A drinker for a guinea pig, how to make it yourself and teach a rodent to drink

A drinking bowl is one of the items on the list of necessary things in a cage, which provides for a mandatory installation even before purchasing an animal. Consider the types of existing drinkers, explain how to make a drinker for a guinea pig with your own hands, indicating the nuances of subsequent installation, and also talk about the main reasons for refusing water.

What should be the water

Guinea pigs drink often and a lot, so it is important for your pet’s health to monitor the condition of the water.

Temperature

Ice water is fraught with pneumonia, so choose room temperature.

Quality

Use tap water to filter it.

Freshness

Change the water at least once a day, and if possible, increase it up to 1-2 times. Do not give your guinea pig stagnant water. The accumulated bacteria will lead to serious diseases.

The main types of drinkers

Existing drinking bowls for pigs are presented in 2 versions:

• ball;
• ceramic bowl.

Consider their advantages and disadvantages in the table below.

When choosing between the options presented, focus on the pet and the conditions of detention. With a spacious cage divided into a playing and dining area, a bowl is suitable, and with a modest size or a young animal, give preference to a ball drinker.

IMPORTANT! In some stores, you can buy metal bowls that include fasteners. The fixation will help eliminate the risk of spillage during active games.

How to make a drinking bowl for a guinea pig with your own hands

In order to avoid marriage (low-quality cups can leak) and dangerous materials used by an unscrupulous manufacturer, try making a cup at home.

Ball

To make a ball bowl you will need:

• ball pen;
• plastic bottle;
• bicycle bearing;
• hacksaw suitable for metal;
• sandpaper;
• silicone sealant;
• thin knife.

Manufacture:

1. Disassemble the handle into parts, leaving the body, and remove the ball from the bearing.
2. Slide the ball into the body. It will get stuck in a certain area. Make a mark there and remove part of the handle with a hacksaw, bringing the fixed ball as close as possible to the exit point.
3. Check the air permeability by blowing into the handle. If available, cut off excess sections.
4. Take the bottle and make a small hole in the bottom to allow the handle to be inserted.
5. Go over the joint with sealant, eliminating the risk of leakage.
6. Tilt the tube 45°. This angle does not prevent water from flowing out when you press the ball.

Among the advantages it is worth noting: durability and reliability. The only downside is complexity. In the absence of experience, you will have to tinker.

Bottle and cocktail straw

To create a drinker you will need:

• cocktail tube (the presence of a corrugated section is mandatory);
• plastic bottle (from 0,1 to 0,5 l) with a cap;
• a hammer;
• wire;
• nail.

Manufacture:

1. Choose a nail that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the straw and heat it up.
2. Poke a small hole in the bottle cap using a hot nail.
3. Insert a straw into the resulting hole. Achieve maximum contact of the straw. Otherwise, all liquid will leak out.
4. Without removing the straw, screw on the lid and bend the straw 45° upwards.
5. Fill the resulting cup with water and draw it through the straw, removing excess air and providing free access for the liquid.
6. Secure the resulting product with a wire.

Among the advantages it is worth noting the ease of assembly and affordable materials. It is easy to find a replacement for a damaged part. However, the straw is quickly damaged and the guinea pig can eat the plastic. Despite the existing shortcomings, a do-it-yourself drinking bowl for a guinea pig will save money and control the safety of raw materials.

How to properly install a drinker

When installing a drinker, it is important to check the quality of the product. Hang the bowl outside the cage, place a sheet of paper under the ball and leave for several hours. Wetting the sheet will indicate a marriage. Consider your pet’s physiology. The guinea pig’s drinker is placed close to the floor of the cage to ensure a natural position (the animal should not stretch on its hind legs).

We should not forget about psychological comfort. Position the cup outside so that changing the water does not interfere with the pet’s privacy.

What to do if the guinea pig does not drink water from the drinker

Sometimes a rodent avoids using an intricate device. In this case, you need to act according to the situation.

disease

If a guinea pig does not drink water from a drinking bowl and refuses to eat, then there is a high probability of feeling unwell. Be sure to take your pet to the vet.

 Lack of experience due to age

With a sufficient amount of juicy food, you can not worry about the health of the baby. An adult animal can act as a teacher, as rodents quickly absorb new information and love to imitate.

 Disorientation in a new place

If the pet has changed its place of residence and frantically pokes in search of some water, then push it in the right direction and watch. With past experience, he will definitely take the right action.

 Swapping bowls for balls

You can teach a guinea pig to a drinker with a ball in adulthood using your own example:

• demonstrate the drinker and allow time for independent study (a smart animal often comes to independent conclusions);
• touch the ball with your finger, causing water to appear;
• hold a wet finger to the pig;
• repeat if necessary.

IMPORTANT! Don’t get dehydrated. If the pet is weak and does not compensate for moisture with juicy food, then it will have to be watered by force, but without a drinker. For such cases, a syringe filled with water is suitable.

Video: how to teach a guinea pig to a drinker

Conclusion

Teaching a guinea pig to drink from a drinker is not so difficult, because in most cases the animal takes action on its own and does not require human assistance. If the pet avoids the drinker, then go over the reasons discussed and think about why he does this. Try to avoid poor quality materials, follow tips for proper placement, and avoid water pollution.

We also recommend that you read our article on how to organize and train a guinea pig to the toilet.