Feeders and Waterers--preferences and why?

[p&e rabbitry]

Hello TJR and welcome to RabbitTalk!

Sounds like a great system... I wonder whether it would work in places with a "real" winter? Any thought on the minimum temperature it could handle without freezing?

I have a system very similar to TJR's except mine goes to a lot more cages and pumps out of a bigger tank. All i do is drop one of the pond/stock tank de icers in the tank and I have never had a line freeze. It gets well below freezing here in the winter sometimes so I would think this would work as long as you keep the pipes out of the wind.

 

[DevonW]

I prefer water bottles mainly because of I can tell who is drinking what amount of water, nothing can get in it, and they can't play in the water. With an automatic system, you can't tell who has stopped drinking because all their water is coming from the same source, so its harder to tell if something is wrong right off the bat. With crocks, my rabbits tend to play in their water (And wet Mini Rex = Curly ugly Mini Rex). Not being in a bottle it's also open to whatever might land in it (flys, poops, dirt and other unpleasantness).

I like J-Feeders, and crocks for their pellets, preferably crocks, because I have to open the cage to put the food in which gives you the perfect time to pet each rabbit.

 

[Truckinguy]

I prefer water bottles mainly because of I can tell who is drinking what amount of water

I like this too. If a bunny isn't drinking it's good to know as soon as possible. This is also why I clean poo pans almost every day so I can see if someone isn't pooping and take a look at them. I only have ten cages going at the moment so it's easier for me right now. When all the cages are changed over to my new setup I won't need to change pans every day but I'll deal with that.

 

[Anntann]

I just discovered that bunnies do have preferences in the water dish thing. We have 4 NZ 14week olds in the same pen. They have always had crocks attached to the cage. ... Until a couple weeks ago. We had to go awayfor a few days, so I put some water bottles up in everyone's pens just in case the bunny sitter died or something.

I now have to have a water bottle in the NZ pen. AND crocks. I have one bunny (the girl I'm keeping to breed) who LOVES the water bottle. The other 3 hate the thing. One day I walked in and there was no water in the bottle, but plenty in the crocks. This stupid rabbit was pushing again and again at the ball thingy on the bottle (the sound is what made me check what was going on) and she was getting really PO'd that no water was coming out. I filled it up and she just sat there drinking for the LONGEST time.

So now I have to figure out a way to keep a bottle from freezing next winter. OR eat her and save the next girl in line

 

[p&e rabbitry]

I prefer water bottles mainly because of I can tell who is drinking what amount of water, nothing can get in it, and they can't play in the water. With an automatic system, you can't tell who has stopped drinking because all their water is coming from the same source, so its harder to tell if something is wrong right off the bat.

I like J-Feeders, and crocks for their pellets, preferably crocks, because I have to open the cage to put the food in which gives you the perfect time to pet each rabbit.

Even with the auto system it is very easy to tell when a rabbit quits drinking because its usually the same time they quit eating. I also like it because its easy to disinfect and treat all the rabbits if need be.

 

[Anntann]

I prefer water bottles mainly because of I can tell who is drinking what amount of water, nothing can get in it, and they can't play in the water. With an automatic system, you can't tell who has stopped drinking because all their water is coming from the same source, so its harder to tell if something is wrong right off the bat.

I like J-Feeders, and crocks for their pellets, preferably crocks, because I have to open the cage to put the food in which gives you the perfect time to pet each rabbit.

Even with the auto system it is very easy to tell when a rabbit quits drinking because its usually the same time they quit eating. I also like it because its easy to disinfect and treat all the rabbits if need be.

ahh..hadn't thought about that..being able to treat large numbers thru the watering system easily. Interesting.

I've been really liking the crocks..or rather the blue-attaches-to-the-side-feeders that I use as water dishes. Can't use them with babies in the room tho. The kits go swimming :roll: The pig waterers are working well tho. Gallon in size, and the lip is low enough that kits can get back OUT again. So far no one has nibbled on the plastic "cup" area.

Now I just need to come up with something for winter BEFORE winter comes back.

 

[DevonW]

I picked up a couple new gravity fed "water bottles" in Quebec

The crock part is small enough so that no kits are going swimming, it hooks right on the cage and supports the bottle itself, I've got the litre bottle on there but I could also use a half litre in the same holder. It all comes apart so it's easy to clean too.

 

[jdgilroy]

Could you please tell me the name of that gravity fed water bottle. I would love to be able to get some of those. Last year we lost 2 kits who some how ended up in the water crock. Their momma will only drink out of a crock.

we use j-feeders with the screen in the bottoms, clean them with baby bottle brushes to get the corners clean. crocks for water mostly, because most refuse the bottle. In the winter we use cheap dog food bowls we get at the dollar store so we can just twist and pop out the ice like ice cube trays, except for the chewers they get small metal bowls that we exchange a couple times a day. But as soon as it's warm enough everyone gets their nice clean crocks back.

 

[MaggieJ]

Hello jdgilroy. :hi:

I have several flat bowls about 6 inches across and only about 2 inches deep. They were thrift shop finds. I use these for does with young kits and add several washed stones about the size of an egg so that even if a kit stumbles in, it has no trouble climbing out again. Just an idea you may want to try until you find the bottles you are looking for.

 

[jdgilroy]

Thank You for that tip we have 2 Lilacs that due in a couple weeks so I have until then to try and find something that will work.