The system works by having a reservoir of water up high, which is directed through black plastic tubing (to stop algae growth) to each cage. Each cage has a nipple held in place with a metal bracket through which the chinchilla can gain water by pressing on the nipple which releases a vale to allow water to dribble through.
Water reservoir |
water pipes to each cages water nipple |
The reservoir has to be higher than the level of the cages as the system is gravity fed, this means that if your unit has cages high up in the air (not recommended as heat rises and is more likely to cause problems for animals in these cages) then these cages will still need to use water bottles.
attached to side of the cage |
attached along the top front of the cage |
The pipes are attached to be held 2-3 inches away from the cages using piece of normal wire mesh cut and shaped into brackets - otherwise the chinchillas will chew through the pipes causing the entire reservoir to empty through the hole they cause leaving the entire unit without water. For this reason it is better to use many smaller systems on a large number of cages rather than a sole reservoir for all.
Watering Nipple |
Nipple Bracket |
In Cage View |
Outside Cage view |
Each nipple is held in place by a metal bracket that fits onto the cage mesh which contains two holes, the nipple pushes through both holes to be held in place.
In hard water areas the nipples can clog with lime scale and leak, if they are taken apart, the rubber washers removed (keep in water to keep damp or they wildry out and crack) and all metal parts soaked in vinegar, then rinsed completely and reassembled this can be cured.
I have never found a problem with using this type of system though some breeders have said tat kits could have difficulties and do add a normal water bottle when they are in the cage. I have never found this and often see kits drinking from the water nipples (just ensure they are low enough down the cage so that they can reach)
There area few disadvantages to using an automated watering system:
1) you cannot tell how much water individual animals are drinking
2) you have to check each nipple daily to ensure that there is water flow and no air blockage
3) when a pipe is broken you get SOAKED fixing it
If anyone has identified any taps that can fit into this type of tubing then please do inform me! My idea has been to adda tap between each cage so that should one pipe be broken it is easier and drier to change the small broken part without the whole system draining.
Watering systems MUST be disinfected every 6 months to ensure no bacterial blooms can grow. See this page for more information.
