Now that the frozen weather is steadily going away it's time to think about non heated water and the increase in caged rabbits that comes from not having to set up an expensive heated bottle for each cage. Plus the new pen system with 2 does each that may not have enough chicken waters for and they take up a lot of space. Good bottles that don't leak and need replaced constantly though aren't much cheaper than the heated version. So I was looking at the ends that go on pop bottles. Klubbertanz has a tube and ball style for $.90 but it only goes up to a 24oz not a 2 liter. Although at $.90 sticking 2,1 liters on there isn't a horrible thing. The rabbits would then still be used to the ball type water and not have to adjust if I sell one and they might adjust easier to the heated water valve type than an open tube.
On the other hand they get more water, there is less leaking risk, and there is less risk of malfunction using ones like these http://www.cutlersupply.com/cart/index. ... cts_id=855
http://www.cutlersupply.com/cart/index. ... cts_id=853
Again the plastic one doesn't hold up a 2 liter but it comes with a spring for $.95 instead of $2.50. $2.50 for indestructible (provided it's outside the cage) 2 liter water bottle is pretty cheap though if you think about it. I've gone through a lot of $5, $10, and even $20 water bottles over the years for various reasons from chewing to just leaking with no known cause.
Will the rabbits come to understand valve and ball waters when they are sold or switched though? I spent a week training Shimo because the guy raises his kits with crocks only and the pet stores are less inclined to take extra kits if they need special care. A buck raised in colony on chicken waterers took 3 months to get the valve waterer because he'd never seen a bottle of any type.
So I am not sure what to get. The ball type are cheap and what rabbits will commonly see but they have many down sides and it is not that frequent I sell rabbits and usually only to pet homes who would find it annoying like I did but happily spend time converting their rabbit to whatever style water they wanted. There are just a few who buy our occasional pedigreed litter or a meat rabbit to add to their mix and it's not like there aren't other breeders using only crocks and selling show rabbits. That leaves training bucks once a year in winter and I'm inclined to say after months of catering to a buck that maybe we should just use it as another way to weed out the stupid and difficult ones. The aluminum 2 liter ends would be a great one time buy that would work fine for our cages with wider than normal wire and the others are taller than usual or smaller bottles can be used inside those if necessary since they all have the same size opening. A few zip ties make good holders for water bottles, cheaper than springs.
On the other hand they get more water, there is less leaking risk, and there is less risk of malfunction using ones like these http://www.cutlersupply.com/cart/index. ... cts_id=855
http://www.cutlersupply.com/cart/index. ... cts_id=853
Again the plastic one doesn't hold up a 2 liter but it comes with a spring for $.95 instead of $2.50. $2.50 for indestructible (provided it's outside the cage) 2 liter water bottle is pretty cheap though if you think about it. I've gone through a lot of $5, $10, and even $20 water bottles over the years for various reasons from chewing to just leaking with no known cause.
Will the rabbits come to understand valve and ball waters when they are sold or switched though? I spent a week training Shimo because the guy raises his kits with crocks only and the pet stores are less inclined to take extra kits if they need special care. A buck raised in colony on chicken waterers took 3 months to get the valve waterer because he'd never seen a bottle of any type.
So I am not sure what to get. The ball type are cheap and what rabbits will commonly see but they have many down sides and it is not that frequent I sell rabbits and usually only to pet homes who would find it annoying like I did but happily spend time converting their rabbit to whatever style water they wanted. There are just a few who buy our occasional pedigreed litter or a meat rabbit to add to their mix and it's not like there aren't other breeders using only crocks and selling show rabbits. That leaves training bucks once a year in winter and I'm inclined to say after months of catering to a buck that maybe we should just use it as another way to weed out the stupid and difficult ones. The aluminum 2 liter ends would be a great one time buy that would work fine for our cages with wider than normal wire and the others are taller than usual or smaller bottles can be used inside those if necessary since they all have the same size opening. A few zip ties make good holders for water bottles, cheaper than springs.
