Bowls or bottles?

[ohitslana]

Hi guys:

Which do you prefer? Water bowls or bottles?

As of right now, I'm using a bowl, but my girls are obsessed with moving it around! While funny, it's also quite messy. So, I'm considering using a water bottle for inside their cage and a bowl while they're out, but I'm wondering what the opinions are for water bottles: Are they good health-wise and which ones are the best?

Thanks!

[mindy]

I prefer a bowl since I don't feel that a ferret can get enough water from a bottle. I have both in my cage because Ginny was not used to a bowl when we got her. She barely touches the bottle now.

The bowl that I have is a travel water dish that attaches to the inside of a carrier. I used to have just plain stainless dishes that were in a ring that attached to the cage but Fred put an end to that! He used to lay underneath it and use his front legs to pop it up and splash water everywhere. Fawkes used to stand up and dig the water out of the dish. Haha! The dish I have now has a lip around it that keeps the splashes in.

I have to keep their dishes attached to the cage because Ginny likes to drag things around. My food dish is also attached to the cage.

www.jbpet.com/clipper-spill-resistant-cup,2036.html <-- This is what I have for their water dish. I got it at Global I think.

The only thing that I don't like about the travel dish is that it is plastic but I just wash it every day and that keeps it clean.

[Johnny and Demon]

I think you should let your ferrets decide what they like best by getting them water bottles and dishes. My ferrets prefer bowls but the water bottles are a great alternative when they run out of water. They have 3 water bowls and a large bottle in what I call their "dinning room"

[Tressie]

I think the best option is to provide both a water bottle in their cage and a lock-on water dish, example in link below.

www.chinchilla.ca/items.php?ProductID=MAFP346&Name=Feeders%20&%20Dishes&source=acces

There's some evidence that the metal spout on a water bottle can damage a ferret's teeth over time. Water bottles notoriously leak, although this is less of an issue in a cage than a carrier. I don't know why they tend to leak less in the cage, perhaps the vibration of the car causes the water to leak more when travelling. I prefer glass water bottles because they are easier to keep clean and sanitary. Flower Town Chinchillas sells these and they are excellent:

www.chinchilla.ca/items.php?ProductID=SP61981&Name=Water%20Bottles%20&%20Accessories&source=acces

Do not get one that is too large - the water gets stale and you are less likely to change it as often as needed.

Most pet stores sell plastic ones which even with your best cleaning efforts will get mould growth on the inside edges.

Again provide both in the ferret's cage.

For outside their cage I use a cat water fountain and heavy bottomed dishes. If they splash in the water, its only water.

Some ferrets really enjoy water play and in the warm weather its a nice way to have them cool themselves off.

Tressie

[airy]

I am just using bottles. I have 3 extra large bottles for each ferret. I tried bowls but they always got spilled over, even the one that attached to the cage and the other was a cat bowl that was not supposed to be tipped over.

[Tressie]

The lock-on bowls are impossible to tip over because they lock in place. I use them for food as well water in the cages.

See the link I have in the previous post to Flower Town Chinchillas. They ship to anywhere in Canada.

Tressie

[Camille]

I know this is an old post but if you want those locking bowls healthtybird sells them here and a few other versions of locking dishes. not all of the ones here work but some do

www.healthybird.net/store/index.php?cPath=36&osCsid=3aaefc28e55109d97354cae545e6ff89


and they deliver free to moncton. I order all my bird stuff from them

[TayLa]

At night and when we are at work;
we decided to keep the double plastic bowl for TayLa. It is just a small kitten plastic square double bowl with water on one side and kibble on the other side. When Tayla gets hungry she will tip the double plastic bowl with her nose and splash the water into the kibble side of the bowl. This way she eats her kibble moist and sharing with Abby of course. At night we can hear the plastic bowl banging around on the floor. It has a remarkable sound to it, knowing that a ferret can and will feed herself and mix it herself without any help!

John