winter watering
- Thread starter deeg
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I personally would not rely on crushed ice or snow as a water source. Wild rabbits are not raising kits in the middle of winter and our domestic does, especially, need good access to water to produce milk. Besides, we want our rabbits to do more than survive - we want them to thrive.
I've found that carrying down a bucket of good warm water let me thaw the crocks and refill them in one easy step. I wore rubberized work gloves over thin wool ones to protect my hands.
I've found that carrying down a bucket of good warm water let me thaw the crocks and refill them in one easy step. I wore rubberized work gloves over thin wool ones to protect my hands.
Gotta agree with Maggie. I usually have kits in the boxes during the winter, and I don't want the does wasting the energy dealing with ice.
There are times I am tired and don't want to take extra time with the buns, then I remember that for them to take care of me, I need to take care of them. And on goes all the winter gear and out I go...
There are times I am tired and don't want to take extra time with the buns, then I remember that for them to take care of me, I need to take care of them. And on goes all the winter gear and out I go...
you cannot compare the two lifestylesdeeg":3b6nljge said:
Wild rabbits only eat fresh, moisture rich foods - never hay or dehydrated pellets
Wild rabbits weigh under 5 pounds and have very little muscle so they require much less water than our beefy domestic rabbits that are 10+ pounds
Wild rabbits are never pregnant or nursing a litter in the fall, winter and spring and have the option to abandon a litter if they become too malnourished or dehydrated, they are not locked in a cage with babies begging and crying to be fed and impossible to ignore
By the way, deeg . . . Welcome to RabbitTalk! :welcome:
I hope you are not feeling ambushed by hearing the same reply (basically) three times in a row. It was an honest question on your part and if snow and crushed ice would work, I know quite a number of people who would likely do that. But it's not enough.
I will say, however, that if you get that kind of extreme weather where the water freezes in no time flat, giving a dish of snow as well as water three times a day might not be a bad idea. I think snow would be better than licking ice.
I hope you are not feeling ambushed by hearing the same reply (basically) three times in a row. It was an honest question on your part and if snow and crushed ice would work, I know quite a number of people who would likely do that. But it's not enough.
I will say, however, that if you get that kind of extreme weather where the water freezes in no time flat, giving a dish of snow as well as water three times a day might not be a bad idea. I think snow would be better than licking ice.
wamplercathy
Well-known member
I was thinking about filling their water bottels 1/2 way that way I won't have to worry about them cracking. Then change out every few hours. I'm hoping that a watering system with a return will prevent it from freezing. But I don't know if we'll have that in before winter gets us. The low tonight is going suppose to be 45*. :evil: Hate winter.
TF3
Well-known member
Great question!
This will be our first winter with rabbits and we are in Northern Ontario
I'm thinking that bottles will be filled at less than full with hot water for longest life before freezing.
Open to suggestions!
This will be our first winter with rabbits and we are in Northern Ontario
I'm thinking that bottles will be filled at less than full with hot water for longest life before freezing.
Open to suggestions!
TF3, unless you have two or three bottles per cage to swap out, I am afraid you will find the bottles -- or at least the tubes -- freeze very quickly.
When I had rabbits in cages, as opposed to in a colony, I devised a system that worked very well for me in winter. It was cheap and low tech.
I bought those plastic food containers, the square ones that sell 2/$1 at Dollarama. They hold about 16 oz. of water. I used two for each cage.
One I pierced with an ice pick near the rim and on the base. I wired it through the holes in the rim to the cage wall. This served as a holder. The hole in the base provided drainage for drips and spills. A second box fit inside and this liner is what held the water.
On mornings when everything had frozen solid overnight, I was very grateful for this system. I'd take a bucket of hot water down to the rabbitry. I opened the first cage, lifted out the frozen food box (liner) and floated it in the bucket. I filled the grain dish and put in hay. By this time the ice block had unmoulded could be dumped out. I scooped up warm water and replaced the liner in the holder. Closed the cage and I was done.
