dog/cat Water fountain dish okay for birds too ?

[MrsGimmik]

Hello Everyone,
My mother will be leaving town for about a week and her only concern with the pet sitter is the water dish won't be changed for our 2 Quaker parrots. I found somthing that may help cycle the water and keep it clean for our babies but they are ment for cats and dogs. I assume it'll be safe for them but I see it contains carbon, I know it is dumb to ask but now a days we never know if our bird(s) can fall ill or death. Just wondering if it'll be safe to use the carbon to filter there water to keep it nice and fresh when my mother returns back. Here is what I been looking at, let me know your thoughts and opinions ! Thank you

 

[BillsBirds]

I give my fids water from a Brita Water Filter. It uses a carbon filter, and I've never had any problems.

 

[IcyWolf]

The only thing that would worry me about using one of those is if it got spilled, it would drench the entire cage and could easily cause bacteria to grow in a weeks time and could chill the birds. Why can't the pet sitter change their water? That's kind of an important part of pet sitting.
The best solution I could give you aside from having someone change the water while you're gone would be to train them to use a water bottle. Our amazons have a large glass bottle that they drink out of but I have given them a bowl as well so they can choose. The bowl gets changed twice daily and I change the bottle once a day, although I'm sure it would last them a week, I would still be weary about the water getting icky after that long. The nice thing about bottles though, is that they hang on the outside so there's really no reason a pet sitter wouldn't be able to give them fresh water in the bottle daily. I don't know how much time you have before you leave but if you go this route, make sure you KNOW they are drinking out of the bottle before you leave it as their only means of water.

 

[MrsGimmik]

@IcyWolf- It is my older brother who will be caring for our birds, We have no one else to depend on and we know for a fact he won't bother changing their water. We were thinking to train them on the bottle as well but I do not know how to get started on that knowing how easily scared they get those 2. I do not think the water will spill, our Quakers aren't messy with there water (sometimes a few little crumbs in the water) my mother changes there water twice a day but seeing this as an only option, we may have to use the pet fountain dish, or try to figure out how to train them on the bottle. I would perfer the bottle then the dish honestly. Any suggestions would be much apreciated ! <3

 

[MrsGimmik]

Sorry for that link attached, here is the actual thing I was looking at on ebay Cat Water Drinking Fountain Feline Pet Supplies NEW (707569059035) | eBay

 

[Mitchell]

I'm in agreement with IcyWolf, water bottle is the way to go. Simply fill your birds water dish up and place the water bottle above it to where it can drip into their water dish. They're very smart and believe me, they will figure it out due to their curious nature. Anyway, a carbon filter will not hurt them either.

 

[Remy]

Puck figured out his water bottle immediately. I filled it up and showed it to him, and he was all "Oooh, shiny thing, must lick it!" and he was surprised with water! Lol.

 

[roxynoodle]

I think I'd go with the water bottle as well. I bet they figure it out quickly. At the county fair, the pigs all have a nozzle in their little pens and they figure it out each year.

Make sure thought you set it up well before you leave so you know that they are using it.