# Rodent water bottles in a glass tank?



## pollywog (Oct 6, 2005)

I've got a group of multi's in a glass viv. I had provided a bottle held in place with velcro (stuck in the corner with velcro on 2 sides) all was fine for the last 2 weeks but for 2 nights in a row they've pulled the bottle down and emptied it.

I've put a small bowl in with them for tonight but I just know it's going to be full of bedding in the morning.

How do people usually provide water for rodents in a glass tank?


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## PrettyxPerfection (Sep 9, 2008)

Get some mesh and tie the water bottle to the mesh then dangle it in the tank, but make sure the mesh is over the top of the tank aswell

Here is a pic of my water bottle holders which are made with mesh.


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## pollywog (Oct 6, 2005)

Thanks, do you not have trouble with them chewing through the string?


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## PrettyxPerfection (Sep 9, 2008)

If they do chew through it I replace it with garden wire :2thumb: its cheap and easy to get a hold of.


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## RobM (Aug 27, 2009)

I use mesh with suckers put through them, so it sticks to the glass. I bend the bottom of the mesh to form a L shape to hold the bottom of the bottle, then I use the wire that comes with the bottles at the top to hold it in place, its easy to pull the wire up so the bottle can easily be taken out. You can get suckers from Wilkinsons and B&Q (thats if you like the idea, or understood what I meant!)


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## sizedoesn'tmatter (Jan 24, 2009)

You can get freestanding bottles, they are suspended in a plastic stand. Can't remember the brand name but they are available via ebay...


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## Natrix (Dec 9, 2006)

They do bottles with an eye on the top. You thread your wire through the eye and hang the bottle either from the wire top or under the lid and over the edge of the glass.

Most good pet shops sell them

Natrix


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## pollywog (Oct 6, 2005)

Thanks very much everybody:2thumb:


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## ditta (Sep 18, 2006)

we use specific bought from most pet shops, they are a strip of metal with a bottle holder on the end and you jusst bend the top over the edge of tank will try get piccies i think they around £3










here you go


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## Infernalis (Jul 14, 2010)

A cheap easy solution, Take an ordinary wire coat hangar and fashion a loop on one end of the wire, of crap, a picture will be better.

BRB..


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## Infernalis (Jul 14, 2010)

Infernalis said:


> A cheap easy solution, Take an ordinary wire coat hangar and fashion a loop on one end of the wire, of crap, a picture will be better.
> 
> BRB..


 Here is how I do it......


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## Cranwelli (Mar 24, 2009)

You could just drill 4 holes in the top of the water bottle and get 2 pieces of wire and tie them through, if that makes sense. Then it can hang from the wire mesh lid by these two pieces of wire. When you fill the water you just top the water up via these holes.


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## Kare (Mar 9, 2010)

Cranwelli said:


> You could just drill 4 holes in the top of the water bottle and get 2 pieces of wire and tie them through, if that makes sense. Then it can hang from the wire mesh lid by these two pieces of wire. When you fill the water you just top the water up via these holes.


This wouldnt work, the way to get water bottles not to drip is to fill them fully so that creates equal/slightly negative pressure. This is why temperature changes can lead to leaks as the pressure changes.

With holes in it *most* water bottles would leak a great deal, to the point where the water wouldnt likely be there for drinking by the end of a few hours, it would be all in the bedding.


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## Infernalis (Jul 14, 2010)

Cranwelli said:


> You could just drill 4 holes in the top of the water bottle and get 2 pieces of wire and tie them through, if that makes sense. Then it can hang from the wire mesh lid by these two pieces of wire. When you fill the water you just top the water up via these holes.


see below.



Kare said:


> This wouldnt work, the way to get water bottles not to drip is to fill them fully so that creates equal/slightly negative pressure. This is why temperature changes can lead to leaks as the pressure changes.
> 
> With holes in it *most* water bottles would leak a great deal, to the point where the water wouldnt likely be there for drinking by the end of a few hours, it would be all in the bedding.


 Great post! (very true, simple physics)


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## x Sarah x (Nov 16, 2007)

I hook mine on the side with wire like above, well for my mice, no use with multi's, as the bottles are chewed up within days, so they get a bowl instead, if they fill it with bedding then they have to sleep on that bedding.


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## pollywog (Oct 6, 2005)

Thanks all, I've knocked something up along the lines of what Ditta posted using an old 1.5" flourescent light clip and a strip of tin. : victory:


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## Cranwelli (Mar 24, 2009)

But I do this and it works absolutely fine for my zebra mice?


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## Natrix (Dec 9, 2006)

Cranwelli said:


> But I do this and it works absolutely fine for my zebra mice?


The drinkers work on a vacume. If you drill holes in them you lose the vacume and the water poors out.

Unless your spout is blocked. Are you sure your Zebra mice are getting any water?

Natrix


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## mouseman11 (Feb 19, 2010)

I tape "*neodymium" magnets* onto the bottle and then hold it in place with magnets on the other side of the glass..

strong magnets like these:
4 x NEODYMIUM MAGNETS Nickel plate 10mm CUBES Qty 4 on eBay (end time 28-Aug-10 20:11:48 BST)

Then you can adjust the height and position without having to go into the cage,especially usefull when you got duprasi who like to kick all the bedding up to one corner and cover the bottle nozzle.


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