HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I'm looking at adding leaf litter to my tank. I know people recommend gathering from the backyard, but I know my parents treat the trees around my house with weed and bug killer. I'm not confident enough in other trees in the area and assume they are treated the same. If I can't find a safe, local place to scavenge leaves, is there another easy way to get leaf litter?

Assuming I can find safe trees somewhere, how would I treat the leaves prior to putting them in the tank?

Thank you!

Maybe try looking online, particularly in the dart frog community and fish keeping; both of these commonly use leaf litter of some sort and im sure that you might have people willing to ship leaves to your door.... do you have family in other areas that have it 'safe'? friends even?

Yep, buy it from others.

I usually collect a few bags in the fall to send to friends. Asking someone you know would be the cheapest option, they are light and I've send stuffed giant moving boxes across the country for like $25 in shipping.

I believe some of the hermit stores sell them, as do dart frog supply places, but you'd be paying a heck of a lot more. (We're talking $5 for a little baggie.)

If you can wait til fall I'm sure someone could help you out instead!

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Oh, and as for treatment, I never really did. I'd either stick the bag in the deep freeze for a couple weeks, or let it freeze outside for a while. It doesn't kill everything, but it gets rid of the spiders which is my only worry!

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wodesorel wrote:Oh, and as for treatment, I never really did. I'd either stick the bag in the deep freeze for a couple weeks, or let it freeze outside for a while. It doesn't kill everything, but it gets rid of the spiders which is my only worry!

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Ugh spiders!!!!
I've been wondering about leaf litter myself. I used to have Bay leaves that they lived scattered around the tank. Our trees aren't sprayed around here, so I could wait til fall for ours!


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Thank you guys!