Is using well water okay for my boas? I remember reading somewhere that high iron content in hard water is bad for their digestion. Is this true? I get pretty bad hard water stains in my bathtub and toilet, so I imagine that can't be good. I drink it and I feel fine haha. Do you guys use your tap water? Bottled water? Any input is greatly appreciated!
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Re: Well Water
Gee that's a good question...have you ever had your well water tested for contaminants or iron levels, etc? I use tap water for my snakes...no problems now or ever, & my water (now & previously) had a lot of minerals too.
I DO know that you do NOT want to use distilled water. I hope more members weigh in on this. I kinda think it depends on your specific water source. You might also look into a water filter, either manual type (just for the
snakes, lol) or the kind you attach to the plumbing.
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Re: Well Water
I have small to medium sized chunks of the iceberg that sank the Titanic imported in and put through a rigorous filtration process before...
Okay, I'm shaking my head at my own sarcasm, so I guess it's time to stop. Lol. Just playing around.
Seriously though, our water here in town is "safe" to drink, but we do not drink it because we do not particularly like the taste whether it is safe or not. Either way, we use the tap water for the snakes and all of the other animals and they all do fine.
Remember, who knows what kind of contaminants these creatures are subject to in the wild. I would say that unless you well water has tested or proven toxic for something, everything should be just fine."An increase in reptile education can lead to a decrease in reptile discrimination." - Bebo
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Re: Well Water
Originally posted by AaronSB View PostHaven't had anything tested, but I'll look into it. What's the reasoning behind not using distilled water?
The source seemed credible att & it's not something I was interested in using anyway.
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Re: Well Water
My family, dogs, cats, lizards, and snakes all get well water. I do have my well tested once a year, but I've lived in my house for 6 years and never had a water related illness. That being said, if you;re in a rural enough area, ground water contamination from agriculture is a thing. I'd get it tested. Less with regard to the snakes and more for you.
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Re: Well Water
Originally posted by Pandorasdad View Post.... if you;re in a rural enough area, ground water contamination from agriculture is a thing. I'd get it tested. Less with regard to the snakes and more for you.
to consider contamination from drug manufacturing too. I remember reading about the water test results of an area in So Calif some years back where they talked about finding a trace of jet fuel...yum! It would
be nice if we could just assume that well water was safe & pure...but without testing, you just don't know.
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Re: Well Water
Originally posted by Pandorasdad View PostMy family, dogs, cats, lizards, and snakes all get well water. I do have my well tested once a year, but I've lived in my house for 6 years and never had a water related illness. That being said, if you;re in a rural enough area, ground water contamination from agriculture is a thing. I'd get it tested. Less with regard to the snakes and more for you.
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Re: Well Water
Originally posted by AaronSB View PostLooks like I'll be contacting my landlord about this. I've never even given this a thought until I got my boas. My dog and myself haven't had any issues for the last 2 years..but better safe than sorry.
into splitting the cost. Peace of mind might well be worth it. Not sure what testing would cost, but maybe not too much...I'd make a few calls if that was me. Municipal areas have to routinely test their water for safety, so
you might ask them (in the nearest city) where they send their water for testing.
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Re: Well Water
Originally posted by AaronSB View PostGood thing I didn't have to go out of pocket..
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Re: Well Water
Originally posted by AaronSB View PostIs using well water okay for my boas? I remember reading somewhere that high iron content in hard water is bad for their digestion. Is this true? I get pretty bad hard water stains in my bathtub and toilet, so I imagine that can't be good. I drink it and I feel fine haha. Do you guys use your tap water? Bottled water? Any input is greatly appreciated!
I have well water and I don’t use it any more accept when I really have to with my boas. I only use it when I can’t get to the store to get some filter water. I use filtered water from Wal-Mart or my local super market. I fill up 6 to 8 five gallon jugs every few weeks for my snakes. Many years ago I only used my well water for my boas and pythons. Then I had a lot of my BCC boas and a few of my BCI morph boas start to die on me from kidney failure. My Vet did some test for me and it turned out to be from my well water. My well water has a high iron content to it and this is what caused my boas to have kidney failure.
If you notice your boa’s white poop has a green tint to it then your boa may have kidney problems.
Take care
Tom
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