Rabbits should always have access to plenty of water and hay. Water is essential to keeping your rabbit hydrated, happy, and healthy. Finding the best rabbit water bottle might appear straightforward at first, but it’s a little trickier than that.
With the wide selection out there, how do you know which rabbit water bottle is the best?
In this article, we compiled a list of the best rabbit water bottles on the market. We’ll review the following products to pick out the best one:
The Best Rabbit Water Bottle: Buying Guide
Before buying your rabbit a water bottle, there are a few factors that need to be taken into consideration. You may also be wondering why a water bottle is recommended compared to a simple bowl of water. Let’s look into why a water bottle is better suited for your rabbit.
Water Bottle vs Water Bowl
It should be said that there is no right or wrong answer when it comes to deciding between a bowl or a water bottle. If you have multiple rabbits that are housed outdoors, a large water bowl could work for you. If you are new to owning a rabbit, there are a few issues with water bowls you need to know.
The chances are that water in a bowl is more likely to be contaminated by your rabbit’s waste. This would require you to change the water often as well as wash the contaminated bowl until it is completely clean and safe to be used. Rabbits need access to clean water, and it may be a few hours before you notice the mess.
Female rabbits have a heavy fold of skin called a dewlap. As your rabbit leans over the bowl to drink water, a rabbit’s dewlap could continuously get wet. This could potentially lead to an infection of the skin if it remains wet and drenched.
Your rabbit might accidentally knock over the water bowl and wet its bedding and cage. Consistently wet bedding is not only uncomfortable for your pet rabbit, but it could also cause the dewlap to get infected as mentioned earlier. A water bottle for your rabbit is more suitable to keep her bed dry and avoid preventable infections.
Water bowls can also host a layer of dust particles and algae that are not safe for your pet rabbit. You need to ensure that the water bowl is spotless from algae.
What To Look For in a Rabbit Water Bottle
Size and Capacity
With a wide selection of water bottles for your rabbit on the market, making the right choice depends on a few factors. The first is to decide the size and the capacity of the water bottle you would need. If you have a young kit, consider the size of the breed when fully grown, as rabbits grow quickly.
Rabbits drink two to three times more water than they eat to help them digest their food, absorb essential nutrients, and remove waste.
The size of your rabbit can help you decide on the capacity and size of the water bottle you will need. If you have more than one rabbit, you would need a larger capacity water bottle. Take note of how much water your rabbit drinks before purchasing a water bottle.
Materials
Rabbits are known to chew all day. We recommend buying a water bottle with a stainless steel nozzle that’s strong enough to withstand a rabbit’s teeth.
All water bottle nozzles come equipped with a ball bearing to prevent the water from escaping and dripping into the hutch. Rabbits can chew right through plastic nozzles, and the ball bearing might get lodged in their throat.
If you’re going for a plastic bottle, make sure it’s BPA-free.
Ease of Use
You will be handling your rabbit’s water bottle daily. Consider a water bottle that’s easy to install. Most water bottles arrive with mounting brackets and they should easily fit your rabbit’s cage securely.
Another factor to consider is the ease of cleaning. A rabbit’s water bottle needs to be cleaned often. Many water bottles on the market are dishwasher safe. Make sure you have a second water bottle for your pet rabbit if you choose this option, as rabbits need a constant supply of fresh water.
Reviews of the Best Rabbit Water Bottle
To help you choose the best water bottle for your rabbit, we’ve reviewed seven of the most sought-after products on the market.
Our Overview
The Choco Nose H528 No Drip Water Bottle is our top pick for many reasons. It includes a patented nozzle that’s designed to prevent unpleasant slow drips and leaks. The nozzle is made from stainless steel to prevent your pet rabbit from chewing through it.
Made from durable BPA-free plastic, this water bottle is safe for your pet rabbit and holds 11.2 ounces. It comes with a screw-on bracket to efficiently install onto your rabbit’s cage. To refill or clean your rabbit’s water bottle, simply snap the water bottle on and off. If you have a wooden hutch, it’s also possible to nail on the bracket.
