Glass vs. Plastic Water Bottles?

Dystopoly

Dystopoly

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Sorry if this is the wrong thread for this, I wasn’t quite sure where to put it...
I’ve been using plastic water bottles since I’ve had my pigs - but they seem to get dirty and require me to purchase new ones quite quickly in order to keep them sanitary, (I deep clean them normally 2-3 times a week on top of daily water changes) and I’ve been wondering if investing in glass water bottles is a better choice? My only two concerns are cleanliness and leakiness. Do they tend to last longer than the plastic bottles, and do they accumulate more/less bacteria?
I would love input from people who’ve been using glass bottles! How do you like them?
 
Glass bottles will dirty for the same reasons as plastic ones do, so if shouldn’t affect cleanliness in that respect.

I’m surprised your buying new one so often - I use plastic and I only need to replace if they break. The guinea pigs bottles have been going for 18 months and my rabbit has had his current one for three years. I clean them using a cotton bud down the nozzle. The bottle itself is cleaned using some warm water and rice and then given a good shake, rinsed out, washed through with hot soapy water, rinsed again and they come up as good as new
 
I use the glass ones as a preference as I feel they keep water slightly cooler for longer in the summer. Cleanliness wise I feel they are on a par with the plastic ones. I use a cotton bud and teapot spout brush for the nozzle and either the water and uncooked rice method or the water and half a sheet of kitchen roll to clean the bottles.
 
VickiA said:
I use the glass ones as a preference as I feel they keep water slightly cooler for longer in the summer. Cleanliness wise I feel they are on a par with the plastic ones. I use a cotton bud and teapot spout brush for the nozzle and either the water and uncooked rice method or the water and half a sheet of kitchen roll to clean the bottles.
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I use glass for the same reason.
 
I used to prefer the glass ones but now have a nozzle chewer (thanks Brillo), he manages to bend the metal out of shape so the ball doesn't seal properly. I mainly use the plastic ones at the moment as they are so cheap I can have a ready supply of new tops!
 
How often do you clean them. I use the kitchen roll method and it's quick and easy. Half a paper towel in the bottle top with hot water and washing up liquid and agitate. Works a treat, even on small narrow necked vases. You think that you won't get the paper out, but you can! Genius :nod:
 
In what way are you finding them dirty? the nozzle - the inside - ? I have only ever used plastic ones and only replaced when they are broken or the top doesn't quite fit right.. i do wash every day in hot soapy water and they seem fine...
 
Glass ones definitely sound better🤔
 
I use plastic ones. Cover them with a sock, to stop algae from growing inside the bottle itself, and also keep it from freezing at night in the winter or getting too warm in the summer. Works a treat, and cheaper than a bottle cover from the let shop! 😁
 
Dystopoly said:
Sorry if this is the wrong thread for this, I wasn’t quite sure where to put it...
I’ve been using plastic water bottles since I’ve had my pigs - but they seem to get dirty and require me to purchase new ones quite quickly in order to keep them sanitary, (I deep clean them normally 2-3 times a week on top of daily water changes) and I’ve been wondering if investing in glass water bottles is a better choice? My only two concerns are cleanliness and leakiness. Do they tend to last longer than the plastic bottles, and do they accumulate more/less bacteria?
I would love input from people who’ve been using glass bottles! How do you like them?
Click to expand...
I have both glass and plastic and they are both really clean I’d say. I change and clean them daily so I don’t really know why yours are getting dirty. Also, the good thing about the glass ones is they have a longer nozzle, but that’s about it
 
All the glass water bottles I have tried have ended up leaking so I stick to plastic bottles these days and use a bottle brush to clean the bottle part and an earbud to clean the nozzle part.
 
Ellie-May said:
I have both glass and plastic and they are both really clean I’d say. I change and clean them daily so I don’t really know why yours are getting dirty. Also, the good thing about the glass ones is they have a longer nozzle, but that’s about it
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Some guinea pigs, backwash nugget crumbs back up into the bottle and spout, I had one boar that used to do this 😂
 
For the environment, I wouldn't definitely say Glass is better than plastic.

To clean the algae out the inside I use a teaspoon or so of rice if necessary, and mix it around to clean the inside of the bottle although this isn't needed often, and some baby bottle steriliser to steep them in.

I have never needed to bin a water bottle.
 
I have 4 and alternate in the dishwasher, I leave 2 bottles in the dishwasher to get washed over and over until they are clean inside. Narrow neck makes it hard to get clean first time. This will rub off any bottle markers though over time
 
I clean my bottles in Milton (baby bottle steriliser) once a month and change the water in the bottles regularly. This keeps them nice and clelan. I clean the spouts with a cotton bud.
 
I have both plastic and glass bottles and mine prefer the glass bottle.
I wash with vinegar to get rid of the bacteria and germs. I pour vinegar into the bottles then shake until I don’t see any residues. I also replace them often and buy new ones.
 
I’ve heard somewhere algae can collect more in plastic than glass but I don’t have much on that. I think the only reason there was algae in the only plastic bottle I’ve come into contact with was the owner (I was pet sitting) didn’t clean the bottle :hb:

Another thing to look out for is BPA— last I checked there wasn’t anything fully conclusive, but some sources say it can cause brain defects in young children and high blood pressure among other things. I decided to just not touch that and go with glass to be safe.
 
The glass ones have really long spouts, really good for guine apig with arthiritis I found out. Not stretching to reach to a tiny spout
 
I’ve only ever used plastic and I’ve had the same one since we got the pigs, we bought a new one for the bottom on the hutch too though
 
I use glass ones mostly for environmental reasons and I just think they look better (selfish I know) but my boys are indoor piggies so algae is not much of an issue. I've found the little brushes that come with reusable straws are perfect nozzle cleaners.
 
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