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[eddiing]

A quick search on the inter-web gets mixed results of:

"NEVER USE DISTILLED WATER"
and
"DISTILLED OR PURIFIED ONLY"

My chins have been drinking distilled water for as long as I could remember.. so what type of water should I give my chins? Purified? Distilled? 

[BambiLove]

When I first got my chin, people there never say anything about not using one of the other so I don't think it's such a big deal..? As long as you don't give it water that are not purified. Distillation is one of many way to purify water. But purified water might have different minerals that naturally exist in the water. They are both the same except one have minerals and one don't. Hmm maybe someone will have a complete answer. I also have a similar question...I give my chin Aquafina water, and people said aquafina is tap water...so should I keep giving him aquafina or no?

[eddiing]

When I first got my chin, people there never say anything about not using one of the other so I don't think it's such a big deal..? As long as you don't give it water that are not purified. Distillation is one of many way to purify water. But purified water might have different minerals that naturally exist in the water. They are both the same except one have minerals and one don't. Hmm maybe someone will have a complete answer. I also have a similar question...I give my chin Aquafina water, and people said aquafina is tap water...so should I keep giving him aquafina or no?

That's what I am wondering, aquafina is purified water, I doubt it contains high levels of chlorine like in tap water (depends on where you live) or fluoride.

Some argue that "distilled water is "too" clean and contains no minerals like purified water do" but there are also some that pointed out that "your chinchilla get most of the nutrients from their daily diet (pellets/hay) and the nutrients from the minerals found in water is unnecessary"

I am leaning towards adding 1/3 part of Fiji water(For the minerals) to 2/3 part of distilled water... Does anybody have a "correct" answer? or at least one that really points out the pros and cons of types of water and which one should I provide my chins with?

[dianah]

it is not recommended for people to drink distilled water due to the fact that it is acidic (we apparently need alkaline water, filtered water tends to be neutral which is acceptable) - a result of minerals being removed.

i don't know if this has anything to do with chinchillas. but, i would be a little weary using distilled water. fair enough, it doesn't contain chlorine but everything else is removed from it as well and, it's not available in the wild at all (i know our chins are not wild but you know what i mean). i think a lot of people don't understand what distilled water actually is - one of the websites i found mentions 'Water: Distilled Water. (I suggest spring water)' - this is NOT the same thing (unless you distill spring water at which point it stops being spring water)!!!

i would probably go with filtered water especially if water where you are is quite hard. or, a low residue bottled water.

[Debbie.nl.ca]

If you can drink it , it's safe for your animals. 
I get mine right out of the tap.
Though....lol ... I bought water for 5-6 years for my chins after searching the net. 

[dianah]

mine get tap water too. they used to get bottled when i lived in manchester as the tap water was absolutely horrible over there (i couldn't drink more than a mouthful, it was so vile) but the tap water where i live now is actually really good so we all drink it  

[jmdebb]

i used to use tap water for the longest time with no problems [where i live our water is good ] but a while back when i had some problems and wasn't sure what was causing them [yes seeing vets and talking to rep chin owners] i had decided to change to a brita filter to use for my chins.. can't hurt...

and i'm not saying that sink water is bad, just giving my experience and what i do.