This is a common debate in the hamster community - "Which is better? Bowls or Bottles?" and although most of us already have our opinions and answers for these question let's look at this situation from a whole new perspective
These will be separated in small sections talking about common points made within this debate about Water Bottles vs. Water Bowls.
Hamsters and Plants
We all have heard bowls are natural and bottles are not - some people argue hamsters drink water from plants in the wild meaning bottles can be considered natural. To confirm either of these statements we must take a look at hamsters in the wild and their natural habitat. Due to there being 5 total species of hamster these sections will be divided into sections according to species!
I. Syrian Hamsters
Although the exact range of the syrian hamster is not defined they are most abundant in rich agricultural fields although some individuals argue that their habitat *may* expand to the syrian desert although there is no proof of said situation.
Most of these agricultural fields consisted of weed, barley, chickpea, lentil and fruit and vegetables such
as tomato, melon, cucumber and hibiscus. These not only provide large amounts of coverage but large amounts of plant matter for the syrian hamster.
According to different studies the syrian hamster ranges most in north Syria in agricultural fields. If we look at the average climate of Syria we can see it is very hot and dry during the summer and somewhat cold during the winter. Rain is most prevalent in the winter while summer is mainly sunny. This being said it is easy to assume the syrian hamster comes across various puddles of drinking water from rain and watering the crops as they do habitat agricultural fields.
Sources
II. Winter Whites
Winter whites are considered to have the widest range of habitats out of the 5 species, they have been observed in grasslands, agriculture fields, forests, meadows as well as more dry regions. The natural habitat expands from central Asia and expands to parts of China and Mongolia and extends into steppes of Western Siberia and the former Asian part of the Soviet Union.
"Phodopus sungorus inhabits the steppes of western Siberia, eastern Kazakhstan, and the Hakisi and Minusinsk Steppes of the Kraznoyarsk Region of Russia along the Yenisey River. The distribution is discontinuous. In 1876, the species was common at lower altitudes throughout Turkestan with the exception of the Zarevshan Districts and the area around Hodget."
The Winter White species is mainly observed in parts of central Asia, so I will be focusing on the climate and vegetation of this area. Due to these hamsters having such a large range of where they live it would not be correct to mark them into a single box.
"Climate may vary from permanent snow in high-altitude cold deserts to hot deserts in the lowlands. From the end of June through mid-August most afternoons reach 32°C (90°F) or higher, with an average annual maximum of 40°C (104°F). During the winter months, temperatures remain below freezing for about 40 days. The coldest month is January when winds blow in from Siberia."
Vegetation mainly consists of trees such as the Sievers’ apple (Malus sieversii), Ansu apricot (Prunus armeniaca) and the maple (Acer semenovii). As the area of central Asia is that of a very large forest most of the vegetation consists of trees, the climate although moist is not comparable to a syrian with rainy weather.
Due to the lack of mention of high amounts of rain it can only be assumed these small animals obtain their water intake from their food and nearby vegetation. It could be debated they obtain their water intake from snow but doing this consumes more energy and therefore results unlikely in this scenario.
Sources
III. Russian Campbell's
The phodopus campbelli (commonly known as the Russian Campbell) inhabits the steppes and semi-deserts of central Asia, the climate is continental, with very low precipitation and extremes of temperature between summer and winter.
The terrain consists of flat or rolling sandy desert with broad, intensely irrigated valleys and steppes in the east. The steppes and deserts of central Asia are virtually treeless. They are drought-resistant native, although grain crops have largely supplanted native vegetation in the northern steppes.
Due to their habitat and them being seen in semi deserts the study "Sources of Water Supply for Desert Animals" (thank you @liszazandfurc for helping me find the study) should be of relevance. In this study it is explained that dessert animals obtain their water from their regular food intake. May this be insects, plants, etc.
Due to the lack of precipitation the possibility of these animals drinking water droplets is once again very unlikely and in this scenario virtually impossible.
Sources
IV. Roborowski
The roborowski hamster (Phodopus roborovski) is found in the desert regions of the Zaysan Basin and the Tuvinskaya Autonomous Region. Their habitat is one of the most known in the hamster community and commonly mentioned to live in a semi desert area.
