The 11 Best Rabbit Water Bowls
- May 27, 2023
- By Dr. Deborah Fletcher
At first glance, choosing a rabbit water dish can seem like a minor issue.
We thought it would be easy, but then we saw our rabbits tiptoe onto a plate of water, resulting in a mess and a stinking mess that we had to clean up.
Thankfully, the lessons from BestForPets (bestforpets.org) took off quickly, and we started looking for the best rabbit water bowls money can buy.
In our search for the perfect bowl, we experimented with different types of containers, and our bunnies made more than one messy bowl.
However, the options that we have tackled are excellent and will serve you well.
To help you choose the best option for your pet, we've included reviews of both our top picks and some comparable alternatives.
Reviews
The Best Rabbit Water Bowl Is the Kaytee Paw Print Bowl
We found that several of the water bowls we tried seemed quite simple and functional. With its cute bunny and paw print design, the Kaytee Paw Print Water Bowl adds a touch of holiday cheer to any rabbit’s cage.
You don’t get to pick the color you get, as they are all chosen at random.
This bowl’s adorable design isn’t enough to win our highest rating, but it does deliver excellent functionality. In contrast to the flimsy plastic construction of many of the bowls we evaluated, this one is composed of a sturdy coated ceramic.
The coating on the ceramic makes it resistant to chewing and simple to maintain.
To top it all off, it’s rather substantial, so your rabbit will have a hard time tipping it over and causing a mess. In our trials, not a single rabbit was able to tip over this dish, which meant less time and frustration spent cleaning up spillage from their cage.
Pros
- Illustration of a cute rabbit and paw print
- So cumbersome that even a bunny couldn’t turn it
- These ceramics are hard and robust, making them safe from chewing.
- The coating makes cleanup a breeze.
Cons
- Dishes weren’t the color they were depicted to be.
Super Cheap Rabbit Water Bowl from Living World
The Living World Lock & Crock Dish is our pick for the finest rabbit water bowl since it is both inexpensive and easy to use.
It has a locking mechanism that allows it to be attached to the side of any wire cage, where it can be fastened firmly to avoid leaks.
However, we did discover that this dish mounts too high for your rabbits to reach on some cages where the fencing does not extend all the way to the bottom.
This dish is simple to remove from the cage when it’s time for cleaning. Since it is plastic, it is lightweight and convenient for transport.
The plastic, however, is quite sturdy and resistant to chewing. You can save time after meals because it can go in the dishwasher.
We think it’s the best option since it combines reasonable pricing with a sturdy construction and a reliable locking mechanism, allowing us to prevent any unneeded messes.
Pros
- Attaches to the side of any cage made of wire.
- Seals tightly to avoid leaks
- Conveniently detachable for refilling and washing
- Safe for the dishwasher
- Plastic that can’t be chewed
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Inadequate mounting height on some cage designs
Bunny Bowl – Ware Slide-N-Lock, Top Pick
Simple and secure, the Ware Slide-N-Lock Small Animal Bowl fastens to the wire of any cage. It’s tough enough to withstand your dog’s chewing, yet the plastic is thick enough to make it simple to clean.
Two sizes are available, the smaller of which is probably fine for rabbits. Your rabbits will appreciate the easy access to the water provided by this bowl’s low profile design.
Having a bowl that locks is ideal for keeping your rabbit from making a mess in its cage when eating or drinking.
Compared to the mechanics of previous locking bowls, which sometimes seemed flimsy and fragile, this one seems considerably more safe and solid. Although the mechanism in this bowl does cost quite a bit extra, it is worth it.
Pros
- It can be quickly and easily attached to the side of any cage.
- Keeps food from being wasted due to accidents
- Produced using plastic that can’t be chewed
- Available in both miniature and jumbo proportions
Cons
- Compared to alternatives, it’s somewhat pricey
Rabbit Bowl for the Living World: Ergonomically Designed
The Blue Ergonomic Small Pet Dish from Living World is a low-cost and space-saving option for giving your pet access to clean water.
Ceramic is a tough material that can withstand a dog’s chewing and is not easily broken. The dish has been coated with a gloss finish, which serves to both discourage the growth of bacteria and make it more straightforward to clean.
