Drinking from bowl now

[wheek!guinea]

I replaced one of my piggies water bottle since it was old and leaky before but noticed he hasn’t been drinking from it. I tested it and have seen him take 1-2 sips from it, but noticed by the end of the day there was little drank from it which is not like him. He’s usually going through water throughout the day. So I put a bowl in his cage and he drinks just fine from it, and I notice him drinking well from it. Has anyone had a piggy just not interested in water bottles anymore? Or is this something I should be concerned about? I’ve triple checked that it works and have even repositioned it and refilled it just in case. He’s eating, alert, playful otherwise.

Side note: I know it’s his water bottle, because my boars are separated but can still interact with one another through the bars. Glacier has a bad back possibly spondylosis or IVDD. The vet has advised of this for his safety and health.

 

[Lorcan]

How high or low does the bottle sit on the cage? It might be worth adjusting the height, in case he's having difficulty/is in pain trying to reach the bottle where it is.

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

Some older piggies prefer to drink from bowls as it is a more natural position and therefore more comfortable for them, especially if they have arthritis in their neck or back, or other spinal issues. So long as your piggy is drinking well from a bowl you don't need to be concerned.

 

[wheek!guinea]

Just wanted to update this in case anyone has something similar happen. Neither piggy fancied the water bottle lol. It wasn’t defective or at the wrong height, just two silly pigs.