On average, rabbits should be drinking a 1/4 cup of water per pound of their weight.  So, if your rabbit weighs 4 pounds, they will require 1 cup of water per day.  And this is a minimum… if your rabbit wants more water, let him have it!  Rabbits often crave more water if it is warm outside or if he is exercising often.  Your rabbit may want less water if they are consuming foods that are heavily water-packed (for example: vegetables).

You need to constantly provide clean water for your rabbit.  A gravity water bottle is a great waterer for rabbits.  You can attach them to the side of their cage, and the water will not get dirty like a bowl of water in their cage would.  I would recommend purchasing the Small Pet Water Bottle, pictured above.   The bottle is made of durable plastic, and there is a metal ball in the tip that prevents leaks.  When your rabbit takes a drink from the Small Pet Water Bottle, his mouth will move the ball and water will flow out.  But even with a water bottle, you need to replace the water every day.  If you do not have the cleanest tap water coming out of your faucet, you should definitely use filtered water.  If you do not enjoy your tap water, neither will your rabbit!

I always recommend rabbit owners buy a water bottle, but some rabbits do not like drinking out of them.  If this is the case, you will need to get your rabbit a water bowl.  The main reasons people stray away from water bowls is because they are easily tipped over, meaning a huge mess for you to clean up!  The water in these bowls can also get debris in them, meaning dirty water for your rabbit.  To fix these problems, you should purchase the Hang-N-Lock Corner Crock for Small Pets.  This bowl is secured to the corner of the cage, preventing spills.  It can be hung higher up to prevent your rabbit from kicking up food into the bowl.   Just remember that you will have to constantly refill this bowl, as it will no doubt not stay as clean as the water in a water bottle would.

Most rabbit owners in the Midwest and North know that the water can freeze at night and even during the day sometimes.

What can you do to stop it from freezing?

Many rabbits will chuck normal heated bowls around .. even with the water in it.  And many rabbits do not like to drink out of bottles .. so what is a bunny owner to do?

We suggest a hutch-mounted heated pet bowl as pictured to the right.

This stainless steel Bowl will keep drinking water ice-free even at sub-zero temperatures. Each Bowl is made of stainless steel with a built-in thermostat. The six-foot power cord has chew guard protection.

The Bowl can be attached to any cage or used on any flat surface. No more spilled bowls and no more frozen water – PRESTO – the perfect solution.

• The Small Pet Water Bottle by Sun Seed is designed to hold your rabbit’s water and helps to keep it clean.  This inexpensive water bottle is sold in a variety of sizes to meet your rabbit’s needs.  A great way to keep your rabbit feeling hydrated with cool water all day.  Get two or more bottles and alternate them in your rabbit’s cage.  It is a good idea to fill the bottle with water and store them in the refrigerator to help keep them cooler longer.  You may also want to store them in the freezer for a short time to cool the water quickly.  Just remember to remove the water before it freezes over.
• Another great water bottle to use in your rabbit’s cage is the Clear Chewproof Bottle for Small Animals by Super Pet.  This water bottle is clear and allows you to easily see when it needs to be refilled.  This bottle may be also stored in the refrigerator to help keep the water cooler longer for your rabbit.
• If your rabbit prefers to drink water from a bowl or dish, you can keep the water feeling cooler by adding ice cubes and by placing it on top of a freezer pack.  If you decide to use a freezer pack, make sure that it is made of non-toxic materials and placed in a position that will make it hard for your rabbit to nibble on.

A water bottle is ideal for keeping water fresher and cleaner and helps prevent germs and bottle from getting into the water and making your rabbit sick.  The Emerald Tints Water Bottle by FM Browns is easy to keep clean and is transparent, which makes it easy to see when the bottle needs to be refilled.  The green tint helps to block UV rays from changing the quality of the water and the bottle may be attached to the wire cage or the wire side of the hutch to keep it off of the ground.  This bottle holds 32 ounces of water and provides water on demand.

