Water!

[philipgreece]

Hello all! I moved in a new area! I stay now 2 months! I soak my babies with water of the tap but i see the water has water salts and i can feel it too and i have shower on my own! I wonder if that's ok or if this is a problem for my babies!

 

[wellington]

Not sure I would use it if you can feel the salt. Salt is used as a softener, but you shouldn't be able to feel it left in your skin. That means they are using too much.
@Yvonne G @Tom

 

[philipgreece]

Not sure I would use it if you can feel the salt. Salt is used as a softener, but you shouldn't be able to feel it left in your skin. That means they are using too much.
@Yvonne G @Tom

The area that i stay is all the water like this! I see water salts out of the tap and on it! I wonder what other solution there is then if i have not to use the water of the tap!

 

[wellington]

Can you buy bottled water?
The only thing you could do is put a reverse osmosis system on your faucet.
To save money on buying water, you could mix bottled water with some of your faucet water, diluting the salt content
For using as a soak, heat the bottled water to get it hot and then mix it with warm faucet water. Test the temp and soak.
For drinking for the tortoise, you could either just give bottled or mix with faucet but heating isn't needed.
I would mix one part faucet water to two parts bottled water. If this still feels salty, then make it one part faucet to three parts bottled.

 

[philipgreece]

Can you buy bottled water?
The only thing you could do is put a reverse osmosis system on your faucet.
To save money on buying water, you could mix bottled water with some of your faucet water, diluting the salt content
For using as a soak, heat the bottled water to get it hot and then mix it with warm faucet water. Test the temp and soak.
For drinking for the tortoise, you could either just give bottled or mix with faucet but heating isn't needed.
I would mix one part faucet water to two parts bottled water. If this still feels salty, then make it one part faucet to three parts bottled.

The water has too water salts and its hard! I have to use mineral water but it's expensive this way! I hope not to create a damage to my babies because i was soaking them 2 months with this water!

 

[jaizei]

It really depends on what the 'water salts' are. It almost sounds like you're describing hard water, which would mean its probably calcium or magnesium, which is shouldn't be an issue. Is there a way to test the water?

 

[philipgreece]

It really depends on what the 'water salts' are. It almost sounds like you're describing hard water, which would mean its probably calcium or magnesium, which is shouldn't be an issue. Is there a way to test the water?

I contacted with an expert guy and he knows very well the area and he told me unfortunately the area you stay has hard water! I can take him to test it though! So is this bad? Can iuse the water or not? I can test it if i take a sample!

 

[Megatron's Mom]

Do you drink this water?
Hard water is not a problem. Most of the US has hard water too, unless someone installs a water softener. I'm surprised you can feel anything. I bet your pipes have build up and it's breaking off. Do you have any type of water filter you can buy and put on one of the faucets? That would be best for both of you if your pipes have sediment build up.

I don't know how much it rains where you are but maybe start collecting rain water.

 

[philipgreece]

Do you drink this water?
Hard water is not a problem. Most of the US has hard water too, unless someone installs a water softener. I'm surprised you can feel anything. I bet your pipes have build up and it's breaking off. Do you have any type of water filter you can buy and put on one of the faucets? That would be best for both of you if your pipes have sediment build up.

I don't know how much it rains where you are but maybe start collecting rain water.

No i don't drink this water! Generally in the island i live the water isn't good to drink it! Sorry when i say Water salts yes i mean the water is hard! I can see the water when it stains has that white out of the facet on the tap! Generally all villages have problem with this! Its the water network!

 

[wellington]

No i don't drink this water! Generally in the island i live the water isn't good to drink it! Sorry when i say Water salts yes i mean the water is hard! I can see the water when it stains has that white out of the facet on the tap! Generally all villages have problem with this! Its the water network!

If you can't drink the water then you shouldn't use it for any animal either.

 

[philipgreece]

If you can't drink the water then you shouldn't use it for any animal either.

Ok thank you!

 

[Megatron's Mom]

No i don't drink this water! Generally in the island i live the water isn't good to drink it! Sorry when i say Water salts yes i mean the water is hard! I can see the water when it stains has that white out of the facet on the tap! Generally all villages have problem with this! Its the water network!

I would try to collect rain water.

 

[philipgreece]

I would try to collect rain water.

