What Kind of Dish Should I Put Water for a Bunny In?

Water is essential to your pet rabbit's well-being. To avoid dehydration, your rabbit should have unlimited access to fresh, clean water. There are many types of dishes and containers available -- make sure you pick one that is easy for your rabbit to use.

  1. Bowl

    • The simplest way to give water to your rabbit is a bowl on the floor of its cage or hutch. The primary benefit of a bowl is that it is similar to natural drinking sources such as puddles and ponds. The disadvantage is that water can easily run out or spill all over your rabbit's bedding, leaving your rabbit nothing to drink. Only use a bowl if you are on hand to monitor your rabbit and can change the water often. Ceramic dishes are best because they are heavy and difficult to move.

    Raised Bowl

    • If you like the structure of a bowl but don't want to worry about spillage, you can get a bowl that clips to the side of the rabbit's cage. These are usually sold for birds, but they're excellent for rabbits too. Raising the dish helps keep the water free of food, hay or excrement. It is also useful for rabbits who like to knock over their water. Be careful, however -- a determined bunny can find a way to dislodge this type of bowl.

    Bottle

    • A longer-lasting and cleaner option is a bottle. Water bottles for rabbits attach to the outside of their cage or hutch. The nozzle fits between the bars of the cage so the rabbit can access it at any time. The standard type of nozzle has a metal tube with balls inside. When the rabbit licks the end of the tube, the balls move and allow the water to pass through. A 20-ounce bottle should provide more than a day's supply of water for two average-sized rabbits. Be sure to clean the nozzle thoroughly and often, as it can harbor bacteria that can be harmful for your bunny.

    Automatic Watering Systems

    • If you have a large number of rabbits (five or more), you might want to consider an automatic watering system. Like automatic food dispensers, these release water at the rate that the rabbits drink it, making it easy to provide water to many rabbits. Many rabbit breeders construct their own watering systems. If you don't have a lot of rabbits, think hard before you buy or build something like this. It may water your pets for a long time, but the water doesn't stay fresh very long.