Essential Oil Diffuser w/ Hermit Crabs?

[bloomire]

I know it's harmful to use candles or fragrances around hermit crabs, but would an essential oil diffuser also do the same?

[GotButterflies]

Yes, it would be harmful. Hermits have modified gills. Fragrances are harmful to them. Essential oils are fragrances.

[LadyJinglyJones]

What I find really interesting is how essential oils can be harmful... they seem to be mostly generated from chemicals that plants produce due to toxicity to herbivorous insects.

Both insects and crabs have to molt to grow - and molts are controlled by hormones. The hormone that controls the molt is the same for both -ecdysone.

A number of plants have developed these insect-toxic chemicals that either mimic the hormone ecdysone - but aren't the hormone - or disrupt it in various ways.

So there's a danger that exposure to these plant poisons (not poisonous to us, mind you... we don't molt ) might mess up your crabs' ability to molt safely.

Plants are crazy.

[bloomire]

Yes, it would be harmful. Hermits have modified gills. Fragrances are harmful to them. Essential oils are fragrances.

Okay, thanks for the help

[bloomire]

What I find really interesting is how essential oils can be harmful... they seem to be mostly generated from chemicals that plants produce due to toxicity to herbivorous insects.

Both insects and crabs have to molt to grow - and molts are controlled by hormones. The hormone that controls the molt is the same for both -ecdysone.

A number of plants have developed these insect-toxic chemicals that either mimic the hormone ecdysone - but aren't the hormone - or disrupt it in various ways.

So there's a danger that exposure to these plant poisons (not poisonous to us, mind you... we don't molt ) might mess up your crabs' ability to molt safely.

Plants are crazy.

I kind of thought that because they're more "natural" that they wouldn't hurt them, but I guess not. Thanks for the help!

[GotButterflies]

YW

[mool]

I diffuse a lot and when I do I either diffuse in a separate room or cover the tanks with an old shower curtain and cut off the air pump. There is still plenty of oxygen for the crabs to breathe and none of the EO's get into the tats.

[soilentgringa]

If your tank is sealed like it is supposed to be, with only small gaps or holes in the lid for ventilation, the tiny amount of essential oil released into the air in a room is not going to affect your crabs.

Unless you are pumping the oil infused air into the crab tank, no, it is not harmful.