Automatic water system for rabbits

I did some searching in the forums, but did not quite find anything yet on this topic specifically.

I am interested in setting up an automatic system that uses tubing and nipples for rabbits. I feel it may help me keep their water cleaner and make it a bit faster to do rabbit chores. The thing is I don't want to just spend a lot of money on a system that I've never really seen in use by anyone that I know. Bottles are getting expensive and if I could tell you how many have broken or sprung leaks it can make one cry over the money and plastic waste. If you have any experience with a nipple system for rabbits, I'd love to get your thoughts. Thanks a million.

I have used a 5 gallon bucket with black air line tubing and nipples similar to those linked below.
Easy to make and keep clean. It's not automatic but it is large capacity and gravity fed.

gravity fed water nipples

Here is a thread about folks using the nipples as suggested by Clay:

https://permies.com/t/140593/Watering-Devices-Groups-Single-Rabbits

Here is my toddleresque attempt at digital illustration of the system.

It's very simple if you Google it you will be able to make a parts list and make the entire thing in under 30 minutes.

Good luck

Clay Bunch wrote:Here is my toddleresque attempt at digital illustration of the system.

It's very simple if you Google it you will be able to make a parts list and make the entire thing in under 30 minutes.

Good luck

Do you have any brand recommendations? I don't know how many are out there. The first I have been able to find this (and I searched quite a bit not too long ago) was a recommendation on Amazon. The company is Chinese from what I can tell. I don't mind foreign stuff, but I'm cautious with companies that don't show up when you search their name, which happened.

Clay Bunch wrote:I have used a 5 gallon bucket with black air line tubing and nipples similar to those linked below.
Easy to make and keep clean. It's not automatic but it is large capacity and gravity fed.

gravity fed water nipples

Somehow I missed this post when I first read. I apologize for extra questions you already answered!

Hey I didn't use that exact product. I used a similar one from the feed store here called Rural King. I got the air line from a pet store. I used tubing from lowes first that was clear and it got algae in it so I changed to black tube.
The connector pieces were at the pet store in the air pump section.

I bought some of the watering nipples an Tees on Amazon as Clay mentioned and installed my rabbit watering system last year.  I wish I had done it years ago.  I used  5 gallon bucket on a stand.  When it is warm enough to use the automatic watering system, it saves me so much time. I love it.  I use bowls in the winter because bottles freeze up too fast and the automatic system nipples would too. I am in Ohio.   We ran out of tubing so we bought some more at a local hardware store.   I hadn't seen the watering system at Rural King or I probably would have bought it there.  
I bought the bucket connectors
https://www.amazon.com/Bucket-connectors-Rabbit-Nipples-Gravity/dp/B08716S9R1?pd_rd_w=VbD59&content-id=amzn1.sym.724fac2e-0491-4f7a-a10d-2221f9a8bc9a&pf_rd_p=724fac2e-0491-4f7a-a10d-2221f9a8bc9a&pf_rd_r=G47SZVZM6YM2QAXQ7FMT&pd_rd_wg=6twV7&pd_rd_r=639a6eb9-556a-49e8-81b0-9e2d3d205d51&pd_rd_i=B08716S9R1&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_d_grid_rp_0_29_i

and I bought the nipples and tees.
https://www.amazon.com/Junniu-Automatic-Drinker-Drinking-Watering/dp/B09DKPRC89?pd_rd_w=VbD59&content-id=amzn1.sym.724fac2e-0491-4f7a-a10d-2221f9a8bc9a&pf_rd_p=724fac2e-0491-4f7a-a10d-2221f9a8bc9a&pf_rd_r=G47SZVZM6YM2QAXQ7FMT&pd_rd_wg=6twV7&pd_rd_r=639a6eb9-556a-49e8-81b0-9e2d3d205d51&pd_rd_i=B09DKPRC89&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_d_grid_rp_0_50_t

I had plenty to run the system to  10 cages with some left over. I have had one or two nipples not work right and replaced them and still have some left over.  

I live in North Central Ohio.  This watering system gives me great piece of mind in the hot summer months so I don't have to fill water bottles multiple times a day.  Works great April through about November.  I use bowls in the winter because even if the water freezes, the rabbits will still lick ice and get moisture that way.  If I use bowls in the summer they tip them over and don't have water. They will also go through several bottles of water a day when it is hot.  I raise Champagne d' Argents and I keep them on the north side of the house so they only get sun in the morning.

You can make the system automatic by adding a float valve to your 5 gallon bucket or reservoir with a hose attached the float valve.  I haven't done that yet because I have to be able to move the hose so I can mow the yard.
I kinda wish I had used black tubing to limit algae growth but I went with clear tubing.  At least I can see if there is crap building up in the tubing.  When I see stuff building up in the tubing I pull the tubing off a tee and let it run the crud out.  

I did make a few mistakes at first, having the tubing too close to the rabbit wire......yep the rabbits chewed it and of course the water all drained out, but after a couple of those mishaps, I got things right and all is going good this spring so far.  
Again, I wish I had done this years ago!  

goodluck!

Bonnie

I decided against automatic water systems due to backwash i.e. saliva from rabbit while drinking mixing in with the water supply. If one bunny is sick they all catch it from the water this way. Also i want to know how much each bunny or pen is drinking, it tells me a lot about health and interactions in the pen if there are more animals in there.
My waterbottles have a lid to pour water in, so that is easy, and i feed twice a day anyway. Nipples can be replaced, so if they fail i just screw a new one in.

I am not sure how any backwash would get back into the tubing and flow upward against gravity to go to another cage.  When a rabbit pushes on the nipple the valve opens and water flows out. When the rabbit stops pushing, then the nipple closes.  The water flow would push out anything trying to go back up in the nipple and into the tubing.  

I had way more crap building up in the water bottles and they are very hard to get clean.  I do not have the flip top. Also I have had to replace the water bottles along with the ball valve nipple that goes on the water bottle. The plastic bottle part becomes brittle then cracks.  The water bottle nipple freezes and cracks easily on the plastic that screws onto the bottle. I can't use the bottle or the automatic system in the winter.  

I have not had a problem with disease transmitting through water.  I only bring in a new rabbit every couple of years to help avoid heavy inbreeding. I don't go to rabbit shows, and I don't have my rabbits where they can get in contact with wild rabbits.  Although I did have a doe successfully raise two out of four wild bunnies that were orphaned.  

I understand that it can tell you a lot about how an animal is doing by monitoring the water.  When I first installed the automatic watering system, I would go to each cage and check to make sure that the water was flowing. Now I can tell from looking in the 5 gallon bucket if the rabbits have been drinking enough water.  Also if the bucket is empty, I know to look for a leak or a bad nipple or a disconnected tube/hose from my dogs hitting the tubing. I have so many other animals to take care of horses, steer, pigs, goats, chickens, and dogs that it is a relief for me not to be constantly checking and refilling water bottles three times a day in the summer.  

I am glad your system works for you.