Water bottle position

[Ralph the hamster]

So we started Frank with a water bottle and a water bowl. After a few days he was clearly ignoring the bowl and favoring the bottle so we removed the bowl so he wouldn't step in it. I noticed he had to contort quite a bit to get the water out... like crouching really low. So, I moved the water bottle and raised it up a bit.
Now he's trying to pouch it / bite the drippy part free?? Is this a stress thing or is he just trying to see if he can get the water back to his burrow? Attached some pics.

 

[elusive]

I doubt it’s a stress thing, he may just be exploring it the way they explore everything when they’re young, I would keep an eye on things though & make sure he doesn’t start to chew it.
Occasionally some hamster develop a habit of chewing the water bottle which is a problem as it isn’t good for their teeth & they can end up ingesting too much water. If that were the case then you would need to switch to a bowl. Just keep an eye on him for now as he may well be fine with it after a bit of time. I would have left the water bowl for longer though he may still use it.

 

[Member ID2]

I would have left the water bowl in. All my hamsters have a bottle and a bowl and use both.

 

[Maz]

Some hamsters do chew at the spout - I think it's maybe to see if they can get the water out quicker, but as Elusive says, keep an eye on it because it can empty the bottle quicker if quite a bit comes out (even if they don't drink it all). It'll probably settle down. My main concern when they do this is - is the water coming out properly? Sometimes some bottles really aren't very good at letting water out and that can be a bit risky. I used to have two bottles in at one time, just in case one stopped working. And I do understand your concern about the bowl. I believe there is a very small one with a hump in the middle of the bowl so they can't fall in it.

With some bottles I've had to fiddle about with either tightening or loosening the screw fastening slightly to adjust the water flow. Then sometimes if loosened the bottle drains itself and that's risky too! I believe one tip is to not fill the bottle completely completely full but leave a gap at the top as it helps the water come out easier.

I think for peace of mind, I would either add another bottle for now as well. Or, depending on what type of water bowl it is, maybe add that again.

 

[elusive]

I think this is the bowl you’re thinking of Maz, I haven’t used it but it does look good.

Niteangel Hamster Feeding & Water Bowls

 

[Maz]

Goodness that's expensive for a little water bowl!

 

[elusive]

It is! It’s also out of stock on Amazon but might be available elsewhere & possibly cheaper too.

 

[Maz]

The first thing to check if the hamster is chewing at the spout, is that the bottle is letting water out successfully - tap your finger on the end of the spout. I would rather a bottle dripped a little bit, than risk it not letting water out.

It probably is an idea to add the water bowl back if you can put it somewhere where it's not likely to be walked in - eg the back corner of a shelf maybe?

 

[Daisy]

Some hamsters do bite or even try to "pouch" the spout. Sometimes it's because the bottle isn't flowing properly but sometimes it just seems to be a thing they do. Like maybe they think they can carry the water source back to their nest and not have to get up to drink!

That Niteangel bowl is terribly expensive! I'm not sure which country you are in but I found tea light holders for 50p in Flying Tiger which make good water bowls.

Even if your hamster doesn't seem to use a bowl, they do offer peace of mind in case the bottle stops working because a hamster will use a bowl rather than go thirsty even if it's not their preference. Also, sometimes hamsters may be frustrated by the slower pace that water comes out of the bottle (one drop at a time) and a bowl offers a freer drinking style.