H2O

[Lex]

In a book i see something about birds and water. Should we give them tap water or bottle water? tap could have lead in the pipes and lacks minerals? i thought this was a good topic and would like to hear what you all have to say on it? tap or bottle?

[judygram]

I use tap water from a well, it is hard water but it is what we are used to using and I don't see any reason to use anything else.

 

We don't have any lead pipes in our house but it could be that older homes may have them before they knew that lead was harmful, in that case I would go with bottled water just to be on the safe side.

 

As far as minerals I think if they eat a varied diet they will get what they need, I don't give Josey any supplements but she may get a little more calcium from our water since it is high in limestone.

[Guest jamalbirdbiz]

i use both and they have shown no preferince. u shud be okay either way.

[rbpittman]

We have highly chlorinated lake water here and I use "bottled" water for the birds due to the high chlorine content. Due to my life long kidney problems I've become very aware of the chemicals that are used in processing drinking water.

 

My ex-husband works in water and waste systems and there isn't a community provided water source that doesn't include high chlorine contents and other chemicals for purification. Judy's well water, although hard, is a better source than most tap water is, even if it is higher in calcium. Then again, some wells also have a very high sulpher content and other heavy metals that have leached through the ground.

 

To make your water better for your fids simply boil it for 5 minutes and bottle it yourself in a glass container. This removes the chlorine and most of the other chemicals as well as eliminates the need to purchase bottled water. This is how I "bottle" the water for my fids, myself, and my family.

[Dave007]

Some water is great from wells as long as wells are properly taken care of and the water wells are constantly filled to capacity. Other wells aren't very good because the level of water is low and sometimes neglected. That type of well water may contain trace amounts of arsenic In some areas tap water is very good. In other places, it isn't because of clorine that's added. Look at your toilet bowl and see if the water stains the inner walls periodically. If so, tap water isn't good and bottled or purified water should be used.

[JillyBeanz]

There's nothing wrong with the water in the UK - but we have a water filter/chiller machine and I just fill Harvey's bowls up from there. This isn't due to any ideology about the water system (the pipes here definitely aren't lead), just that the machine is standing next to the sink - nothing more, nothing less.

[pearllyn]

I've always used bottled. Just before we got Alf, we spoke to a man from Bamburgh who had recently lost his grey, and after an autopsy, his vet was of the opinion that a build up of limescale in the water pipes/taps had caused the birds death.

Our tap water doesn't taste that bad, and we do occasionally drink it (prefer flavoured), so do the dogs, I just never wanted to take the chance with Alfie.

Dave, your toilet tip is a good one, thanks.