Water bottle or water dish?

[MissyMe83]

Which do you prefer? Do your birds understand the concept of the bottle/pick up on it quickly?

Pros/Cons?

Thanks

 

[Remy]

I have both in Puck's cage, although I'm not sure it's necessary. I have the water bottle right next to his dry food bowl, which is convenient for him. I like that he can't poop in his water bottle.

Puck figured the water bottle out immediately. I just filled it up and put it up to him and he was all "Oooh, shiny metal thing!" and he went to investigate it, and water came out! :-D

 

[henpecked]

I'm a big fan of the bottle with my amazons. I have issues with pellets and water dishes so have switched to the bottle for most birds. I do have some tricks for converting birds to the bottle if you need them.My outside aviary birds are on an automatic watering system that only needs cleaning once a week, works great.

 

[MissyMe83]

I really like the idea of the bottle since it can't be contaminated with food and whatnot in mere seconds, but wasn't sure if my lil one would pick up on it.
I think I'll go ahead and get one and also use the water dish for bathing if he wants. I don't have him yet...still waiting for him to be weaned, but trying to have everything ready and waiting for when he gets here.

Thanks!

 

[cnyguy]

Ralph's vet suggested I try a water bottle for him, but Ralph would have nothing to do with it. He hated the bottle and squawked at it angrily until I took it out. So he has his dish of drinking water, which also serves as his bathtub (he won't bathe anywhere else ). He does occasionally dunk things in the water, but I just change it for fresh water when he does. He never dunks pellets any more since I started soaking a few for him and offering them a few times a day. He thinks they're a special treat.

 

[MikeyTN]

I've used water bottles in the past when I was breeding. Don't think that the water won't be contaminated just because it's in a bottle! I've seen a few that got food inside the bottle. Some birds would eat and get a mouth full while licking that ball tip and while rolling it around gets some food within the water bottle. Not all do it, but some will! Just make sure to sanitize the bottle and get a scrubbing brush to scrub it out real good! I prefer dishes myself. But like henpecked, when I used to breed, I rely on bottles as there were way too many to give water to constantly. I can use my time playing with the babies instead of constantly messing with water dishes.