To ensure normal The conditions for keeping rabbits need to take care of the presence of clean drinking water, which animals cannot do without: their digestive system is poorly developed, and any deviation from the correct diet entails problems. Access to drink should be free, for this there are many devices, but one of the best are nipple drinkers for rabbits.
- cup (small capacity attached to the cage);
- automatic (construction from the backs and cups arranged in such a way that the bottle is turned upside down over the cup, as a result the cup is never empty: water automatically enters it);
- nipple (best for animals such as rabbits: water supply occurs when the animal touches a special ball).
The benefits of the nipple drinker are obvious.
- Safety. No sharp corners, small details that could harm pets.
- Sterility. The drinker is made so that trash, dust does not have the opportunity to get into the device.
- Lack of germs. The tube is made of stainless metal, which is also protection against a variety of microbes, infections, because metal is not a carrier of various infections.
- Versatility. The drinker is suitable not only for drinking, but also for feeding medicine to animals, as well as vitamins.
There are a number of features of the nipple drinker that you should pay attention to before purchasing. The small volume of the device does not make it possible to water a large number of rabbits. It is more suitable for amateur farmers who breed a small number of animals. Without a special heating cable in winter at freezing temperatures, the water freezes, the lid wears out.
How to make a nipple drinker
Installation, assembly, tanks made by the tank – all this can be considered in detail at a master class from video on the Internet. As a result, it will be possible to achieve the desired result with your own hands. The price for the finished kit will differ significantly from the purchased parts separately, and the assembly is not so difficult, so you should try to make the product yourself. The requirements for drinking bowls are strict.
Any drinker, nipple, automatic or regular cup, should first of all fulfill its direct function.The main requirements for any devices in this area are:
- Purity of drinking water: the function of the drinking bowl of any kind is protection against dust and dirt.
- Sustainability: the water facility must be stable, not topple over, for this purpose it is firmly attached to the wall of the cage.
- The volume of the tank must be sufficient to ensure that all animals living in the same enclosure can drink – if the volume is small, you can add another drinker, depending on the amount of water you drink.
- Wash: the water fixture should be washed every day with great care, in the summer, you can increase the number of this procedure.
You can do nipple drinkers for rabbit with his own hands with a plastic bottle or hose. Once the dimensions of this design are determined, you can get to work.
Drinking bowl with a plastic bottle
This method is suitable for 1-3 rabbits in one cage, and execute it elementary just do it yourself. Production does not require special knowledge. For those who are completely unclear how this is done, just watch a photo or video, everything becomes extremely clear. All materials are affordable and budget. It will take some materials and tools.
- Nipple. The most important component of the entire project. It can be purchased at any hardware store. It can be of two types: plastic and metal stainless steel.If possible, it is better to give preference to the second option: the metal nipple will last longer and it is less harmful. But if there is no way out, a plastic one will do, but it will have to be changed at least once a month.
- A plastic bottle. It is worth noting that too much volume will be difficult to fix to the cage, so it’s better to make small drinkers, but a few pieces.
- Rubber.
- Stationery knife or large scissors. A clerical knife is better: cutting it is much more convenient.
- Wire. It serves as a wall mount, so it’s better to take a thicker one so as not to doubt that the drinker is firmly fixed to the cage.
The first thing to do is measure the diameter of the neck of the bottle, which will serve as a reservoir for water . Next – buy a nipple of a suitable size, make a cork-cap for the bottle, that is, cut a circle to fit the neck. Before you insert the cap into the bottle, you must make a hole in it for the nipple, then insert the cap and fasten it. The last step is to fix the finished structure to the wall with wire, which should be enough to ensure reliability. The height of the nipple drinker should be at the level of growth of the rabbit, so that he would be comfortable drinking.
Hose version of the nipple drinker
It is easy to do this task with your own hands. With about 20 rabbits, hose nipples for domestic rabbits are the perfect solution to quench your thirst.The advantages of this drinking bowl are the absence of “lines” of rabbits for water, because they will be able to drink at the same time, and they also do not need to often add water to the tank, thanks to this design. Before starting the procedure, make sure that you have everything you need.
- Hose. It can be rubber or plastic. Everyone chooses for himself which one will be more convenient to use.
- Nipple.
- Stationery knife or scissors.
- Water tank. It can be a canister.
- A wire to secure the structure.
The first thing you need to buy is a hose. The owner of the rabbits determines the length himself, depending on the distance between the cage and the canister. It is better to take a little more so as not to make a mistake. Next, you need to choose a canister for drinking water, install as close as possible to the aviary with rabbits. The height of the tank should be higher than the rabbit cage for a better and faster flow of water into the aviary.
Make holes in the nipple hose. It is necessary to accurately measure the diameter of the nipple and very carefully cut the hole on the hose. Holes can be as many as the size of the enclosure allows, but the distance between them should not be less than 30 cm, so that the rabbits feel free to drink.
Next, insert the nipples into the finished holes. Be sure to inspect and check with your hands so that there are no cracks or holes at the joints. If a crack is found in the plastic hose, you can seal it with sealant.To better fix the nipples, you can warm up the hose before installing the nipples in it. Use a wire to secure the hose around the perimeter or on one side (with a small number of heads). The other end is attached to the tank.
It is not difficult to teach a rabbit to drinkers: they themselves will understand the principle of the device, because they try everything on the tooth. As soon as they begin to touch the nipple, water will automatically flow out. Smart animals will immediately understand what’s what.
