HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Can I put a pine cone in my tank for the crabs to climb on?

While I'm not sure that pine nuts are hazardous, I would definitely avoid the cone itself. If it's been exposed to the sap (and I've held pine cones before that definitely were) then it really could be quite bad for the crabs.

Ok I checked with Kerie from EpicureanHermit.com, she is very knowledgeable on what hermit crabs should and should not eat.... and she had this to say regarding pine cones:"Looking into it, there is no known toxicity of pine cones, and a great many insects will eat them. I've seen pictures of Carol of Crabworks' pair playing in pine cones on her hearth. They're still alive so with these three facts in mind, I don't think that pine cones will be a problem for them.Fresh pine cones with resin should be avoided because of the terpenes and the stickiness. If you want to try to give your crabs one, I'd suggest getting an old dried out one, soak it in salt water for a while to kill anything that might be hiding in the crevasses and then let it dry out, perhaps in a low-temp oven."So if you decide to try this, be sure to keep a careful eye on your crabs. Note if they eat it, and then let us know how it goes.

I would agree with KC and say no to the pine cone. I would play it safe and not put anything pine in my crabitat ,it's just not worth the risk.Sandra

I should have stated this before... but personally, I can not recommend the use of a pine cone. I just dont know if its safe or not, considering the issues with pine in general. The above post by me was a reply from Kerie (at the EpicureanHermit), who I would trust completely... but being unsure, I think I would also take the better safe-than-sorry route.

Yeah, I'd have to agree with everyone else and say no to pine cones. Like they said, it's not worth the risk to put something pine in there.

Well, I wouldn't use the pine cone. Too risky for me. I'm a worry wart over my crabbies, so as Ren said better safe than sorry! There are lots of safer climbing options though. Driftwood, grapevine, cholla wood, stiff aquarium plants, coconut backgrounds, etc. Anyways, I wouldn't do it.

O.K. O.K. I'm convinced. I just thought it would look neat. Since the consensus is that they are not worth the risk, despite what Kerie said , I won't do it.I will say that even though I'm disappointed, I do have lots of other options for climbing stuff.