My guinea pig has this really DEEP food bowl that came with her cage and instead of getting up to eat, (she doesn't like exerting energy for things like eating) she dumps it over (scattering all the food with her feces and dirty bedding (not DIRTY but, "dirty"). Anyway, i recently found out that it gets contaminated, ( and what stinks is that i just came back from pet store but, didn't find anything "great" for my problem. There was one bowl that was slanted for comfort, a ceramic bowl. There were lots of ceramic bowl but, i'm afraid she'll still tip it over and end up banging it on her head!) Her bottle is also leaking (i have to get a new one, any recommendations??) P.S- i know you're probably thinking "why didn't she get a bottle at the pet store?" Answer: they were the SAME ones i have

Hello!
Its so funny I have had the same problem when I owned my Guinea Pigs...
They just love to be messy little piggies. hehe

Something I would recommend is going into the reptile section and have a lot of shallow dishes there.
The only problem is most are gonna be like a plastic (not harmful) or shaped like rocks.
They do have ones that are shaped like a bean (I know not a very good description) but that I would think would be a good dish and it ceramic so wouldn't have to worry about anything she wouldn't be used to.

As for the water bottle, those things are just terrible!
I have found when mine leak it is because I either have tightened the lid to tight or filled it to full.
The angle you have it in might me a factor as well.
So maybe try leaving a little air in the top when you fill it and maybe loosen it up.
Hopefully that saves you the expense of having to buy a new one!

Best of luck to you!
Whitney

glue the bowl down, and get a big bottle, than you dont have to fill it up all of the time

use a double balled watter bottle then follow the instructions

its what my gunea has

Get a HEAVY ceramic crock with edges between 1.5" and 3" high. Even if she tips it over you don't need to worry, she won't hurt herself. We've never had one do it in over 40 years!


As for the bottle, the problem isn't the brand, it is the seal or the tightness of the cap. If there is any air that leaks in around the seal, it lets water leak out. We buy the cheap , medium or large size bottles they sell at Wal Mart. They cost between $2.50 and $3.50 depending on whether you get the medium (16 oz) or large (32 oz) size. We toss the bottles since the right angle corners are hard to clean and put the tops on 0.5 L, 1.0 L or 1.5L plastic soda bottles. The sloped sides are much easier to clean and we simply save the sipper tube top and replace the bottles when they no longer clean up well.

There are 2 secrets and both relate to getting a good seal. 1) be sure that the top is on TIGHT!!! 2) be sure that the rubber o-ring or gasket is elastic and unscratched. If it is dried out, cracked or scratched it will not seal well. I always keep a good supply of hose washers on hand. They sell these in the garden department for garden hoses. They are just the right size to fit in the sipper tube top and replace the old seal. I have about 80 bottles and none leak more than a teaspoon or 2 in a day from the pigs bumping them or playing with them

40+ years raising and showing guinea pigs

I use metal hanging rabbit feeders for my pigs, they latch onto the bars of the cage which reduces spillage. Plus it's really cute to watch them stand on the feeder as they eat. As for the water bottles, all of mine leak to some extent, I wish someone would hurry up and invent a non-leaking bottle. The ones made of glass are more expensive but they don't seem to leak as much as the plastic ones.

pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com

Feeder:
http://www.bassequipment.com/Feeders/The+Fine-X+Feeder/default.aspx
Bottle:
http://www.bigappleherp.com/Living-World-Eco-Water-Bottle

11 years breeding and raising cavies
Studying to be a judge
Project leader for 4-H rabbit and Cavy projects

As for the bowl, get a heavy one that is slanted .. That way she wont make a mess of her food. And for the water bottle, test them out in the store .. You dont want the ball (in the nozzle) to be too lose. Get one that does not move around too much. I have had that problem way too many times, about 4 water bottles later, i finally found some good ones lol Good Luck!