We like the heavy base that prevents this dish from toppling over and spilling its contents. We had no problems with it being toppled during our testing, so it clearly operates properly.
But this dish is so little that our rabbits easily moved it about their cage, splashing water everywhere. It’s possible that this wouldn’t be the case if the bowl were somewhat larger. It’s a touch too light as is, but we really like the reasonable pricing and sturdy foundation.
Pros
- Very reasonable costs
- Produced with ceramic that is impervious to chewing
- Having a solid foundation will keep your item from toppling over.
- Microbes are discouraged by the glossy surface.
Cons
- Small in size
- It’s designed to be slid around a cage by rabbits.
Bunny-themed water fountain and bowl by Lixit
The Lixit Animal Care Rabbit Water Fountain is a great alternative to having to regularly re-fill your rabbit’s water dish. Fill up to 48 ounces of water in this container and release it gradually into the rabbit water bowl.
Since this device can supply water for several days, it helps us save time and effort. Furthermore, it’s simple to clean, therefore your maintenance requirements will be low.
Even while this water bowl has its benefits, there are also several drawbacks that we find unappealing. This dish, for example, isn’t extremely heavy and doesn’t have a weighted base.
It’s a cinch to topple over and creates a huge mess if it does! We like the convenience, but the enormous mess it creates when overturned isn’t worth it.
Pros
- Water capacity is 48 ounces.
- Delivers liquids on demand, perfect for the critter in your care
- The process of cleaning is simple.
Cons
- This one lacks a weighted base.
- Is toppleable
- If it falls over, it will make a huge mess.
Ethical Stoneware Rabbit Water Dish
If you’re looking for a low-cost option to keep your rabbit hydrated, consider the Ethical Stoneware Rabbit Water Dish. It is available in a wide variety of sizes, from 3 inches to 9.5 inches. We placed many orders, but the sizes don’t seem to match up.
These bowls won’t topple over because they’re stone and hence rather weighty. And to keep bacteria at bay, they’re covered with a shiny material.
However, they break far more easily than the porcelain bowls we used as a comparison. There is a dome at the base, making it hard to see how much water is still there. Even if it’s cheap, we believe there are better alternatives out there.
Pros
- Different sizing options are readily available.
- To the point that a rabbit couldn’t topple it
- Antibacterial properties of high gloss finish
Cons
- Size estimation error
- It’s hard to see how much water is left due to the dome-shaped base.
- Easy to Fracture
Lixit Rabbits’ Quick Lock Crock Water Bowl
Lixit’s Quick Lock Crock is a small animal dish made of plastic that twist-locks onto the side of a cage with wire bars. It takes only a few seconds to set up and take down, and once it’s in place, it won’t move even if someone tries to move it.
However, it is considerably more costly than alternatives that provide the same functionality.
This bowl is made with a durable material that can withstand the rigors of a pet’s surroundings without succumbing to chewing. As an added bonus, you can throw it in the dishwasher to clean it.
However, the fact that it is only available in one size, which is too huge for most rabbits, is a major drawback.
Pros
- Durable against chewing
- You can throw it in the dishwasher and clean it up quickly.
- Attaches to the barbed wire enclosure
Cons
- Strictly a huge option
- Compared to alternatives, it’s somewhat pricey
Bunny water bowl with a built-in holder to prevent spills, the STAYbowl
The STAYbowl Tip-Proof Bunny Water Bowl is designed to be incredibly sturdy and impossible to tip over with its broad skirt encircling the main water dish.
But it’s so light that our bunnies can easily toss it around. Water is flung across the cage when it is hurled, yet the cage does not really topple over.
Pets may safely eat and drink from this dish because it is crafted from BPA-free plastic. It costs more than similar plastic bowls, including those that clamp to the cage’s side.
Since the bowl is largely skirt and has very little real bowl surface, it can’t carry much liquid, either. There are better alternatives out there for the money, therefore we can’t suggest this one.
Pros
- Strong, BPA-free plastic construction.
Cons
- It’s so flimsy that a rabbit might easily toss it.
- Not very convincing.
