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purified vs. regular tap water #865327
11/11/09 08:51 PM
11/11/09 08:51 PM

A
Aryn
Unregistered
Aryn
Unregistered
A



I'm just curious if purifying the water or using bottle water is absolutely necessary?

I use purified now for my babies, but I've had a guinea pig and I only gave him tap water and he lived a long happy life (I know it's not a glider but it's still an exotic animal).

most people as far as I know give regular tap water to their animals (and dogs even drink out of the toilet, I've seen cats do it too).

So thoughts and comments?

Re: purified vs. regular tap water [Re: ] #865333
11/11/09 09:02 PM
11/11/09 09:02 PM
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 21,060
Kansas
L
LSardou Offline
Glideritis Anonymous
LSardou  Offline
Glideritis Anonymous
L

Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 21,060
Kansas
Sugar Gliders systems are totally different from your average domestic pet. It is safer all the way around to only offer them 'purified' water, this will ensure you that all the harmful bacteria has been removed.

Originally Posted By: blockaman
Tap or bottled Water (by blockman)
It really depends on where you live. The three "issues" that need to be addressed with tap water are:
1) Microbial activity
2) Chlorine / chloramine
3) Minerals

1) All tap water will contain bacteria. The water is treated with chlorine to that it the bacteria count meet EPA standars for drinking water (<100 cfu/mL...that's colony forming units). However, sometimes the local water supply will fail the limits on occasion. I'd recommend reading your local water report, which is tyically sent out once a year to all residents.

2) In order to kill bacteria, the water will be treated with chlorine or chloramine (relatively new) (unless you are on a well, of course). If the residual values are too high, it can be harmful. Again, refer to the water report. Also, you need to leave water out for ~24 hours to remove chlorine, if the levels are excessively high.

3) Some areas may have hard water which can leave mineral deposits. Some may also have high levels of heavy metals (also in water report).

There are a few options for dealing with these issues. If your local water is pretty good, you probably don't need to do anything. If the water quality is generally good, but you want to be safer, you can use a water filter (I use Pur) to remove residual chlorine, most bacteria, and heavy metals. If your water routinely fails EPA limits, I'd recommend bottled water. I prefer DRINKING water, since it is usually processed by reverse osmosis, but distilled should be OK too. I would not recommend spring water, since it can have issues similar to tap.

There are agents out there to decompose chlorine and bind heavy metals so that they are non-toxic (at least for fish or reptiles). There is a reptile liquid calcium supplement available that treats chlorine and heavy metals. However, since I don't know of anyone using it for sugar glides, I would not recommend it. Bottled water is much easier anyway (to me).



Re: purified vs. regular tap water [Re: LSardou] #865351
11/11/09 09:27 PM
11/11/09 09:27 PM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 43,318
LittleRock, AR USA
KarenE Offline
Owner
KarenE  Offline
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 43,318
LittleRock, AR USA
Excellent post, Linda. If there is any doubt about your local water system, then absolutely do not take any chances with your family or your pets.

I have always used tap water as I feel safe with our water system.

The other thing I used to do when I traveled with any of my gliders was to always take tap water with me so they would have the same water source on the road as they did at home.

Too many times I have had stomach upsets from different water while traveling tounge


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Re: purified vs. regular tap water [Re: KarenE] #865398
11/11/09 11:08 PM
11/11/09 11:08 PM
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 13,748
Vincennes, IN, USA
suggiemom1980 Offline
Glideritis Anonymous
suggiemom1980  Offline
Glideritis Anonymous

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 13,748
Vincennes, IN, USA
I refuse to drink our tap water (it has 'floaties'!!! :sick: ) so I won't give it to my gliders. I buy bottled spring water by the gallon for .82. It's what I drink too.


Connie

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Re: purified vs. regular tap water [Re: suggiemom1980] #865427
11/12/09 12:22 AM
11/12/09 12:22 AM
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 6,894
NW Missouri
princessmegi Offline
Serious Glideritis
princessmegi  Offline
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 6,894
NW Missouri
I just received a letter last week from our town stating that oops they're sorry but they may have given us cancer. Ok, that's not what it said, but that's what it meant. There has been an ongoing investigation in this town for some time now and we've actually had Erin Brokovich here doing her own research into it. They have finally found that our water did indeed have levels over the maximum of a substance that is the by-product of using chlorine to purify the water. This chemical is a carcinogen (known to cause cancer) and we now have a much higher than average occurrence of brain tumors in our town. I personally only drink 1 brand of Bottled water for myself if I'm out. I don't like tap water. For the animals and myself at home, we have an under sink filtration system, so although it is out of the tap, it's actually filtered water.



"My doctrine is this: that if we see cruelty or wrong that we have the power to stop, and we do nothing, we make ourselves sharers in the guilt." ~ Anna Sewell, English Novelist
Re: purified vs. regular tap water [Re: princessmegi] #867402
11/15/09 11:20 PM
11/15/09 11:20 PM

D
Daniosis
Unregistered
Daniosis
Unregistered
D



I don't have a filter/water purifier, but is bottled okay? The quote up there confused me a little.

Re: purified vs. regular tap water [Re: ] #867438
11/16/09 12:24 AM
11/16/09 12:24 AM
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 22,749
80 acres of paradise in KS
Dancing Offline
Glideritis Anonymous
Dancing  Offline
Glideritis Anonymous

Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 22,749
80 acres of paradise in KS
If you are unsure of your tap water's REAL content, bottled water is an option. Or you could buy one of those "Britta" or "Pur" home water filters.


620-704-9109
Judge not until you have walked in their shoes and lived their lives. What you see online is only part of the story.

I could have missed the pain
But I'd of had to miss the dance


The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears.
Re: purified vs. regular tap water [Re: Dancing] #867447
11/16/09 12:57 AM
11/16/09 12:57 AM
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,108
Phoenix AZ
C
chattrbabe Offline
Glider Addict
chattrbabe  Offline
Glider Addict
C

Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,108
Phoenix AZ
I give my guys Arrowhead bottled water. thumb


Ash
Re: purified vs. regular tap water [Re: chattrbabe] #867619
11/16/09 12:46 PM
11/16/09 12:46 PM

W
WendiH
Unregistered
WendiH
Unregistered
W



We have a reverse-osmosis filtration system for all the aquarium water, so now we use it for our water and glider water too. We filter it twice, in fact, because we then put it in the Pur water pitcher. It's about as pure water as one is going to get!


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