I can't say I've ever noticed my five pawing at their water bottle but
LittleUn, my smallest, loves to paddle in the water bowl (specifically
Chico's water bowl).  Each of my three cages has a water bowl built into
the cage so they can't tip or move it around.  One cage has both a bowl and
a bottle.  They don't seem to show any preference and will use whichever
one is closest to them at the time.
 
LittleUn though, always waits patiently until Chico has been let out and
then she races to his cage hooks her little front feet over the lip of his
water bowl and then paddles and paddles, splashing water everywhere.
She'll keep this up until the water level drops so low that her feet no
longer reach the water and then she'll stop and lick her feet off.  If I
replace the water she'll start the whole process over again.  I have to
keep a roll of paper towels handy to wipe up the lake she's created.  I've
seen her trying to do the same thing in the bowl in her cage but I guess
it's not quite the right size cause she can't seem to get the same leverage
and usually ends up falling in the bowl.  I think this game is her own
version of aquasize.
 
All my ferrets love to play in the shallow dish I keep full of water in the
bathtub.  Boots snorkels, Julie fishes, Wally try's to drink it all and
Chico jumps right in and then freaks out when he realizes his feet are now
wet.  LittleUn doesn't go near it, she's rather paddle in her own LittleUn
sized bowl.  Both Boots and Julie love to shower and will jump in with me
in the mornings if I let them.
 
Barb Gustafson
Alberta Ferret Society
[Posted in FML issue 2765]