Bottle? Bowl?

[iluvsunconure]

What do your parrots drink out of? A bowl? Those bottles? Something else? I have a bottle but cleaning it 3+ times a day is hard. I'm thinking about using an SS bowl from Kathie. And I'll place it high in the cage. Yay or nay?

 

[lotus15]

We use bowls here I don't like cleaning the bottles because I've read so many stories about the tips harboring bacteria and such and being very difficult to truly sanitize. Also, Lola would wipe her mash all over hers and get it stuck in the little ball bearing thing. So bowls for us!

 

[CosmoKramer]

Only bowls here! Never tried the bottles with birds. I could never switch because Yoshi is a BIG TIME dunker and bowl bather

 

[iluvsunconure]

LOL! you guys sure reply fast! :O Thanks!

 

[love4birds]

Most of my guys drink from bottles. I feel it's a lot more sanitary. Even if you don't have food-dunkers, airborne particles land in open water, dust and whatnot.

To clean and sanitize the bottle tips, I use a Q-tip, it does a pretty good job. Then I soak them in GSE solution for a bit and rinse very well.

 

[iluvsunconure]

??? I thought bottle were:
http://hosting.dinodirect.com/hosting/61/20100724/A2351000BQ/water-feeder-bird-pet-1-big.jpg

 

[Brigidt36]

I tried different kinds of bottles and never had any luck. They either leaked dreadfully, draining the bottle or my guys would figure out how to remove it from cage or remove critical parts or stuff food up the nozzle effectively clogging it. And then there was the cleaning and sterilizing....became too much of a mess and a pain. I am now back to bowls. My guys love to dunk and there seems to be some method and thoughtness to their madness so I decided what the hay, let the guys enjoy themselves. I just keep lots of extra clean and sterilized crocks to replace the soiled ones. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

 

[CarmieJo]

When we were thinking about getting an Eclectus I wrote to Dr. Burkett, who is now Howard's vet, to ask him a some questions. I did not ask about drinking vessels but he thought strongly enough about it that he included the following information in his email. "I would also like to add that you should provide a water bottle for his drinking water. These are more sanitary than a bowl. Bacteria grows in a bowl within 2-3 hours, but in a bottle bacteria does not appear before 4 days. The bottle should be washed and changed daily, and inspected 2-3 times daily to be sure it is functioning properly."

Howard uses a bottle like this Lixit Glass Bird Water Bottle 16 oz 7/16 in Tube GB16M. I wash them in the dishwasher and when I have swabbed the tube with a Q tip it always looks clean. I always shake the tube to make sure the ball is free before I put the bottle on his cage and I "test" it when I walk by the cage by tapping my finger on the ball.

 

[DebysFids]

all of mine drink from bowls , I have a few dunkers and gcc named Squiggy that likes to take her daily bath in Opeys water bowl lol , but I change all their water a good 4 to 5 times day especially in the morning and always a night when they got bed

 

[marian]

Hiram uses just bowls also.He likes dipping his foood into the water...I change it 2-3 times daily.

 

[lotus15]

I just wanted to add that even though we no longer use bottles anymore here, we have had NO issues with bacteria in bowls. I've read all there is to read about warnings and whatnot but they all stem from the fact that most people do not change water enough. If you are diligent about changing the water and ensuring there is clean water multiple times a day, there is no issue. I also always keep two water bowls in Lola's cage-- one closer to her food bowls-- so that she has one for dunking and one for clean, fresh water. Still, both get changed at least three to four times a day.

 

[Birdiemarie]

I can't deny Ruby her desire to dunk her food to make soup and dunk her head when I run the vacuum so it's only bowls here. I'm home all day so it's no big deal to wash it when needed.

 

[HungryBird]

My cockatiels drink from a stainless steel bowl that I put on the bottom grate. It is eight inches in diameter so they can bathe in it too. My parakeets refuse to drink out of a bowl and will only drink from something on the side so I use these:

They are very easy to clean and super cheap so I can get new ones when I think the one I'm using needs to go. I think bowls are much better than bottles but they do need to be cleaned more often.

 

[thejoie]

Capri uses a bottle. She doesn't eat her soft foods in her cage, so I'm never worried about her wiping her mouth on it with her beak full of mash or food. She likes it, I like it. It's a done deal. She does have a big bowl where she bathes in, though now we've been going the spray bottle route more.

Elle is a dunker. She also refuses the water bottle. So it's change change change. I hate soups though.. ugh. Food. Beads. The water changes to GOD knows what color. Just gross. Elle's a pro- Iron Chef in the art of birdie soup making! The combinations she thinks of is just... wow!

No one else has a problem with the bowl. They love to dunk their heads in but they kept their bowls fairly clean.

 

[rikkitikki]

I just wanted to add that even though we no longer use bottles anymore here, we have had NO issues with bacteria in bowls. I've read all there is to read about warnings and whatnot but they all stem from the fact that most people do not change water enough. If you are diligent about changing the water and ensuring there is clean water multiple times a day, there is no issue. I also always keep two water bowls in Lola's cage-- one closer to her food bowls-- so that she has one for dunking and one for clean, fresh water. Still, both get changed at least three to four times a day.

Thanks for that, I was wondering... I imagine some less informed people that use water bottles don't change them as often because they "look" clean and that's where the problems stem from. I imagine that once I get a bird I'll use both until/unless the bird decides to stop using one or the other (one of my dogs has a bowl and a bottle in his kennel, the other just has a bowl - for when they have to be in there for a few hours...)

 

[komodeno]

I had bowls for a year and had so much pain t keep them clean.My CAG was dipping his pellets there and not eating it.First I try with Jack and he was happy with the change his water is always clean now and I can add some vitamins there.I was not sure if Casco will take it but hi often visit Jack's cage and I saw him drinking water from the bottle.Now they both have bottles and no more mess.Casco is eating the pellets and the bottles are outside of the cage.They are well fixed and the parrots are not trying to remove them.
I'm very please with my Litrex bottles.

 

[CarmieJo]

A lot comes down to what your bird will accept. I think the other thing to consider is your schedule. If bacteria can start growing in a bowl in a couple hours and you aren't home to change it then your fid is drinking nasty water. I worked in a water quality lab for several years and I can tell you that even water that looks clean can be bacteria laden. I think this could lull people into a false sense of security.

 

[iluvsunconure]

Thanks everyone!

 

[Chevelle]

I just switched Chevelle over to a bottle...she was a big time dunker, and when I go to work and come home, the water bowl was absolutely gross. She took to the bottle right away, and now actually brings the pellets and food up to the bottle and puts it on the tip of the bottle to get it wet. I put a water bottle in the cockatiels cage too but they haven't touched it..I don't think they will...but I'm hoping.

 

[Sharpie]

The budgies drink from bottles that get rinsed daily and washed a couple of times a week. Jasper gets a bowl because he wont drink from a bottle.