water bottle problems

[michellemonster]

so i got 2 new chinchillas about a month ago. one of them seems to think that the water bottle does not need to be hooked to the cage. she keeps unhooking it and then hiding the hook from me and knocking the bottle onto the ground. this is a big problem because they need a water bottle but she doesnt think so. so i used the ones with the hooks that latch on and you have to undo the latches to get them off and even then the water bottle again ended on the floor. i looked at the hooks and she had ripped one of the hooks off and now i cant find that either. please help me i cant seem to keep them on she keeps tearing them down is there any special chinchilla waterbottle latch that makes it impossible for them to do ? she hid the holder and now i cant find it.....

 

[StevieP]

Get a glass lixit or super pet bottle. You mount it on the outside of the cage. Stick the nozzle through the cage and the spring that it comes with wraps around the bottle to keep it up.

 

[6Dusters]

I've also used pipe cleaners. They work great!

 

[michellemonster]

thats the kind that she ripped the latch off of. i have no idea how she did it but she did. shes kind of a tricksy chin. and thats a great idea dusters ill have to try it shes extremely persistant on getting those water bottles off the cage

 

[Ronda]

Wire or ring a piece of metal to the outside of the cage where you hang the bottle then hang the bottle from the piece of metal. You can also just wire the bottle directly to the cage with a solid piece of wire on the inside and hook it on the outside or backside of the bottle. You can also hang multiple bottles and see if she takes them all down.

Maybe attach a toy to the side of the bottle so she gets distracted. I've seen chins that just want to pull on the wire holders so you might want to put hooks on the sides of the cages to distract her. Just make sure that they will break away easily enough so that she doesn't get her teeth caught in them.

Ronda

 

[michellemonster]

thanks ronda ill have to try hanging some toys and see if they distract her. its been a constant battle since i got her. i put a thin strip of fleece and wrapped it around the bottle and tied it in the back. so far its stayed up about 12 hours which is longer then its been up without her attacking it. i think shes just trying to trick me into believing that shes not going to then when i least expect it she will attack it.