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Since moving my girls to a new cage they wont drink

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Lottie&Dottie

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Hi, I hope i'm in the correct section. I moved my two 8 week olds from the original hutch to a 2x5 c&c 4 days ago now, i'm starting to worry as in the old hutch they were drinking about a quarter of a bottle per day and now it is barely moving, i've also put a dish in the new cage for them and keep changing the water but the level in that doesn't seem to be changing either :( The bottle is in the same position in comparison to how it was in the old hutch.

I'm giving them extra cucumber and watery foods and putting a lot of water on there salads but it's worrying me especially being so young and the weather is warm at the moment, any help will be much appreciated.

Many thanks, Simon
 
Hi, is the bottle working properly? Sometimes the ball bearing gets stuck. Can they reach the bottle easily? I know Bertie drinks more or less depending on what he has eaten, but as you say yours are still babies. Hope someone else can suggest something.
 
Yes, the ball operates properly and as daft as it sounds i've even tried making the noise by pressing it myself to see if they recognise that :/ it makes it even harder because they hide if I enter the room and i'm sitting in the corner quietly for 10-15 mins before they will eat the salad, I don't think the like the openess of the c&c :( thanks though :)
 
Give the bottle a squeeze and see if it's flowing...
If you've been feeding them watery veg then they arnt going to have much thirst...
If there hutch was outside then the water bottle would be exposed to temp. Changes and that can cause the water bottle to leak slightly and being as they are inside the temp. Will be at a constant so won't leak as much...

How much are they actually drinking...?
x
 
As suem said, check the bottle. If you have put a dish in as well, they will find it (believe piggies can smell water ?/)
Most of my piggies drink well but I have one boy that has never used the bottle and he's almost two years old :{
Many piggies get the fluid they need from veggies etc.
 
Hi, bottle is 100% working so I can rule that out. They have always been inside to be honest even when in the hutch as with them being so young and the cold nights I thought it was only fair, I think they just don't realise the bottle is there but its next to there food and ive tried to make it obvious by holding a carrot (there fave) next to it, no luck though.

I think currently they are only drinking a few mm's worth from the bowl (both of them) but that could be soley evaporating :/ I gave them the more watery foods since I realised they weren't drinking on the first day, they do seem full of energy etc so i'm seriously confused, thanks both of you
 
I always had a piggie when I was little. They never had water bottles, we used to wash or wet the veggies before we gave it to them. They never had prepared piggie food either! They used to be given ryvita, shredded wheat, hard dog biscuits and warm bread and milk for supper, and most of them were 6 or 7 when I lost them. tee hee most of them were named Spotty! We used to go to the market in town centre to the pet stall. They were 2s. 6d. each and were kept in a box under the stall. I can remember one not even lasting the night and Mum taking the body back next day to get a replacement. Only one ever went to the vet, and we had to add yeast to his food, sorry I have gone off topic! (on reflection they were all girls!)inbreeding
 
I wouldn't worry then...
If there bottle is working and they have access to water they will drink when they want too... :)
x
 
Thanks Suem that gave me a giggle! And thanks to everyone else, i'm worrying over nothing I think, first time owner :p

I always worry as we had hamsters who forgot to drink and always got very ill very quickly!

Thanks again
 
Lottie&Dottie said:
Thanks Suem that gave me a giggle! And thanks to everyone else, i'm worrying over nothing I think, first time owner :p

I always worry as we had hamsters who forgot to drink and always got very ill very quickly!

Thanks again
Click to expand...

It's alway best to worrie over nothing then miss something serious...!
x
 
Have you changed from sawdust to fleece? Just asking becAuse I noticed a big reduction in the amount mine drank when I put them on fleece.
 
I wouldn't worry too much. It they are all eating then they must be getting enough fluids from the food. It could a change in humidity (less heating maybe?)
 
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