WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN PLASTICS BETWEEN INSTA-FILL Polypropylene(PP), ALL-WEATHER ® Polyethylene (PE), CRYSTAL-CLEAR Polyvinylchloride (PVC) and BELL BOTTLE ® Polystyrene (PS) TYPE WATER BOTTLES?

All are manufactured from FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) approved plastics and are completely non-toxic.

INSTA-FILL top fill water bottles are manufactured using polypropylene (PP) plastic which is molded into a patent-pending bottle design originated by OASIS. Polypropylene is very rigid and durable, and is the same plastic as used in food and medical products (syringes, etc. that must be autoclaved.) The high stability of PP allows these water bottles to be sterilized with no harmful side effects. Polypropylene has been used for years in the livestock industry in severe weather conditions and is known for long life and good performance. PP plastic makes the INSTA-FILL bottle top-rack dishwasher safe, shatter proof and totally non-toxic. The INSTA-FILL bottle is the most unique bottle in the OASIS product line, bringing not only revolutionary design features to the pet rabbit owner, but allowing beautiful color tints to be used on a larger water bottle for the first time. Water levels are easily seen through the bottle due to the excellent clarity of the PP plastic. At this time PP plastic is only offered with the valve-style INSTA-FILL bottle.

ALL-WEATHER ® water bottles are manufactured using polyethylene (PE) plastic with a dense molecular structure to help ensure as rigid and stable a side-wall as possible on this style bottle. The heavy duty thick wall of the OASIS ALL-WEATHER bottle minimizes flexing of the bottle sides. PE is much more resistant to the effects of outdoor weather than the PVC used in our CRYSTAL-CLEAR bottles, and has a frosted or "milky" appearance. The addition of the bright pink floating ball allows you to check the water level quickly and accurately, making the water level in the frosted plastic bottle just as easy to monitor as the clear PVC bottle. This is the bottle for use in outdoor applications - the larger the bottle (up to 1/2 gallon size), the thicker and more rigid the wall of the bottle.

CRYSTAL CLEAR water bottles are manufactured using sparkling clear-as-glass polyvinylchloride (PVC) plastic. PVC bottles are usually more flexible than polyethylene bottles of the same size. Some users prefer these bottles simply because they are visually attractive and easy to monitor when viewing the water level. PVC is more delicate than polyethylene and much more sensitive to ultra-violet light damage. These PVC bottles are not recommended for use outdoors because they tend to become brittle and fragile when exposed to the elements of outdoor weather. Other manufacturers avoid producing a PVC bottle for these reasons and because PVC is more difficult to manufacture than other types of plastic. OASIS acknowledges the popularity of the bottle for indoor use and continues to manufacture it in a full range of printed colors and designs.

BELL BOTTLES are the colorful gem-like water bottles manufactured using crystal polystyrene (PS), the most expensive plastic used in OASIS bottles. PS plastic produces a very rigid* bottle that is nearly as firm and stable as glass, yet is breakage resistant. The name BELL BOTTLE is derived from the term used in laboratories to describe the rounded-top glass jars known as bell-jars because their overall shape is similar to a church bell. The OASIS BELL BOTTLE is very popular with those who want a rigid walled bottle in various colors that can be used to color-code large numbers of cages (red for medicated water, or pink for girls and blue for boys, or a certain color for certain sections of a breeding room.) The smaller size BELL BOTTLES are also used by many exhibitors on the carriers used to transport show animals to rabbit and cavy shows. BELL BOTTLES offer a reliable bottle in transparent colors and a special glow-in-the-dark material.

GLASS ALL-PURPOSE® PET BOTTLES are manufactured using heavy duty glass, offering the ultimate in a rigid* bottle that is able to be boiled or autoclaved for sterilization. These bottles are a good option in a larger bottle, and very versatile in the type of pets they can serve.

*NOTE: The more rigid a water bottle is, the better it holds the vacuum produced between the air space and the water volume. If the walls of the bottle flex, the internal volume will vary and drips can occur. Drips under these circumstances are normal and not the result of a defective bottle. To more fully understand the principle of a vacuum, see the page "Often Asked Questions About Vacuum-Valve Water Bottles".