What kind of water is best

[Shirley beanen]

Two questions 1.what is the best water to give my pet squirrel ??? spring ?? Distilled?? Tapped?? Or water they yse to mix baby formula ???? .....2..sweet potatoes..suger snap peas good or bad ?????

[stepnstone]

Two questions 1.what is the best water to give my pet squirrel ??? spring ?? Distilled?? Tapped?? Or water they yse to mix baby formula ???? .....2..sweet potatoes..suger snap peas good or bad ?????
Tap water is ok, spring water ok, no to distilled!
A good quality rodent block is always first (solid) food!
Attaching link to the healthy diet to answer other food questions and concerns...
https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels

[island rehabber]

About distilled water:

My BF spent 32 years working for the Dept of Evironmental Protection in New York City. At one time three guys in his section decided they would start drinking distilled water because it was "pure", and readily available as a by-product of the water treatment. Within a day or so, all three men became seriously ill -- the distilled water, because it is devoid of chemicals and minerals, "drew out" all the important minerals in their bodies and all three nearly died.

Don't use distilled water for anything except humidifiers!

[LR]

What I know about tap water

Has higher levels of chlorine than is required by a swimming pool. Think about that a minute...

Has fluoride added to it. Fluoride is a goitrogen meaning that it affects the hormone system.

I think I'll stick to spring water.

[Diggie's Friend]

My husband has worked for two companies that make water filters for various kinds and purposes.
This water filter is not one produced by the company he works for, came highly recommended.

Thes filter removes the heavy metals, and bad bacterias, while putting the good minerals back in.

The best of both as we read: http://www.aquasana.com/education/filtering-lead-out-of-water

[Diggie's Friend]

There are also these affordable portable options, that come in a choice of glass, stainless steel, or BPA free plastic bottles.

http://www.aquasana.com/glass-water-bottles

With tap water sources not a healthy option to use, due to their chlorine and heavy metal content, and distilled water lacking natural minerals, that comes in plastic bottles that make the water smell and taste like plastic, this system is an excellent and affordable long-term alternative that well supports the removal of chlorine, heavy metals, and giardia, be the source of water a stream, a backyard hose, or any tap water source.

[luvs squirrels]

I'm ordering one today! Thank you for the info and link. :grouphug

[Diggie's Friend]

I thought to share this chart that notes the pH value of various bottled water sources. Also included is a list of Tap water pH values from a few different regions in the US.

Interesting that only a couple of sources are just from spring water, and a couple others from well water, with the rest noted are filtered, treated, and/or combined with distilled water. Not what I think of as sources of pure 'spring water'. apparently just marketing ploys to sell what is no better than your typical low flitration system you can put in your faucet.

The bottle brand 'Smart Water' notes 6.5 pH, the same as my water is with our filter system, yet that has to do with our water source with the minerals we have here. This leads me to see a better filtration system, like Aquasana, that removes far more heavy metals, chlorine, flourine, and various bad micro bugs, is the way to go, than paying for faux spring water sources, that are just combinations with filtered water etc.. Short of moving to Figi, not allot of clean water sources on this planet anymore!


ps: The veterinary standard for the norm for healthly mean urine pH for small mammals and tree squirrels lies within the slightly acidic range of 6.0 to 6.8, not under or over, that is known to lend support to kidney stone formation in rodents.