The plastic boxes took quite a long time to freeze to the point where the rabbits could not get a drink. In extreme cold, I made three trips a day, but for most of the winter, morning and late afternoon was enough. I know a lot of people prefer water bottles, but just wanted to post this as a cheap and easy alternative. You do need to have a few extra liners on hand in case of breakage, but if you are at all careful, breakages are few.
When I had rabbits in cages, as opposed to in a colony, I devised a system that worked very well for me in winter. It was cheap and low tech.
I bought those plastic food containers, the square ones that sell 2/$1 at Dollarama. They hold about 16 oz. of water. I used two for each cage.
One I pierced with an ice pick near the rim and on the base. I wired it through the holes in the rim to the cage wall. This served as a holder. The hole in the base provided drainage for drips and spills. A second box fit inside and this liner is what held the water.
On mornings when everything had frozen solid overnight, I was very grateful for this system. I'd take a bucket of hot water down to the rabbitry. I opened the first cage, lifted out the frozen food box (liner) and floated it in the bucket. I filled the grain dish and put in hay. By this time the ice block had unmoulded could be dumped out. I scooped up warm water and replaced the liner in the holder. Closed the cage and I was done.
The plastic boxes took quite a long time to freeze to the point where the rabbits could not get a drink. In extreme cold, I made three trips a day, but for most of the winter, morning and late afternoon was enough. I know a lot of people prefer water bottles, but just wanted to post this as a cheap and easy alternative. You do need to have a few extra liners on hand in case of breakage, but if you are at all careful, breakages are few.
wamplercathy":32dkbsqt said:
I had to check the date on this post a few times because I kept thinking this must have been from last winter. :shock: yikes, it really is almost winter, isn't it??? We're now at comfortable temps here in Atlanta instead of the high 90's, but 45*...it's too soon!
TF3
Well-known member
Thanks Maggie!
I'm so glad we put the rabbits on the back porch vs a separate building!
That sounds like a great system.
I'm so glad we put the rabbits on the back porch vs a separate building!
That sounds like a great system.
MamaSheepdog
Well-known member
Hi Deeg!
:welcomewagon:
Welcome to RabbitTalk!
How nice to see that you are already planning ahead for winter and how to care for your rabbits in freezing weather. :clap2:
MaggieJ's suggestion is a fabulous low tech solution, but if you have a lot of rabbits or work outside the home, you may want to have an automatic system including a heater and a pond pump to circulate the water so it will not freeze.
Depending on exactly how cold it gets in your area and whether or not your rabbits are housed in some type of building it may not be a feasible option, but it is worth looking into.
This post by one of our members "Grumpy" discusses the heater and pump:
post280514.html#p280514
And here he explains how to install an automatic watering system:
watering-system-pvc-schedule-40-pics-beginning-to-end-t12974.html
:welcomewagon:
Welcome to RabbitTalk!
How nice to see that you are already planning ahead for winter and how to care for your rabbits in freezing weather. :clap2:
MaggieJ's suggestion is a fabulous low tech solution, but if you have a lot of rabbits or work outside the home, you may want to have an automatic system including a heater and a pond pump to circulate the water so it will not freeze.
Depending on exactly how cold it gets in your area and whether or not your rabbits are housed in some type of building it may not be a feasible option, but it is worth looking into.
This post by one of our members "Grumpy" discusses the heater and pump:
post280514.html#p280514
And here he explains how to install an automatic watering system:
watering-system-pvc-schedule-40-pics-beginning-to-end-t12974.html
the reluctant farmer":3sgjg3q2 said:
Saw on the news yesterday that Alberta Canada had 2 inches of snow.
I understand they're in the foothills of the mountains but snow already!?!
My experience with water bottles is that the tubes freeze rapidly. Yes, crocks
are a pain - we switch them out morning and evening. Even with colder
weather, the crocks stay thawed out much longer than the bottle tubes.
Good for you and planning ahead... Best of luck to you!
deeg":39x57e22 said:
It's true. When we had a water pipe burst, it was the hot pipe that ran alongside the cold. Still, rabbits are more enthusiastic about drinking warm water in cold weather and that helps to keep them hydrated. If you are watering three times a day with warm water, I think their actual intake is likely more than with cold.
