# Ideas need to keep rabbit water from freezing



## Joe.G

Hi, I just ordered a Metal water heater that goes under My Chickens metal water jug to keep the water from freezing, I now need something for my Rabbits, any ideas?


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## PD-Riverman

Joe.G said:


> Hi, I just ordered a Metal water heater that goes under My Chickens metal water jug to keep the water from freezing, I now need something for my Rabbits, any ideas?


Some more Info about your set-up would help---so we don't have to ask alot of Questions. How many Cages, how you water now etc?


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## Joe.G

4 Rabbits one cage that is split in to two , each having a enclosed section and open section, the feeding and watering is done in the open section, I use hanging water bottles for the warmer months.


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## lonelyfarmgirl

Don't waste your time trying to keep it from freezing. Especially with so few rabbits. As long as you give them fresh water twice a day, they are fine. I have three bowls that wont break for each cage. I simply pull the frozen one and replace with a fresh one, and I serve warm water in the winter. It makes them want to drink more. I always water after eating. If they are dry, they will drink more sooner, before it freezes. Then the frozen bowls come into the basement to thaw. 

This year I have plastic ones that I can pop the ice out of, but the buns like to chew on them.


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## arnie

There have been a few post lately about water buchet heaters in plastic buckets with rabbit auto drinking valves instaled in them .bass equipment co. Sells a couple differint systems to frost proff a watering system .one a bucket with heater and cerculating pump or heat cables to run through pipes in an auto watering set up .perhapes you can adapt something that will work in your hutches .I'm thinking the water resivwar bucket in the building with pipes runing through the wall into the hutch with an auto drinking valve .then there are the water bottles that are heated .check these out and coustomize your system .to what you can afford or if more time than money switch out dishes or bottles every day.


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## Joe.G

I just want it to be one less thing to worry about, in the winter there is a lot to do when the weather is cold.


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## mercedes

Joe.G,I don't know what to suggest about the water bottles(looking for ideas myself for my rabbits)But I just wanted to say that's a very nice set-up you got there and I like your rotties.


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## Joe.G

Thank you, I have added a few things to the coop/cages since the pictures, And the dog's are great, the male you see in most of the pic's is just a pup then. If you look I think there are better pic's of the coop and my dog's on this site.


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## houndlover

The rabbits will drink from a chicken waterer, just use the same set up. My pastured colony rabbits use a regular large metal chicken waterer just fine.


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## Joe.G

That would get expensive to buy two chicken waters and then the heat source, I guess there is no easy way, I worry about them chewing the power cord also, I was looking for somthing that hung outside the cage.


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## arnie

Joe.G said:


> That would get expensive to buy two chicken waters and then the heat source, I guess there is no easy way, I worry about them chewing the power cord also, I was looking for somthing that hung outside the cage.


Though I can't tell the price there are water bottols that hang on the outside of the cage that are heated .I think tractor supply sells these .


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## Mike Hotel

Here's what I do. It isn't a pain as long as it's close to your animals. I keep two bottles for each cage.

The Solar Hot Box &#8211; Melting Waterers Efficiently Â« The Tiny Homesteaders


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## PD-Riverman

Joe.G said:


> That would get expensive to buy two chicken waters and then the heat source, I guess there is no easy way, I worry about them chewing the power cord also, I was looking for somthing that hung outside the cage.


Why not get one of these 3' Electric Heat Tape Cable w Thermostat New | eBay for each water bottle. Wrap each water bottle and plug it in--easy.


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## Fetherhd

I have seen water bottles for rabbits that you plug in. They are not supposed to freeze. I believe Murdoch's carries them although they are a bit pricey.


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## Fetherhd

MIKE HOTEL...that is an awesome blog....thanks for the link...I particularly love this line in their about us section.... "Interestingly, our meat rabbits have the personalities of schizophrenic crack whores on bath salts, so doing the deed will likely be easy." Quote is from The Tiny Homesteaders Blog.


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## Joe.G

Heat Tape is a good idea, didn't think of that, I went to Murdochs site but I don't see how to look for products.


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## Mike Hotel

Fetherhd said:


> MIKE HOTEL...that is an awesome blog....thanks for the link...I particularly love this line in their about us section.... "Interestingly, our meat rabbits have the personalities of schizophrenic crack whores on bath salts, so doing the deed will likely be easy." Quote is from The Tiny Homesteaders Blog.


That's a true story right there. We're doing a harvest day on the 8th.....no guilt here! Glad you like the blog!


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## jmart045

Could you not just wrap the bottles in insulation and tape them up good?


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## fireweed farm

Similar idea to the plug in buckets, there are plug in cat/dog bowls. The one I have has some metal coil around the cord- and worked fine all last winter in a colony. Yes, one less thing to fiddle with.


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## Joe.G

Yes dealing with frozen water is just one more thing to deal with. I don't think wrapping it in insulation would help much.


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