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[Squirrel_Butt]

Hey

For the last few weeks when I went to give Clyde fresh water, I noticed a smell comming from the bottle when I uncap it.  I give each of them bottled water because the water is hard in my area so a water softener is in use.  I know water should be changed daily, but my budget is limited as of late.  I Give fresh water every other day ( Friday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday.....) so that I can do the next best thing. 

The thing is Clyde's bottle is the only one that has this issue. I have got a new bottle for him too and it still does it.  When i wash his bottle, I use dish soap and i use a bottle brush for the bottle and sipper tube. 

His cage is located near a window but he doesn't get direct sun exposure at all. I keep my blinds closed all the time.  I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it or not.

The vet checked his mouth and all seems well in there. Does anyone have any ideas?

[GrayRodent]

How long have you had the bottle? Maye the rubber is deteriorating and it's time to replace it.

[Squirrel_Butt]

Its a brand new bottle.

[chinclub]

He is back washing his food when he drinks.  It isn't common with chinchillas but some do it.  In my herd of 400 chinchillas I have 7 that do this.  They somehow manage to get the food up into the bottle when they drink. (don't ask me how they do it!)  Most of mine get so much in there that the water will turn yellow and you can see food floating in the bottle.  With others is just the smell. 
If you soak some of their food in water overnight you will probably recognize the smell.

By the way, are using the kind of bottle that has a little ball in the sipper tube?  If not you might try one of those.

On a side note about strange bottle situations, I also had a chinchilla that would stick his food pellets up inside the tube.  I use the glass bottles with the glass spouts.  Every morning I would find a big wet pellet stuck inside the tube and I would have to get it out.  YUCK!!  Oh the things chinchillas come up with to amuse themselves.  lol

[Squirrel_Butt]

I use the ball and sipper type. Its a glass bottle as I'm sure he would chew a plastic one.  I'm not sure if he would know how to use the type with a valve though.  I have noticed debris  in the water sometimes though.  I'll soak some pellets overnight tonight to see if it is in fact the same smell. Sorry it took my a while to reply.

[Jo Ann]

    I have several chins that do this also. 

   One I observed, stuffed his little mouth with food, so much so, he decided to do the mouth wash thing ...  He got a mouth full of water and the debris from the food went up and into the bottle when he spued it out, back into the tube.  YUCK!

   Like Jamie, I have a couple that decide to try to hide extra pellets inside the sipper tube also.

    Then I have this one little chin that was born with only 2 teeth and he can not chew his food properly.  He will stick a pellet into the tube, let it get wet, then suck it out.  Smart chin!   


   Jo Ann

[Squirrel_Butt]

This won't cause an increase in bacterial growth will it?

[chinclub]

If you go to long between washing it can.  If you rinse it out and give fresh water every day or two it will be fine.

[Squirrel_Butt]

I try to give them fresh water every 3 days.  With the hard water here and the water softner in use I use bottled water. The only thing is I have to balance my budget. I wish I could afford to give fresh water every day.

[GrayRodent]

We give our pet parrot filtered water using a filter that attaches to the sink faucet. It may not be the best but it makes the water taste better and is way less expensive than bottled water in the long run.

[Squirrel_Butt]

That may be something to consider down the road