Water Bottle

[citronsoul]

On Friday I got a new bottle for Phoebe because the old one was leaking. This one has a little button you have to push up to let the water out. Her old one had a typical ball in the tube setup.

I've been keeping an eye on it the whole weekend & came to the conclusion that she wasn't drinking any water. So today (Sunday) I got the old bottle, held it up to her & she started drinking right away.

I just can't figure out why she won't drink from there. She's a pretty curious guinea pig & likes to explore a lot. I got her to follow my finger all the way to the new bottle, but right when she gets to the tip she wanders off. She seems to want to chew on everything except this bottle.

In the meantime I've put the old one back next to the new one & I hope she gets the idea.

But I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to why she won't use it?

[dagwellismypigy]

Its probably spring loaded and sometimes the spring isnt loose enough for the guinea pig to move I would just throw it out and get one and test it to make sure the little ball part moves easily

[kavykritter]

get one that has a double ball system, not spring-loaded (if indeed it is), and just to make sure, test lightly with your fingers, like a guinea pig drinking, and make sure you can move it easily and get the right amount of water

[citronsoul]

Yeah, I think it's with a spring. It seems pretty loose though. I've tested it with my fingers & it needs a really light push. I tried to get her attention with it this morning by pushing it in a lot & instead of showing interest for it, she kept wanting to lick my (soaking wet) finger, . But I guess I'll just have to get a new one again then. Pity, since this one doesn't leak.

[critterlover]

Maybe she just needs more time to get used to it. In the meantime, you can have water in a bowl for her as well.

[loves2travel]

Originally Posted by citronsoul

Pity, since this one doesn't leak.

ironically, this is exactly why i would have you get another one. as annoying as it is for us, a leaky water bottle is a sure sign that water is indeed coming out easily for the piggers. Try a lixit water bottle. thats what i have and it doesnt leak TOO much.

[critterlover]

I have 2 cheap water bottles which works great and rarely leak. All I have done to stop the leaks is lean the bottle back from the cage at an angle (40 degrees) and then attach it to the cage with string (instead of the mounting bracket that comes with the bottle).

[citronsoul]

I gave up & got another bottle. It's another one with a double ball system (I don't think they have lexit here) & hopefully this one won't leak as badly. So far she's just sniffed it, & then ran away (as if the water bottle went, "boo!")

I could only get her to drink from the other one when I started playing with it. She'd come to the tip, sniff & take one gulp of water. If I didn't draw her attention to it, she'd ignore it.

And now I just hope she'll drink from this one.

[cornhill]

My bungie cords make excellent mounting brackets for water bottles.

[Starbucks]

i have that type of water bottle (with the button part) and only some of my piggies drink from it. the rest drink from the regular leakey ball water bottles. i think some piggies just prefer one to the other, and sometimes it looks like some of them dont even know how to use the button one.