What makes this the best water bottle for your pet rabbit is that the nozzle fits PET bottles and smart water bottles. This is a helpful feature that allows pet owners to have more than one water bottle available.
This rabbit water bottle does come with important instructions from the manufacturer. After every refill, pet owners should tap the metal ball found at the bottom of the nozzle should it get stuck. Air bubbles will occur when the water bottle is ready to use. This will ensure that your beloved rabbit is never without water.
This water bottle comes in various sizes. Before purchasing, read the product description so that the correct nozzle size is purchased for your rabbit.
Pros:
- The patented leak-proof nozzle.
- Chew-proof nozzle.
- Easy to clean and refill.
- User-friendly bracket for cages or hutches.
- Compatible with various bottle sizes.
Cons:
- Metal ball system can get stuck.
Our Overview
This water bottle is ideal for pet owners with multiple rabbits. The 32 fluid ounce bottle has our vote for the water bottle with the best capacity, as it’s also available as a larger 64-ounce option. The flip cap located at the top allows you to effortlessly refill the water bottle without removing it from the cage.
Made from BPA-free plastic, this water bottle from RentACoop is safe for your furry friend. The water levels can easily be seen through the plastic, so you can keep an eye. We also like that the nozzle is chew-proof and does not leak.
Included with the purchase of this water bottle is a sturdy wire bracket and a universal fit spring clip to ensure the bottle fits on any cage. Some customers mentioned that it’s not the most secure, though, and the water bottle does have a tendency to tip slightly to one side when in use.
Pros:
- Large capacity.
- Flip cap located at the top for easy refills.
- Easy to clean.
Cons:
- Wire bracket is not as secure as others.
Our Overview
This water bottle from Lixit is excellent value for money. It comes in different sizes and in three colors, plus you have the option to purchase one bottle or a set of two. This particular water bottle can hold up to 32 ounces of water.
This Lixit bottle is made from transparent BPA-free plastic, which makes checking the water levels easy. Lixit uses a vacuum seal to retain the water and prevent leakages. When filling up the water bottle to the top, you will notice a slight drip. This will stop once a vacuum is formed.
The nozzle is made from stainless steel and is rust-proof. The nozzle comes with a metal ball system that prevents dripping and leaks.
Pros:
- Comes in various sizes.
- Vacuum sealed.
- Stainless steel nozzle.
- Durable.
Cons:
- Some customers had leakage issues.
Our Overview
This set of three water bottles is ideal for owners with multiple rabbits. Having three sources of water available for multiple rabbits is favored. The glass and steel design of the bottles make them durable and chew-proof.
What’s unique about this bottle is the steel nozzle has a unique double-ball drip-resistant sipper tube. The set comes with spring attachments to easily attach to your rabbit’s cage or hutch.
Each glass bottle has a floating rubber duck that allows you to view the water levels. The glass water bottles have a 12-ounce capacity.
Pros:
- Ideal for multiple rabbits.
- Chew-proof glass and steel design.
- Floating rubber duck to observe water levels.
Cons:
- The glass bottle can shatter when dropped.
Our Overview
Most rabbits easily take to drinking water from the nozzle of water bottles. Others simply won’t tolerate it. This water bottle from Kathson is a suitable choice for rabbits who don’t enjoy using the nozzle of traditional water bottles.
This water bottle from kathson comes with a water dispenser that’s simple for your pet rabbit to use. Essentially designed to be a travel water bottle, it works just as well on the inside or the outside of a rabbit’s cage or hutch. It can be placed at the right height to prevent your rabbit from craning its neck to drink from the bowl.
We like this product because the bowl is tiny enough to prevent your rabbit’s dewlap from getting wet. The water bottle also refills using a gravity flow design that will prevent the bowl from overflowing. This is a bonus that prevents your rabbit’s cage and bed from getting wet.
The water bottle can easily be removed, refilled, and cleaned. The sealing design of the water bowl ensures that no dust can contaminate the water. To top that off, this water bottle and dispenser is leak-proof.
Pros:
- Suitable for all rabbits.
- The water bowl is small enough to avoid your rabbit’s dewlap from getting soaked.
