Water is very crucial for all living beings. Animals need to have sufficient levels of water to conduct day to day activities. For example, they need water to digest their food, to control body temperature and excretion. Hamsters are no different. You can use a hamster water bowl or bottle to feed water to them.
So, hamsters can drink water or vegetable juice using a water bottle or a water bowl. However each method has its pros and cons and In this article, we are going to discuss in detail in this regard. So, if you are a hamster owner, it would be worthwhile going through this article.
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Difference between hamster water bowl or bottle
Many hamster owners tend to use water bottles and it is quite popular among them. However hamsters can drink water from water bowls also. In fact, people who have started breeding hamsters tend to use water bowls to feed the hamsters with water. It is very easy to clean the water bowls and challenging to clean water bottles. Besides, sanitizing the bottle would also be somewhat tough.
More importantly, water bowls would require only a little space when compared with water bottles too. Furthermore, there will be very less potential for any mistake to occur when feeding water using the water bowls. There could be hamsters who don’t really know how to drink water from water bottles.
Generally on average hamsters would drink about 4.5 -14 ml of water on a daily basis per 100 mg of their body weight. If you compare the water consumption of hamsters with other pets, it is very low. That said, hamsters would tend to suffer from dehydration within a short period of 24 hours. In fact, it can cause serious health-related problems.
So, to avoid this happening you need to ensure that your beloved hamsters get sufficient water levels. You need to use water bowls for hamsters due to several benefits. For example, water bowls would always be functional. There won’t be any problem with that. On the other hand, Hamsters are very particular about the nozzle size of the water bottles.
However, when it comes to water bowls, the hamsters don’t worry at all about the size of the water bowl. Furthermore, there are some hamsters who don’t opt to use water bottles whilst they prefer to use water bowls. Lastly, they would make a loud noise when drinking water from a water bottle. It would be really disturbing if you placed the hamsters in the bedroom.
In terms of the durability of the water bowls, they are far ahead when compared with the water bottles. Water bottles are made of plastic which literally means the hamsters can chew through them. It would ultimately result in leaks in the water bottles. However, if we consider the water bowls, they are made out of porcelain, glass, aluminum or even stone. So this literally means they will last for a longer period.
When it comes to the disadvantages of using a water bowl, there could be issues related to the hygiene of the water bowl. Water bottles are enclosed units where they will never contact any bedding materials, food particles, droppings and urine etc. In fact it is very rare you will have to change the water inside it as they will not contact these materials in general.
When it comes to the effectiveness of the water bowls, they are somewhat low when compared with the water bottles. For example, the water in the water bottle would pass at a controlled pace. Besides, the water bottles will never tip over and due to that, you can be assured of the fact that the hamster enclosure will never be inundated with water. Due to these reasons, the water in the water bottles would remain for a longer period when compared with the water bowls.
In addition to the above disadvantages, hamsters’ water bottles will be able to hold more water when compared with the water bowls. On the other hand hamsters will never drown in water bottles too. So, you could simply fill the water bottle to its limit and allow the hamsters to drink water for several days. However, the selected water bottles should be ideally horizontal. If your water bottle happens to have a vertical sprout it might strain.
Can hamsters drink water from a bowl?
Yes, hamsters can drink water from water bowls. If your hamsters reject having water from a water bottle, the best alternative would be to use a water bowl. If the water bottle you have is malfunctioning, or if the water bottle’s nozzle is too big for the hamsters, it would be a fine idea to use a water bowl.
That said, when choosing the right water bowl, you need to ideally go ahead with a shallow water bowl. Furthermore it should not have any sharp edges too. If you adhere to these two guidelines, hamsters would drink water from a water bowl.
Do hamsters like water bowls?
In fact hamsters like water bowls, as water bowls represent their natural water sources. For example they would consume water from puddles lakes and from streams when they grow in the wild. Due to this factor, hamsters would prefer to drink water from water bowls when compared with the water bottles. Not all hamsters would prefer to drink water from the water bottle nozzles and they may probably struggle sucking water from that. So they refuse to drink water. Ultimately chances are that they may suffer from dehydration later because of lack of water.
Do hamsters prefer water bottles or bowls?
Hamsters prefer to have water from water bowls rather than having water from water bottles. In fact even if the hamsters are new to water bowls, they will quickly learn how to drink water from water bowls. You simply have to place the water bowls right in front of them. Once they find out the water is available in the water bowl, they will drink water from there whenever they want it.
