What Can Rabbits Drink? 2 Important Benefits Of Water

 Humans consume various liquids, including carbonated drinks, milk, coffee, and water, but what about rabbits? What can rabbits drink?

Well, rabbits only need water, that’s it. And if they drink anything but water, make sure that the vet recommends it.

We, pet owners, should be responsible for what we are feeding our rabbits, it is convenient to give our pets what we usually drink, but it might be dangerous to their health.

So, be careful, and remember that what’s right for you may be harmful to your rabbits.

Nevertheless, to help you ease your worries, this article will talk about what kinds of drinks your rabbits can and shouldn’t consume; read on to fill up your knowledge.

Rabbits Should Drink Water; Plenty Of It

If you are curious what can rabbits drink? the simple answer is just water. Water is vital for most living things; plants, animals, and humans need water to strive.

Since my friends recommend me to use water bowls, I started using them, and after all, rabbits usually drink from ponds or rivers. So, it’s a natural way for my pet rabbit to drink. 

Fluids aside from water, such as juices, contain lots of sugar with low fiber content; by the sound of it, you don’t want your pet to drink it, would you?

However, kitten milk or goat milk would be safe for your rabbits to intake, but only for babies. If you want are curious about giving cow milk to your rabbit, this article will answer all your questions Can rabbit drink cow milk

So, adult rabbits would only need fresh water in a clean bowl, of course. Give your pet a sufficient amount of freshwater. Ensure that your rabbit has access to clean water; I prefer to give my pet Thumper boiled pure water to make sure it is safe.

Why water? You may ask; here are the benefits of water to encourage you to offer your pet plenty of it.

Benefits Of Clean Water To Rabbits

Water is indeed an essential fluid, as it improves blood circulation and helps our cells to function. So, it pretty much keeps us all alive.

Like other mammals, rabbits consist of 73% water; enough water will keep your rabbit alive and kicking!

#1. Water promotes smooth bowel movement

Water helps your rabbit’s digestive system work properly by moistening the ingested food, so it quickly and freely moves inside their body system.

Because if it’s dry, your rabbit might choke, or the food could cause blockage inside their gut resulting in future problems. It will gravely harm your pet.

Moreover, if the food your rabbit has to take will stay for a long time, your pet will need more water for the food to draw out into the bloodstream.

During this time, dehydration will worsen; that’s why your pet rabbit should drink more water.

#2. Water helps get rid of excess calcium

Calcium is beneficial for our bones and teeth, but excessive amounts of it will put your rabbits in danger.

Too much calcium could cause urinary and bladder stones; it’s excruciating for rabbits, and you don’t want your pet to experience that.

Since rabbits absorb all the calcium from their food, you have to make sure that their diet consists of enough calcium content, as little calcium will make your rabbit susceptible to dental diseases. 

So, to regulate your rabbit’s calcium intake, make them drink lots of water to flush out all the problems, which is excessive calcium.

Drinks Your Rabbits Should Avoid

According to the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center, pet owners should be aware that the following drinks are harmful to their pet rabbits.

The list includes coffee, alcohol, citrus, grape, chocolate, milk, xylitol, and caffeine.

You also want to stay away from fats, salts, and sugars because lots of these may cause your pet to develop diseases.

So, it’s better to stick with water. However, you can’t just give your rabbit water unknowingly. You must make sure that the water is clean and drinkable for your pet.

That’s why most pet owners would ask if tap water is safe. Is it? Let’s find out as you continue reading this article.

Is tap water safe for rabbits?

Some people drink tap water in their homes and their pets as well. It’s not entirely wrong to drink tap water, but their instances of being contaminated are high which is dangerous for your pets to swallow.

You see, some homes have tap water with chlorine, which is a strong chemical that you and your rabbit shouldn’t drink. 

That is why some homeowners would place filters in their sinks to ensure that the water is free from lead or chlorine.

Yet, suppose you insist on giving your rabbit tap water. In that case, you should let the tap water from the faucet run for a while to reduce the contaminants present.

Or if you think it’s just chlorine, then place the water in an open container and leave it exposed to air for the chlorine to evaporate, leaving it safe for your rabbits to drink. learn more

Regardless, pure water would still be the best for your rabbits to consume; it’s better to be safe than put your pet’s life at stake.

Water bottle or water bowl?

This question is still the most argued by pet owners. While both are special on their own, it’s up to you to figure out what’s best for your rabbits.

Some would say that water bottles are convenient since you don’t have to refill them all the time, allowing you to focus on other things, but maintaining them would be challenging, and it’s a struggle for your pets to drink.

Moreover, water bottles often leak or malfunction, resulting in ounces of water to come out of the container.

As for water bowls, it indeed makes your rabbits drink in a natural way, but it can get dirty since rabbits are quite messy.

I would suggest you buy a heavier type of water bowl so that your rabbits can’t flip it and spill water.

Choosing between the two is a hassle. So, why not both? That’s why some pet owners would opt to provide both water bowls and water bottles.

Whatever you choose, what’s important is that you make sure that the containers are always clean. The water is changed regularly to avoid bacterial growth, which carries illnesses your rabbits wouldn’t enjoy.

How long can rabbits go without water?

Rabbits can survive 24 hours without water, but please don’t let that happen to your pet.

Again, rabbits need to consume lots of water twice their food intake. A few hours without water will cause your pet to have problems, and after 24 hours, your rabbit will get severely ill.

That’s why water is super important, and you must make sure that your rabbit has access to it every day.

A detailed discussion has been done on How long rabbits can go without water in this article. 

Conclusion

As a responsible pet owner, you must know what can rabbits drink. Often, we get tempted to share our drinks with our fluffy pets.

And I relate to that every time Thumper would stare at me as I drink my favorite milk tea.

No matter how adorable your rabbit is, resist, and stick to water alone. Your rabbit will thank you for that, just as I thank you for reading this article.