A elevated pet dish is also ideal for helping to keep your rabbit’s food off of the floor.  The Pet Dish for Kennelseasily clips onto the wire mesh and is available in three sizes to suit your rabbit’s needs at meal time.  It is great for holding pellet food or pieces of fresh fruit and vegetables.  Unclip the dish after your rabbit is finished eating for the day and wash it in warm water for use on the next day.

• Potty area.  Always keep a litter box in your rabbit’s cage to help keep the waste in one easy-to-clean spot.  Training your rabbit to use the litter box is easy and helps to keep their waste out of their food, toys and sleeping area.  Try using a litter box like the Long John High Side Litter Pan to help keep the waste contained in one area.  It has a low front to make it easy for your rabbit to hop into.  Don’t forget to fill the litter box with small animal litter.  This will help to absorb liquid waste and more.
• Feeding area.  Rabbits need a constant source of fresh water and the best way to offer your rabbit fresh water is to put a water bottle in the cage.  In addition to a water bottle, pick a chew-proof crock to put your rabbit’s food pellets and treats inside and hang a hayrack up to keep your rabbit’s hay off of the cage floor. 
• Sleeping area.  Place a nest box with bedding, like Night E Night Fluff Small Animal Bedding, inside of the cage to make sleeping more comfortable for your rabbit.  If your cage or hutch as a wire floor, it is a good idea to place a grass mat over the wire floor to make it more comfortable for your rabbit.

To add a vegetable theme to your rabbit’s snack or meal time, try using one of the Vege-T-Bowls by Super Pet.  These fun, colorful rabbit food bowls are available in a carrot shape, raddish, or cabbage shape and are so much fun that you may want to collect all three bowls.  Each bowl is made of durable ceramic that is resistant to chewing and is easy to clean in the dishwasher.  Use these rabbit food bowls for giving your rabbit treats, snacks, or food. 

Another charming and durable rabbit food bowl is the Designer Rabbit Bowl by Super Pet.  This rabbit food bowl has a fun rabbit and paw print design around the exterior that gives the bowl lots of character.  It is made of twice oven-baked ceramic that is extremely durable and may also be washed in the dishwasher for easy cleaning.  Keep your rabbit’s treats or food pellets off of the floor and more sanitary by using this fun rabbit food bowl.

A more simple and colorful rabbit food bowl to use in your rabbit’s cage is the Heavyweight Pet Water / Food Dishby Van Ness.  These rabbit food bowls are great for a variety of uses such as giving your rabbit water or food and are weighted heavy to help prevent tipping or spilling in the rabbit’s cage.  They are also available in different sizes to suit the needs of your rabbit.

• For indoor rabbits, a water bottle, like the Emerald Tints Water Bottle, works great when hung up in the wire cage.  Keep the bottle water fresh by changing it at least once a day.  The bottle design allows your rabbit to drink fresh water all day long and helps to keep waste and other debris out of the bottle.  This water bottle has a special green tint to help keep harmful UV rays from affecting the quality of your rabbit’s water.  It is easy to attach to wire and may be used all year long for indoor rabbits.
• For outdoor rabbits, a water bottle works well in the summer time for keeping the water fresh all day long, but the water in the bottle can easily freeze in the winter time.  For the winter time, it is a good idea to keep the water in a heated bottle to help prevent the water from freezing over.  A great heated water bottle to use is the Heated Clear Water Bottle for Small Pets.  Not only does this water bottle keep your rabbit’s water fresh by preventing debris from falling into it, it heats the water to help keep it from freezing over.  It is a good idea to change the water in the bottle once a day to help keep it fresh. 

For more great supplies for your rabbit, check out RabbitMart for all of your rabbit’s needs.

For a fun alternative to the traditional feeding bowl, the Vege-T-Bowl Orange Carrot has a fun, carrot shape and is brightly colored to spice up your rabbit’s living space.  It is made of durable ceramic that is easy to wash.  The carrot shape is perfect for any rabbit who loves carrots and doesn’t take up much space in your rabbit’s cage or hutch.  The Vege-T-Bowl Green Cabbage and the Vege-T-Bowl Orange Radish also make fun, colorful dishes for your pet rabbit.  Both of these dishes are also made of ceramic and easy to clean.

