Do you use a bowl for a Guinea Pig?

The domestic Guinea pig is a specie of rodent that belongs to the cavy family. They are small, social and adorable. Generally, they are easy to maintain and take care of.

They are very social and love companionship, so it would be advisable to adopt two if you are thinking of having Guinea pigs as pets.

Depending on your preference, they come in different breeds. All adorable and cute. We have the Peruvian Guinea pigs, American Guinea pigs, Texel Guinea pigs, Teddy Guinea pigs, to mention a few.

As easy as it is to take care of them, remember they can die if not supplied fresh water. Guinea pigs drink a lot of water, so you must supply them fresh water every day. They cannot survive long without water. Make sure you give them fresh water only, add nothing to it, not even vitamin C. 

How then should their water be served?

Most Guinea pig owners serve them water from bottles. But in case you are wondering if Guinea pigs can also drink from bowls, the answer is yes. 

But you have to look at the advantages and disadvantages before going for it. There are also a lot of factors that determine if your Guinea pig will drink from a bowl or not.

If your Guinea pig is an adult and it is used to drinking from bottles, it would be difficult for it to switch from bottles to bowls. If it was trained with bowls from babyhood, then it wouldn't be a problem.

Training your baby cavies to use bowls however is very easy. They will easily adapt to it as it is easier for them.

Bowls are preferable for Guinea pigs, especially when they are old or sick because they won't have to raise their heads to drink.

Bowls could make their cages messy though. Guinea pigs can be messy about their food and water. They are also agile so they could tip their bowls while leaning to drink, which could mess up their space. Drops of their poop or urine could also fall into the bowls, making it easy for their waters to be infected. That is why bottles are much more preferable.

Can Hamsters drink out of a bowl?

Hamsters are rodents that belong to the Cricetanae sub family. These are small, have short tails and stubby legs.

They make great pets for children as they are low maintenance and easy to care for. These are friendly, clever and love to be cuddled.

Depending on your preference or where you live, they come in different breeds. We have the Syrian Hamsters, Russian Dwarf Hamsters, Chinese Hamsters, Winter White Hamsters, to mention a few. It is believed that the Russian Dwarf Hamsters are more friendly to their owners and others, though. These cute creatures are banned in Australia. So if you are an Australian or you live in Australia, Hamsters are not for you. You may want to go for other pets.

Hamsters need to be supplied fresh water daily. They can survive 3-4 days without water, but you don't want to make your Hamsters go through that torture.

Hamsters are usually served water from bottles, but if you are wondering if they can also drink from bowls, the answer is yes. Giving your Hamsters water from bowls come with responsibilities though. Hamsters are very active pets, so chances are they will get their bowls dirty fast. You would have to clean it often.

They could also tip their bowls while playing, which will get their beddings wet. This is extra work for you. You could solve this problem by using ceramic bowls. They are heavy and harder to tip.

Bowls are preferable because it is easier to clean. Bottles are harder to clean, which makes it easier for bacteria to get in and reproduce. Hamsters also have to get into uncomfortable postures to be able to drink from bottles. There's no fear of their cages getting messy and their beddings getting wet if you use bottles though.

Hamsters are different individually. Your Hamster may prefer bottles to bowls and vice versa. You could make the two available to your Guinea pig and observe to see which one it prefers. I hope this helped.

What can Guinea pigs drink besides water?

Guinea pigs can't survive long without water so water has to be made available to them every day.

Guinea pigs need fluid to survive and remain hydrated, but not all fluids can be given to Guinea pigs. So can Guinea pigs drink other fluids apart from water? The answer is yes.

Fruit juices. Guinea pigs are naturally vegetarians and fruit juices are made from veggies and fruits, so it is safe for your Guinea pigs to have them. Note, however, that they have to be organic/natural and also unsweetened. You also have to dilute the juice with water. You may want to mix more water than juice, and you could also make it a 50:50 ratio. It makes the fruit juice less sweet and more enjoyable for your Guinea pigs. You may also want to prepare the fruit juice at home yourself so you can be sure it is natural.

Canned or bottled fruit juice bought from the store is a No No. They contain preservatives and additives which could be harmful to your Guinea pigs.

Also note that not all fruit juices are good for your Guinea pigs. Stick to Orange juice, Apple juice, Cranberry juice and other fruits that are high in Vitamin C.

Not only will your Guinea pigs enjoy these diluted drinks, the fruit drinks contain nutrients that are beneficial to their health.

These fruits contain a lot of vitamins which act as antioxidants. For example, Vitamin A protects their body from diseases and boosts their immune systems.

When Guinea pigs lack vitamin C, they are prone to Scurvy. Giving them these fruit drinks that contain vitamin C can prevent them against Scurvy, keeping your Guniea pigs healthy and safe.

Drinks you shouldn't give Guinea pigs.

1. Alcohol. You should never give Guinea pigs alcohol or any drink that contains alcohol, even if it is a little bit. Alcohol is toxic to most domestic animals. Giving Guinea pigs alcohol hurt them. They could become drowsy, uncoordinated, lose consciousness or even die.

2. Caffeinated drinks. Guinea pigs can't handle caffeine, so don't give it to them. Avoid giving them drinks like coffee and tea. Giving your Guinea pigs caffeinated drinks could hurt them.

3. Milk. Guinea pigs are lactose intolerant so they can't take milk since it contains Lactose. Giving them milk could make them sick, have diarrhea or even die.

Can Guinea pigs drink tap water?

You know Guinea pigs need water to survive as we have explained. Clean fresh water should be provided for them daily as part of their diet. It is preferable if it is filtered and purified.

If you just got Guinea pigs as pets and you are wondering if they can drink tap water since that is what you have access to, the answer is yes. Guinea pigs can definitely drink tap water and it won't hurt them. If the water is safe for you, it is safe for your Guinea pig.

Let the water be at normal temperature. Don't give your Guinea pigs water that is hot or too cold. You may also want to avoid alkaline water and softened water as it is not good for them.

Make sure your Guinea pigs aren't taking water that may contain bacteria too, so make sure the tap mouth is not dirty. Use the tap in the kitchen that you constantly use, rather than the one outside.