Many krolikovodam familiar with the situation when the eared ward drinks little, or refuses water altogether because of the unusual equipment for him.
Even if you have not yet encountered this problem, it is always useful to know how to accustom the animal to the drinker and which constructions will be preferable for him.
Water in the diet of rabbits
The consequences of water shortages for a young rabbit are much harder than malnutrition. According to veterinarians, the reason for this lies in the high percentage of fluid contained in the body, as well as in active metabolic processes. 
For more mature individuals, with the exception of rabbits during pregnancy and lactation, the shortage of water is not as critical as for young.
Did you know? An adult 2-pound rabbit can drink as much water as a 10-pound dog.
Experienced breeders know that there should always be fresh drinking water in the drinking bowls of the wards. If it is not changed in time, the animals that are sensitive to various infections will fall ill and may die.
The same can happen with dehydration - as a result of poor absorption of the food eaten, the eared one will soon wither. Suckling females in such situations eat their offspring.
Check out how to water the rabbits.
Some owners mistakenly believe that water is completely replaced by juicy pet food. In fact, to leave animals without drinking is strictly prohibited. Even if berries, vegetables, fruits and herbs prevail in the rabbit diet, the contents of the drinker can be reduced only slightly.
And when a rabbit feeds mainly on dry, rough feed, its body needs large volumes of liquid. 
Rabbits should be fed daily, at the same time - in the morning, before feeding and in the evening. In the heat of the procedure is increasing. But to guess the physical needs of eared is almost impossible.
Indeed, depending on the temperature, humidity, diet and overall health, body weight, his needs for drinking vary. Therefore, the animal must always have access to clean water.
Important! In the fall, when an abundance of succulent fodder appears in the rabbit feeder, an upset stomach is often observed in animals. This is associated with a decrease in the activity of peptic juices obtained with food, since they dissolve in the water consumed. In such situations, veterinarians recommend reducing the number of eaten root vegetables, replacing them with dry food.
In the summer season, a female with a dozen baby rabbits drinks about 1.5 liters of water daily. And when the kids grow up to the age of one month, they will barely have enough 2 liters per day. Experts advise growing young growth to pour 0.1 l of liquid for every kilogram of live weight.
In hot weather, the amount of water is calculated on the basis of the ratio of 1.15 l / kg.
On average, rabbits need from 60 to 130 ml of water per kilogram of body weight. Adults per day can overpower 700-900 ml. 
Bowl or drinker
Some breeders, in order to save on the purchase of a factory drinker, offer their wards to drink from a bowl. According to experts, this option is permissible only in the presence of the owner, but is completely unsuitable for constant drinking.
Learn how to choose a bunny feeder, how to make a bunker feeder and a variety of rabbit drinkers with your own hands.
The fact is that during the game an improvised drinker can tip over and the animal will be left without water, which threatens it with dehydration. In addition, the owner can not always sit above the rabbit, controlling the level of fluid. In such cases, a greater threat to the health of the wards occurs when the rabbit breeder is not at home.
It is easy to solve this problem with the help of purchased water tanks. Today they are on the market in the widest range. Nipple drinkers and teat drinkers are especially popular with breeders.
Important! Water for rabbits do not need to boil. According to veterinarians, during the heat treatment in it all vital trace elements are lost.
They are convenient because:
- completely eliminate tipping and spontaneous water leakage;
- easy to attach to the cage and easy to maintain;
- animals always have access to them;
- it is possible to dose drugs and vitamin-mineral supplements;
- when consumed liquid animal does not touch her mouth, so she always remains clean.
Along with these positive qualities, it is necessary to note a drawback: both versions of drinking drinkers require pressing a special ball. Not always eared think how to extract water from ingenious equipment, so they can not use it.It will also be useful for you to learn how to make your own shed, cage, cage, aviary, cage according to Zolotukhin's method for rabbits.
How to teach a rabbit to drinking bowl
It takes time and patience for an animal to learn how to use a nipple. The first thing the rabbit breeder should do is to exclude alternative sources of drinking from the eared pet's access zone. Otherwise, all your efforts will be in vain.
Be prepared that, having become accustomed to the bowl, the rabbit will continue to look for it in its environment. Experts advise from the first days to teach the little rabbit to the desired packaging. Retraining an adult animal is almost impossible.
Did you know? The rabbit has 28 teeth, and tiny teeth grow behind its front incisors. These animals boast an excellent appetite and eat everything that grows, and in large quantities. In one sitting, an adult rabbit can eat as much grass as is enough to fill a large pillow.
To achieve quick results, follow the following recommendations from professionals:
- Do not force eared to drink immediately. Give him time to get comfortable in the new cage and make sure that he is safe. You can start learning when you notice that the animal is trying to feed, or blithely spread on the floor of its monastery.
- Carefully put your hand in the cage, let the rabbit smell it (you can offer a little delicacy to make contact with it). After that, take it in your hands and bring it to the drinker by pressing the ball so that water drips from it. Smear a drop on his nose. Act very carefully so that the little rabbit will not be frightened, otherwise the lessons will end with the aggressive attacks of the ward in your direction. In no case do not touch it while sleeping or eating.
- Bring your pet back and see if it can independently get water after a certain period of time. If necessary, repeat the acquaintance with the drinker again.
- If your friend continues to ignore the nipple design, lubricate its tip with carrot juice or milk. Surely, having tasted the pleasant aroma of the treat, the rabbit will want to lick it off and, when touched, will learn to extract water from the trough.
Never shout at your pet for mistakes and do not slap him. Such actions can frighten the animal, and subsequently it will stop any attempts to get drunk. We can not allow the rabbit to live in constant fear or stressful situations.Important! By reducing the rate of water consumption by 30-40% increase in live weight of the rabbit slows down on 30-35%, and feed consumption increases per unit increase by 10-12%.
After all, not all mammals are equally savvy. All difficulties in learning should be experienced in a friendly mood.
In addition, it does not hurt to make sure that the nipple moves freely. Sometimes he sits very tightly in the nose, which makes it difficult for him to move. If this happens, expand the opening of the structure with small scissors. And also take into account the fact that the liquid may not flow because of mistakes made during installation and fixing the drinker.
Check whether the angle of inclination is within the allowable value. If the problem persists, the inventory must be replaced. 
To avoid this embarrassment, experienced breeders recommend:
- When buying, check the condition of the nipple (let the seller fill the flask and knock the ball with the finger for 30 seconds - there should be no leakage);
- make sure that when turning the drinker in the water tank, air bubbles rise up (their absence indicates a tight nipple, which is unlikely to be accessible to the rabbit);
- check the hole on the rubber gasket on the inside of the cover (it should not be too narrow);
- choose the size of the nipple according to your pet (large balls will not be able to do for decorative animals);
- before watering for 2 minutes, knocking the ball with your finger - it happens that the water stops flowing;
- monitor the water level in the flask (so you can understand how much water your eared friend drinks and if he uses the drinker at all).
Did you know? Rabbit back left foot in many cultures of the world, including in Europe, North and South America, Africa and China, is revered as a talisman of happiness. Perhaps the belief in the magical power of this subject dates back to 600 BC from the Celtic peoples who lived in European countries.
So, water for rabbits of any age is very important. Even short-term deprivation of their access to drinking is fraught with dehydration, disease and death. Therefore, the training of wards for watering should be given proper attention.
