Water Water Water

[Heef]

I plan to get a parrotlet soon. I worry about everything (sorry). My most recent conundrum is over water. What to use: a bowl, a budgie type fountain, the cage side dish that came with the cage? Combinations of all of the above?

A bowl will get fowled quickly with bathing, the cage side dish is a bit of a hazard to wings if the bird want to bath in it, a fountain can get stale if left too long.

I am thinking a fountain (changed often) and a bowl in the bottom of the cage offered daily. What do you (all) think?

Also, the fountain waterer things all seem kind of tacky looking. Anyone know where to get a cool looking one?

[Jinx n Noodle]

Hmmm, no idea what a budgie type fountain is. I use a bowl (cat dish really) and the side dishes that come with the cage with Jinx and Noodle and they do fine- both for drinking and bathing. I did try a refillable water dish once, but Jinx just pecked at it until all the water gushed out. Also tried a water bottle (like the ones for rodents), and she pecked at the ball until ALL the water gushed out.

Water dishes get fouled regardless of what I do. Even the ones that she bath in, she will throw things into or poop into. I've just given up and just keep refreshing her water as needed.

[LovelySydney]

I have a stainless steel cup attached to the side of the cage and the plastic contraption that came with the cage. The plastic thing is long and is on one side of the cage, the silver cup is just a regular feeding cup, pretty large, that is on the other side of the cage and higher up. Oliver uses them both, but bathes in the cup (its easier for him to sit in, which he does!) I change both receptacles twice a day at the least - they are going to get dirty regardless, so I check every few hours or so. Oliver has never gotten stuck in them or caught in them - they are very safe.

[adam]

I use a lixit or hamster type water feeder for both my parrotlests with no problems. They made a mess with water bowls. My eclectus needs a regular water bowl because she just pushes the ball in on the water feeder and drains it right away.

[karnrene]

I use a combination of a small hard plastic dog bowl and a custom made pottery bowl for each of my parrotlets which are housed separately.

I clean the bowls once or twice a day - my female sometimes bathes in her bowl and my Boy is one of those that dips and plays with his food in his water bowl.

I have an HQ cage - which is large enough to accommodate the two bowls with lots of space. I like having something large enough for m,y birds to be able to bathe whenever they get the urge. They don't always want to bathe when I have them out with a bowl of water.

[StephGee]

I have water dishes that affix to the side of the cage. Herbie drinks and bathes in those. No problems. I just change the water twice a day.

[chapala]

I have a water dish for Cello, and he doesn't try to bathe in it. I just put a 4" stainless steel bowl in the cage with about an inch of water, hoping he will use that as a bath. In the meantime, he loves his mistings, then sits in the sun to preen!