# Trouble Finding Good Water Bottle



## Trenix (Aug 30, 2013)

So far I bought...

*Oasis 4 Oz. Bell Bottle*

It wasn't durable. It uses a tape to hold the bottle in place and my rats also managed to chewed the tip of it in a matter of seconds. I'm also didn't like the idea of using plastic or the fact that it had to be placed inside the cage.

*12 oz. Chew Proof Glass Water Bottle*

It was too big for my liking, being that rats don't drink much and I need to change their bottle everyday anyway. In addition, this bottle dripped constantly and didn't stop.

*6 oz. Chew-Proof Glass Water Bottle*

The bottle would sometimes stop providing water no matter how hard my rats attempted to get it out. It required a good smack to get it working again. I got it exchanged thinking it was broken but the new one did the exact same thing.


Anyway, please tell me what's a good bottle to use. I'd prefer it to be glass, but it doesn't have to be. I just need something that doesn't flood my cage, make them go thirsty, or gets chewed up in a matter of seconds. I'd like it to be from petco or petsmart since I need one as soon as possible. A plus would be for a bottle that doesn't require to be put inside the cage. 

Please tell me there is a bottle that's better than a bowl.


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## Siringo (May 7, 2012)

I personally have never had a problem with the typical plastic 8 oz bottles, with the metal spout+ball that you can find anywhere. Fill to the top, twist cap tight, hold it with the spout down and shake it a bit until a few bubbles come up and test it on the back of your hand. Works with glass bottles as well. Good luck!

I think this is the one I have:

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752722&f=PAD%2FpsNotAvailInUS%2FNo


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## JBird (May 23, 2013)

The Lixit top fill bottle is flawless, imho. I love it and couldn't really use any other bottle. It's completely silent, too. 

http://www.petsmart.com/product/ind...183&lmdn=Product+Type&f=PAD/psNotAvailInUS/No


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## Trenix (Aug 30, 2013)

Siringo said:


> I personally have never had a problem with the typical plastic 8 oz bottles, with the metal spout+ball that you can find anywhere. Fill to the top, twist cap tight, hold it with the spout down and shake it a bit until a few bubbles come up and test it on the back of your hand. Works with glass bottles as well. Good luck!
> 
> I think this is the one I have:
> 
> http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752722&f=PAD/psNotAvailInUS/No


The link doesn't work for me, if you could fix it that would be great. I've been planning on getting a really cheap plastic bottle from Walmart, hoping it'll do it's job as well.



JBird said:


> The Lixit top fill bottle is flawless, imho. I love it and couldn't really use any other bottle. It's completely silent, too.
> 
> http://www.petsmart.com/product/ind...183&lmdn=Product+Type&f=PAD/psNotAvailInUS/No


I've used this as well, I just forgot to mention it. It's already getting off the shelves, possibly because it's poor reviews. It's also very expensive and it was very difficult for my rats to get water out of it. In fact, my rats NEVER got water from it at all since the day I got it. It says that water drips from moving the lick bar side to side and up and down, but it only dripped when I forcefully pushed it inward, which it said that it wasn't supposed to do. I donno why, but seriously haven't had any luck with bottle bottles. Maybe the bottle I bought was broken, I could repurchase it if you think that was the case.


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## Dinoclor (Mar 2, 2013)

Living World water bottles are good. I have one. They're a simple design: There's a metal ball in a metal tube connected to a bottle and the rat licks the ball and water comes out. I have one with a plastic bottle, but here's a different one with a glass bottle: http://www.bigappleherp.com/Living-World-Eco-Water-Bottle
The one I have uses a hooked wire to hold the bottle on and it works well.


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## Dinoclor (Mar 2, 2013)

(I found the one I have
http://www.entirelypets.com/living-world-all-purpose-water-bottle-32-oz.html
If your rats chew up the water bottle, you might want to get the glass one, but that one works for me.


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## JLSaufl (Jan 20, 2013)

I just have two standard 8 ounce bottles that hang on the outside of the cage and the metal spout goes in. One is oasis and one is lixit. Neither leak, neither stop working. They're great. My rats aren't interested in destroying them. I know some people like silo waterers which are created for birds. But if your rats are destructive (seems like more than normal if they're chewing their water bottles apart) they will probably destroy the reservoir.


