help with water bottle. :(

[tikeyas_mom]

My gerbil wont drink out of a water bottle. I try to hang it in his tank, but I never see him drinking?? I am worried. So I put a cup with water in his tank, he always pushed bedding into it and poops in it. I clean it every day of course but It is so annoying. What can I do to train my gerbil to drink out of a water bottle? I tryed putting peanut butter at the tip and that didnt work, I also tryed tapping his nose up to the tip and that didnt work. I am so confused. please help. thanks

[Tweety_Pie]

Are you sure Sage hasn't drinken at all? Sage could have drinken when you weren't looking or out of the room where Sage stays........ If he doesn't drink....maybe you should take him to the vet.. Is he still sick?

[tikeyas_mom]

He drinksout of his bowl sometimes but he doesnt drin out of his water bottle .. *frusterated*lol .. Iam takeing him to the vet next friday conserning his tilt. I'll get the vet to sex him and also to determin why he isnt drinking out of hiswater bottle.

[Tweety_Pie]

Maybe he doesn't like the water bottle?

[tikeyas_mom]

I hate having to clean out the stupid bowl like5 times or more a day because he poops in it and gets bedding in it. it is soo stupid.

[Desert Arabian]

Originally posted by tikeyas_mom
I hate having to clean out the stupid bowl like5 times or more a day because he poops in it and gets bedding in it. it is soo stupid.

That is part of owning a pet. They aren't all fun and games.

[tikeyas_mom]

well no kidding yellowlablover. I know there is alot of responsibility to owning a pet, and its not all fun and games, but in this situation it is just annoying.

[Sam's My Baby]

I have a gerbil also. Most gerbils like building thier nests underneath the water bottle. I dont know why, but they always seem to like it there. Most gerbils have thier litters underneath the water bottle too. Don't worry about her not drinking, gerbils only drink small amounts of water, becuase they are originally from the desert. Sooner or later when she is thirsty she will drink from it. It takes several weeks for my gerbil to drink up all of her water. Hope I helped

[wolfsoul]

I never once saw my gerbil drinking But she probably did. I had a water bottle at one side of the cage and a bowl at the other, but only the bedding would end up in the bowl. With
With Icarus, when I didn't have a bottle for him, he would constantly tip over the bowl and poo and peein it, it was soooo annoying!! Finally I convinced my mother to let me get a water bottle, I hated the bowl and how unhealthy it was!

That is part of owning a pet. They aren't all fun and games.

I'm sure she knows that , but it is unhealthy to have to clean it that much. She can't always be there, and if the gerbil drinks contaminated water, it may get sick.

[tikeyas_mom]

i know it is soo groose, having to clean it out every hour.