Switching to outside cage waterers?

[lstyles]

I have been just giving my birds water in a bowl on floor of cage and want to switch to something more hygienic and easier to use. I got some of those waterers that have a little finger that slips through bars into inside of cage with the plastic bottle hanging on outside. They seem quite nice. When making the switch do I need to do anything to transition the birds or will they readily adopt to this method of watering? Do they just sit on the little finger and drink. Also, I have seen people who use those rabbit like water bottles (ball in end of tube). Do those work for birds also? There is no place for them to sit though.
thanks,
Lori

[JRs Gouldians]

What I did when I switched my birds over was at first gave them both waters to use. The one they were used too, and the new one. After making sure some/most of the birds were using the new water I stopped with the old cups. I noticed most would drink from the outside one and bathe in the cup ones. Now they bathe in the cup provided at the bottom of the cage form time to time.

Also I have used the waters that look like small rabbit waters. These take the birds more time to get used to as just the little finger cup method. Also sometimes if you are not careful pressure can build up in the ball and pin making it to hard for the birds to push in. Meaning they get no water! This happened to me when I changed the water and later that day it was at the same full level. I fixed it and they came running for water. Later picked up more finger waters and do not use the ball and pin ones anymore.

[debbie276]

Never used anything other then a dish but I know you have to make sure they are using the new waterer before removing their dish. I've heard quite a few times that birds have died because they didn't know how to get water and the owner removed the dish they were used to too soon. Sometimes it takes a while and other times not so long for them to learn.
good luck

[ac12]

Lori,
A trick that I learn, from reading it somewhere, is to get the bird and dip the TIP of its beak into the water. That tells them where water is. I do that with new birds going into my quarantine cage. So you might try doing similar. Once you get a few birds going to the new water tube, the others will start to follow. "monkey see, monkey do."

Another thing you could do is, after you get a few to use the tubes, remove the bowl at lights out. Then in the morning wait an hour before putting the bowl back. This is similar to the technique in the FIC about getting birds to try new food.

[lstyles]

Gary,
I think I am gonna have quite a time catching all my birds and dipping their beaks in there! I like your idea about taking away the other water at night. I will try that first.
Lori

[MRobinson]

Something I found that helped me get them used to the tube waterer was to place it so the 'lip' that goes into the cage was at the end of a perch. They learned to hop down to that end of the perch and take a sip without having to worry about trying to land on it.

[lstyles]

Great idea! I will do that too.
Thanks
Lori

[Ursula]

I'm using these types of tube feeders/waterers in my aviary on the walls.

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... &lmdn=Bird

Additionally, I have big shallow water dishes on the floor for bathing.

I found that the birds mostly go to the tubes to drink and only for bathing down to the shallow dishes. The tubes stay much cleaner because they are small enough that they can't bathe in them but also big enough for them to see the water (which they might not in the real narrow tubes that you hang from outside) and it can't get clogged or drained like a rabbit bottle. I'm using those for years sucessfully.

By the way: I change the water daily in all dishes and these tubes.