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## JBird (May 23, 2013)

Trenix said:


> I've used this as well, I just forgot to mention it. It's already getting off the shelves, possibly because it's poor reviews. It's also very expensive and it was very difficult for my rats to get water out of it. In fact, my rats NEVER got water from it at all since the day I got it. It says that water drips from moving the lick bar side to side and up and down, but it only dripped when I forcefully pushed it inward, which it said that it wasn't supposed to do. I donno why, but seriously haven't had any luck with bottle bottles. Maybe the bottle I bought was broken, I could repurchase it if you think that was the case.


Yikes! No, mine definitely work very easily! I have two, one 16oz for small animals and one 10oz for birds (since it was on sale... same product, different package). My rats learned how to use it instantly and easily seem to get water out of it. I've seen some reviews that their pet didn't learn how to use it, which is normal as with any new product, but if it's not putting out any water it is likely a manufacturing error or maybe it was set up improperly. When the bottle is first filled, you have to hold the tab to the side for about 10-15 seconds before the water starts coming out, but then it works just fine. Maybe the lever wasn't "loaded" in that way and that's why the water didn't come out for the ratties?


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## Trenix (Aug 30, 2013)

JBird said:


> Yikes! No, mine definitely work very easily! I have two, one 16oz for small animals and one 10oz for birds (since it was on sale... same product, different package). My rats learned how to use it instantly and easily seem to get water out of it. I've seen some reviews that their pet didn't learn how to use it, which is normal as with any new product, but if it's not putting out any water it is likely a manufacturing error or maybe it was set up improperly. When the bottle is first filled, you have to hold the tab to the side for about 10-15 seconds before the water starts coming out, but then it works just fine. Maybe the lever wasn't "loaded" in that way and that's why the water didn't come out for the ratties?


Wow, I guess I didn't set it up correctly. I'm about to rebuy it.


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## Siringo (May 7, 2012)

Trenix said:


> The link doesn't work for me, if you could fix it that would be great. I've been planning on getting a really cheap plastic bottle from Walmart, hoping it'll do it's job as well.


Oops, I can't find it on the website anymore, but it looks like this, and it's by All Living Things. Should be in the store
(http://pet.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pPETS-3756890t300x300.jpg)


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## watts300 (Aug 3, 2013)

I have two Petco brand bottles and they do fine. I'm very intrigued as to how your rats are chewing on the bottles. Are they not mounted to the outside of the cage? 

At any rate, the bottles are 16 ounces each. The spout's outside diameter is about 5/16 of an inch. Below are photos of it mounted to the outside of the cage, and a with a piece of Oxbow kibble for scaling.


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

Oasis bottles are by far by favorite, though try a non-bell style.


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## smopey (Feb 3, 2012)

I've been having bottle issues too! I got the chew proof glass one yesterday but it seems like bubbles keep getting stuck in the spout which is preventing any water from coming out. Every time I fix it, it happens again. I went to bed last night thinking the bottle was fixed for good but when I woke up this morning, my rat jumped out of her cage and ran right to my dog's water bowl to get a drink. I felt so bad, she was so thirsty! I bought the Lixit flip top water bottle that Jbird mentioned, but I didn't have the same luck with it. It was really expensive ($13 I think) and my rats couldn't figure out how to use it. It's not a traditional ball bearing like other bottles.. There's like a thin metal piece that sticks out of the spout that they have to push down on in order to get the water out. They were getting a little water out of it, but it seemed like they were working really hard for a small amount. Who knew finding a decent water bottle would be such an hassle! It seems like the cheap ones work the best.


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## Trenix (Aug 30, 2013)

smopey said:


> I've been having bottle issues too! I got the chew proof glass one yesterday but it seems like bubbles keep getting stuck in the spout which is preventing any water from coming out. Every time I fix it, it happens again. I went to bed last night thinking the bottle was fixed for good but when I woke up this morning, my rat jumped out of her cage and ran right to my dog's water bowl to get a drink. I felt so bad, she was so thirsty! I bought the Lixit flip top water bottle that Jbird mentioned, but I didn't have the same luck with it. It was really expensive ($13 I think) and my rats couldn't figure out how to use it. It's not a traditional ball bearing like other bottles.. There's like a thin metal piece that sticks out of the spout that they have to push down on in order to get the water out. They were getting a little water out of it, but it seemed like they were working really hard for a small amount. Who knew finding a decent water bottle would be such an hassle! It seems like the cheap ones work the best.