Knowing this factor it is easy to follow the same principals mentioned in "Sources of Water Supply for Desert Animals" these mention that these desert animals obtain their water mainly from their food intake. In this study it is also mentioned the possibility of obtaining water through insect and insect eggs. This is a good factor to consider as hamsters are known to obtain their protein from insects!
Knowing all of this the scenario planted at the beginning of this post and their being a lack of vegetation due to climate this scenario results improbable once again.
Sources
V. Chinese Hamsters
The Chinese hamster (Cricetulus barabensis) are seen to inhabit the areas of Mongolia and China. It's range includes Western Siberia, Tuva, Mongolia, northeastern China and Korea. Their typical habitat is arid and semiarid grasslands, steppes ad semi-deserts.
The climate is usually dry although it can be very humid in winter. Precipitation is scarce and is concentrated in summer, rain is more abundant in the north. During winter, snowfalls are frequent but usually light.
As the region they are seen to inhabit is that of a semi-desert and climate is usually dry we will once again apply the principles of "Sources of Water Supply for Desert Animals". Due to how many times I have explained this study I will not be going over it again.
Due to the lack of precipitation and naturally arid and dry climate - and following the principals of "Sources of Water Supply for Desert Animals" we can once again determine that the argument of Hamsters and Plants as improbable.
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Mold
We all know and have heard of owners finding mold in their water bottles. This shouldn't come as a surprise as the nozzle of a common bottle is the perfect breeding ground for any sort of mold - most mold thrives in dark and humid spaces, this being said it explains how mold manages to get into bottles.
This pesty bacteria has shown to cause different illnesses in humans and impact health. Although humans are not the same to hamsters this should be taken into consideration when talking about bottles.
Although there are a large variety of mold species and some of these are considered "non toxic" these are not beneficial to consume. There are 5 toxic categories of mold (Cladosporium, Penicilium, Fusarium, Aspergillus, and Stachybotrys). These can be very harmful if exposure to and consumed. Although the risk of these specific 5 categories of mold growing in your water bottle are low it is still important to note that this is a huge risk that is run.
* Note this is not made to fearmonger. Humans (and even some pets like dogs) have had contact with mold at some point in their life. Mold may also grow for exterior reasons of bottle nozzles such as living in a very humid space or region, etc. Nonetheless mold is a serious issue and should be treated. Mold has been linked to different effects on human and pet health and if in the situation of this *please* care for this situation with urgency. *
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Cleaning
This is just my opinion which I do consider of relevance when choosing to get a bowl or bottle. Both of these options should be cleaned daily and "topped up" with fresh water daily (even more during the summer) - when using a bottle it is crucial to clean the nozzle and inside of the bottle well which can get a little hard to do sometimes. Bowls are a lot easier to clean as they are an open surface and this can be done with an old toothbrush or sponge.
*Note this is my opinion on cleaning water dishes and from my experience. Please take this with a grain of salt as your experience may be different than mine*
Bottles: Pros and Cons
Pros:
Hard to tip over/more unlikely to cause messes
Easier to place in an enclosure
Can be used to track water intake
Reduces possibility of hamster getting wet
Can't get food or bedding inside of it
Cons:
"Unnatural" drinking position
Possible risk of mold
Harder to clean
Can hurt a hamsters back if put to high or low
Higher risk of dehydration
Harder to supervise correct functioning of the nozzle
If sized incorrectly (too large) can make it hard to drink due to pressure
Bowls: Pros and Cons
Pros:
Provide a "natural" drinking position
Can be more accessible (depending on your region)
Easier to clean
Can be monitored easier in terms of "working"
Gives hamster ability to drink freely without constriction
Cons:
Can be tipped over
Hamster may be encouraged to climb inside if sized incorrectly (diameter should be around 5 to 7cm in my opinion)
More susceptible to getting food and bedding inside of it
Harder to track water intake
Will need to be placed on a stable surface to avoid it tipping over
Conclusion
Personally I stand with using water bowls as they show to be a more "natural" approach. I also find them a lot cheaper and accessible as they can be made from jar lids (glass), tea light holders, small ash trays, etc. as bottles are mainly sold in pet stores which are hard to find depending where you live.
Whatever you decide to use is up to your choice but please keep in mind the pros and cons that come with each of these choices and be ready to take action in the case of possible issues.