- Compared to alternatives, it’s somewhat pricey
How to Get the Most Out of Your Shopping Experience
All of these items may be used to keep your bunnies hydrated, although some may be more appealing than others due to additional characteristics.
This brief buying guide will go over the most crucial features to look for in a rabbit water dish to help you make an informed decision.
Things to Think About When Buying a Water Bowl for a Rabbit
Materials: What Exactly Are They Made Of?
Technically, a water bowl might be made out of almost anything. Nonetheless, the majority of the bowls we tried out for this roundup were fashioned out of either plastic or ceramic.
Which is preferable, then? To be fair, they both have their benefits and drawbacks.
Plastic
When compared to their ceramic counterparts, plastic water bowls are significantly easier to carry. They are less fragile, so they won’t break as easily if you drop them.
Most of the plastic bowls we tried out can be secured to the bar of a crate using a simple locking mechanism. Not doing so would result in a disaster as they would likely topple over.
Although most of the plastic bowls we examined were resistant to chewing, they were nevertheless more easily broken than their ceramic counterparts.
Ceramic
The weight difference between ceramic and plastic bowls is significant. They aren’t side-mountable, but the added heft makes the cage far less likely to topple over.
If you use a little porcelain bowl, your rabbit won’t be able to gnaw it, but it can still move it around and make a mess with the splashing water.
Can You Easily Make a Mess?
You should make sure that the rabbit’s water bowl is heavy and awkward to tip over. Your rabbit might potentially mess up their cage by spilling their food or water all over the floor if the bowl is too flimsy or not secured to the cage.
The combination of wet pet bedding and animal feces is a potent odor source.
The stability of ceramic bowls is based on their weight. In the case of plastic bowls, however, they must be attached to the side of the cage due to their weight.
Bowls made of plastic or ceramic may be detached from their mounting points and ceramic bowls can be moved about. Choose a water basin that your rabbit can’t easily knock over, regardless of its size.
Durability
Rabbits are known to be very mischievous, and one of their favorite ways to have fun is to splash around in their water dish. Dish breakage can also occur from accidental overturning or tossing.
It’s important to select a sturdy bowl because there are several potential causes of bowl breakage.
Size
You should get a large enough dish to provide your rabbit enough of water without taking up too much of its living area.
We recommend getting a dish that holds between 6 and 10 ounces, but you can find them in sizes ranging from 6 to 20 ounces if you’d like to spoil your rabbit rotten.
Avoid getting a dish that is excessively tall, since your rabbit will not be able to drink from it. Sometimes the design of the cage will prevent you from installing plastic bowls at a level your rabbit can reach.
Before you go out and buy a bowl, make sure you’ve checked this.
Conclusion
It started as a response to the mess our rabbits were creating by turning their water bowls upside down, resulting in us buying more bowls than we had, in an effort to find out.
We’ll see which one will help us avoid this problem. After reading the reviews of BestForPets (bestforpets.org), you know how these bowls compare, but we’ll quickly reiterate our recommendations so they stay fresh in your memory for ease of picking out the best rabbit water bowls.
Our favorite overall is the Kaytee Paw Print Water Bowl. This porcelain dish is coated for easy cleaning and is resistant to corrosion. The best thing is that it’s weighty enough that our bunnies will have a hard time flipping it over.
For the best value at the lowest price, we recommend Living World’s Lock & Crock Rice Bowl. This inexpensive plastic bowl is dishwasher safe and termite resistant, and it attaches securely to the side wall of any wire cage so it can’t tip over.
If you’re looking for a more quality option, the Ware Slide-N-Lock Small Animal Dish is manufactured from hard and strong plastic that’s resistant to chewing. It easily connects to the side of any cage, locking in place to prevent it from falling over.
Dr. Deborah Fletcher
Deborah R. Fletcher, DVM, is a skilled veterinarian with more than 15 years of experience dealing with companion and exotic animals. She has experience caring for a variety of animals, including household cats and dogs, reptiles, birds of prey, and even primates. Dr. Fletcher is a valuable part of the BestForPets team, where she contributes to their aim of providing pets and their owners with the finest possible treatment and services.
Veterinarian (DVM) Dr. Deborah Fletcher
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