Ratropolis: Installation Instructions for the Lixit Glass Bottle Recycle Kit

Lixit Glass Bottle Recycle Kit on a Dual Critter Nation

In my previous post, I wrote about my discovery and initial impressions of the Lixit Glass Bottle Recycle Kit. That post got a little long, so I decided to post the installation instructions in a separate post. Installation is very easy and straightforward, and instructions are included with the kit.

The following pieces are included with the kit:

You will need to provide your own 16 oz glass bottle (Snapple bottles work well - I haven't tried any other options) to hold the water.

You will also need a pair of pliers and a large flat-head screwdriver for the one-time installation of the mounting hardware.

To prepare the bottle, simply fill it with water (we use filtered water, many use tap water, others use bottled water). Then insert the stopper snugly into the mouth of the bottle. Push and twist to ensure a tight fit.

Set the bottle aside and install the mounting hardware. Start by inserting the bolt through the hole in one of the rectangular washers.

From the inside of the cage, push the end of the bolt through the cage bars, so it is sticking outside the cage, with the washer inside the cage. On a Critter Nation, if you want the nozzle of the bottle to enter through a specific bar spacing, place the bolt about 4 bar spacings above that bar spacing. In the picture below, the bottle nozzle will enter the cage through the bar spacing where the lower text appears.

From the front of the cage, add the second washer. There should now be one washer inside the cage and one washer outside, with the open end of the bolt sticking out of the cage.

Now add the pedestal mount by slipping the bolt through the small circular hole in the mount. (The long slit opening should be perpendicular to the cage). Affix by screwing on the nut. (NOTE: Screw on the nut by hand with the wider end of the nut facing the bolt. You will only be able to turn it for a turn or two. To tighten, you must hold the nut with the pliers and turn the bolt with the screwdriver. I was able to do this by myself, but it was a bit of a handful. It might be easier with two people (and necessary if you are attaching to a side or back wall that is not near a door). The nut is designed to make it hard to turn the bolt so that industrious parrots will not loosen the connection and unscrew the mount.

Finally, attach the spring at the desired height based on your water bottle. The water bottle can then be inserted by sticking the tube through the opening on the mounting pedestal and through the cage bars, and pulling the spring around the bottle to hold it in place. The stopper should rest squarely on the pedestal.