is tap water ok for your snakes?

I have been using it with no noticeable detrimental effects, but then I thought about it the other day and was wondering if I should be using distilled water instead.

I mean , I drink it so I'm sure its not going to kill them. but I was just wondering how sensitive the snakes are to the chlorine in tap water coming straight from the tap.

Lots of people use tap water with no problem.

If for some reason you decide to stop using the tap water, do NOT use distilled. Most water has small amounts of beneficial minerals, such as calcium, in it. The distillation process removes this entirely. My understanding is that most filtered water still has at least some of the beneficial minerals in it, although perhaps not as much because too much minerals makes the water taste bad.

If its ok for you its ok for them :gj:

cool, thanks . that eases my mind a bit.

I would guess that it is better than anything they would come across in the wild. I use tap water for all my snakes. Never had a problem.

Most creatures don't get any significant amount of minerils or trace elements from the water. But whatever water you drink is generally okay for the reptiles too. I have well water here.

I use tap water.

I use tap water with no noticeable ill effects.

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Originally Posted by Spaniard

If its ok for you its ok for them :gj:

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Incorrect. Some tap waters (depending on Chlorine levels) could be detrimental to your animals. I have seen tap water before, that I could barely stand the smell or taste. In a case similar to this, I wouldn't offer that water to my reptiles.

Just my .02,

I guess I'm spoiled with the water treatment facilities they have here in NY.

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Originally Posted by muddoc

Incorrect. Some tap waters (depending on Chlorine levels) could be detrimental to your animals. I have seen tap water before, that I could barely stand the smell or taste. In a case similar to this, I wouldn't offer that water to my reptiles.

Just my .02,

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I totally agree, and here in jacksonville the water smells horrible, and im sure it tastes horrible as well, so i give my snakes bottled water.

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Originally Posted by muddoc

Incorrect. Some tap waters (depending on Chlorine levels) could be detrimental to your animals. I have seen tap water before, that I could barely stand the smell or taste. In a case similar to this, I wouldn't offer that water to my reptiles.

Just my .02,

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Yeah, but if it's really that bad, then you probably shouldn't be drinking it either. I know that water quality varies quite a bit from place to place and water quality standards are pretty low in some areas. But if the chlorine level is too high, just fill some jugs and let them stand out for a day or two while the chlorine dissipates.

Generally though, I DO think that if it's good enough for you, it's good enough for your snakes, though I agree that that's not ALWAYS the case.

I miss NY and it's water. =/

I bought the ReptiSafe water treatment thing just to be on the safe side. I dont think SLC water is good because it tastes, well, bad.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by muddoc

Incorrect. Some tap waters (depending on Chlorine levels) could be detrimental to your animals. I have seen tap water before, that I could barely stand the smell or taste. In a case similar to this, I wouldn't offer that water to my reptiles.

Just my .02,

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i use tap water but i know in some areas tap water aint right, when my wife lived in mn the tap water killed her hamsters

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Originally Posted by MarkS

Yeah, but if it's really that bad, then you probably shouldn't be drinking it either. I know that water quality varies quite a bit from place to place and water quality standards are pretty low in some areas. But if the chlorine level is too high, just fill some jugs and let them stand out for a day or two while the chlorine dissipates.

Generally though, I DO think that if it's good enough for you, it's good enough for your snakes, though I agree that that's not ALWAYS the case.

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Thanks for the clarification Mark. My main goal in my statement, was to state that I thought his statement was too definitve. Thank you also for including the corrective treatment for too much chlorine, I should have included that as well. If you have any doubt, just let the water sit for a few days, as Mark stated.