Help!! (please read!)

[Hellow]

Help! My gerbils water bottle just sprung a leak and i cant afford to go and buy another one. Can someone tell me a tempowary fix to fill the hole because i know gerbils have to have a water bottle.

[buttercup132]

Put a little bowl of water in??

[3muttsandaboston]

If you cannot afford a water bottle that costs 99 cents-$5 then you shouldn't have ANY pet....sorry but I don't know a way for you to fix it.

[buttercup132]

If you cannot afford a water bottle that costs 99 cents-$5 then you shouldn't have ANY pet....sorry but I don't know a way for you to fix it.That's what I was thinking. They aren't expensive for a cheap little one. I know the huge ones are only like $10 here so they are cheaper in England.

[Hellow]

I know but the cheapest here is $10.00

[Whisk_Luva]

Water bowl- NO! The animal can knock it over or sit in it get cold and get ill

[3muttsandaboston]

Umm go to wal mart, k mart, target, the dollar store, any grocery store, or any petstore and you will be able to find one for under 3 dollars.
http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=84552444180 9826&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302047883&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023695&bmUID=1180371467433&itemNo=12&In=Small+Pet&N=2047883+4294965743&Ne=2

[buttercup132]

Water bowl- NO! The animal can knock it over or sit in it get cold and get ill That's not likley to happen and if it did they can get out, they aren't stupid and just gonna sit there and freeze. They can knock it over but it gets soaked up in the shavings or whatever he uses. If it's for a emergency and he needs to get it water i don't thinka bowl would be a problem.


I know but the cheapest here is $10.00 That's still not alot. If you can't afford that you can't afford your pet. A water bottle is a nessecity (sp?) if you can't provide that how can you provide all the other stuff he NEEDS.

[Whisk_Luva]

We have always been told by our pet shop not to put bowls with water in with rodents- They can grab the side of the bowl and lean on it and it moves and tips all over them.

[Hellow]

That's not likley to happen and if it did they can get out, they aren't stupid and just gonna sit there and freeze. They can knock it over but it gets soaked up in the shavings or whatever he uses. If it's for a emergency and he needs to get it water i don't thinka bowl would be a problem.

That's still not alot. If you can't afford that you can't afford your pet. A water bottle is a nessecity (sp?) if you can't provide that how can you provide all the other stuff he NEEDS.

I always have extra supplies like food and litter but i just bought that water bottle 2 weeks ago and i didnt think he would gnaw a hole in it that fast.

[Hellow]

Well could someone please tell me a way to tempowarely fix the thing?

[KittyGurl]

Well, I'm not sure if this will help, but try and tape is over??? Anyway, a water bowl is better than nothing.

[Hellow]

No, he could die from it and he could get ill from it and spend about 50 times more than a water bottel in vet bills.

[CathyBogart]

If you can't afford $10 for a water bottle what would you do if your pet got sick? Put a bowl in there for him, risking him getting wet is better than intentionally letting him get dehydrated, which is cruel.

[Hellow]

I am in a finantialrough spot. If you want to complain, complain. :mad: :mad: Im not going to put a bowl in there and risk him getting sick! :mad: :mad: He is a desert animal, he can survive for a couple of days without water.

[CathyBogart]

If you are going to intentionally leave your pet without water (which I would never even do with my desert SNAKE, because it's CRUEL) at least feed lots of water containing food.

[Hellow]

Well, there is a problem tere, too. I DONT FEED MY PET ANY FRESH VEGGIES.
Sorry, cap lock came on somehow

[Blue_Frog]

Reggie --

If there is a leak up the side of the bottle, like on a seam, maybe some duct tape would hold it temporarily - this is not a permanent solution by any means. If the problem is the seal where the dripper part attaches to the bottle, thats tougher. You don't want to use any chemical adhesives since that might hurt your little guy.

Do you still live at home with your parents? Maybe tell them that its an emergency, and that the water bottle is needed so your guy doesn't get dehydrated. Or, you could ask for an advance on your allowance, and have them deduct money from it every week until you are caught up. Or, You could work for the money (like mowing the lawn, or doing some extra chores).

