Can Ferrets Drink Water Out of a Bowl?

I was a bit disturbed, as I could clearly see my pet ferret drinking very little water from his water bottle. I was worried that he would be dehydrated. That’s when it struck me that I needed an alternative to a bottle. And a question popped in my head: Can Ferrets Drink Water Out Of A Bowl?

I was relieved to know that I could serve water in a water bowl to my furry friend. Now the next task was selecting the perfect material and design of the water bowl for my ferret. 

So read on to know everything about water bowls!

Can Ferrets Drink Water Out of a Bowl?

The answer to Can Ferrets Drink Water Out Of A Bowl is a big YES. Infact, it is closer to your ferret’s natural ways of drinking water and much better than water bottles.

You should only keep in mind that the water bowl selection is very important.  

Why Is It Better for Ferrets to Drink Water Out of a Bowl Than From a Water Bottle?  

Water bottles or water bowls, this is often a point of debate amongst ferret owners. However, if you consider the natural tendency of your ferret, he would definitely be more comfortable drinking out of a water bowl, as it matches your furry friend’s natural style of water drinking.

Below are the three main reasons why water bowls are a better option than water bottles.

1. Your Ferret Will Be More Comfortable Drinking From the Water Bowl 

If we talk about water bottles, then indeed your ferret might have a difficult time adjusting to drinking water from the nozzle of the bottle. After all, he is not a human baby! This is not his natural style of drinking.  

With the water bowl, it matches the ferret’s natural style of drinking water from the open spaces, like in the wild. Hence, your ferret will be more than happy to drink water from the water bowl at his convenience.

2. Your Ferret Will Stay More Hydrated By Drinking From Water Bowl

Your ferret, while extremely hungry, might get irritated trying to drink water from the water bottle. And in many cases, might just avoid drinking water. So, it is possible that your ferret does not drink a sufficient amount of water.

As opposed to it, from a water bowl, your fuzzy friend will have a sip whenever he likes and thus will keep himself hydrated.

Take a look at this cute video of ferrets enjoying sipping water from a water bowl.

3. Your Furry Friend Can Play in the Water Bowl

If you use a water bowl, your ferret will also have some fun time with the water, and keep himself entertained. Check out this 3-month-old ferret enjoying his time with some water splashes.

If your ferret loves water, you can also check out our guide on how you can encourage your ferret to swim here.

How to Prevent My Ferrets From Tipping Over Their Water Bowls? 

While using a water bowl is a better option than using a water bottle for your ferret, it might become a bit messy, as your furry friend can trip over the water bowls.

If this is something that you have experienced, take a look at the below options to prevent your ferret from tipping over his water bowl.

1. Use a Heavy Bowl of Water

Since the ceramic water bowls are usually heavier as compared to your ferret’s weight, your ferret can easily dig in and drink the water, without tipping over the water bowl.

Check out this ceramic ferret water bowl which works great for small animals.

2. Have a Water Bowl With Clamp

Select a water bowl that can be clamped to the ferret’s cage to avoid any tipping incidents.

This product I found online is great for ferrets. Have a look for yourself!

Check out our recommendations for the best ferret cage here.

How to Choose the Best Water Bowl for My Ferret? 

You should take into consideration the below 2 factors while purchasing a water bowl for your ferret. 

Factor 1: Material of Ferret Water Bowl

It is very important that you consider the water bowl material. Not only will it affect your ferret’s health, but you should also consider how durable the water bowl material is.

You will mostly find water bowls of plastic, ceramic or stainless steel materials. All of these materials are suitable, and you should take into consideration the pros and cons of each while selecting the best bowl for your furry friend.

1. Plastic Bowls For Ferrets

Plastic is definitely the widest used material in water bowls.

Pros:

• There are a variety of color and size options available.
• They are the cheapest.

Cons:

• Since plastic is a lightweight material, your ferret can easily trip over the plastic bowl.
• Plastic bowls are more prone to scratches. The scratches can act as a breeding ground for many types of bacteria.
• Plastics can release BPA which is a harmful chemical. Hence, only BPA-free plastic water bowls should be used.

2. Ceramic Bowls For Ferrets

Ceramics are a great choice for ferret owners who want a heavier water bowl.

Pros:

• They are heavy, so your ferret will not trip over the water bowl.
• You can be assured that the ceramic bowl will be in its place, since your ferret will not be able to move it.

Cons:

• Ceramic water bowls are the most expensive.
• These water bowls are not durable, as they can break and chip off quite easily. Hence, you might need to replace it quite often.

3. Steel Bowls For Ferrets

If we take into consideration the material aspect, then steel water bowls definitely take the cake.

Pros:

• They can be found in a variety of shapes and sizes.
• Steel water bowls are much more durable if compared with plastic and ceramic. These bowls do not break and are almost scratch-proof.

Cons:

• Steel is not as heavy as ceramic. Hence, there are chances that your ferret might trip over the steel water bowl.

Factor 2: Water Bowl Design Of Ferret Bowl

Your ferret won’t just use the water bowl to drink water! He will also use it for digging and have some playtime with the water splashes. Hence, it is important to take into account the water bowl type and design.

