FAQ: Bowls & Feeders for small pets

Lop-eared rabbits do well with narrower, taller bowls with sloping sides, so their ears do not fall into food and water. That keeps the ears clean and dry.

A small, heavy bowl is enough for a gerbil. Because gerbils dig a lot and quickly bury the bowl in bedding, it is worth placing it on a shelf or flat stone.

Choose a heavy ceramic bowl with a wide base or one that fixes to the cage bars. It also helps to place the bowl on a flat, stable surface rather than soft bedding.

The bowl sits in a holder that is fixed to the bars with a screw or hook. It cannot be tipped, stays off the bedding so it gets less dirty, and is easy to remove and wash.

Small pets tip bowls while playing, digging or hunting for tastier bits, and simply push a light dish around. A heavier or fixed bowl and more enrichment in the cage help.

It is natural digging behaviour, not a protest. To keep the food clean, put the bowl on a shelf, platform or flat stone, or use a bowl that fixes to the bars.

Usually the bowl is too big and the animal sits in it or treats it as its corner. Choose a smaller bowl, raise it off the floor or move it away from the toilet spot.

To small rodents a bowl can look like a cosy nest, especially if the cage lacks hideouts or bedding. Swap the bowl for a smaller one and add more snug hiding places.

Rodents often chew rubber mats, and swallowed rubber is dangerous. If you need a stable base, a ceramic tile or flat stone that cannot be chewed is a better choice.

A metal ball at the end of the spout holds the water in, and the vacuum inside the bottle stops it running out. The animal pushes the ball with its tongue to get water.

A glass bottle is more hygienic, does not scratch or absorb smells and cannot be chewed, but it is heavier and can break. A plastic one is light and unbreakable but scratches over time and can be chewed if inside the cage.

A hamster drinks little, so a small bottle is enough. A large one is not needed, as the water should be changed daily anyway, and a smaller bottle fits more easily and can hang lower.

Guinea pigs and rabbits drink quite a lot, so they need a larger bottle that lasts a full day. Several guinea pigs or rabbits benefit from two bottles, or a bottle and a bowl.

A medium bottle usually suits a pair of rats. For a bigger group, hang two bottles in different places so a dominant rat cannot block the only water source.

Yes, a metal spout is best, as rodents quickly chew plastic ones and the bottle starts leaking. A metal spout is also easier to clean.

In a valve bottle a spring or lever valve releases the water, so it often drips less. Some animals need time to get used to it, so leave the old water source in place at first.

It is a bottle with a metal guard or holder around the plastic bottle so the animal cannot reach it with its teeth. It is useful when the bottle hangs inside the cage or a pen.

Often yes, as the second ball holds the water back further when the temperature changes or the bottle is knocked. Still, check them after hanging to make sure water is not running out.

It is a reservoir that slowly refills a small dish as the animal drinks. Animals drink in a natural posture, but open water is easily soiled with bedding and food, so it needs frequent cleaning.

Yes, many rabbits drink more naturally and more from a bowl than from a bottle. Choose a heavy ceramic bowl, change the water at least once a day, and the bottle can stay as a backup.