Also, would you have a friend that could lend you the money? Someone you could slowly pay back? Since a bottle is under $10, you could give them back like $2 a week until paid back?

[Hellow]

Thanks. Thats the kind of advice i needed.

EDIT: My dad through away the bottle and a friend gave me $10 to buy another one.

[buttercup132]

http://www.snugglesafe.co.uk/acatalog/ceramicmousehamsterref402.JPG
If he is chewing threw the bottles get him a bowl like that ^^ he can't tip it over it's too heavy. If he gose in (which he likley won't) then he will realise there is water and get out. They aren't stupid and won't sit there in something they don't like. The chances of them getting sick from going in the bowl are very very slim. And the chances of him going back in the bowl if he fell/went in are also slim.


Well, I'm not sure if this will help, but try and tape is over??? The water would go right threw it.


We have always been told by our pet shop not to put bowls with water in with rodents- They can grab the side of the bowl and lean on it and it moves and tips all over them. That's why you get a heavy bowl that they can't tip over. And FTR don't belive everything your pet stores tell you they usually know nothing about animals.

[Hellow]

Even if he dosent tip it over or get ill from it, while he is playing he would kick litter into it and the water would become un-sanitary. THATS MY REASON! :mad: IM JUST NOT GOING TO GET HIM A BOWL FOR HIS WATER! :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[CathyBogart]

No reason to be rude.

[3muttsandaboston]

If you seriously can't afford a waterbottle/refuse to get one you should rehome your gerbil with someone who can.

[Hellow]

If you seriously can't afford a waterbottle/refuse to get one you should rehome your gerbil with someone who can.

Im not refusing to buy a water bottle, I found $10 and went and bought one. Im just not going to use a bowl as a water sorce for him because it could tip and could get buried in litter and both would make it un-sanitary.

[buttercup132]

Im not refusing to buy a water bottle, I found $10 and went and bought one. Im just not going to use a bowl as a water sorce for him because it could tip and could get buried in litter and both would make it un-sanitary.That's why you CHANGE the water when it gets like that. And it won't kill him if your using shavings...also why you buy one that dosen't tip over not that it would really matter anyways. You don't need to be getting rude or angry.

[Hellow]

I would have to be *Changing* it every 5 min. Im not going aginst the book. Thats just it. Period.

[Scooter's Mom]

I used bowls when I had gerbils. Not all the time, but sometimes. I never had one get sick from it. Sometimes, they prefer a bowl.

My ex-husband and I had a regular little zoo, too. We had hamsters, mice, gerbils, bunnies, cats, a dog, fish and a lovebird. We even had a guinea pig I was deathly allergic to. We worked closely with the owners of a petshop in Houston, and they never told us to not use a bowl.

Crystal

[Hellow]

The Gerbil Care Book says different.

[CathyBogart]

You take all of your information from one book rather than doing a lot of research from various books as well as people with gerbil experience?

I can find a book that tells you hot rocks are safe to use in reptile enclosures. It doesn't make it true.

[Whisk_Luva]

That's why you get a heavy bowl that they can't tip over. And FTR don't belive everything your pet stores tell you they usually know nothing about animals.

Well my pet shop does! They are a family run pet shop and they are very good with animals. They give everyone advise. They know ALOT about animals, and the woman whho works there has had rodents for years- I trust them.

[Pam]

Something is not ringing true about this thread. Reggie, you said first that a friend gave you $10 for a new water bottle and then you said you found $10. I hope this isn't an attention getting thread because there are several people here who earnestly have tried to offer help. I have never had gerbils but I have used a heavy weighted bowl for my guinea pigs in the past. Duct tape would have certainly been a good fix temporarily. I have used it for many things. My goodness, half the world is held together with duct tape. :p

[buttercup132]

Something is not ringing true about this thread. Reggie, you said first that a friend gave you $10 for a new water bottle and then you said you found $10. And he made a thread saying his gerbil was turning 4 then turned around in another thread saying he was 1.5 years. Something fishy?

