Would you advise using water bottles for your bird?

Mrspy · Jul 17, 2010

Hi there, i'm wondering what you guys think of water bottles for your birds. Is it better than open water dishes? See i've had an open water dish for all my birds but they all get REALLY dirty. Things that get inside them: poop, seeds, pellet remains, treats, bacteria that grows unless i don't clean it....

I clean it daily but still it get's annoying how dirty my parrotlet gets it. Thanks

GreenCheek · Jul 17, 2010

I use a water bottle and much prefer it. It's always clean, and he gets his water just fine! But if your parrotlet has never used a water bottle before, you can't just hang one up and leave it. You have to train him how to use it. Hope this helps!

SharonC · Jul 17, 2010

I've never used a bottle but have read that bacteria is a problem, around the little ball thingy....

I used to use one for our ShihTzu, and found that the inside of the bottle got grungy looking, even though it was washed often....

parrotqueen · Jul 17, 2010

Like SharonC mentiond, I think that some unreachable bacteria could develop on the inside of it. That could be very harmful to a bird.

Mel · Jul 17, 2010

I'm a bit paranoid with the water bottle as well, not just the bacteria in the ball but the bottle plastic breaking down. I clean the bowls 2x day and make sure there's no perches above so poo doesn't fall into it. My ecky like to make "soup" with her water and food

GreenCheek · Jul 17, 2010

Mel said:
I'm a bit paranoid with the water bottle as well, not just the bacteria in the ball but the bottle plastic breaking down. I clean the bowls 2x day and make sure there's no perches above so poo doesn't fall into it. My ecky like to make "soup" with her water and food

I use glass lixit bottles. They can be sanitized, and I've just never had a problem with them. Never heard of issues with water bottles?

Mel · Jul 17, 2010

GreenCheek said:
Mel said:

I'm a bit paranoid with the water bottle as well, not just the bacteria in the ball but the bottle plastic breaking down. I clean the bowls 2x day and make sure there's no perches above so poo doesn't fall into it. My ecky like to make "soup" with her water and food

Click to expand...

I use glass lixit bottles. They can be sanitized, and I've just never had a problem with them. Never heard of issues with water bottles?

I've never seen glass bottles, that would solve the plastic issues. Again this is probably one of the many topics you will have to choose to do what suits you (& your fids)

Aussie Ben · Jul 17, 2010

I have been thinking of changing to water bottles. I would imagine you could train them to use it in much the same way you teach target training.

Auggie's Dad · Jul 18, 2010

I have two bottles in Auggie's cage. But there is always a bowl as well.

Bottles don't remove the need for cleaning as it is true that bacteria can build up in them. But a bird can't really turn a water bottle into pellet-stew the way they can with a bowl.

I wouldn't "switch" to bottles though - I think it's important to have a bowl as well.

As for learning to use it that took Auggie all of 2 seconds. I put the bottle on his cage, he walked over and stuck his beak on the ball and watched all the water drain right onto the floor, then he looked up at me and did his little birdie laugh. I refilled the bottle and he's used it properly since.

Mel · Jul 18, 2010

Auggie's Dad said:
I put the bottle on his cage, he walked over and stuck his beak on the ball and watched all the water drain right onto the floor, then he looked up at me and did his little birdie laugh. I refilled the bottle and he's used it properly since.

Haha that's so cute

HRH Di · Jul 18, 2010

When we had a water bottle in Max's cage, he chewed on the clips that were holding it up until it fell off. We also tried on with Jade and she had no idea what to do with it. We put it in Popcorn's cage and he knows how to use it, but I still think the bowls are prefered by our birds.

GreenCheek · Jul 18, 2010

The breeder I got Cody from actually starts all of her chicks on water bottles, so I'm sure Cody doesn't know what he's missing. He's just always used them. And a few times a week I'll give him a bowl of water to bathe in. I agree, this is one of those "agree to disagree" kind of things, because I honestly don't see the need for a water bowl. My sister's cockatiel, on the other hand, only uses a water dish. However, no matter how many times she cleans it (twice a day, and whenever she notices it's dirty), he always has seed/poop in it, and I just don't think it's very sanitary.

These are the bottles I use for Cody and my chinchillas if any one is interested: http://pet.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pPETS-3761331t400.jpg

Birdamor · Jul 18, 2010

I only use stainless steel bowls. The greatest majority of my birds don't live in cages so I couldn't use bottles even if I wanted to but I will not use them with the ones in cages for the same reasons the other posters have mentioned:
- bowls are more natural
- birds cannot bathe in them
- they are virtually impossible to clean properly on a daily basis
- if they are made of plastic, I would worry about chemical leaching and, if they are made of glass, I would worry about them breaking and the birds hurting themselves.

Would you advise using water bottles for your bird?

Mrspy

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