FAQ: Bowls & Feeders for small pets

A deeper, heavy bowl with an inward-curved rim, raised off the bedding, and smaller portions help. If the animal digs through the bowl for tastier bits, switching to uniform pellets is worth considering.

With grain and seed mixes animals often pick out the sweetest or fattiest pieces and leave the rest, which unbalances the diet. Uniform pellets and small portions help prevent this selective eating.

No, put in only as many pellets or mix as the animal needs for the day. A full bowl encourages overeating and picking out the tastiest pieces, while herbivores should have unlimited hay.

A measuring spoon or kitchen scales is easiest, following the amount on the pack for the animal’s weight. If the animal gains or loses weight, discuss the portion with a vet.

Food usually goes in the bowl once or twice a day, ideally at the same times. Before refilling, throw out old leftovers and check how much the animal ate.

Hamsters are active in the evening and at night, so food added in the evening is fresh when they eat. There is no need to wake a hamster during the day to feed it.

The rattle comes from the ball or spout as the animal drinks or licks the bottle, and it is normal. It is quieter when the bottle is firmly fixed and does not rub against the bars, and the cage is not in the bedroom.

Animals spill a little water as they drink, and sometimes the bottle itself drips. Put a ceramic tile or small tray under the bottle, change the bedding there more often and check the bottle seals properly.

It can be, if it hangs low and the gaps are not wide enough for a guinea pig to push its head through. Large rabbit racks are often too high for guinea pigs, so check they can reach the hay comfortably.

For most small pets bowls on the floor or a low platform are most comfortable, as they eat naturally that way. A slightly raised bowl may suit large rabbits, but it is worth discussing with a vet.

They can, but water often splashes and dampens pellets or hay. It is better to place them a little apart or give water in a bottle.

It is a bottle with a lid on top that can be filled without taking it off the cage. It is convenient, but it still needs to be removed and washed regularly, as just topping up lets the bottle get dirty.

In heat vegetables and moist food spoil faster and attract flies. In summer give fresh food in smaller portions, remove leftovers sooner and wash bowls more often.

Many small pets avoid new objects at first, especially if they smell different. Put the new bowl where the old one was, add familiar food and give it a few days to get used to it.

Fill the bottle to the top, screw the cap on tightly and turn it upside down. A few drops will come out at first until the vacuum forms; a partly filled bottle drips more often as temperatures change.

If the bottle is nearly or completely empty by evening, it is too small for your animal or group. Choose a larger bottle or hang a second one.

A divided bowl lets you serve pellets and vegetables separately, but animals often mix them, and water next to food dampens it. If the bowl is light, it also tips over easily.

Yes, the spout must reach through the cage bars or pen wall and be easy for the animal to reach. A spout that is too short is hard to reach behind thick bars, while one too long can snag and touch the bedding.

Not really. Treats are better given by hand or hidden in foraging toys, so you can see how many the animal gets. Pouring them into a bowl makes it easy to give too many.

Outdoors a sturdy metal rack with a lid, hung under cover, works best so the hay does not get wet from rain and dew. Remove damp hay daily and refill with dry.