I have used bowls, fountains, double ball bottles like the Lixit and then finally stumbled across a bottle with a ONE WAY valve. It was called the Edstrom Birdy Bottle. The spout was the type of one way valve you find on factory farm chicken watering systems (which they manufactured). It uses a diaphragm behind an accuator pin to cause water to seep through a set of holes and run out the spout to the bird (or small animal). There is no way the water from the spout can mix with the water in the bottle. They were easy to fill, easy to clean and didn't drip--unless the bird deliberately wedged the pin open with a seed or twig. The problem was they were not BIG bird proof and I could only use them for Senegal size and smaller; my CAG destroyed bottle after bottle.Then I found the Bird Butler; same type nozzle upgraded to dog, goat, horse size and just as leakproof and much more sturdy. instead of being seated in a plastic bottle body with a cap topper, the valve was seated in 1/4 inch thick PVC piping and nothing was destroying that baby! In my birdroom, I have finches using a 'mouse' bottle, my cockatiels, lovebirds and one Poicephalus using the Birdy Buddie bottles and all the rest, right up to the CAG and 2 YNAs, using the Bird Butlers. The Bird Butlers are expensive, but they are indestructable and easily cleaned and replacement parts are available if needed. The only problem is when a bird gets bored and packs a spout with seed or food; most of the packing washes out when the bird accuates the water flow, but a little is left behind and must be cleaned out with a pipe cleaner. Since I change the water once a day (at least), I just make sure I pipecleaner the spouts and see they are clean before changing the water. Ta, Dah! I had to take Sunny's spout apart once when she packed it with seed and I couldn't get it all out, but it was easy to take apart and put back together--she had damaged the diaphragm with a sharp seed and I just replaced it and it worked fine. I have handled my dunkers by giving them fresh dunking water twice a day and they are happy; but I know their drinking water is clean and will stay that way. No way would I go back to open pans of water, ever.