That being said, if you are to make a choice between the water bottles and water bowls, best would be to go for water bottles. In fact water bottles are more hygienic when compared with the water bowls. Further they would hold more water and you could even leave the hamsters with water bottles for a couple of days.
Hamster water bowl or bottle
Hamster owners tend to use both water bowls and water bottles. However bear in mind that both these options have their own advantages and disadvantages. In terms of the affordability, water bowls are quite good. Further they are durable and quite easy to clean as well. That being said, water bottles are hygienic when compared with the water bowls.
For example water bowls may happen to contact with the exterior materials such as dirty bedding, hair urine, fecal matter and they would contaminate the water bowl. So, if the hamsters end up drinking water they would end up being sick.
Further if there are multiple hamsters, it would be wise to use a water bottle rather than using a water bowl. For example if there are several hamsters there will be a high tendency for the hamsters to knock over the hamster water bowl. You could expect this to happen if the hamsters you have tend to fight more.
Do hamsters need water bottles?
Hamsters do not need water bottles. They simply need water. If you can give them water in a bowl it would be sufficient for them. But if you can train your hamsters to use water bottles it would be beneficial for both hamster and hamster owner. Because water bottles are more healthier to use than water bowls. And there is a very low chance of knocking over and spilling water from the water bottle.
How does a hamster water bottle work?
For a hamster water bottle to work well you need to ensure that you position the water bottle correctly. Unless, it would be difficult for the hamsters to drink water. Ideally you need to place the water bottle 2-3 inches above their bedding or their substrate.
That way the hamsters do not have to stretch and strain towards them. Further the water bottle you use should consist of a spout which is formed horizontal. If the sprout is too vertical it would be difficult for the hamsters to drink water from that. Refrain from using water bottles which are made for the other pets as they would not suit the hamsters.
First the hamster water bottle should be filled with water . Thereafter you need to hang it onto the cage. However when you hang it, ensure that it is hung upside down. Further when you do this, ensure that the nozzle is placed in between the cage wires too. Lastly, make sure that hamsters can access the tips of the water bottle quite easily.
There will be a small ball in the tip of the nozzle. The ball is placed in its place by gravity so that it can avoid the water moving out from the nozzle. So, when a hamster drinks water, its tongue would move the ball up and down so that it would pass through to drink. When the hamsters complete drinking, the ball would fall back into its place.
Living world hamster water bottle
Living world hamster water bottles would usually be made out of glass. You could easily purchase them online. It would be quite easy to install them and refill them as well. More importantly they would be drip resistant and usually come up with a water level indicator as well.
Quiet hamster water bottle
Quiet hamster water bottles are non drip and quiet when compared to other hamster water bottles. These kinds of water bottles are perfect for hamsters since they are afraid of loud and sudden noises. Despite being available in sizes up to 11 ounces, people choose to purchase hamster water bottles that hold 4 ounces or less. Dimensionally, a good hamster water bottle would be 2.3 X 2.3 * 6 inches.
Glass water bottle hamster
Glass hamster water bottles are chew proof. However this is heavier than other types of water bottles. That said you could easily clean them and they would not retain any odor as well. Just like with the above mentioned water bottles fixing them in the hamster enclosure would be somewhat challenging. However if there are solid walls it would not be a much of a hassle.
Homemade hamster water bottle
First make a mark at the center of the inside of the water bottle cap. To do that you could use a sharpie. As the second step you need to pierce the cap at the sharpie mark using a large nail and a hammer. Thereafter place the cap on a soft surface where it will not be damaged in case the nails go through the cap. Thirdly, replace the cap and drill through it . To do that you can use a power drill and a ¼ inch drill bit. When you do the drilling make sure that you do it slowly whilst holding onto the bottle securely.
Next you have to remove the cap and attach the rubber stopper to the outside of the cap. Best would be to use silicone to attach the rubber stopper. However when you attach, you need to ensure that the hole in the bottle is aligned with the hole in the stopper. Leave it that way so that the silicone can cure. Generally it would take one or two days to cure. . Now you need to insert the plastic tubing into the rubber stopper so that the plastic tubing will be flushed with the stopper’s hole. You need to bend the tubing in the same angle which you could spot in a commercial hamster water bottle.
