, some are dog bowls bought on sale at the Dollar Store. With crocks, one piece of advice- make sure they are heavy enough to be kept from being tipped over. I also make sure to have double the number I regularly need so that during the winter I can just swap them out, thaw out the frozen ones, and repeat the process a few times a day.

I haven't experienced a winter with rabbits, but I bought some metal crocks to use then.
I use normal water bottles though the rest of the year. (Oh, and you shouldn't use water bottles during the winter! But you probably already know that. )

I use water bottles all year round. When I"m home in the winter I change them out three or four times a day. When I"m out they just have to wait until I get home. There have been no problems, does have bred all winter with no issues and just drink when the bottles are fresh.

Yep, I use them year-round, but I don't have super hard-core winters. The bottles freeze sometimes, and we thaw them out and refill.

Well I've heard it can be dangerous, because it can freeze in the water spout and not in the bottle, so you can't tell.

I'm a fan of the spring loaded ball tip Critter Canteens.

Breeding barn - we use water bottles year-round. On below-freezing nights, we heat the barn to 40 degrees so they don't freeze.

Visitors barn - we use water bottles until it gets cold then switch to plastic crocks.

Truckinguy":32k0in3x said:

I use water bottles all year round. When I"m home in the winter I change them out three or four times a day. When I"m out they just have to wait until I get home. There have been no problems, does have bred all winter with no issues and just drink when the bottles are fresh.

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I've been wondering about this--about how to be sure they have thawed water in the winter. And it seems harder than for the goats and chickens (pigs are gone by water freezing time) because the others settle down soon after dark and sleep through the night. So we only have to keep their water thawed through the day and then usually bring the bucket or waterer in overnight. But the rabbits--when do they sleep? This summer I was feeding them fresh stuff just before dark and was out again just about sun-up but all the food was gone and for the first couple hours they ate a lot. (They always have hay available and are fed grain in the evening--I'm talking fresh forage which was the main feed during the growing season) Whatever we put water in here it will freeze up overnight for much of the winter. Will they be ok if they get water just before we go to bed and again when we get up? Will they need less water if they are getting fodder? Oh, and can we feed fodder when the temp is below freezing--does freezing harm it? Should we just feed it in small amounts they can finish quickly? So much to figure out--thanks to all of you for sharing your experience with the confused.

Rainey":2rlvbv2v said:

Truckinguy":2rlvbv2v said:

But the rabbits--when do they sleep? This summer I was feeding them fresh stuff just before dark and was out again just about sun-up but all the food was gone and for the first couple hours they ate a lot. (They always have hay available and are fed grain in the evening--I'm talking fresh forage which was the main feed during the growing season) Whatever we put water in here it will freeze up overnight for much of the winter. Will they be ok if they get water just before we go to bed and again when we get up?

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Rabbits are crepuscular so they're most active during dawn and dusk. Most of us water our rabbits in the winter at minimum two times a day. You can buy freeze resistance crocks and bang out the ice. I use water bottles during warmer weather to be honest, because, I've made a large investment in the quantity I have. I have everything from the flip-top bottles, to the 2-liter conversion tips, to the Lixit 1/2 Gal water bottles with the ball tip for my commercial rabbits. I know some people just stick to the bowls all year. Rabbits generally will drink from dishes over a bottle so that's why people advise when a rabbit is acting "off" to give water in a dish. I've found that to be true and makes me want to switch year round...except...I don't like rabbits flipping their water dishes and thinking about them being without water all day. I don't have time to keep watching all of my herd to make sure they don't do that to their dishes. So -- winter water dishes it is here and all kinds of bottles in the spring/summer/fall :lol:

Easy Ears":1lnhq61q said:

Well I've heard it can be dangerous, because it can freeze in the water spout and not in the bottle, so you can't tell.

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Yup, with the ball and tube water bottles the ball and tube is the first thing to freeze. I don't usually check to see if they're frozen, I just swap the bottles out when I can. If I'm out all day the bottles can be frozen rock solid by the time I get home, same with over night. The rabbits are fine, I've had does give birth and nurse all winter with no problems. They also eat snow that blows into the colony and when I put a chunk of snow in with them they all gather round and chew happily on it like a treat!

wildeden":2wq29f4q said:

I've found that to be true and makes me want to switch year round...except...I don't like rabbits flipping their water dishes and thinking about them being without water all day.

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The Dollar Store has large ceramic pet bowls (large for a rabbit, that is) and I have never seen one flipped. I have even used star and heart shaped bowls (also from the $ store) and they don't flip those either. As long as the bowls have a flat bottom and vertical sides it seems that they can't flip them.