tap water for water crystals?

[heartben]

i know this is a little bit silly to ask but - is it ok to use tap water to make water crystals? should i use repti safe on the water first? or should i make sure i use some sort of filtered water?

yep. thats all. wasnt sure if anything in the water in the water would bother the bugs (in my case, dubia)

thanks!

 

[KarmaChameleon1337]

Noob question, how do you make water crystals?

 

[icegecko]

i use filtered water from my fridge and add a few drops of reptisafe to the water before mixing it with the water crystals.

 

[heartben]

you have to buy the crystals themselves as far as i know - you can get them at tons of places online and some people have found them locally (they are sometimes used to water plants) just look for polymer water crystals or just water crystals even. i've seen jars of pre soaked ones at the dollar tree (if you guys have them) but i still think its a better deal to get the crystals.. didnt really do the math for that though.

awesome. i have one of those filter things in my fridge as well, ill go that route! thanks.

 

[carol5208]

I just use regular tap water right from my sink. I guess it depends on where you live and the quality of your water.

 

[sandrachameleon]

i know this is a little bit silly to ask but - is it ok to use tap water to make water crystals? should i use repti safe on the water first? or should i make sure i use some sort of filtered water?
yep. thats all. wasnt sure if anything in the water in the water would bother the bugs (in my case, dubia)

thanks!

depends where you live, on the quality of the tap water
I drink tap water and use tap water unfiltered for my chameleons, though for my frogs I usually add something to remove Chloramines in the summer when there's a bit more of it.
Some cities have unpleasant water full of chemicals year round. But even then, I doubt dubia would mind

 

[ChameleonsInMyHouse]

tap water is generally fine. you can always give your town or city hall a call and find out the chlorine levels of the water.
i always add a couple drops of Exo-Terra's calcium dechlorinizer "calcimize", for my assurance just incase, and too add a little extra calcium for my other reptiles who dont use uvb lights.

though the preference is yours. chameleons can handle tap water with average chlorine levels.

 

[gerhartrx]

Hey guys check out a few of the posts in the Jello thread ChameleonsInMyHouse and Sandra both came up with some good information as to why not to use water crystals.

 

[gerhartrx]

Here it is just in case you don't want to scroll through it:

Quote:
Originally Posted by sandrachameleon
Well yes, if you are not dedicated enough to change out the feeder food on a regular basis, you have to be selective about what you offer. Or put in only as much as will be eaten, so nothing is left to spoil. But even for lazy or busy people, some vegetables last quite a while - carrots and yam ,for example, and Dandelion just slowly dries out without going moldy.

you are absolutely correct, which is why i love using this to help gutload and keep superworms hydrated. I guess the only thing that worries me, is that people will only use those "mold free" type ingredients, and not offer a variety elsewhere. but you are right sandra, im not arguing at all with that

also, some geletins and crystals HAVE been KNOWN to cause sever impactions. the gelatine crystals can sometimes harden in the insect, thus being transfered to your animal. i cannot find the origional source to back this up, unfortunately, but i am certain i have seen that on more than a couple occaissions. im not here to scare, just here to help encourage common sense, to be better safe than sorry. if water crystals were the case, im sure we would all just be using fluker's cricket quencher, but again no nutrition.

 

[meleondollars]

and too add a little extra calcium for my other reptiles who dont use uvb lights.

though the preference is yours. chameleons can handle tap water with average chlorine levels.

I was wondering if anyone adds calcium to their crystals. Guess so.

 

[ChameleonsInMyHouse]

there is another thread going around now about water crystals as well. i suggest you check that thread out. all the info we established is pretty much there, and we came to the conclusions that water crystals are a waste and a risk. (check out the jello thread).

or just read about ^^ lol

 

[Elizadolots]

Water crystals are used routinely. The ticket is you have to make sure no crystals ever get into the chameleon's cage (and, I have seen people say they toss a flucker's orange cube into the cage to feed the crickets). As long as you are careful about transferring crickets so they don't bring any crystals along with them, your chameleon won't be able to eat one.

Just for clarity, the danger is if the chameleon ate a dehydrated crystal (and, if you leave one on the bottom of the cage long enough, it will probably dehydrate). The crystal could potentially re-hydrate, sucking liquid from your chameleon's body (not good) and becoming large enough to cause an obstruction (really not good).

I know I've seen at least a couple of stories on this board about that very thing happening.

 

[heartben]

i dont toss anything in my cham cage honestly. i feed the feeders.. then put them in a cup.

i appreciate all the info though, ill re read the jello thing. i was reading it for awhile but stopped.