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Because of the potential dangers of a leaky water bottle and a gerbil's insistence on chewing anything in its path, selecting the right water bottle is a very important part of providing your gerbils with a safe home.
Although gerbils are desert animals, in captivity, they do need constant access to water. Do not use a water dish, as gerbils will kick bedding into the water. Also, make sure the water bottle you use does not leak. If bedding becomes excessively wet, a deadly mold can grow and kill gerbils very quickly. (Periodic drips are OK; a constant dripping or water soaking down through the bedding is bad.)
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A young Pippi and Annika share a drink.
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Lixit makes water bottles like this one, with a rounded top and bottom that prevent chewing.
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The first consideration when choosing a water bottle should be, "Can my gerbil destroy this with her teeth?" If the answer is yes, keep shopping. No matter how many chew blocks you give your gerbils, if they want to chew on the water bottle, they will. If they chew through the water bottle, water will spill out of the bottle and soak into the bedding. Look for a hard plastic or glass bottle.
Lixit makes water bottles like the one pictured at left. These are made from hard plastic and have rounded tops and bottoms, making it hard for gerbils to chew the plastic. However, Twin Squeaks' Pippi and Annika hop on top of the bottle and chew on the plastic ring through which you hang the bottle's hanging wire. Twin Squeaks' other gerbils do just fine with the Lixit bottles, however.
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Chew Guards Are Your Friend
If you have a pair of chewers like Pippi and Annika, you will need a metal chew guard for your water bottle. The water bottle pictured at right is the only one Pippi and Annika haven't managed to destroy. Oasis makes this one. You can buy the metal chew guard separately or with the water bottle as part of a water-bottle kit.
Other companies make similar water bottles. If you start to have problems with your current water bottle, shop around until you find a sturdy one that looks like it will resist whatever chewing patterns your gerbils have.
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Water Bottle Tips
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- Inspect it daily for signs of chewing.
- Make sure the gerbils haven't pushed bedding up against the water bottle's nozzle, which can cause massive leaks.
- Change the water daily. Rinsing and refilling the bottle daily avoids bacteria growth.
- Tap the end of the water bottle to make sure it isn't clogged. Gerbils can die of dehydration within 24 hours.
- If you see your gerbils licking the side of the tank, check the water bottle. Tank-licking is usually an attempt to find moisture.
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Oasis makes a variety of chew-proof water bottles and metal guards (pictured below).
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