When I got Kiwi, female, she was water bottle trained. She uses the water bottle to drink and the water cup in her cage to bathe...perfect.
The Beeb, male, had never seen a water bottle until I put one on his cage when we got Kiwi. He doesn't bother with that bottle at all, he strictly drinks out of his water cup.
I'd like to get him to use the water bottle to drink. How do I do that? So far the water bottle on his cage has been hanging there for near two years and he could care less about it.
Should I let his water cup go empty 'til he gets to checking out the water bottle and figures out how to use it to drink from?
Thanks for your advice.
How do I train the fid to use a water bottle?
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Ed I have found that some birds just don't care to use the bottles.
I'm not a big fan of them because for the most part people that use water bottles get lazy and do not change and clean the bottle properly and bacteria builds up in them and then you have a very sick bird.
I have a B&G macaw that was raised on a bottle and then when I got him I used it for him till he started poking food up the spout and the water would run out and he would be out of water for the whole day.
The mechanics are the same on large and small bottles and the bacteria will build up under the O ring and the spout and this is what people forget to clean.
IMO your better off useing the bowl.
Donna
I'm not a big fan of them because for the most part people that use water bottles get lazy and do not change and clean the bottle properly and bacteria builds up in them and then you have a very sick bird.
I have a B&G macaw that was raised on a bottle and then when I got him I used it for him till he started poking food up the spout and the water would run out and he would be out of water for the whole day.
The mechanics are the same on large and small bottles and the bacteria will build up under the O ring and the spout and this is what people forget to clean.
IMO your better off useing the bowl.
Donna
In Loving Memory
of one special husband and one special bird.
I miss you both
of one special husband and one special bird.
I miss you both
Like Donna said, water bottles sometimes don't tickle some birds' fancy. When I first got my half moon conure, Truffle, he was absolutely terrified when I introduced a water bottle into his cage! But after a number or days, he was happily sipping out of it.
When I first offered a water bottle to Truffle, he was horrified. He didn't know what it was or what it was used for since he hadn't been trained to use one. To train him to use it, I would poke my finger at the ball in the bottle (to make the noise and get water), then put my finger to his beak for him to drink. As he became more curious and after a few times at it, he would venture closer and closer to the water bottle. When he was within reaching distance, I'd tap at the ball rapidly, letting the water drip off my finger to show him what would happen. Because he doesn't like it when I tap my finger, he'd put his beak on my finger to stop me. Then he'd find out there was water on my finger and shake his head! After a few days of this, he began to make the connection that water bottle = water.
In my opinion, however, I feel it to be a good idea to have both a water bottle and dish available in the cage. My birds drink out of their water bottles and use their dishes to bath in (only on Saturday mornings for some reason) and dunk their food in. I don't really know if yours does such a thing in his water dish, but I find it nice to have an additional source of water in case the other becomes soiled. But don't forget to clean them!
Hope this helps a little. :]
When I first offered a water bottle to Truffle, he was horrified. He didn't know what it was or what it was used for since he hadn't been trained to use one. To train him to use it, I would poke my finger at the ball in the bottle (to make the noise and get water), then put my finger to his beak for him to drink. As he became more curious and after a few times at it, he would venture closer and closer to the water bottle. When he was within reaching distance, I'd tap at the ball rapidly, letting the water drip off my finger to show him what would happen. Because he doesn't like it when I tap my finger, he'd put his beak on my finger to stop me. Then he'd find out there was water on my finger and shake his head! After a few days of this, he began to make the connection that water bottle = water.
In my opinion, however, I feel it to be a good idea to have both a water bottle and dish available in the cage. My birds drink out of their water bottles and use their dishes to bath in (only on Saturday mornings for some reason) and dunk their food in. I don't really know if yours does such a thing in his water dish, but I find it nice to have an additional source of water in case the other becomes soiled. But don't forget to clean them!
Hope this helps a little. :]
Thanks for the idea.
Thanks for your replies.
Yeah the water bottles and water cups need to be cleaned thoroughly no doubt about it. I will use the finger tapping idea to show him bottle=water. It just so happened that I saw a type of water bottle this morning; it had an attractive (to the fid) red stopper that had to be jiggled to get water, I might try that.
I want him to use the bottle for his water and have the cup too.
The water bottle comes in handy when we take off for a vacation or if they need to go to birdy camp while I travel. Most important is that the water bottle can be used in the case where meds or vitamins need to be given--you know exact measurements of water, of dilution, and what was ingested.
Yeah the water bottles and water cups need to be cleaned thoroughly no doubt about it. I will use the finger tapping idea to show him bottle=water. It just so happened that I saw a type of water bottle this morning; it had an attractive (to the fid) red stopper that had to be jiggled to get water, I might try that.
I want him to use the bottle for his water and have the cup too.
The water bottle comes in handy when we take off for a vacation or if they need to go to birdy camp while I travel. Most important is that the water bottle can be used in the case where meds or vitamins need to be given--you know exact measurements of water, of dilution, and what was ingested.