soil supplement for crabs

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 10:21 pm

Has anyone ever heard of this stuff? I'm thinking about buying it because they said that their hermit crabs love it, but im not totally sure yet. Has anyone ever given this to their crabs?

http://thecrabbagepatch.com/mm5/merchan ... ry_Code=SU

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 8:15 am

Alika82791 wrote:Has anyone ever heard of this stuff? I'm thinking about buying it because they said that their hermit crabs love it, but im not totally sure yet. Has anyone ever given this to their crabs?

http://thecrabbagepatch.com/mm5/merchan ... ry_Code=SU

Worm castings eh? Sounds like a fancy way to say worm poo.

As much as everyone talks about hermit crabs eating various kinds of poo in the wild, I think it would be fine.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 8:17 am

I just did a search and there are lots of gardening places that offer worm castings... but I bet the crabbage patch is the only one that offers them up in convenient little crab food sized baggies!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 8:36 am

Hm. If you try this though, try a little at a time until you're sure they like it, I found this quote on a site about earthworm castings:

"Earth Worm Castings are also an effective way to repel white flies, aphids and spider mites & any pest that feeds on plant juices. According to recent studies, applying earthworm castings to the soil around your plants increases the production of a certain enzyme that is offensive to these insects."

While that doesn't mean they're bad for hermit crabs, it means they might not like them... it would be cool if someone else here tried to confirm they like it. (I'm sure hte crabbage patch people are great crabbers, but they're also selling me something. :p )

And if hermit crabs DO like it, it might make a helpful temporary substrate for people plagued by mites (like I said, I found several gardening websites that sold it by the 5 gal bucketful).

Willow · Post by **Willow** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 3:09 pm

I bought some from the Crabbage Patch....my hermies just scarf it up! It's one of their favorites now. Although they don't always empty the dish now like they did at first, maybe it contains some mineral that they needed, and now that they have enough they don't need to eat as much of it. Anyway, if you buy it somewhere else, make sure it's pure worm castings with no added fertilizers. But if you wanted someone who has already bought some to give you first-hand experience....I'm it!

HERMEZ · Post by **HERMEZ** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 4:46 pm

And if hermit crabs DO like it, it might make a helpful temporary substrate for people plagued by mites (like I said, I found several gardening websites that sold it by the 5 gal bucketful

strongly recommend NOT using it as substrate as when it breaks down it can cause a bacteria issue and there have been many infections//bad molts etc from bacteria within the tank .

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 6:42 pm

Herm-EZ wrote: strongly recommend NOT using it as substrate as when it breaks down it can cause a bacteria issue and there have been many infections//bad molts etc from bacteria within the tank .

That's good to know. Thanks!

HERMEZ · Post by **HERMEZ** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 7:49 pm

I told her that Tammy from crabbage patch and she took it off her site too

Willow · Post by **Willow** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 10:24 pm

Herm-EZ wrote:I told her that Tammy from crabbage patch and she took it off her site too

I'm not really sure what you mean.....The Crabbage Patch is still selling worm castings, both as a food supplement and as a substrate amendment. I added some of it to the EE after a deep clean, I'm hoping it will seed the EE with some good bacteria, so it gets a good balance, like a fish tank. There's always going to be bad bacteria, your only hope to keep it in check is to encourage the good bacteria. I am confident that it won't harm the hermies.

HERMEZ · Post by **HERMEZ** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 5:03 am

Willow wrote: I'm not really sure what you mean.....The Crabbage Patch is still selling worm castings, both as a food supplement and as a substrate amendment. I added some of it to the EE after a deep clean, I'm hoping it will seed the EE with some good bacteria, so it gets a good balance, like a fish tank. There's always going to be bad bacteria, your only hope to keep it in check is to encourage the good bacteria. I am confident that it won't harm the hermies.

she was suppose to take it off- and i thought she did

.....do what you will but it wont break down into "good bacteria" and Chestersmom is who I confer with on all of this and I trust her

she has been studying the bacterial infections and I had a case to share with her. I just want the info out there for people to make educated descions.. I am buying it as a food supplement though

HERMEZ · Post by **HERMEZ** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 5:06 am

can you tell me where you see it that you can mix into the substrate as I just went thru her site and I dont see it addressed that way--just as a eating supplement---Thanks

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 7:30 am

Herm-EZ wrote:strongly recommend NOT using it as substrate as when it breaks down it can cause a bacteria issue and there have been many infections//bad molts etc from bacteria within the tank .

Herm-EZ, I have been curious since I first saw this... I have to ask... How does it "break down" more in the tank than it does in the baggie/bucket before it goes in the tank? Surely if there's an issue with the bacteria the issue is still there whether it's a food suppliment or a substrate additive.

I don't have a background in biology beyond what I learned in high school, and this question is just sticking in my mind. Do you know?

HERMEZ · Post by **HERMEZ** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 7:41 am

WickedWit wrote: Herm-EZ, I have been curious since I first saw this... I have to ask... How does it "break down" more in the tank than it does in the baggie/bucket before it goes in the tank? Surely if there's an issue with the bacteria the issue is still there whether it's a food suppliment or a substrate additive.

I don't have a background in biology beyond what I learned in high school, and this question is just sticking in my mind. Do you know?

the problems started occuring when bed a beast put dirt products in their coconut fiber substrate ex: peat moss. Combine that with the heat//humidity//moisture our tanks are breeding grounds for the bacteria to build.........this is poop

no less so that is pure bacteria etc. As far as being more technical than that - I will refer you to chestersmom--I have openly admitted I dont have a brain for retaining that type of knowledge but whatever she told me made sense when I was working with her. Their is not enough air circulation in our tanks (unlike the earth) to not have this stuff go stagnant. The coco fiber is suppose to breakdown the bacteria (which I dont know how it does that) from poop so that is a good one to use in tanks.............I always even before this was brought to my attention wondered about that....I mean the hermies pee too but we dont think about it

its just one big toilet

as far as them eating it--well YUCKO but animals can handle that too--such as dogs and hamster and what not alot of animals eat poop!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:15 am

I believe I've read that hermit crab's urinary secretions are normally mostly gas.

HERMEZ · Post by **HERMEZ** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:24 am

WickedWit wrote: I believe I've read that hermit crab's urinary secretions are normally mostly gas.

i was told/read they peed thru their antenna - is that where they toot?

HCA: Hermit Crab Association

soil supplement for crabs

soil supplement for crabs

Re: soil supplement for crabs