Choosing a water conditioner

[S_n_S]

Where I live now, I have access to safe water for my snake and anole all the time, but I am moving back to my apartment in September, and am wondering about water for my guys. I may decide just to go with bottled water, but I am wondering about different conditioners if I don't go that route.

Which of these would be the best for treating drinking water? My pet store carries all of them, I am just confused as to which one I would need. Thanks

http://www.exo-terra.com/EN/products/mistimize_i.html <- For drinking or misting?
http://www.exo-terra.com/EN/products/aquatize_i.html <-Promotes shedding, but what about the slime coat part?
http://www.exo-terra.com/EN/products/calcimize_care_i.html <-I don't think I need this one

 

[Taceas]

Since it appears that you only have one snake and one anole, I'd just stick with bottled spring/drinking water. They don't drink that much in a given week, and a gallon sized jug doesn't cost all that much. I generally clean their water bowls out every week, unless they happen to get creative and soil it.

I personally wouldn't put any of those in my reptile's drinking water (after having tried the Calcimize one). It made the water icky tasting and my Bearded Dragon eventually shunned his nose at it. I was having issues with him eating the necessary calcium powder on his veggies, so I thought it was something he couldn't not eat. Yeah right! Reptiles have done just fine for millennia without water additives, for the most part.

Whats so 'unsafe' about your apartment's water supply? Its good enough around here that I use it to water my own reptiles with, but I don't like the taste of it personally so I drink and cook with bottled water.

 

[dr_j]

Chlorine, maybe?

I've been thinking about this, too. Is there any problems with using just tap water? I know there is cholorine added (the same is true with bottled water --- typically, bottled water isn't very different from tap water). I've been adding a few drops of an additive that is supposed to dechlorinate the water. Anybody have any problems with that?

Thanks!

j

 

[Taceas]

If its meant for aquariums, I wouldn't use it. Snakes, despite having scales and being cold blooded are not fish. Sometimes the chemicals to dechlorinate the water aren't any better than the chlorine. To dechlorinate tap water, I generally just let it sit out in an open bucket for a day, that removes most traces of chlorine.

The traces of chlorine in most public water systems is so minute it really doesn't cause much harm. Still doesn't taste the best, so thats why I don't drink it and use spring water instead.

As for bottled water, you have to READ the labels on your bottled water. Just because its in a bottle doesn't make it good. People are always out there to make a buck. Anyone can filter their own water for pennies, why buy it?

'Purified' water (Aquafina, Dasani, DejaBlue, Sams brand to name a few) are all charcoal filtered and taste worse to me, than tap water. Buy spring water, its tested thoroughly and regularly for contaiminants and is a lot better for you.

And if that still is too expensive, look around at Brita/Pur systems. Brita I know makes pitchers that filter the water, and I had a Pur on-the-faucet thing for years and just now took it off. For $30-40 you can filter your water for 2-3 months, which probably compares to buying water. Just no hassle and no plastic jugs to ruin the environment with or recycle.

Just my $0.02.