Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I saw this question on a different forum and was wondering how many of you use tap water for your boas drinking water or do you use bottled spring water or do any of you use distilled water.
I have been using bottled spring water for my snakes for the last two years.
Thank you in advance,
Chuck

I use tap water for all my snakes drinking water. I don't think that is a concern. The only time I use distilled water is in my misting bottles for my tree boas. The distilled water seems to not leave that buildup on the glass like the tap water. I wouldn't use distilled for drinking water. It may lack some minerals that could be beneficial. For that reason they don't recommend that people drink distilled water.

I use tap water, but I fill up old 2 liter soda bottles with it and let it sit out and rotate through them (I think I have around 8 bottles I use) It also saves me going back and forth to the bathroom to fill water dishes..
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Randall L Turner Jr.
www.aircapitalconstrictors.com

And I have for 3 year's, In are water they use Cloramine Treatment, they sent out letter's to all custumer's before they started useing Cloramine saying that it was Toxic to Fish Reptile's & Amphibian's I've been useing bottled water everysince. Is it safe to use tap water if it sit's out for say 48 hr's ? It would be alot cheaper for me, I have 47 Snake's and 1 Newt and I spend $ 4.00 a week on water ! Any Info. on Cloramine ? Take Care !
Kenneth
omahasnakes@yahoo.com

I am sure tap water quality varies from small town to large city. You can smell the chlorine in my tap water. I still use it, but I do let it "breathe" for a day or so. You can request a water analysis test (free) from most cities, but I doubt the tests are without bias.

But people will continue to buy the filtered municpal water regardless of who is bottleing it.

Let'em

Bottled water tends to have more bacteria than tap water because bottled water companies have less stringent government regulations. Fluoride is in most public/tap water and not in bottled water. However, while beneficial to our teeth and those of our cats and dogs, I do not know if reptiles benefit from fluoride.

The water stinks in Savannah...I won't drink it so neither do my snakes. When I lived in Idaho, the water was much better...so we switched back and forth from bottled water and tap water that was left to air out 48hrs. I wouldn't ever use tap water for amphibians...
Chris O

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www.chrisolsonreptiles.com
Naked I see the camp of those who desire nothing

As someone noted, municipal water supply quality varies from town to town.

Where I live, the water doesn't need tons of chlorine or filtration. In fact, I worry more about what I'm drinking if I'm in an older building that may have lead in the pipes than if I'm in a new building.

Since my house is relatively new, I put a big water dish in the snake cages that comes straight from the tap.

I'd say if you think there's too much chlorine, chloramine or fluoride in your towns water, invest in a 5 gallon bucket and use that to "age" your water.

I would only buy bottled water if there is high levels of bacteria from the tap.

Good luck.

Doug T

Need to "Age" tap water, before you could consider it safe ? And can you age it in open one gallon plastic jug's ? Thank's in advance for any info. ! Take Care !
Kenneth
omahasnakes@yahoo.com

If a 1 gallon jug is what you have, use it. I'd leave it out 24/48 hours if its just going into a snake cage. I mean really, it's going into another open container and will continue to "breathe" after you pour it.

Test it yourself by tasting and smelling against a glass fresh from the tap. If you smell traces of chlorine in the aged water, give it another day.

You can also use a britta type filter that will spead up the process as they are supposed to take out a lot of the nasty chemicals in water.

Good luck.

Doug T

>>Need to "Age" tap water, before you could consider it safe ? And can you age it in open one gallon plastic jug's ? Thank's in advance for any info. ! Take Care !
>>Kenneth
>>omahasnakes@yahoo.com
Doug Taylor Reptiles

I've got a whole bunch of empty Spring Water Jug's that I'm gonna use to age my water ! Like I said I've been buying water for 3 year's now, and it's getting expensive ! I did'nt know you could age tap water and make it safe ! Thank's again for the info. Doug, also I really like your web-site, Great pic.'s & info. on some Rare & Beautiful Snake's ! Take Care !
Kenneth
omahasnakes@yahoo.com