Now you need to wash and rinse the water bottle well so that it would remove whatever the remaining plastic caps. Thereafter let it dry. Once it is dry, wrap the 1 gauge wire around the water bottle. Best is to wrap it a couple of inches from the bottom of the water bottle. I recommend you wrap it at the center point of the 2 feet wire. Further ensure that the wire is in the ridge too. Moreover I recommend you twist the wire a few times from the adjoining part of the two pieces. Thereafter you need to fill the bottle with clean water and place the top on it.
Lastly, you need to invert the bottle and hang it inside the hamster’s tank. Hang it in a way where it will be faced towards the center of the tank. Thereafter bend the wire over the tank edge so that it can clip off the additional wire remaining using the wire cutters. Ensure the bottle is not hanging too low in the tank as if that is so, water may seep into the hamster bedding.
How to make a water dispenser for hamsters
First you need to arrange a drill which has a ½ inch drill bit , any sized water bottle, ordinary marble etc.. To start off with popping a pilot hole . Then you need to drill the top of the water bottle. Once you drill the hole, you need to discard the excess there, after that check the size of the marble to suit the hole. To do that you need to simply place the marble on the bottle top. Thereafter fill the bottle with water and drop the marble there. Next flip over the bottle and let the marble fix in the hole. So, if the hamsters want to have some water they simply have to push on the marble.
Best hamster water bottle for aquarium
You can use any top reviewed hamster water bottle for an aquarium hamster cage. You just need to think about the size of the tank and which size of water bottle you need for your aquarium cage. In an aquarium cage you can place water bottles in any corner of the cage. But it should not be too heavy. These are some top rated hamster water bottle in the market
- Lixit Chew Proof Glass Small Animal Water Bottle.
- Oasis Small Animal Water Bell Bottle.
- Kaytee Chew Proof Water Bottle.
- Poodle Pet Water Feeder Bottle.
- Living World Eco + Water Bottle.
- Kathson 2 in 1 Hamster Water Bottle.
- Guardians Hamster Water Bottle.
Hamster water bottle set up
If you have a solid sided hamster cage, you need to place the water bottle holder right over the ledge at the top. However if you have a wire sided one you need to simply slip the holder between two bars and move it down so that it would fall into its place.
How high should hamster water bottle be
Placing the water bottle at the right height is quite important as only then the hamsters can drink water. In fact you need to adjust the height of the water bottle depending on the hamster’s height. However on average, you need to place it one or two inches above the batting.
How to fill a hamster water bottle
To do this you need to first take off the strap of the water and take it to the sink. I suggest you refill the hamster’s water bottle even though you may feel like it is not necessary, Since it is water related, chances are that there could be contamination in the water. So, I suggest refilling the water on a daily basis. When refilling , ensure that you first rinse the water bottle well. Don’t ever think of using soap to rinse off. As if you end up using soap it may probably be stuck in the water bottle. Rinse the bottle a few times and then fill it with water. Now you could place it in the cage.
DIY hamster water bottle stand
If you wish to make a DIY hamster water bottle stand, you need to first gather lolly sticks, small crafts blocks, non toxic white glue etc. first arrange the crafts blocks into a square shape. The size of the crafts block structure should be slightly larger than the bottle. Next, glue them and allow them to dry for some time. When they are dry you need to take the lolly sticks and glue them on each side of the platforms. If you have a large water bottle, the best is to use large lolly sticks. On the fourth side you can glue more lolly sticks whilst leaving a gap for the bottle spout to fit. Thereafter allow it to wither for some time . Next you may fix the water bottle there.
Hamster water bottle holder for glass tank
I suggest using Kaytee Small Animal Chew Proof Water Bottle Holder here. They would be excellent to use for this purpose. Their sizes would be around 6 ¾ inches long and 1 3/5 inches wide. They can hold 4 ounce bottles or even an 8 ounce bottle.
Hamster water bottle with suction cups
There are water bottles which come with suction cups. They are crucial to secure the water bottles. However I don’t recommend using water bottles which are held up with suction cups. Some people believe that using water bottles with suction cups is not effective on the hamsters. There are chances where they have come across occasions where the water bottles would fall over and leak in the cage.
