# Question about water...



## infamousrenie (Dec 18, 2010)

Brillo has a water jug attached to his cage, but he can't seem to figure out how to work it. He's discovered that it is where his water comes from, and will bite and attack it, but he can't seem to figure out that nudging the ball will help move the water down.

Would it be better go get him a water dish? I don't want him crawling around in his water and getting it dirty, though. But he just doesn't seem to be catching on on how to use the jug! 

Help?


----------



## Puffers315 (Apr 19, 2010)

I'd go with a water dish, if the jug is like a water bottle (or if thats what you mean) they tend to be problematic for hedgehogs for several reasons...

- Unnatural drinking position, sometimes a hedgehog might not get all s/he wants.
- The metal bearing at the end can be a tongue hazard.
- They will bite and chew at the end to get a drink, which can damage teeth.

Put the dish in the corner or at least up against the wall so its not out in the middle of the floor, I think most hedgehogs learn not to walk in them, I've never witnessed either of my hogs stepping into the actual water dish once they knew it was water. Loki for example, never has stepped in the water dish but he'll get right in his food dish (which is exactly like his water dish). Mine are about an inch high and I'd say 5 or 6 inches wide (circular).


----------



## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

a dish is definitely preferred. They can't bend their heads back the way rodents can and really our guys are sort of clumsy so I'm not surprised he's having trouble with it. Make sure the dish is a heavy one (ceramic is good) so that it is less likely to spill. Sometimes Quigley spills his, sometimes he crashes the bowls together (this is my favourite especially at three in the morning! :roll: ) once I found him sitting in it while he was eating (pic below) and occasionally we find a toy in it. Mostly though he just drinks it.

Picture (as soon as I took the picture he bristled up but he was eating).

[attachment=0:32mhcbwf]Quigley in water dish.jpg[/attachment:32mhcbwf]


----------



## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

Quigley is HILarious! :lol: I LOVE that pic.

Snarf's dish is about 3' wide and lower on one side - I always push his food to the higher side...know what I mean?...anyway, he parks his little butt on the lower area, then dives into the higher end and starts munching. It's sooooo cute! He looks so comfy.


----------



## Ophelia (Dec 10, 2010)

Nitzy actually came with a auto-fill water feeder. Like those ones you get for dogs, except hedgehog size.  I've filled it up almost full once and she drank so much, so I'm glad I have it.  (the part she drinks out of is just like a water dish, and not one of those rabbit-like feeders)


----------



## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

hedgielover said:


> a dish is definitely preferred. They can't bend their heads back the way rodents can and really our guys are sort of clumsy so I'm not surprised he's having trouble with it. Make sure the dish is a heavy one (ceramic is good) so that it is less likely to spill. Sometimes Quigley spills his, sometimes he crashes the bowls together (this is my favourite especially at three in the morning! :roll: ) once I found him sitting in it while he was eating (pic below) and occasionally we find a toy in it. Mostly though he just drinks it.
> 
> Picture (as soon as I took the picture he bristled up but he was eating).
> 
> [attachment=0:3mv14x52]Quigley in water dish.jpg[/attachment:3mv14x52]


I love it. :lol: That is a perfect picture to show how they get poo in their food and water dish. :lol:


----------

