How to teach hamster to drink from water bottle?

Question
How do you teach a teddy bear hamster to drink from its water bottle?  We
noticed her first day with us she didn't touch the bottle, so we put a mini-cup
of water in her cage, which she began to drink from.  Still we have not seen
her drink from the bottle.  Any tips?

Thanks!

Answer
Hi Justin

Hamsters tend not to drink very much and so often you don't notice them drinking - in fact if you see a hamster drinking a lot you know there is possible health issue. There are several of my hamsters that I have never seen drinking from a bottle.

Having said that, they do need a fresh water supply and one that is clean.  The problem with dishes in cages is that they get dirty very quickly and a bottle is therefore the best option.  In order to tempt her to drink from the bottle you could try putting a few drops of blackcurrant juice in her water.  Hamsters love the sweetness of blackcurrant juice and whilst you don't want to give this all the time due to the sugar content, it is good to either encourage a hamster to drink from their bottle or disguise foul tasting medicine (when necessary)!

It is also worth making sure that in addition to her dry hamster mix you give a small amount of fresh fruit/vegetable daily (such as apple, cabbage, brocolli, corn on the cob, peas, etc.  - avoid too much lettuce as this can cause diarrhoea).  By giving regular fresh vegetables you are giving some moisture to the diet in addition to extra vitamins/minerals.

I hope this helps you.

Regards
Sheila