Best Water Bottles?

I have to admit I have never liked the "ball-in-tube" type water bottles. And after reading a recent thread and one member commenting on the risk of glider tongues getting caught in them. I like them even less.

I never liked them because I feel it is almost impossible to clean them THOROUGHLY. There are so many places for bacteria to breed. Under the washer, in the grooves of the cap, in the tube, inside the spring in the tube. You just have to soak them in bleach. Which I dont like to do either.

There there is the possible leakage and malfunction variable.

Just dont like them.

I truly think the "silos" are the best. You can take the whole thing apart and easily clean each piece. There is no way for it to malfunction.
In my opinion safer for little tongues. When I first got the gliders, I got the ball type bottle, even though I have NEVER liked them. I watched as Arwen almost got her NAIL caught in it as she liked to HOLD the tube as she drank. In the trash it went and I got the silo.

I dont sell the silos, so this isnt an advert. But just my humble opinion.

I use the silos (water troughs) too.

I like the Lixit water bottles.

The Lixit is the one with the spring and ball right? Does anyone know what the difference is between the one with the ball only and the one with the spring and ball? Do we know of other related injuries with water bottles?

I like the glass water bottles with the little floaties in it I always know how much water is in the bottle as well as knowing my gliders cant claw or chew through it! And as far as the germs I always boil the tops (since theres no plastic on them)

Lixit sells both with springs and without springs. I used to have one with a spring that was called "critter canteen". It just depends. You can tell in the store if there is a spring in the tube. Just up-end the bottle and if you don't hear the little bb hit the bottom, it'd being held there.

Really the only leaky water bottle of this sort that I've experienced was a large one my little sister had for the guinea pig. She dropped the rubber washer out of the lid so it wouldn't hold liquid. I don't like the silos because they are so difficult to figure out a mounting in a reptarium. If I go to use my travel cage I have to go through stuff and find a different water container.

The best water bottles are CHECKED water bottles!

I make sure to use the water bottles without the spring in the tube. Honestly, though, I didn't know they could be dangerous; I just knew they were harder to operate, and gliders aren't very strong.

I honestly don't think my babies are going to get injured from a standard water bottle. Just my opinion. If I had a problem I'd switch, but I personally think the silos look like they'd get germier faster. Glider paws are kinda grubby, and food bits could get in there.

I use water silos and my suggies seem to like them better too. I have 2 water silos and 2 water bottles in my cage in case one falls, doesn't work, leaks etc. I am a paranoid mom.

How do you attach the silo? Does it have to go on the inside of the cage? I made a cage with hardware cloth, so it'd need to be ziptied on somehow.

Lixit glass water bottles are my absolute favorite. They are easy to clean, do not leak, and do not have a spring. I order them from Entirely Pets for less than $3 each. Here is a picture:


I have also used silos. The trough does get gunky, and has to be cleaned more often. I've had a couple of them that came apart - the clear plastic silo came unglued from the base. Water everywhere!

The bracket would be attached to the hardware cloth with the plastic screw it comes with, and the bottle itself would be on the outside. I believe the trough would fit through one of the holes, but if not, you could cut one of the squares to make a longer opening.

Ah, that's a screw. I was wondering what I was looking at! I was already planning a trip to Petsmart tonight; I'll check them out!

Dont know how that can happen. the base isnt glued onto the clear part, they just slip on. I take mine apart to clean. They never leak. I also change out mine twice a week. Water should be changed in ANY bottle at least twice a week.

Yeah, this part is glued.



I've also had the little 3-prong piece not drop down to completely seal off the water flow when removed from the bracket. These are just my experiences! I did use the silos for quite a while, and have 6 or 8 of them not being used, and one in a breeder cage as a "spare" water source.

I like Lixit bottles too! I need to order a couple more.. I only have two.

I have 5 water silos just like that and there isn't any glued pieces. How you have it pictured is exactly how it's suppose to be. The clear plastic silo part just sits inside the piece with the 3 prongs. When I'm cleaning mine I just slide it out of the part attaches to the cage and tip them upside down so the water runs back into the silo part, and then finish taking it apart and scrub it. Some of mine clear silos are tighter fitted than others, but there is no glued parts.

OK, this is kind of funny, but not! I just went and twisted the 3-prong part off all my silos. That would have made cleaning MUCH easier! I was swishing them with vinegar or bleach water since I couldn't get the bottle brush in the silo. The stuff I thought was glue was just water deposits.

Duh! Thank you Dianna for the explanation that finally sunk in. For those who have never met me, I am REALLY a blond - or at least until much of it turned grey!

LOL....I'm sorry, but that made me laugh....too funny.

You're very welcome, dear.

The silos might not fit on a mesh cage. They are designed to fit between the bars of a standard cage and attach to the bars.

You would need to provide a stable section on a mesh cage that would not tip or tilt if the glider stepped or put weight on the trough part. If it tilts water will flow over the top of the trough.

I use wide mouth Lixit bottles (found in the bird department at my PetCo.) There are no springs and the ball is easily moved. My parakeets have used these for 7 years and my gliders for almost 3 years and I have never had one leak.

Out side view


Inside view showing bracket that attaches to cage bars.

i had a silo like that, and it worked ok with the hardware net. honestyly, id by the cheap four dollar one and check it. i really liked them.
they do get dirty pretty fast though.

Less than $3 a piece? I might have to order from them next time then! My local pet store charges $7 for one of the smaller ones.

I had a glider come in with a water bottle half full of yellow, nasty smelling water! I didn't even try to clean it. I just threw it away. Surprisingly, the glider wasn't dehydrated, sick or full of parasites! That water smelled so bad, I can't imagine the poor little guy drinking it!

Most of you know my answer....................none. Just need a small shallow ceramic dish found in the reptile section of petstores. change it daily, I give Ozarks bottled water.

Cora...I have always had a dish of water in the cage for my monkeys. I've had a water bottle, as well and the level NEVER changed...they just plain didn't use it. Until Penny....she uses the bottle and doesn't use the dish Goofy monkeys.

My gliders all use the bottles. I steam them when I clean them on a daily basis and I also replace the water every morning. I am wondering if Bourbon can share with (regarding the incident with the water bottle) if we should be careful of any bottle that works with a ball or if it is only those who work with the spring.

My understanding when talking with Bourbon was that the water bottles without the spring are fine. The only water bottle incident happened with a bottle that had the spring in it. I too use water bottles in all of my cages but none of them have a spring and I've not had any issues arise.

Thank you for clearing that Elena. I didn't even know about the possibility of a glider getting hurt with a water bottle. I can just imagine how painful it can be. OuCh

Bourbon knows the story but the glider that was injured is/was owned by Brenda, Usha77. She could better relate everything that was involved. It was a water bottle with a spring in it. He had pushed it back enough to drink, but when it snapped back it caught the tip of his tongue. Joeys cannot move the ball in these bottles, so it does them no good to have it in the cage unless it is a leaky bottle they won't drink anything from it.