Hamster water bottle for glass tank
As I discussed in aquarium tank hamster water bottles, you can use any good hamster water bottle for your hamster glass tank. You just need to think about the size of the glass tank and the size of the water bottle.
How to stop a hamster water bottle from leaking?
If you spot the water bottle emptying rapidly or spot any water puddle in the hamsters cage, it is very likely that the water bottles are having a leakage which you need to attend to as swiftly as you could. If the water bottle is leaking chances are that your precious hamsters don’t get adequate water levels. Not only that it would make the hamster’s cage messy too. So, let’s see how the bottle would start to leak and the modes of fixing them.
Loose lid
If you suspect any water leakage in the water bottles, the very first place you need to have a look on is the bottle’s lid. If the water bottle’s top is loose and if it doesn’t have its thread in its place it would result in a leakage of the water bottles. However if you figure out the water bottles are leaking it is very easy to fix it.
Thereafter you can tighten the top back on the bottle. Next check whether the threads are matching up too. At last you can simply tip the bottle and check whether it still has leakages. So, if you could still spot any leakages, it is very likely that there could be other issues and you need to look into it further.
Crack in the bottle
If the lid of the water bottle is all good and if the bottle is starting to leak, you need to check the bottle and see whether it has cracks. Ideally you need to check the area where the bottle screws into the top.
Chances are that there could be cracks in the groves. So if you happen to spot any crack best is to purchase a new water bottle. That said if the crack is minor, you could fix it with food grade silicone sealant or waterproof tape. However this will only be a temporary fix and you may have to replace the bottle with a new one at some point.
Missing gasket
Once you open the cap , you need to ideally spot either a gasket or O ring inside. This is what creates a tight seal. So, if the small rubber is missing or damaged it is very likely that the bottle will have a continuous grip. These gaskets and o rings are prone for tears so whenever you clean the bottle you need to inspect the bottle properly and check whether they need any replacements. You could easily replace them from local hardware’s stores.
Displacement Of the Ball
Usually there would be multiple metal ball bearings in the water bottles in the tube. When they are rightly in place, they would Create a vacuum which would keep the water inside the bottle. So, there could be chances where the metal balls could also be dislodged. If there is any dislodge of the metal balls. It would also make the water bottle to constantly drip of water. So, if you come across a situation like this you need to give a good shake to the bottle so that it moves the ball.
To avoid this happening you need to wash both bottles and the drinking tube quite often. If there is any debris in the bottle it would stop the ball from moving. Furthermore you need to keep a proper water level in your bottle too. It is vital that the ball gets sufficient water so that it can create a suction unless it will not be effective.
Hamster water tube
All smaller “pocket pets,” such as hamsters, gerbils, mice, rats, African pygmy hedgehogs, sugar gliders, and other similar exotic pets, are best suited for the hamster drinking water tubes. A powder-coated adjustable hanger-guard has been added to this kind of drinking tube.
It has never been simpler to mount the drinking tube in a wire cage or habitat with glass sides. Position the drinking tube at the pet’s shoulder height and bend the hanging strap over the top edge of the habitat to mount it inside aquarium-style habitats. Tank covers made of wire screen will simply fit over the hanging strap. The hanging strap is positioned through the horizontal cage wires using the same positioning and bending technique as for wire cages.
Hamster water dish
Hamster water dish is the smaller version of water bowl. Some people say a water dish is the same as a water bowl. I leave it to you to decide. But with a water dish it only held very little water at a time. You need to fill the water dish when it is empty. You can find these small dishes on Amazon as well as your local pet stores.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I put a bowl of water in my hamster’s cage?
Yes of course you can put a water bowl in your hamster cage. Make sure you clean your water bowl daily and keep the water bowl from spilling.
Do you have to change hamster water everyday?
Ideally yes, you need to change the hamster water once every day.
Conclusion
To wind up, you could use both water bowls and water bottles for hamsters. No matter what method you use you need to always ensure that your precious hamsters can get a constant supply of water so that they will not suffer dehydration. Further no matter what you use, you should always ensure that there is a good capacity , no leakage in the water bowl or the water bottle you have used. So, I hope now you have a great idea on the kind of the water bowl or the water bottle you need to choose.
Hello, my name is James and I’ve been caring for tiny pets for over 14 years with a passion. I enjoy passing on my expertise to other individuals in order for them to have the same amount of enjoyment as I do.
