Water bottles

When I first got Gollum the breeder told me she used a water bottle for her birds. So I made sure I got a water bottle from Petsmart. This looks like what I got, except its larger. What I realized this morning is it is not stainless steel lol. DUH. When I went to change the water, I noticed some slime in the trough. I do have water available in a stainless steel bowl as well. She just never drinks from it. She uses her bottle. My question is, do they have safer ones? Should I take out the bottle just show her the water bowl until she gets it? Will she drink if she gets thirsty enough? What do you use?[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Clean-Water-Silo-Waterer-Regular/dp/B00ED2OZWK/ref=sr_1_20?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1438771429&sr=1-20&keywords=bird+water+bottle"]http://www.amazon.com/Clean-Water-Silo-Waterer-Regular/dp/B00ED2OZWK/ref=sr_1_20?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1438771429&sr=1-20&keywords=bird+water+bottle[/ame]

Slime? YUCK! Do you clean it every day?

I personally do not use water bottles, but several forum members do.

http://www.parrotforums.com/conures/36358-water-bottles-vs-open-source.html

http://www.parrotforums.com/questio...you-advise-using-water-bottles-your-bird.html

I think this one here would be a good one:
LIX621 Lixit Small Water Bottle 16 oz Glass - *NEW* ITEMS

Feeders and waterers for pet birds; water dishes, cups, bottles: Lixit

Slime... I know right!!! :11:
I do change it everyday BUT I was rinsing it, not using soap. Because I was afraid I wouldnt be able to get all the soap out. The design is not easy to clean. Also we do not have central AC. We have a couple window units upstairs but downstairs I just open a couple windows so its warm and humid (compared to central AC... Im from the south so not having central AC is strange to me).
With those other bottles, I am afraid it will get nasty inside that tube and I wont see it or be able to clean it. I am leaning towards just encouraging her to use the stainless bowl. Maybe I could buy another SS bowl and attach it where the water bottle is right now.
Thank you

Look at cause #1'
Top Ten Bird Killers

Flboy said:

Look at cause #1'
Top Ten Bird Killers

Click to expand...

WOW, when I saw #2 on that list, I about did a back flip. :54:

I do stainless bowls. I have 10 stainless bowls and rotate them, washing bowls each night in the dish washer. Trust me, they will drink from it when they are thirsty.

I use the Lixit models...glass bottles, stainless steal hardware. I think it is a nice bottle. Works well.

I absolutely do not use water bottles. Never have. Never will.

I wasted my money on a nice glass lixit with stainless steel. Don't use it.

Flboy said:

Look at cause #1'
Top Ten Bird Killers

Click to expand...

#10- ????????????

I use the Bird Butler water bottles. They are more expensive, but well made and worth the cost. They use a needle valve rather than a ball valve, which doesn't drip and seems to be easier for the birds to use. Lixit makes a bottle that uses the same valve, but I have found that theirs sometimes have a tendency to stick. I'm also not a fan of the spring mount.

I like using bottles because my birds do disgusting things to their water, and I'm not around all day to costantly change it for them. The bottles are tended to daily for proper function and cleanliness (just like a bowl), and I have never had a problem.

I just use bowls for all my animals. Yes they get bathed in so I have to clean them often. But I don't worry about them malfunctioning.

I have water bottles and do add them to cages if I'm going to be gone all day, but it's in addition to their normal bowls. I put a few drops of apple cider vinegar in the bottles when I do that. I always worry the spouts on them will get grunge in them that will be difficult to clean or see.

Flboy said:

Look at cause #1'
Top Ten Bird Killers

Click to expand...

I am not sure how this would ever go unnoticed....if you pay attention to your bird, and keep the cage clean it is very easy to check that the water is not clogged.

Also, i use 2 water bottles. One if for a backup. Takes 1 second to check that they are functioning and they are very easy to clean and sanitize.

I actually think they are a better solution to having an open water source. So when im gone 8 hours working, and the bird craps in, tips over, or destroys the open water source, then what do they do?...what if they completely soil or empty out the water (from tipping or bathing/splashing) within the first hour i am gone?...so they get 7 hours of none, little, or dirty water? No thanks!

Pumpkin is a pellet dunker. And a frequent bather, so his water gets very nasty very quickly. I try to strategicaly place his bowls to keep the water clean as long as possible. I love the idea of a water bottle so he would always have a clean option while I am in school. I doubt I would ever take his bowl away though. He loves baths and likes to dunk his pellets so why take away his fun? Hehe.

JerseyWendy said:

Flboy said:

Look at cause #1'
Top Ten Bird Killers

Click to expand...

WOW, when I saw #2 on that list, I about did a back flip. :54:

Click to expand...

and then you read #4.... I can't tell you how many times Kiwi ended up on the floor and Ive almost stepped on her. One time when she was on the floor and I didn't know it, she climbed on to my foot. Well not knowing it was Kiwi, I got scared because I didn't know what was on my foot (I hate bugs) and she got flung across the room because I intinctivly shook off what was on my foot.

Anyway, I think many things are common sense, not that everyone has common sense :09: but, now that kiwi is flighted, the ceiling fan is off, the bathroom door is close and the toilet seat is also closed (even though the bathroom door is closed) and I never cook while she is out. I always put her away if I am cooking. Something I have always done, flighted or not.