When toting your rabbit around town, a great rabbit tote is a fun and stylish alternative to the traditional pet carrier.  One of my favorite tote bags this season is the Tote Around Town Pet Carrier Bag by Sherpa Pet Group.  This tote has a classic shape in black and makes toting around your rabbit easy and convenient.  The sides have mesh panels to provide your rabbit with great ventilation.  In addition, this tote is lightweight to carry and has lots of pockets for storing all of your essentials.  It is constructed to be very durable and is made of nylon that is easy to clean. 

Expand your rabbit’s living space with the Premium + Double Decker Hutch for Rabbits.  This double floor hutch will make the perfect home for your rabbit.  Great for one or two rabbits who get along well.  This hutch may be used indoors or outdoors and has plenty of room for all of your rabbit accessories.  It is made to be very durable and each floor has a separate hiding space for your rabbit to snuggle in and take a nap.

This holiday season give your rabbit a special new food bowl, a stylish carrier, or a cozy, new hutch.  For a variety of great products, check at Rabbit Mart.

The heated rabbit bottle pictured to the left is the perfect solution because it is thermostatically controlled and only turns on when the water temp goes below 35 degrees.  The bottle can be easily mounted to any hutch or home (see instructions below) and is plastic – so will not break  and endanger your pet.

Instructions for Mounting Heated Water Bottle in Cage
Use the mounting spring to secure the bottle to your cage. Locate the bottle to a height that the animal can easily reach. Do not put bottle where valve is close to the bedding as animals will sometimes attempt to insert bedding into drinking valve. The bottle can be removed for refilling or cleaning by pulling the spring down and ove the bottom of the bottle.

Maintenance of Heated Water Bottle
Clean bottle and lid with warm water and soap. Do not immerse cord or put unit in the dishwasher. If the drinking valve drips, the problem is most likely caused by a piece of sediment getting inside the valve. Press valve stem lightly until sediment is dislodged.

Test for Operation
Unplug and empty water from bottle. Place the bottle in freezer for 30 minutes. Remove from freezer and plug into outlet immediately. After 5 minutes place hand on black cover on back of bottle. If the unit feels warm then it is operating properly.

Note: The cap is vented for proper use of the bottle. The brass valve will not operate if the cap is sealed completely or if a non-vented cap is used.

Limited Warranty: This unit is guaranteed for One (1) Year after original date of purchase or date stamped on the unit against defects due to material and/or company’s workmanship only. The sole obligation shall be to replace the defective unit with a replacement unit. Units should be “checked for proper operation” prior to returning as defective. Units must be returned prepaid. No liability for loss or damage of any nature or kind, whether arising out of or from the use of the product, whether or not defective, is assumed by Farm Innovators, Incorporated.

• Give your rabbit a cool place to rest. If your rabbit is an outdoor rabbit, try to move your rabbit indoors on a hot, humid day. If this is not possible, keep your rabbit�s hutch in a covered, shady area.
• If your rabbit stays indoors, but there is no air conditioning, move your rabbit to the coolest area in the house and open the windows to get the air moving. You may also want to set up a fan in the room to help circulate the air. Do not have the fan blowing directly on your rabbit.
• Keep your rabbit hydrated with cool water. Offer your rabbit cool, clean water many times throughout the day. You can help prevent heatstroke by getting your rabbit to drink water. A great waterer for rabbits is the Emerald Tints Water Bottle. This water bottle has a green tint that helps to block indoor and outdoor UV rays.
• If your water appears to be suffering from the heat, you may also want to place a cool towel around the ears. This will help to cool your rabbit�s blood quickly.
• Offer your rabbit a cool spot to rest in the hutch. Place your rabbit�s mat, such as the Small Animal Multi-Mat, in the freezer for a few minutes to cool it quickly and then place it back in your rabbit�s hutch for an easy and quick cooling solution.

If you notice that your rabbit has become lethargic, has trouble breathing and has a high body temperature, cool your rabbit as soon as possible using the techniques above and take your rabbit to the nearest vet for further treatment.