HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I've got this cute little bonsai tree in my window sill and I was thinking about moving one of my plants into the terrarium and I'm wondering since the trunk is too thick for little crabby claws to cut down if it would be okay to live in the terrarium with my crabs


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Would have to know the species to know if it's safe. Bonsai just means miniaturized. It doesn't say anything about what the plant is.

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platypuskid2 wrote: I've got this cute little bonsai tree in my window sill and I was thinking about moving one of my plants into the terrarium and I'm wondering since the trunk is too thick for little crabby claws to cut down if it would be okay to live in the terrarium with my crabs


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I don't know. Bonsai trees can actually be a variety of different plants so it's hard to know.

From what I understand, in such a small environment, they'll destroy any live plant, which would be a shame considering Bonsai take years to grow.

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I have one similar. Looks like a ficus of some sort.
I personally believe that ficus should be fine, but they are known to secrete a white milky sap when broken and is an irritant. I personally dont know of anyone that have kept crabs with ficus, many people with aerbornal reptiles have had them in the enclosure without apparent concern.

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ficus is safe safe for herbivore reptiles.

i personally would not use it. they can chew that trunk. my worry if they did would be not knowing that plant has been pesticide free. also even if you had done a root flush and change soil; the 3-6 minimum is only for green leafs and flowers. not telling how long the trunk would need.

Really. I have read sources that say that if you reptile is known to snack on plants its advisable to keep ficus out of the tank.
Just jay. You mention that only leaves and flowers will reduce in toxicity in a short time, but the trunk wont. Do you have sources that can back up that claim?

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aussieJJDude wrote:Really. I have read sources that say that if you reptile is known to snack on plants its advisable to keep ficus out of the tank.
Just jay. You mention that only leaves and flowers will reduce in toxicity in a short time, but the trunk wont. Do you have sources that can back up that claim?

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the leaves and flowers on plants treated with chemicals or grown with additives like pesticidies will dissipate; again in 3-6 months MINIMUM, if youd say thats short. growing a toxic plant wont make it less toxic. now the bark will out grow the chemicals as well but every tree is different so its much harder to say whats safe. thats why you can cut a tree ring and test different rings to get an idea of the area during that time.

ficus has mixed reviews but i find this site breaks it down and why pretty well as to why.
http://www.avianandexotic.com/care-shee ... -reptiles/

Oxalic acid is a common culprit in listing a plant on a toxic list. It causes mouth ulcers in mammals, reptiles and birds. Large quantities can cause death basically by kidney stone, as that's how the body processes it.

Another side effect is that it prevents proper absorbtion of calcium. Oxalic acid in plants is considered a natural insecticide for this reason. It does affect arthropods, so it might not be the best thing for hermits to snack on. (Although one could argue that since it will taste bad they'll be less likely to destroy it.)

Another question should also be how much oxalic acid in a particular plant. It's a pretty common thing to find. Pothos and draecena both have it, yet one is considered safe while the other isn't. Dandilion, berries, popcorn, peanuts and sunflower seeds are also high in it, and those cause no problems with hermits.

Exactly. Oxalic acid i personally think of is one of those things that arent as dangerous as we think. In the wild they would come across numerous plant species that contain oxalic acid, and yes even though they have a lesser chance of running across it and eating it, like you said, its pretty common in a lot of plant species.

Many "chemicals" used for the agriculture industry IMO has a short shelf life. By the time it hits the store, your plant already has around a few weeks left! From the farm to the store, it takes a while to get there. Many plants are toxic, it just depends with species your talking about. Some plants thats toxic to us, arent toxic to others. And then, the complete reverse.

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I would disagree with the chemical time. No one wants to bring home bugs, so the plants get drenched at shipping time, and sometimes while they are at the store. They also move fast since they are perishable. Plants cannot sit on a truck for days at a time or they'd arrive in bad shape and would be unsellable.

i work for a plant and garden supply. i can tell you chemicals of any quality will last a life time unless broken down. plants also are introduced to chemical rich soil then fed and treated with chemicals; just like a dog with flea meds to avoid and help kill bugs. again any quality plants are ordered and received in a 4 day turn. even our herbs and small food plants that are pest and chemical free are sprayed during travel to avoid bugs and recommend to wait 3 months before feeding to pets. these chemicals are supposed to be food grade, fast decomposing. sooooo. it all comes back to what you both said.

when i started planting in tank i tried a toxic plant by mistake. one munchie hermit had a nibble and is still kicking lol.

i personally would probably just avoid it to be safe.

Yep, you have a ficus as others have said. While ficus are listed as "safe" for birds, their leaves contain a caustic sap that can burn tissue.

I guess it different depending on location and work. Haha it takes forever for stock to arrive at my local store, and yes... I live in a major city!
Regardless a good wait outside the crabitat in excess of a "few" weeks would probably be a wise choice.

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