I know that the contaminates in tap water are bad for my snakes (chlorine, fluoride). Which is why I used to buy spring water from the grocery store. Although it's not expensive to refill 1 gal containers, I've lately been using the filtered water from our Pur and leaving it out for a few days to let any chlorine evaporate. Is this acceptable for my corns? We have city provided water, not well water.
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Water
- Thread starter ThFerret
- Start date
captainjack0000
Student
I use tap water. I do here with city water and did in Indiana with well water. no problems yet.
smigon
Old enough to know better
We have a reverse osmosis (RO) system in our house along with a water softener (our water tastes bad). The RO delivers this water to the kitchen sink and the fridge. There has never been anything proven that bottled, tap, distilled or any other clean water is better, so use what you have!
I think I read somewhere that the use of filtered water (or maybe it was distilled water) was linked to health issues in lizards due to them not getting the trace minerals that are in water. But lizards can have issues with this anyway, that's why it is recommended for at least some lizard species that they get calcium and other supplements. I'd think our snakes are less prone to that, so probably any source of clean water is good enough. If your city tap water is considered safe for human consumption, then I'd consider it safe for the snakes, too. But I don't think filtering it is likely to hurt.
I think leaving it out after you've run it through the PUR filter is overkill though. I'm pretty sure my PUR filter says it removes chlorine.
I think leaving it out after you've run it through the PUR filter is overkill though. I'm pretty sure my PUR filter says it removes chlorine.
After I saw Chip's post, I wondered about the distilled water thing. It is entirely possible that the only place I'd seen it is on forums, and it isn't hard for something like that to get started and then eventually "accepted as fact" when there isn't actually anything backing it up. So I goggled. And *most* of the things I could find about it were just people on forums or similar sources regurgitating what they'd heard elsewhere with little info about why it is bad or if any studies had proven it was bad or is it just speculation, or anything else like that.
I did find the following, though, that seems a little more reliable. Written by a veterinarian and published by Reptiles magazine, it talks mostly about a salamander, but also the vet clearly states "This is something that every herp owner should know: NEVER USE DISTILLED WATER WITH PET HERPS." (emphasis hers) She also lists some of the reasoning behind it. This is still only the opinion of one vet, but I'm glad I took the time to look it up.
Here's the link if anyone wants to learn more:
http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Reptile-Health/Ask-A-Vet/Herps-And-Distilled-Water/
I did find the following, though, that seems a little more reliable. Written by a veterinarian and published by Reptiles magazine, it talks mostly about a salamander, but also the vet clearly states "This is something that every herp owner should know: NEVER USE DISTILLED WATER WITH PET HERPS." (emphasis hers) She also lists some of the reasoning behind it. This is still only the opinion of one vet, but I'm glad I took the time to look it up.
Here's the link if anyone wants to learn more:
http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Reptile-Health/Ask-A-Vet/Herps-And-Distilled-Water/
cguarino30
New member
I know there are a few studies out there about the negative health effects of r/o and distilled water on humans (osmotic shock and no trace minerals if I remember correctly) and thus I would assume that it is either also bad for reptiles or has no bearing on them. Either way, almost everyone I know uses plain tap water and never had a problem, myself included. The only thing in it that is truly dangerous is chlorine/chloramine, and it is virtually harmless to ingest. Plus, it tends to dissipate into open air within a few hours of coming out of the tap.
Long story short, I wouldn't worry too much about it one way or the other. Haha.
Long story short, I wouldn't worry too much about it one way or the other. Haha.
Nythain
New member
I know the main/only concern is for municipalities that fluoridate their water supplies and the potential for fluoride toxicity. But as far as my research has gone, there's no real solid studies or conclusion on the fact when dealing with reptiles specifically. I know I live in a city that fluoridates their water supply and haven't had any personal issues. Anecdotal as that is.
Thank you all. I think I'll stick to the filtered. Or, depending on what I find out about what the Pur is filtering out, go back to the spring water. I wouldn't use distilled as it has all it's trace minerals removed. I save that for my iron 
I have to research exactly what the pur actually removes. I know that fluoride and chlorine in it's trace amounts are safe for humans to ingest, but the human body is much larger and quite different than a snakes. And while our pets may seem healthy, I wonder if it may be shortening their lifespan. I'd prefer to err on the side of caution and not give them chemicals.
Thanks all for your responses! I appreciate it.
I have to research exactly what the pur actually removes. I know that fluoride and chlorine in it's trace amounts are safe for humans to ingest, but the human body is much larger and quite different than a snakes. And while our pets may seem healthy, I wonder if it may be shortening their lifespan. I'd prefer to err on the side of caution and not give them chemicals.Thanks all for your responses! I appreciate it.
TheFrogman
Im just old
I use plain ole everyday filtered tap water, I don't know who makes my in-line filter, I installed it years ago
Curious, why in the fridge?
daddio207
THUG FROG !
Good question, I'm curious myself ?
Because, I believe that for chlorine to dissipate quickly, the warmer the water, the larger the surface area is and moving air is needed. Pretty much the opposite of a jug in the fridge LOL
Chip
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒ&
Pretty sure it dissipates faster the warmer the temperature is: http://www.h2oc.com/pdfs/Kinetics_2.pdf
I know when we used to have a swimming pool, we had to add more chlorine when the weather was hotter. It is possible that was just cuz we were in the pool more when the weather was hotter, but I know at the time I thought (I think I was told) the heat made the chlorine evaporate faster.
In any event, a closed or just narrow mouthed jug like the typical gallon water jug would certain slow down dissipation. And then you'd have cold water that you'd want to get back up to room temp before you gave it to the snakes.
In any event, a closed or just narrow mouthed jug like the typical gallon water jug would certain slow down dissipation. And then you'd have cold water that you'd want to get back up to room temp before you gave it to the snakes.