Sometimes the water bottles of the hamsters can go bad and leak or condense, they can even burst and then your hamster will not be able to drink water.
When a hamster’s water bottle is not working properly it is a big problem because your pet needs water every day.
Why Does the Hamster’s Water Bottle Leak?
Hamster bottles leak if the cap is loose, when the gasket does not hold, when the plastic cracks or breaks, and when the ball bearing is displaced.
Hamsters drink 5-15 ml of water per 100 mg of weight.
When a hamster does not drink water, it can dehydrate, get sick and eventually die.
That is why we must always make sure that their water bottle is working properly, if there is a problem we need to fix it, or if it is broken or not repairable you should buy them a new water bottle.
In today’s article, you will find out why the water bottle is not working properly and how to fix it so that the hamster can drink water normally.
On what principle does the water bottle for hamsters work?
Water bottles for hamsters are also called sipper bottles, and their purpose is to enable hamsters to drink water.
These water bottles are made of a plastic cylinder, a plastic cup, and a metal tube with a ball in it.
The ball in the water bottle is very important because it creates a vacuum and does not allow the water to flow out.
When the hamster presses the ball bearing it moves up the tube and the water starts to drip. The hamster then has to lick the ball bearing to drink water.
Why does the hamster’s water bottle leak?
A hamster’s water bottle can leak for a variety of reasons and will need to be repaired or replaced.
Sometimes it is very easy and simple, so let’s see what are the reasons and how to fix them.
The ball bearing is displaced and leaking water
There is a ball bearing in the hamster’s water bottle that is supposed to create a vacuum and keep the water from constantly flowing.
The drinking tube may have one or more metal ball bearings depending on the type of bottle.
When the hamster licks or pushes the ball bearing up, the water flows down and the hamster then drinks water. If the metal ball bearings move, water may leak.
It could be that the ball bearing is stuck in the tube itself or there may not be enough water and then the ball does not go down.
When this happens, water constantly flows through the water bottle.
In this situation, you should fill the bottle with water and shake it a little harder so that the ball can return to the right position.
Before that, you should thoroughly wash the bottle and the water tube, because if there are certain impurities, they can cause the ball bearing to jam.
Another important thing is to always have enough water in the bottle because there needs to be enough weight from the water itself to keep the ball bearing in place.
If there is not enough water then there will not be enough pressure on the ball bearing itself.
Water flows continuously if the gasket is broken
All hamster water bottles have a gasket or rubber seal on the water bottle cap itself.
This is important because it allows you to press and close the water cap well, otherwise the water will flow.
If the bottle has a damaged seal or if it is broken then the bottle will leak water and drip.
The gaskets themselves have a lifetime and may tear or wear out over time, which will have to be changed.
The gasket must be checked regularly, otherwise, the hamster will not be able to drink water and will become dehydrated.
Changing the gasket is not difficult at all, just buy a new one from your pet store and replace it, just be careful not to get the wrong size of the new gasket, so it’s best to bring the old gasket when you buy a new one.
The water bottle may be cracked
Sometimes the plastic of the water bottle itself can be cracked and leak water. Hamster water bottles are made of hard or thin plastic and can crack over time.
No matter how strong the plastic of the water bottle is, over time it may crack and leak water.
Sometimes hamsters will sharpen their teeth on the plastic of the bottle which can cause damage and cracking.
A hamster may not break through the plastic bottle completely, but it may damage it enough to start leaking water.
If the bottle is slightly damaged, you can glue it with non-toxic glue that will not be poisonous to hamsters.
But if the bottle is too cracked and cannot be glued, then you should immediately buy a new water bottle for your pet.
The bottle cap leaks water
If the lid of the water bottle is loose then the water will leak, which happens very often.
That’s why it’s important to check if the lid is tight enough by putting water in the bottle, squeezing it, and waiting to see if the water flows.
If the lid holds the water well, but the bottle still leaks, then it is not a problem with the cap, it is probably some other problem with the bottle that you will need to fix.
Should a hamster’s water bottle drip?
If the water bottle drips a little, it is completely normal, this happens when the bottle is adjusted from when you fill it with water, it is the initial release of water until a new vacuum is created.
In order to create a vacuum in the space of the bottle, the volume of the water and the air space should be at the same level.
Therefore, dropping a few drops of water is completely normal, but if it constantly drips and forms a puddle in the cage, then it is not right.
To create a vacuum, it is necessary when you fill the bottle with water, first hang it in the cage and then touch the ball bearing several times with the tip of your fingers.
In this way, some water will be released and a vacuum will be formed in the bottle and the water will not drip.
What to do if the hamster’s water bottle leaks?
When the water bottle of the hamster constantly has a problem and drips, then you need to repair or replace it.
When the bottle cannot be repaired then it is time to buy a new one, especially if you notice the following problems:
- the bottle is cracked
- the bottle is distorted or indented
- the hamster keeps chewing on the bottle
In these situations, it is best to buy a new bottle because when the bottle keeps causing problems it can only wet the cage and the hamster itself will get sick from too much water around it.
Can a hamster drink water from a bowl?
Hamsters can drink from a bowl or a plate, but this way of drinking water has pros and cons.
When hamsters drink water from bowls then the water needs to be changed much more often than when they drink from a water bottle.
When hamsters drink water from a bowl, it becomes more easily contaminated with dirt, bedding, and similar other waste.
The good thing about water bowls is that you will always have fresh water for your hamster because of the frequent water changes.
How often should the water in a hamster’s water bottle be changed?
The water in the hamster’s bottle should be changed once a day.
It is very common for hamster owners to forget to change the water in their bottle mostly because the bottle still has water in them.
Fresh water is needed by the hamster to reduce the risk of bacteria in the bottle itself.
The longer you leave the water in the bottle, the greater the chances of the hamster getting an illness from accumulating bacteria.
When you change the water in the bottle, that’s a great time to check the bottle if everything is okay with it, if there is no crack or something like that.
A water bottle can show you the hamster’s health condition
Hamsters drink 5-15 ml of water per 100 grams of their weight.
Of course, it depends on the size of the hamster, its gender, and the breed of the hamster. Female hamsters drink more water than male hamsters.
If you pay attention to the amount that the hamster drinks from the bottle every day, it will be easier to know if it is drinking enough according to its weight.
Because if he drinks too much or too little water it can be an indicator that he has health problems.
If you notice that something is wrong then take your hamster to the vet for an examination.
Read more: Why is My Hamster Bite the Water Bottle? Find Out Now
Will the hamster get sick if the water bottle keeps dripping?
Yes, a hamster can get sick if its bottle is faulty and constantly leaks or drips water.
Hamsters will then be constantly wet and this can contribute to the occurrence of various diseases such as pneumonia which can cause fatal consequences for his health.
Therefore, drinking water from the bottle must not be neglected and allowed to remain like that, it must be repaired or a new water bottle must be installed.
Read more: Why Does My Hamster Drink So Much Water? Find Out Now
Conclusion
The water bottle of the hamsters drips when something is wrong, the most common problems are a loose cap, a cracked bottle, and displacement of the ball bearing.
Sometimes damage to the gasket or the rubber layer can occur, which causes the water to drip from the bottle.
When you have problems with the water bottle, sometimes it can be repaired, and if it is broken or cracked then you have to buy a new bottle for your pet.
Water bottles should always be in order so that the hamster can drink water normally and not run out of drinking water.
Read more: Will Hamsters Starve if They Don’t like the Food? Let’s Discover
