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Apparently bunnies prefer bowls.

S

Sky-O

Wise Old Thumper
My vet told me yesterday there has been some sort of study on which method is the best way for rabbits to drink, or what they prefer (think he said it was in that Vet Publication thingy, whose name competely escapes me :lol:).

Apparently the answer is that rabbits prefer/benefit more from bowls.

It might be helpful if some kind soul (vikkivet? :lol:) might be able to post the actual article? Or maybe I could ask for a copy from my vet. Then we will know for sure what it said as opposed to my dodgy memory of what my vet said.

Just thought it was interesting though.
 
I suppose it's a more natural way for them to drink, from a bowl.

In summer when it's hot mine usually have a bowl and a bottle. They drink from the bottle and dunk their paws in the bowl :lol: In winter I worry they'll spill all the water everywhere and have a cold damp hutch so they just have a bottle.
 
Interesting. Mine all prefer a bowl (and I love to hear the noise they make when they are drinking :oops:).
 
Sky-O said:
My vet told me yesterday there has been some sort of study on which method is the best way for rabbits to drink, or what they prefer (think he said it was in that Vet Publication thingy, whose name competely escapes me :lol:).

Apparently the answer is that rabbits prefer/benefit more from bowls.

It might be helpful if some kind soul (vikkivet? :lol:) might be able to post the actual article? Or maybe I could ask for a copy from my vet. Then we will know for sure what it said as opposed to my dodgy memory of what my vet said.

Just thought it was interesting though.
Click to expand...

Definatly interesting! My rabbits are happy with either but I would like to no
 
i would have thought, logicaly bunnies and piggies prefer to drink from bowls. In the wild they would drink from a puddle or a stream.
I imagine the use of bottles was invented to feed many animals as in meat animals without the water being spilt or contaminated.
I cant imagine how any animal can get a satisfying drink from a bottle:(
 
i mainly use bowls heavy ones maily because the bliming noise the bottles make wake me up at night, because if one starts they allblimin start :lol:
 
It's understandable, but I think it depends on the bunny. Mine have the option of both, but their prefer the bottles.
 
Interesting. We are about 50/50 here.

Artie had a bottle for a few years but has had a bowl for about 3 - 4 years now - he does drink a lot because of his bladder problems. Esme on the other hand won't drink from a bowl, only from a bottle.

Elijah and Erin both have bottles, Elijah is a messy little pup and keeps wading about/tipping over the bowl :roll:

Tink and Roo definitely prefer a bowl, as do Binky and Shadow. A couple of days after Binky came here I noticed he'd not drunk anything from his bottle, I gave him a bowl and he immediately had a really long drink, I felt so awful.
 
I always give new rabbits, my own and fosters, both for the first few days till I see what they prefer. I haven't had one choose the bottle yet. I always feel so sorry for them trying to get water out of a bottle and worry that it hurts their tongue - yes I know, I am a sap!:oops:

I also know if I have thoroughly washed a bowl it is clean and have never been sure of the spout on bottles. I use coop cups so that they are not tipped over and you can attach them off the floor so hay etc doesn't get into it.
 
snowball would prefer to drink from a bowl every time.

have to leave a bottle there for him though because he finishes the water in the bowl quickly and sometimes i don't notice (if i am out, in the other room, spending time with my son etc)
 
Well both of mine have bottles. Dudley has quite a large bottle (giant sized) and has no problems. Lucy had a bowl to begin with but when I tried to bond Dudley and Lucy I gave them a bowl and a bottle and they both drank from the bottle so I went and bought one for Lucy.
 
mine have a shallow bowl in the run which is usually full of rain water, plus a giant bottle and a regular bottle. They prefer not to use either if they can help it, instead they drink from puddles and lick rain water off the bars of their run.

When it's very cold I take the bowl away because Eli is constantly dragging his ears through it.

Personally I prefer bottles overall, even if the buns prefer bowls. They need filling less often, no risk of tipping over, no dragging their ears through or putting their paws in it, easier to get back to the run without spilling, etc.
 
Salt and Pepper drink from the bowl, but they love their bottle! They're so noisy with it as well.
Daisy-Boo and Pippin only ever drink from their bowl. They have a bottle, but never use it.
Sonny (foster bun) used both.
 
Ive always used bottles with all of mine, purely, because certain ones love tossing there food bowl, let alone if I was to give them a bowl with water in, I think Digit would end up splashing it around everywhere lol.

One of my bunnies (well my sisters) had a bowl though as we noticed she didnt seem to drink much so tried her with a bowl and she drank loads so she obv preferred the bowl.
 
Most of mine would contaminate the water bowl in hours if i left them to it. It would have hay droppings even urine in. I have used bowls before but i've ended up dirty, so i don't find it a hygienic method for mine.
 
Rimmi and Winter have a bottle and a bowl. The bowl gets used more than the bottle..... in fact, they dont use the bottle unless the bowl has a stray poop or piece of hay in it!

Rimmi just came in and jumped on the bed with a wonderfully wet muzzle..... guess hes just been drinking out of the bowl then! Do boys never wipe?? :lol:
 
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