- Can be installed easily inside and outside of the hutch/cage.
- Easy to install and clean.
Cons:
- Some customers complained about the lack of gravity flow into the dish.
Our Overview
This water bottle from MidWest Homes for Pets is made with BPA-free plastic. It features a stainless steel, chew-free nozzle and has the capacity to store 20.28 ounces of water. It is the ideal water bottle for large breed rabbits or multiple smaller rabbits.
The water bottle comes equipped with a user-friendly plastic screw that can easily be installed and attached to a cage or hutch. It also comes with optional suction cups.
This water bottle is one of the easiest to fill. There is no need to remove the water bottle to refill since it comes with a removable top cap.
The one thing that users don’t like is the narrow design of the water bottle. It requires you to use a bottle brush cleaner to clean it. The type of hard plastic design of the water bottle also has the potential to crack when cleaning.
Pros:
- Chew-free stainless steel nozzle.
- Large capacity.
- Easy to refill without removing it from the cage.
Cons:
- Plastic is not as durable and has the potential to crack.
- The narrow design of the bottle makes it difficult to clean by hand.
Our Overview
This water bottle from Vannon is made from BPA-free plastic and is quite durable. The water bottle can be positioned either inside or outside of a rabbit’s cage or hutch. It also comes in two sizes that can hold a whopping 25 ounces or 30 ounces of water.
The nozzle is made from stainless steel, which cannot be chewed apart by notorious rabbits known to chew plastic nozzles. The food-grade double stainless-steel balls and silicone seal interior prevent the water bottle from leaking. The double-slip design locks the bottle in place, preventing the bottle from moving while your rabbit drinks.
The BPA-free water bottle is easy to refill, thanks to its flip-lid design. The bottle can also be removed to refill or to clean. Equipped with a mounting bracket, this water bottle from Vannon’s is easy to install.
Pros:
- Two large capacity sizes to choose from.
- The top flip lid makes it easy to refill.
- The double stainless-steel ball mechanism in the nozzle prevents leaks and drips.
Cons:
- Some customers had leakage issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Clean My Rabbit’s Water Bottle?
You can wash your rabbit’s water bottle out with hot soapy water. Make sure that you rinse the water bottle well before refilling. Most water bottles are also dishwasher-friendly.
How Do I Get Algae Out of My Rabbit’s Water Bottle?
A build-up of algae is completely normal. Utilizing hot soapy water and a bottle brush will remove the algae. Once again, rinse the water bottle thoroughly before refilling it with fresh water.
Some pet owners add a little bleach to kill the algae. If you intend to do so, please make sure that the water bottle is rinsed many times before refilling.
What’s the Deal With a Water Bowl vs a Water Bottle for Rabbits?
A water bottle for your pet rabbit is safer than a water bowl. Female rabbits have a fold of skin under their jawline called a dewlap. If the dewlap is constantly wet, the skin can become inflamed and infected. Water bowls can easily become contaminated with urine and fecal matter, which is unhygienic for your pet rabbit.
Conclusion: What Are the Best Rabbit Water Bottles?
The Choco Nose H528 No Drip Water Bottle is our top pick for the best rabbit water bottle. It’s exceptionally durable, has a patented leak-proof system, and comes with a chew-proof nozzle.
For rabbits that don’t like using the nozzle, the kathson Rabbit Water Bottle is excellent. It comes with a small bowl attached that will not consistently wet your rabbit’s dewlap.
As you can see, not every water bottle is one-size-fits-all. There are various factors to consider to purchase the water bottle best suited for your rabbit. The size and the capacity of the water bottle will depend on the breed of your rabbit.
Since rabbits are notorious chewers, a stainless steel nozzle is better suited. Some water bottles come with a stainless steel ball to prevent the water from constantly dripping.
Before purchasing a water bottle, ask yourself if the water bottle is easy to clean and is it dishwasher safe? Also, look at the attachment mechanisms to see which water bottle is easy to install. The choice of plastic or glass is entirely up to you. Should you purchase a plastic water bottle, make sure that it is made from BPA-free plastic.