You can train your rats to use the valve by putting peanut butter in the tube at least twice a day. Eventually they'll get the hang of it, currently only two of my rats know how to use it. During training it'll be a good idea to at least have a bowl of water in the cage just in case. Eventually when all of my rats are trained, I'll remove the bowl, as you should as well. The reason it's hard to train them how to use it is because they treat it like the regular ball bottle and it just doesn't work that way. They can't sense the water like a regular bottle because the valve stops it from leaking, which is why the bottle is so expensive. It's worth getting, but frustrating and requires training to use.


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## Minigeko (Sep 18, 2013)

This right here is my favorite bottle, fills from the top, has a "leak proof" ball spout, is quieter than most bottles, and they can't chew it. The only issue I had is it fell out of the holder once, so I just taped it in and it's fine. Well don't set it down with water in it because the top is rubbery

http://m.petco.com/product/108714/Super-Pet-Top-Fill-Small-Animal-Water-Bottle.aspx

Sent from my SCH-I605


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## Trenix (Aug 30, 2013)

As an update, all my rats now know how to use the water bottle. Thank you all for making me reconsider buying the bottle, it's definitely worth the price.


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## smopey (Feb 3, 2012)

Trenix said:


> You can train your rats to use the valve by putting peanut butter in the tube at least twice a day. Eventually they'll get the hang of it, currently only two of my rats know how to use it. During training it'll be a good idea to at least have a bowl of water in the cage just in case. Eventually when all of my rats are trained, I'll remove the bowl, as you should as well. The reason it's hard to train them how to use it is because they treat it like the regular ball bottle and it just doesn't work that way. They can't sense the water like a regular bottle because the valve stops it from leaking, which is why the bottle is so expensive. It's worth getting, but frustrating and requires training to use.


That makes sense! I used that bottle for about a week while I was on vacation (I brought my rats with me in a bin cage and liked the fact that the bottle had a flip top and was silent). My rats eventually got used to it, but they didn't really have a choice since I didn't bring another bottle with me. It just seemed like they couldn't get a good drink out of it. I was worried about my one rat because she was weak from a pituitary tumor and already had trouble eating/drinking. I did put a bowl of water in their cage in case they weren't getting enough, but then my sick rat stuck her whole face in the bowl and it sounded like she inhaled a bunch of water. Her breathing was all messed up after that so I never put another water bowl in their cage again. I figured out the the chew-proof glass water bottle that I got was getting little bubbles stuck in the spout which was preventing water from getting out. So after I fill it up, I give it a little tap on the top to let any air bubbles out and it works fine! 

Glad your rats figured out how to use their bottle!


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## Trenix (Aug 30, 2013)

smopey said:


> That makes sense! I used that bottle for about a week while I was on vacation (I brought my rats with me in a bin cage and liked the fact that the bottle had a flip top and was silent). My rats eventually got used to it, but they didn't really have a choice since I didn't bring another bottle with me. It just seemed like they couldn't get a good drink out of it. I was worried about my one rat because she was weak from a pituitary tumor and already had trouble eating/drinking. I did put a bowl of water in their cage in case they weren't getting enough, but then my sick rat stuck her whole face in the bowl and it sounded like she inhaled a bunch of water. Her breathing was all messed up after that so I never put another water bowl in their cage again. I figured out the the chew-proof glass water bottle that I got was getting little bubbles stuck in the spout which was preventing water from getting out. So after I fill it up, I give it a little tap on the top to let any air bubbles out and it works fine!
> 
> Glad your rats figured out how to use their bottle!


That glass bottle will continue to occasionally stop providing water time to time. So unless you want to keep tapping it everyday for the rest of your rat's life, I'd consider getting a new bottle like the Lixit top fill bottle.


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## smopey (Feb 3, 2012)

I don't tap on the bottle every day. I just tap it once after I fill it, just to make sure there aren't any bubbles in there. It works fine now so I'll continue to use it until I have a problem with it. Like I said, I have the Lixit bottle but it doesn't work well for my ratties. I'd rather not switch to a bottle that requires training anyway. Thanks for the advice though!


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## September (Jul 30, 2013)

I just buy the cheap, common plastic bottles at petco and petsmart. My mice have had their bottles for over a year now, no problems.


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