water bottle vs water cup - opinions please

[Riio]

Hi everyone! Quick question, do you use a water bottle or cage cup for your fids? Sumshine is a serious food dipper and its soo gross! I change out her water 3-4 times a day. I was thinking of getting her a water bottle to use along with a cup so she will always have clean water to drink.
I will be going out of town to do some house hunting and will be leaving the hubs in charge of the dogs, bird, and kiddo (man oh man Im nervous! Haha) so I know he probably wont be as good about changing her water multiple times a day.

What do y'all think about them? Good, bad, both? Thanks in advance!

 

[Mayden]

Merlin has both incase were away for longer than expected. The bottle is good for travellingtoo as its less spills!

 

[Erinsmom]

I use water bottle for the reasons you just explained. I KNOW my birds have fresh clean water at all times. I do put a bowl in for them to play with if they want but I never worry

 

[AFP520]

If you're going the water bottle route, do not be cheap on it. They will probably leak like the one I bought. Instead we give Lucy a water bowl, and change her water several times a day. M-F maybe 4-5, and more on the weekends. She has been known to dip pellets in there sometimes, but I change it out so frequently that it's not that bad. I also keep the food and water bowls on opposite sides of the cage to discourage her from dipping. It works for the most part.

Another reason I didn't go the water bottle route is because the vet says the easiest place for bacteria to form and grow is typically water. I know everyone has their own lives to live, but I feel like a water bottle removes the responsibility of always needing to change the water and some may over look it. Again, not saying this is what everyone is going to do, but I just feel that as a human, it could justify you leaving the water in there for more than a day.

I love my Lucy and she's worth the effort to change her water so often. I even give her a piece of ice so it's nice and cool.

 

[Erinsmom]

I agree on the if you get a water bottle get a nice one. They are also cheaper for some reason if you go to the reptile section than if you buy them in the bird section. I don't know why. I got a glass one that has 2 balls. It doesn't leak and as glass is much easier to clean and sanitize than plastic plus I always think of how water tastes after it has been sitting in plastic YUK.. Mine is also flat on one side so it sits nicely against the cage, It was 10 bucks in the reptile section of Petsmart.

 

[MonicaMc]

AFP520 has a point. Not mentioned, is the water spout. The spout is even more likely to grow bacteria because it's not as easy to clean as the rest of the bottle.

A potential issue with providing *only* a water bottle is if the bird doesn't learn how to drink out of it, or if the bird, being a huge dunker, tries to stuff food up inside the spout causing bacteria to grow, possibly stuffing up the spout so no water comes out, or leaving it stuck open so all the water drains out.


Riio, what you are considering is probably fine! That is, using both a water bottle and a water dish! I have heard of other owners using this method just fine!



Erinsmom, I've noticed the same with locking dishes in the pet isles... (bird vs small animal/rodent) but its the same price online! Go figure... lol

 

[Riio]

Thanks everyone! Great nuggets to think over!

 

[thermodynamic]

I agree on the if you get a water bottle get a nice one. They are also cheaper for some reason if you go to the reptile section than if you buy them in the bird section. I don't know why. I got a glass one that has 2 balls. It doesn't leak and as glass is much easier to clean and sanitize than plastic plus I always think of how water tastes after it has been sitting in plastic YUK.. Mine is also flat on one side so it sits nicely against the cage, It was 10 bucks in the reptile section of Petsmart.

Methinks birds are rarer/more exotic and therefore to market the product as being that niche will generate more revenue.

Plastic is bad for water - plastic leeches chemicals. Since plastic is made from oil, it's not good for a number of reasons, regarding drinkable or edible liquids (even tomato sauce, V8, etc), over a period of time.

Try getting two bottles of V8. One in plastic. One in glass. Get containers with expiration dates stamped as far out as possible. Drink a cup from each. The B8 in the plastic container tastes rank, and it's in a comparatively recently manufactured state. That's how bad plastic is. For liquids. For food solids and then properly recycling, plastic is A-OK as far as I am aware of... Now think of water sitting in a plastic cup all day...

 

[Mayden]

People who use water bottles need to invest in a pipe cleaner etc too. A rinse under the tap isn't good enough!