What type of water should my snake be drinking

[DatBoiAJ_]

I give her filtered

[EthanMG]

I give her filtered

I’m no expert or anything, just got my first snake two weeks ago, but I fill my water dish with tap water, then I put a reptile dechlorinator
In it that also adds some nutrients. It’s made by zoo med. 2 drops per 8 oz. Not sure if this is the best thing, but it’s what I do. I do know not to use distilled water. It lacks the nutrients they need from the water.


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[Charles8088]

I use regular tap water. If it's good for me to drink, it's good for them. I guess you can give bottled water of you like, but it's not necessary... tap water works fine.

As said in the previous response, however, I too had heard not to use distilled water.

[Bogertophis]

NOT distilled. I drink regular tap water & so do my snakes. The only time I'd use bottled water for them is if your tap is heavily chlorinated to where you notice it- I'd avoid giving them tap in that case, or use a water treatment* for reptiles. (*like Reptisafe)

[Alien]

I live in a city with bad water. All drinking water is filtered for me and the snake.

[Crowfingers]

Mine literally only drinks deer park - the rest of the animals just get filtered tap water.
If I put anything else in his bowl, he will come out of a hide, stare at the bowl for a loooooooooong time, then back away as if in disgust...Deer Park and he comes out and slurps it right up lol

[Bogertophis]

I guess I "don't get out much"? This is the first time I've ever heard of "Deer Park" water, lol. How funny that your snake is hooked on it.

[Charles8088]

Gotta outsmart him!

[Ascended]

I give her filtered

I think, if you have lead exterior pipes as is sometimes the case, at least in the UK, i then filter it definitely. That removes the lead.
Not worried about HARD water, a bit of fluoride and calcium are just extra minerals and deliberately added for teeth/bone health in humans.
In cities in the UK fluoride is added to reduce tooth decay making the water HARD.
Downside:- That makes making a lather with soap harder and messes up your pipes/ kettle and washing machine faster with more scale deposits.
Oh. also HARD water leaves more scale in water bowls.
Still. I am Willing to move beyond old established beliefs and explore new ideas if anyone has new thoughts and evidence about this.

[dakski]

If you have mildly chlorinated water, that doesn't have heavy metals like crazy, like I do here in CT, here is my rule of thumb.

If it's good enough for me to drink, it's good enough for my reptiles, but with one caveat.

Since there is chlorine in the water, although not much in my town, I give it to all my animals OVER 100G and have for years. The key is the over 100G mark. I've discussed this at length with breeders, including Don Soderberg at South Mountain Reptiles.

If i have a young snake or small species under 100G, they get purified water - not distilled. The chlorine is more potent to a smaller animal then to a human, but not terrible if they are large enough. So my leopard gecko (about 70G) and my chewie (64G) and my corn snakes, when young, got purified water.

Once over 100G, everyone gets the same water I drink. If worried, or if you have filtered house water, that's great, but with 11 tanks, and most of my animals being well over 100G, I give tap water with no issues.

I also clean water bowls weekly and keep fresh water in to avoid and mineral or metal build ups. Not sure how bad they would be, but I believe water bowls should be cleaned weekly anyway. If the water gets contaminated, I clean it with F10SC and then with soap (the latter I do weekly).

The other time I use purified water is with the misting system I have for my Rhacos - the chewie and leachie. This prevents buildup in the water hoses and nozzles and they both drink that water too. The chewie as mentioned needs the purified water IMO, but the Leachie, at over 200G, wouldn't by my standards.