Has anybody ever tried this for an automatic waterer?

[Legacy]

All of our rabbits have regular pet water bottles like from walmart with the ball. We have discovered that the caps will screw directly to a water hose. My husband is toying with the idea of using water hose splitters with sections of hose with the water bottle caps screwed on to them as an automatic watering system.

Has anyone ever tried that?

 

[ottersatin]

I wouldn't do it.
the caps and balls will not be able to hold back the water pressure.
You may end up drowning the rabbits in their cages.
Just a thought, everything sounds good on paper!
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[Legacy]

hummm. I wonder if it would work if it was the slightest bit turned on. I would think if it was under too much pressure, the ball wouldn't move. Maybe it would work if we did the bucket thing with the hose attached to the bucket.

 

[akane]

Having experience with automatic water setups... never again... It sounds great but there are so many places for things to malfunction resulting in a dead animal from dehydration or a flooded pen. We spent more time and money trying to keep automatic water to the barn than it takes to fill individual water containers. I'll take individual bottles or buckets where I can see every day that the level has gone down the correct amount and if something breaks I have cupfuls of water in the case of the rabbits to deal with.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

I think you would want to do so with gravity fed- no pressure, after all, those tubes are NOT very strong. Several of mine have indentations in them from teeth--

 

[akane]

None of mine are dented but I have cracked the plastic base the tubes connect in to so that they don't screw on anymore. They'd go shooting off if there was pressure behind them. I have a container of bottles without tubes and tubes that the bottle got chewed through the bars and developed a hole. I mix and match when I have to fill every cage for some reason like the weasel attack until weasel proofing was under way and everyone needs a bottle or 2. We tried to make sure every caged rabbit had 2 bottles each this summer in case one would malfunction. We did lose one rabbit because one bottle for some reason would only work right after we filled it and 1 bottle developed a leak so we thought the rabbit was drinking one bottle down and then would work on the second right after we filled. In reality he was only getting a little water while we were there until the one jammed and the small one emptied down the back of the cages. About 5 days of this and he was found dead. That's when we tested the full bottle to find it jammed and the other bottle emptied without a rabbit in the cage. It's an increased risk to not know what everyone is drinking every day.

 

[DoubleD-Rabbitry]

I use the brass Edstrom lick valves, and have for many years, they have not failed me yet. about 3 bucks ea to start but they last forever, you will need a regulator to reduce the pressure to under 10 psi or use an elevated 5 gallon bucket with a toilet valve installed in it attached to your full pressure hose. I have over 40 rabbits and it would take forever to clean and fill each day.

 

[Legacy]

The problem is I don't have the money to buy edstrom lick valves and I will be leaving town for 9 days. I have someone coming to take care of the animals every-other day while we are gone but I can't depend on the bottles to provide water for 2 days. I know have many that leak or malfunction as it is. I have 2 waters on each cage and check them daily. I just can't trust that they can last 2 days. I was looking for an affordable way to make sure they wont be going without water.

 

[MaggieJ]

Can you give them a crock as well as a bottle? It would be cheap insurance if you get the crocks at a thrift shop or dollar store.

 

[Milcreek]

Has anyone tried this? http://rabbitkeeper.com/autowater.htm

Has a tank @ top and 1 @ bottom also has heater in tank to keep water from freezing and is constantly running thru the lines.

I'm thinking about doing this set up but would love to hear (and see pics) if it has been tried here?

thanks!

 

[MaggieJ]

I'm thinking of trying this for my colony rabbits and chickens. Useless in winter, but I have rubber pans I use then.

http://www.flemingoutdoors.com/mini-cup-waterers.html

 

[Milcreek]

What would keep it from freezing? I need something that will function below freezing in the barn.

 

[skysthelimit]

tubes that the bottle got chewed through the bars and developed a hole.

Ok so it's not just me then, I don't feel like such a fool with strange animals. Is there a way to patch the hole? We they all have crocks, and I will fill the crocks and bottles in the summer times, besides I like the time I spend interacting with them while I fill their crocks.