New owner with 4 new babies

[Jen.miller]

We got ours at Home Depot for less than $5 per 50 pound bag when we upgraded to our 40 gal. It took 1 1/3 bags of sand and 5 blocks of eco earth to get the substrate deep enough. 2/3 of the tank is a 4:1 mix, and the other 3rd is straight eco earth.

[22pony22]

The sand I am using is Zoo Med Repti Sand Desert White. It's a natural sand with pure and fine quarts and the company says it is better then silica sand. I contacted Zoo Med to ask them if this sand was safe for use with Hermit Crabs--they told me that the used it at the HQ for their crab. I have three bags of it in my tank with a 5 pound bag of the hermit crab sand that came with my tank. I mixed the sands together then added the eco earth. The sand is mainly sold in 10 pound bags thought I have seen it very rarely sold in 20 pound bags. Its a good sand--I'm liking it and both my crabs have successfully molted for the first time in it recently.

[Hermielover121]

Sounds good
What type of sand was the one that came with the tank. Usually the sand advertise for hermit crabs are not good for them.


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[22pony22]

Sounds good
What type of sand was the one that came with the tank. Usually the sand advertise for hermit crabs are not good for them.


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Calcium--I mixed it with the repti sand I have and made sure they were evenly mixed-and then added eco earth and mixed it with that. Both my crabs were able to successfully molt in the substrate.

[Hermielover121]

Well usually calcium sand is bad but I think it will be ok just don’t buy it next time!


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[Crabadoo2]

Yeah, if the crabs have successfully moulted than its completely fine but next change dont use calci sand. It more expensive and bad.


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[VetTech2022]

Calcium sand hardens when it gets wet so if it comes in contact with your hermies’ modified gills it can clog them causing them to suffocate. Originally I was encouraged to use calcium sand as well because they can eat it as a supplement and helping their exoskeleton form properly. I was upset to learn that I could have killed all of my new friends...Now I using a natural fine quartz sand mixed with eco earth and water. I also had trouble finding just plain old fashioned sand...

[22pony22]

https://www.petsmart.ca/reptile/substra ... gid=500120
^^^^
This is the sand that I use. I have a TON of Eco earth in the tank with it as well.

I am correcting their diet AND what I have been using in my water dishes. Going to try and return two un-opened bottles of pellets on Tuesday.

[JoeHermits]

https://www.petsmart.ca/reptile/substra ... gid=500120
^^^^
This is the sand that I use. I have a TON of Eco earth in the tank with it as well.

I am correcting their diet AND what I have been using in my water dishes. Going to try and return two un-opened bottles of pellets on Tuesday.

This is quartz. I will admit I didn’t know Zoo Med made a substrate like this since most of the repti-sands I’ve seen have been either calcium carbonate or crushed walnut shells.

It’s basically really expensive playsand.


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[GotButterflies]

I have recently adopted 4 new little ones i have sam, dean, cas and Lucifer i love them dearly they all love climbing and are in a 30 gallon tank with coconut fibers and mulch mixed and natural calcium sand and soil mixed with regular water and salt water and food with a calcium dish as well for nourishment.

Hi there! Welcome to the HCA! Welcome also to the addicting world of crabbing!!! LOL!! We are here to help you with any crabby questions you might have for us!