Thank you! I will use bottled water!

 

[Tom]

Thank you! I will use bottled water!

Has the tap water been tested and determined safe to drink, or not?

If it is safe to drink, then it is safe for your tortoise too. The water at my ranch comes from a well. It is very hard. Very high in mineral content. It is safe to drink, but it doesn't taste great, so I drink bottled water there. The animals don't seem to mind it at all and I've housed fish and amphibians in it, and had all sorts of birds, large and small, living on it, so I know it is "safe". Hard water that is safe to drink is not a problem for your tortoise. To prevent hard water stains from forming on the tortoise's carapace, rinse your tortoise after soaking with demineralized water like rainwater, reverse osmosis water, or distilled water.

 

[philipgreece]

Has the tap water been tested and determined safe to drink, or not?

If it is safe to drink, then it is safe for your tortoise too. The water at my ranch comes from a well. It is very hard. Very high in mineral content. It is safe to drink, but it doesn't taste great, so I drink bottled water there. The animals don't seem to mind it at all and I've housed fish and amphibians in it, and had all sorts of birds, large and small, living on it, so I know it is "safe". Hard water that is safe to drink is not a problem for your tortoise. To prevent hard water stains from forming on the tortoise's carapace, rinse your tortoise after soaking with demineralized water like rainwater, reverse osmosis water, or distilled water.

But the hard water doesn't create a problem? For example if a human drinks water from tap that is really hard doesn't create bladder stones inside? You know like we say rocks!

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

But the hard water doesn't create a problem? For example if a human drinks water from tap that is really hard doesn't create bladder stones inside? You know like we say rocks!

Tortoises don't get calcium bladder stones due to different anatomy/physiology. No worries here!

Not sure if humans get bladder stones because of hard water too.

 

[philipgreece]

Tortoises don't get calcium bladder stones due to different anatomy/physiology. No worries here!

Not sure if humans get bladder stones because of hard water too.

I was totally afraid about this! That's why i wrote here about water!

 

[Tom]

But the hard water doesn't create a problem? For example if a human drinks water from tap that is really hard doesn't create bladder stones inside? You know like we say rocks!

The term "hard water" is very broad. It indicates only that the water has a basic composition. I use the term "basic" in reference to the pH scale. Acid, neutral, or basic. There are infinite possibilities of how and why the water is basic and exactly what minerals make it basic. A test is needed to determine whether or not the water is safe to drink. Most of the United States has very hard alkaline water. We all drink it, bathe in it, and offer it to our animals. It is tested to make sure it is safe, and with rare exception, it is safe everywhere. I don't know what testing is done in your country or what the safety standards are.

Bladder stones in tortoises are caused by protein digestion coupled with dehydration, and often a lack of walking space due to small enclosures, or giant tortoises cooped up in small sheds or basements for months at a time in cold weather. Bladder stones are not caused by calcium or other basic minerals in the water.

 

[philipgreece]

The term "hard water" is very broad. It indicates only that the water has a basic composition. I use the term "basic" in reference to the pH scale. Acid, neutral, or basic. There are infinite possibilities of how and why the water is basic and exactly what minerals make it basic. A test is needed to determine whether or not the water is safe to drink. Most of the United States has very hard alkaline water. We all drink it, bathe in it, and offer it to our animals. It is tested to make sure it is safe, and with rare exception, it is safe everywhere. I don't know what testing is done in your country or what the safety standards are.

Bladder stones in tortoises are caused by protein digestion coupled with dehydration, and often a lack of walking space due to small enclosures, or giant tortoises cooped up in small sheds or basements for months at a time in cold weather. Bladder stones are not caused by calcium or other basic minerals in the water.

Thank you so much!very knowledgeable informations!!i appreciate it! Please can i know what foods have a lot of protein to avoid?

 

[EppsDynasty]

I think it should be mentioned ... If you have hard water it can actually be a benefit to your Tortoise. Calcium supplementation is ALWAYS talked about in the tort world, well hard water has high levels of Calcium. This means all the water your tort drinks has higher levels of Calcium in it, all the foods soaked in the hard water has higher levels of Calcium. You are giving your tort Calcium supplements just by using the water. We as well have what our Government classifies as 'Very Hard Water' and it is 100% Safe for Humans and Animals.