After all, the last thing you would want is your ferret tipping over repeatedly on the water bowl, or hurting himself by the water bowl. Below are a few water bowl designs:

1. Rubber Bottom Water Bowls

Even though rubber bowls are widely used for other pets, they serve only a little good if small pets like ferrets are considered. This water bowl has rubber wrapped at the bottom of the water bowl bottom. This is usually a stainless steel bowl.

You can use these for putting cat foods or as dog bowls, but not for ferrets.

Pros:

• The rubber fixed at the bottom will keep the bowl in its place when your ferret is drinking water from it.

Cons:

• If your ferret plays vigorously in this water bowl, it can trip over and move the water bowl.
• Ferrets are inquisitive creatures, and you can be almost sure that your ferret will try to nib and chew the rubber material. Your ferret can swallow it and this can prove to be fatal for your furry friend.

2. Clamped Water Bowl

A clamped water bowl works great for ferrets. You will get a water bowl with a clamp that can be fixed directly in the ferret’s cage.

Pros:

• Since the bowl is fixed, your ferret will not be able to trip over the bowl.
• Your ferret can easily dig into the bowl, without having to worry about the water spill.

Cons:

• It is a bit difficult to clean this water bowl since it is fixed.
• Clamped bowls are usually available in plastic material, which is not a great choice.
• It is a bit difficult to place these types of water bowls in the cage.

3. Clamped Water Bowl With a Separate Ring

These water bowls are an upgraded version of the clamped water bowls when it comes to the design and safety aspects. There is a separate ring that comes along with the water bowl. You only need to attach the ring to the cage. This would be fixed.

The water bowl can then be fixed or removed as and when needed to the steel ring.  

Pros:

• The water bowl is made of stainless steel, which is the best material for a water bowl.
• It can be cleaned easily.

Cons:

• If you place these water bowls at an extremely low level, your ferret might be able to grab the bottom of the bowl and toss it in the cage, making a complete mess.

What Is The Best Ferret Drinking Bowl?

Best Material: Stainless Steel

Best Water Bowl Design: Clamped Water Bowl With A Separate Ring

Planning to buy one water bowl for your furry friend? Check out this product which we love. It will be a perfect fit for your ferret, with the stainless steel material and a separate ring design feature.

A quick tip: Always keep the water dish away from the litter box. If placed anywhere near the litter tray, your ferret might not drink the matter, no matter how great the water bowl is.

What Type of Water Bowls Should I Avoid for My Ferrets?

Avoid the following type of water bowls for your ferret’s healthy life:

1. Water Bowl Made of Low-Quality Plastic

A water bowl that is made up of low-quality plastic. These types of water bowls tend to release a harmful chemical called BPA and can be scratched easily. 

Bacteria can breed in the grooves caused by scratches which can harm your ferret’s health.

2. Lightweight Water Bowls

You should avoid lightweight water bowls on which your ferret can easily trip over. Not only will it cause a mess in your ferret’s humble abode, but it can also irritate your ferret while he tries to drink water to quench his thirst

3. Water Bowls Comprising of Rubber Material

You should always keep a safe distance from water bowls with a rubber lining. Your furry friend can try to chew on the rubber material and can choke himself. 

Why Do Ferrets Dig In Their Water Bowl?

Ferrets are lovely playful creatures! And they love to dig in their water bowls. This is their natural behavior, and most of the ferrets will often do this. They also tend to dig in their food bowls.

You can find your ferret paddling into the water, or digging his front legs in the water while drinking some.  

Check out this furball digging in his water pet bowl.

Can Ferrets Drink Tap Water?

It is not recommended that ferrets drink tap water. The reason is that the tap water, which is usually from a public supply, may contain lots of chemicals that can severely affect your ferret’s health. 

Some of the commonly added chemicals and heavy metals include:

• Chlorine
• Chloramine
• Lead
• Mercury
• Fluoride

If you want your ferret to enjoy the running water, you can try out a water fountain. Your ferret will love it and can play or dig or drink the running water. Make sure to fill the fountain with filtered water and clean water.

Check out this awesome, noise-free, and BPA-free water fountain. Your ferret will get an experience similar to spring water with this. Moreover, this fountain is made of stainless steel. So, you can be assured that your ferret will not have any adverse effects.

Can Ferrets Drink Cold Water? 

Ferrets can drink cold water, but most of the ferret parents have an opinion that their domesticated ferrets do not like cold water.

So, if your ferret drinks cold water, that’s awesome! But if he doesn’t and throws a tantrum, then instead of leading him to dehydration, you can simply warm the water and put it in his water bowl.

How Much Water Should Ferrets Drink In a Day?

A ferret’s water intake is dependent on its body weight. On average, your ferret should drink 50 to 100 ml of water daily, for every pound of his body weight.

Take a look at the below table to get an idea of how much water a ferret needs as per his body weight.

Conclusion

So, the answer to Can ferrets drink water out of a bowl is a BIG YES. This should be a preferred option if your ferret likes drinking water from the bowl.

By giving a water bowl, you will provide your domesticated ferret with its natural way of drinking water, which he is bound to enjoy. 

Keep in mind the best material and bowl design, and you can ensure a healthy life for your ferret.