drinking water

[Oscar8]

Hi all. Can anyone tell me what type of drinking water is best for my parrots? I give my birds bottled water, but I am not sure of what type they should be getting. Should I give them distilled, spring water, etc.? Thanks. Doris

[Newticus]

Usually tap water is just fine for birds, if you still feel that that's ify, get a brita water filter. There is really no need to be making more garbage (empty water bottles) to water your pet. If you still insist on bottled water do not use distilled water, as it isn't anything but just water. So disolved minerals and solids that are supposed to be in your bird will move to the water because of osmosis. (the process of particles speading so that content levels are equal throughout). Spring water is usually just bottled tap water as there are few regulations regarding bottling tap water and calling it something else. If it is actual spring water it also can have disolved minerals and what not in it, which is not necessarily bad but it is usually not quantified.

Melanie

[chapala]

If the public water supply has decent water, I would use that, but would filter it through a Brita to remove chlorine. Bottled water isn't necessary unless you have poor water quality.

[Oscar8]

Thank you. I will look into a Brita to remove chlorine.

[Jwhear]

I use the same filtered water we use, goes through the fridge filter. My rules has pretty much always been, that if I won't drink it, I won't give it to them.

[Chief's Mom]

Supposedly our tap water is great, but it always seems to smell like a pool. So we bought the Brita dispenser that sits on a shelf in the fridge. I think it holds 2 gallons. We have to change the filter every two months, and I use it for the birds, for the humans, to cook, etc. If I could bathe in it, I would. I hate 'pool' smell! It's normally by the regular Brita pitchers, it's just bigger. We drink a lot of water at our house!

[Oscar8]

Thank you all for your help. I will be purchasing a britta filter soon to get rid of the chlorine in my tap water. I have been giving my birds bottled water thinking i was doing what was best for them. Boy was i wrong. Thanks again.

[Valo's Moirana]

i'd go with tap water - i use a brita filter also, but letting it sit for a couple of days will get rid of the chlorine also.

tap water is regulated by the EPA (safe drinking water act) while the bottled water is regulated by the FDA.... i usually prefer the tap water as regulations are actually stricter