[ladylady]

This has been since I got them and its really annoying. Ive only heard the little water bottle drinking sound once
I have to put a bowl of water down and it gets grotty so easily.
Ive tryed demonstration, rubbing chocolate drops on the nozzle...
Any ideas?

 

[Forensic]

Are you sure they don't use it when you can't hear it?

I rarely hear the clicking sound, but the water level drops...

 

[ladylady]

Hmm maybe, but i dont see the lvel dropping, I'll mark it like my mum did with her gin lol.
They often seem to have licked the water bowl dry

 

[Forensic]

Were they raised on bowls instead of bottles? :? All of my boys will lap at a bowl of water if I give it to them, but they use the bottle if there's no other option.

 

[2manyrats]

As long as your water bottle works correctly, you have nothing to worry about. Your rats will get thirsty and they will use the bottle out of necessity.

 

[ladylady]

They've allways had both and I keep filling the bowl cus I think they're not using the bottle.
Im going to mark it just now and see if there is any gone by morning

 

[Forensic]

They're not using the bottle because they have the bowl.

 

[Sky14]

I agree. Take away the bowl even if you think it's cruel it's just tough teaching love. lol

BUT if you don't notice a dent in the bottles water level withen 2 hours give back the bowl to let them drink but take it away as soon as they'er done. They should figure it out ratsys a very smart.

Hope you get past this dilema.

 

[ladylady]

I marked the bottle when I went to bed last night. There was a few drops in the bowl, I didnt fill it up. Before I went to sleep I heard and saw 3 water bottle drinkings and of them a joint effort and some more this AM! The water level has dropped but allmost a cm :lol:
I dont know if I was just imagining a problem or what. I bet they'de be laughing at me

 

[OnlyOno]

they just like to watch you panic, i'm sure of it. this is the same reason that rats will make a dastardly mess out of everything, so that they can watch you clean up after them. sometimes i wonder if i am their pet, and not the other way around.

 

[Strike2]

I have gerbils that refuse to use a bottle...so I have to clean out their dish two or 3 times a day.

 

[Poppyseed]

Bert likes open water better than the bottle, so I try to give him some every now and again when I'm around. If I'm NOT around, it will spill all over his clean fleece D: Yeah so I know your pain but at least he drinks out of his water bottle, just a lot slower than the open bowl.

 

[ladylady]

Oh we're done with bowls, not ive seen they can both drink from the bottle

 

[Sky14]

Surprise them in about a week by taking them out to play and before you put them back put a bowl of water in the cage. LOL they'll be so confeused and happy!! lol