WATER: (drinking and bathing)

Many opinions may be found on the subject of water. Many currently add Grapefruit Seed Extract or Apple Cider Vinegar to their birds' drinking water. (I have included sites below for research on these) however, at the very least we need to insure that we are not giving our birds water which has been treated and/or contains more minerals/metals, etc, than their system can handle. I prefer to use distilled water for all of my pets. Distilled water is the most "pure" form of water. In our opinion, the minerals contained in tap, bottled and/or municipal water are inert and are not absorbed by any living creature and therefore are not useable as a nutrient source. Also, many municipal water supplies have fluoride and other chemicals added which could prove toxic over time! Since I have a water conditioner on my private well water system, I can not use this water other than for cooking. My filter system injects salt in to the water and is far too high in sodium content to use for any living creatures! Do not use non-specific metal bowls which may contain zinc or oxidize into standing water; stainless steel or plastic bowls and/or plastic or glass water bottles are the best containers and easy to sanitize. If you use bottles, purchase two bottlebrushes, one sized for tube and one sized for your bottle (these are easy to clean with the help of the brushes)! Water should be changed at least once per day (twice is better!) And if you use bowls you will soon learn why! Poop soup happens very quickly! Place the bowl or dish securely away from an area where they can perch over them and this will help minimize need for more frequent changes. My birds would bathe in their water dish and I am away from home many hours per day so bottles are a much better choice for my lifestyle.. Also, remember birds will bathe in their water dishes and it is important this water is free of all residuals so that they receive the full health benefit essential to their well being.

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