What should I do for a gerbil water bottle?

Question

My gerbils destroy plastic water bottles as soon as I put them in. However, they don't like water bottles made out of any other material!

What should I do?

Answer 1

Put the bottle on the OUTSIDE of the cage with only the nozzle being inside. Nozzels are usually made of metal, so it's impossible to destroy.

Answer 2

Mine use to do the same thing.  I bought a metal water bottle holder, it hides the plastic part from their little teeth.

Answer 3

Uh, where do you place those water bottles? Mine can only reach the nozzle. The nozzle is usually made of metal, and little critters like gerbils can't destroy their water bottle, because they can only reach the nozzles. can't gnaw through metal. I really don't recommend the water bowl idea. It could be overturned, and the bedding could get all soggy. Also, they might try to climb in, and gerbils are naturally desert creatures, and they aren't supposed to get wet. Don't forget, your furry little friend might fall in and drown! You don't want that, do you? Go to the pet shop. Go to the section for gerbils, and look for the water bottles with metal nozzles.

Answer 4

You can use a bowl, but thats not the best way, 'cause some gerbils flip 'em over, and they can get in it, get themselvs all wet, and that could make them vunerable to wet tail... im pretty sure gerbils can get wet tail because hamsters can. the best idea is to get a sturdy stiff plastic water bottle, with a long nozzle, and get the least amount of bottle in the tank as you can, so its harder to reach, and just make sure they can reach the nozzle.

Answer 5

im guessing that you have them in an aquarium. i think that you should try the bowl thing. i would be carfeful though, if they stick there head a little too far, they may not know not to try breathing. it should work out. if you will go with a glass bottle, if they need it they should use it when neccessary to them. try both.

Answer 6

buy some chew proof ones with a really long sipping tube so you can place it up high where they can reach it but not destroy it.

Answer 7

Have you tried buying or making a bottle guard? I have one for my gerbil's and they haven't chewed on their bottle yet. They haven't really tried to, though. This is the water bottle I have:

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.js...

It can hang over the side of an aquarium. You can try making your own bottle guard out of wire mesh.

Also, I agree that a water bowl isn't a good idea. It'll be buried in bedding, isn't sanitary, and if it's deep enough, the gerbil could accidentally fall in trying to drink water, get wet, catch a cold, etc. Water bowls really aren't ideal.

Answer 8

instead of using a water bottle teach him/her to drink out of a little bowl. It worked for my gennipig  

Answer 9

How are they destroying it? Don't you get the kind that hang on the outside of the cage, and only the metal "spout" is inside? If so, and they are still damaging that, try a bowl of water in the cage, although that can get messy.