What should your rabbit drink

Like every other animal, rabbits need constant access to constant hydration to survive. But exactly what should be given to your rabbits to drink daily? Are water bottles or water bowls the better option for feeding? If you just brought home a pet rabbit, you would probably have this among your list of questions. This article reveals every detail you need to know about your rabbit and its daily drink requirements in detail.

How Much Should Your Rabbit Get To drink?

The answer to the primary question; do rabbits drink water is simple. Rabbits drink lots of water – comparable to other species. The rabbits consume on an average between 50 to 150 millilitres of water per kilogram of body weight daily. A rabbit weighing 2 kg can drink as much as 10kg of water per day. Regardless, water is essential for the health and well-being of your pet rabbit. However, exactly how much water your rabbit may need per day is rather individual, as fluid intake depends on several factors.

Factors that determine the quantity of water your rabbit consumes

The age factor: Your pet rabbit's age plays a role in how much water they need. For instance, baby bunnies who still consume their mother’s milk need less water than adult rabbits.

The Health factor: Expectant and breastfeeding mother rabbits need much more water than usual. Sick rabbits on the other hand may drink less fluid than normal.

The Diet Factor: Bunnies who tend to eat lots of fresh foods need less water as they get it already through fresh produce. Rabbits who on the other hand mostly live on dry food need more water.

The Climate Factor: The higher the temperature of a place at a given time, the more water rabbits will drink.

Several factors can impact a rabbit’s drinking habits. For healthy adult rabbits, it’s useful to follow the common rule, which is to give your rabbit around 50-100 ml of fluid per kg of body weight daily. You could measure it using the Secura-bowl-1-litre

Why Is Water Important to Your Rabbit?

Your rabbit drinks a lot of water every day. Hence, its importance to your rabbit cannot be overemphasized. Here are some main functions that only water can fulfill, all of which are significant for your rabbit's health and well-being.

1. Water helps in the feeding of every single cell and organ in your rabbit’s body as it makes up about two-thirds of a rabbit's body.. It is an essential part of your removing blood that keeps its digestive system moving and It helps in flushing out excess calcium and also in the removal of waste products.
2. Water helps in keeping your rabbit's body temperature within a normal range (102 °F to 103 °F).
3. Your rabbit's water loss is constant – in its waste, breath and perspiration so it is important it is given water at every given opportunity

Water is very important to your rabbit’s health, so make sure it has easy access to fresh and clean water at all times. Whether the water is coming out of a bottle or a bowl, it doesn’t make much of a difference, each item has its pros and cons.

Water Bottle vs Water Bowl

Water Bowl

A rabbit's water bowl can be made from ceramic, plastic, or metal. It is commonly referred to as a "crock".

Pros

They are very simple to fill, easy to clean, and fairly inexpensive to replace.

Cons

• It is very common for a rabbit to tip over while playing with its water bowl
• If water is left out for long periods it can collect bugs or begin to grow algae.
• Water could evaporate

Water Bottle

Pros

• It holds the temperature of water better.
• Water in a bottle won't evaporate

Cons

• It is hard to clean, making it easy for bacteria and algae to develop in it
• It requires your rabbit to tilt its head up
• It leaks and requires you to clean the cage often

In conclusion, apart from getting your rabbits clean water, ensure that Rabbit-food-treats are healthy and given in the required quantity

If you see your rabbit drinking more water than it usually drinks, this could be a sign that he’s in pain or very stressed. Check with a vet on this.