I agree your going to go by what ONE book says..my rabbits bookS all say things that aren't true and lack in alot of information. I think your best bet is going by what people who have experience tell you.

[Hellow]

And he made a thread saying his gerbil was turning 4 then turned around in another thread saying he was 1.5 years. Something fishy?

I agree your going to go by what ONE book says..my rabbits bookS all say things that aren't true and lack in alot of information. I think your best bet is going by what people who have experience tell you.

I was sleepy when i posted that threa. And in my world *borrowing* is also considered *finding*

[CathyBogart]

I know this has nothing to do with anything, bot OOC how old are you Reggie?

[Muddy4paws]

I was sleepy when i posted that threa. And in my world *borrowing* is also considered *finding*

How can borrowing be the same as finding? :confused: They mean 2 completly different things.


You should of had a spare anyway, I dont even own a gerbil and I know how much they chew and using a heavy bowl wouldn't be a problem so stop trying to make it one. Its a simple solution why post ranting about a bowl when you have supposidly already gone and brought another bottle? :confused:

[Husky_mom]

How can borrowing be the same as finding? :confused: They mean 2 completly different things.

maybe it was borrowing from the world.......LOL.........

just an observation......... since a gerbil is from the desert and it can go without water for days..... does that mean that I and people living in desertic areas can go without water too?.........

comparing things as you just said...... where can a gerbil drink water from?..... puddles and such places so why can he not drink from a bowl.....better drink from dirty water than no water at all........besides you ARE going to change the water when you see it dirty aren´t you??

[Blue Dragonfly]

next time you buy a water bottle try to spend a little extra for a good one. it is so worth it. Stainless steal. If you want to find good brands, don;t ask the shop assistants, they will sell anything. ask other pet owners. maybe people in here. if you get a proper one, it should last you a lifetime. your lifetime, not your pets. I prefer the water bottle that doesn't come with the bottle. lol. strange i know. you just buy the dripper, and it allows you to screw in any small bottles. eg. old lemonade bottles. so if the bottle breaks, just buy a drink. :)

[Miss Z]

Oh gawd I am SO sick of threads like this. I'm sorry, but some people need to cut the whining, get off their backsides and use some iniative.

PT is not an endless pit of knowledge that can take care of your pets for you, and there's more than one person that needs to learn that on these boards. If your pet has a problem, IMO you should be bending over backwards to put it right.

I've had finicial difficulty in my family before. My dad was unfairly dismissed a few years back and at that time my mum didn't have a job as we'd been able to live off dad's salary perfectly well. Right in the middle of it, our RB cat became very ill. We had vets bills in excess of £300, but you know what? We bought value groceries for a few weeks, gave up pocket money, sold a few things we didn't have much use for to pay for treatment. We were lucky in that the compensation from the court case repaid what we'd missed out on. So my nerves burn when I hear the old 'oh I can't afford it right now'. Yes, it's tough as hind meat, but you make the effort. Character building.

Not that there's anything wrong in asking for help or advice, but when it's plain 'I don't know what to do, help me' stuff, with a frank disregard to what said poster does not want to hear (which is, more often than not, the truth) to put it bluntly, it's a waste of energy spent typing.

Reggie you seem to be having a lot of issues with pets right now so you cannot blame people for starting to become suspicious. Getting angry doesn't aid your cause.

[k9krazee]

I know this has nothing to do with anything, bot OOC how old are you Reggie?

And while we're off topic...are you a boy or a girl?

:o

Not that it has anything to do with anything, just thought I'd ask. :p :o

[buttercup132]

And while we're off topic...are you a boy or a girl?

:o

Not that it has anything to do with anything, just thought I'd ask. :p :oHe said that he's a boy. Sorry for answering it. Just thought he might change his name.

[TamanduaGirl]

well on topic I've used a bowl with guinea pigs and changed a couple times a day was usually good enough. I preferred the bottle though. My rabbit only uses a bowl but his whole cage isn't covered by shavings.

