Frozen Water

[ParsleyBun]

When it is below freezing at my house my bunnies’ water freezes. In the daytime, I can check it often, but at night I am asleep so I’m obviously not able to do that. How can I keep their water from freezing? They drink out of a stainless steel bowl, btw. I know they do not get cold because they are both very fluffy and the hutch is insulated well. P.S. Please do not say ‘bring them inside’ because that is not an option.

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!

[LBJ10]

They make heated water bowls. You would just need to protect the cable from getting chewed.

 

ETA: Something like this can be mounted and then the cable would be outside of the enclosure. https://www.amazon.com/Enjoying-Thermal-Bowl-Removable-Hanging-Critters/dp/B08HV2BZYJ?ref_=ast_sto_dp

[ParsleyBun]

I ordered something very similar, pretty much identical to the link but it won’t get here until Wed. and unfortunately, insulation and glass bowls won’t work when it is down in the teens. I don’t know what to do because it will freeze the water and I can’t change it during the night. My dad is up around 3 or 4 or 5 am and they are left for the night around 8pm. I get up at about 9am. so they are going to be unattended for several hrs. no matter how you look at it. I have to do something to keep the water from freezing until then. And as mentioned before I CANNOT bring them inside for many reasons. What do I do???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

A stumped, frustrated, bunny mom!

[Wick & Fable]

I would work to better insulate their space. Yes, they are likely not freezing to death, but being in an environment where there water is freezing is not OK: https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Cold_weather_concerns … Rabbits can be housed outside below 40F at times, but only if they are actually insulated from that cold — their actual living space environment shouldn’t hit that temperature ideally.

The link above gives names of heated pads and bowls (the links may be outdated, but the product names can be searched online).

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[ParsleyBun]

I have some good news.

I tried putting a thick glass bowl in an enclosed area of the hutch instead of a stainless steel bowl in the more open part of the hutch, and guess what?

The water didn’t freeze, even though it was 26 degrees Fahrenheit outside! I also pushed a cloth up around it and there was hay in the water for part of the night. (I put it there on purpose to see if that would help.) I guess I won’t have to buy a heated bowl!

@Wick & Fable , they really aren’t cold, and I do have insulated places for them. They have been outside all their life, plus they are very wooly and used to the cold. Of course, I do have places for them to get out of the wind, plus I have fleece blankets (My buns aren’t fleece chewers) and I try to give them all the hay they will eat. I am working on adding some more insulation to keep out drafts, and I also try to drape towels over the front of the hutch to keep out snow and wind chill.

[DanaNM]

That makes a lot of sense, since glass doesn’t conduct heat as well, plus being in a warmer part of their hutch.

I was going to suggest looking into watering systems for chickens, as I think they have some ways of dealing with ice as well.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[ParsleyBun]

I ordered something very similar, pretty much identical to @LBJ10 ‘s link but it won’t get here until Wed. and unfortunately, insulation and glass bowls won’t work when it is down in the teens. I don’t know what to do because it will freeze the water and I can’t change it during the night. My dad is up around 3 or 4 or 5 am and they are left for the night around 8pm. I get up at about 9am. so they are going to be unattended for several hrs. no matter how you look at it. I have to do something to keep the water from freezing until then. And as mentioned before I CANNOT bring them inside for many reasons. What do I do???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

A stumped, frustrated, bunny mom!

[DanaNM]

If you have no other option, the safest thing would be to set an alarm and check on them at some point during the night (maybe about midnight?).

A larger bowl will take longer to freeze, so if you fill a large crock with warm water that will buy you more time.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[ParsleyBun]

Well, would 10:00 pm be a good time? Bc I can’t get up at midnight, I go to bed at 11:15. I will just do it at 10. And I will try a larger bowl. I could hide fresh fruit for them to find, that would be moisture.

[DanaNM]

I would not give them a lot of extra fruit, that could cause other problems and upset their gut. Extra veggies are hydrating though.

I can’t say how long it will take for the water to freeze, because I don’t know the specifics of the temp in the hutch.

If you go to bed at 11:15, why can’t you refill their water right before that?

 

 

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[ParsleyBun]

Oh, I could do it then! Great idea! But my dad is up at 2:30 to give them more water, so I could to it at ten if I decide to. But you’re right, 11:15 would be better. And I won’t overdo the fruit. I will send my mom out again at 5am too.

[ParsleyBun]

Update:

I took your advice, Dana, and used as bigger bowl. I also set a jar of water in there so they couldn’t sit in the bowl. I also set it in the warmest part of the hutch.  I left them at 8pm. and when I came back at 11pm. it was not frozen. When my dad got up to go to work at 2:30 a.m., the bog bowl was frozen, but he melted the ice in there in front of our wood heater. I got down there at maybe 9am. (My mom didn’t go at 5am.) The water was frozen again! 4 more nights till I get the heated water bowl, I can do this.

[Author]

Messages