Hermit crab sand?

Question

My backyard is real sandy, I was wondering if I could use it in my hermit crabs' cage? I don't think pesticides have ever been around it.

Answer 1

My 16 years of experience can offer you this.....

You can use it but it must be washed with dechlorinated water, then rinsed with marines salt dechlorinated water and then dried in an over in batches. That is the only way to make found sand hermit crab safe!

AND whatever you do.. do NOT ever use BLEACH on anything that your crabs will have contact with!!!!!

AND for the supposive vet in the house...LOL The sand will not hurt it's legs etc...that is ridiculous, they live in sand, sandy dirt and some live inland in the jungle type areas with all kind of stuff...LOL Found sand will NOT HURT THEM! You just have to wash it but DO NOT use chemicals of cleaners! I have yet to meet a vet that knows squat about land hermit crabs... they are not even animals!!!

DO NOT buy the sand in pet stores!!!!! They are just stealing your money!!! It smells clumps and gets stuck on the crabs.

Offer cuttle bone and egg shells for calcium it is better for them anyway then making them eat sand!

Go to home depot, Lowe's, Ace Hardware or Wal-Mart and buy PLAY SAND that is for children's sand boxes, is washed and screened and is safe for kids. DO not buy masonry or construction sand.

BUT if you are willing to clean the found sand then go for it!!! It will only be safe if you clean it.

Answer 2

You never know what happened to the sand before you got it or what has gone over it in your yard. It is better to go and purchase some. I buy mine at Lowes, in the cement area. It is inside and kept dry and so you know that it doesnt have the mold in it.. and alot cheaper then purchasing from pet stores. I have been using the sand from Lowes for 2 years for our hermies and have never had any problems with it..

If you really want to use what is in your yard, it would take alot of work getting it ready to use, as you would need to bleach it and then rinse it out for 24 hours changing the water out every few hours and then drying it.

Sabrina
60 hermies since July 2004 and 2 Raccoons May 2006.
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/oimsofunny/my_photos
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HermieSwap/

Answer 3

when i had a hermit crab i never used just regular sand, the vet said airborne germs will be in it and if its not its natural stuff like he had at the pet store its prob not good for him. they sell it everywhere just go on line or go to a pet store and ask them see w hat they tell you. Mine use to run all over the place whe he got loose he got along the walls and you could hear his shell tapping ON the wood side molding and I never had a prob with him.

Answer 4

I have had my hermies for a little over a year now. I have three in a 10 gallon and they are doing great. I use sand right off the beach outside my house. I have never had a problem with them stinking. :)

Answer 5

Bake the sand to kill any organisms in it, and it should be fine. Bake it in an oven safe dish at about 300* for about 40 minutes, just to make sure everything in it is dead.

Answer 6

well you cant use that sand i hurts their legs and eyes. go to your local pet store and buy the hermit crab sand they had there

Answer 7

Get sand at the pet store. Who knows what bacreria there is in your sand?

Answer 8

nooooo!!!!!!!! well what type of sand?type of dirt? nooo!!! it kills them. i have 4 hermies 1 seperated cuz hes too big. i used sandy dirt and ZAP!!!! so noooo!!!!

Answer 9

Well, sure, you could definitely try that.

Answer 10

I don't think there should be a problem.