What you need is a chew guard so they don't keep ruining the bottles. If you can't buy one it really wouldn't be to hard to make something.

Ont he barrowing. you find someone to lend you the money so you can find the money to use by finding someone to give it to you or by finding something to sell. You found a way to get the money so in a way you found the money.

I was a little scared to post in here though. To get that mad over someone suggesting to use a water bowl? If they knew you what might they do to you for using one yourself if they think it's that horrible?

There are water bottles all the time at one thrift store I go to. Just bleach them really good.

[Hellow]

I m a boy, and, do not give out my name in public or i wil really report you.

[cmayer31]

I normally don't post on the pet side, but thought I would add my $.02. I've used heavy ceramic water bowls for rodents as a temporary water source with no issues at all. Just clean them if the water gets dirty and replace the bedding if it gets soaked. The most important thing is that you should never a companion animal without a water source. An ice cube would have been better than nothing at all.

**I deleted my thought about reporting people because they had nothing to do with caring for an animal.**

[Blue Dragonfly]

man, now i am scared of the backlash if i ever need help with a problem, why is everyone so angry? if you don't like the thread, don't post in it. i don;t understand what the big deal is?

[CathyBogart]

Blue Dragonfly, you only need worry about the backlash if you ask for advice and then get pissy when you don't like the advice given. There are a lot of people here with a vast wealth of knowledge, so it's easy enough to pick and choose the advice you take without being snide to the people trying to help you. :)

[IRescue452]

Blue dragonfly is right, buy a water bottle nozzle you can screw onto any soda bottle. You'll have the nozzle a long time and can change bottles anytime.

[Twisterdog]

Reggie,

I have had rodents that chewed through water bottles, too. It IS frustrating ... seems mine always did it at 10:00 pm after all the stores closed.

For a temporary fix, should the situation ever arise again, YES, use duct tape!

For a permanent fix, there are several, most already mentioned, that I have used in the past with good results: buy a glass or metal water bottle instead of plastic;buy a metal guard sold at pet stores or just get a thin piece of metal, drill holes in the corners and attach it to the bars of the cage between the bottle and cage, or buy the attachements that can be screwed into normal plastic bottles.

[wendysue1853]

a gerbil is a desert animal??

[TamanduaGirl]

yes but desert rodents generally get some water daily from dew when it gets cold at night.

[BC_MoM]

That's still not alot. If you can't afford that you can't afford your pet. A water bottle is a nessecity (sp?) if you can't provide that how can you provide all the other stuff he NEEDS.

So, if I'm ever in a tough time financially for a week or so (let's play pretend), I don't deserve to have a pet? Hm.....

[lbaker]

Hopefully THIS emergency is over by now but I must say the suggestion about an ice cube is brilliant. It's moisture. It can't hurt the little critter. Perfect temporary solution if the need should rise again.

[CathyBogart]

So, if I'm ever in a tough time financially for a week or so (let's play pretend), I don't deserve to have a pet? Hm.....

I don't think that's what anyone was saying. I think any of us here, no matter how tough the financial spot we were in, could come up with $10 (through borrowing or whatever) for something out pets NEEDED. Water is not optional for gerbils, it's a NEED.

[BC_MoM]

Ok, I understand now. :)

[Hellow]

Dude, i borrowed $10. So, its over. And, if this ever happens ever again, i will try using an ice cube or duct tape.

[sandragonfly]

wow, $10! I think I saw the cheapest here was $3.59 - for the smallest bottle. yikes.

quoted by reggie
.. if this ever happens ever again, i will try using an ice cube or duct tape.

ice cube would freeze his little poor tongue! :) and I've tried (clear) duct tape, and it doesn't work well. :(

but what my prince mendo is having for now is a mountain dew. :D (he chewed the store bottle for third time recently. :rolleyes: .. ) you may try it and it works the same! excellent. just make sure you rinse and rinse it well before putting in fresh water. :)

sorry this happened, annoying I know!