Smart Water safe for hermit crabs?

jules_LHC · Post by **jules_LHC** » Sun Jun 09, 2013 10:42 am

Hi all, haven't posted here for a while.Just got back from Hawaii and my parents gave me a few bottles of Smart Water. I was thinking of using them for my hermit crabs, but I was just wondering if it is safe? The ingredients are as listed:vapor distilled water + electrolytes (calcium chloride, magnesium chloride and potassium bicarbonite)Thanks!

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Sun Jun 09, 2013 12:51 pm

The listed ingredients are human safe at certain levels and help with proper heart, muscle and brain health but I don't know what effect they might have on hermitcrabs if given long term since by body vollume they are so much smaller than us what is considered safe for us may infact be toxic for them.Potassium is essential for all life on earth but since I don't know the dosage I can't say for sure whether or not it's safe and FYI hermitcrabs get massive amounts of naturally occuring potassium from bananas but unfortunately it's not the same as the synthetics we use ie potassium chloride, potassium sterate, potassium bicarbonite and chelated potassium.

Keg · Post by **Keg** » Sun Jun 09, 2013 7:01 pm

yay jules

jules_LHC · Post by **jules_LHC** » Sun Jun 09, 2013 7:28 pm

@Crabber85 so would you not risk it? What a shame then :/@Keg Hey there

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 6:27 am

@jules, it's a personal preference call but no I don't think I would risk though thats just me. Magnesium chloride is used as an anesthetic for crustaceans which means hermitcrabs can easily overdose and be put to sleep on it if too much is given.Its readily available in all animal foods as it is necessary for mammals but it can have some serious side effects and be potentially deadly for crustaceans aka hermitcrabs.You'll notice that this is one of the primary ingredients in store bought commercially prepared hermitcrab foods which are mostly junk and should be avoided.Calcium chloride is used as water hardening agent and can cause gastrointestinal issues such as ulcers and other soft tissue damage and is used as a natural anti-desiccant and has been listed by the FDA to have some potential toxicity issues at certain doses. So we have two potentially harmful substances and one (potassium) which is a much needed mineral for almost all life on the planet making the water beneficial for us but much less so for our hermitcrabs unfortunately.If I'm wrong on any of this I'd much appreciate the correction just be nice.