HCA: Hermit Crab Association

This is my opinion, not based on scientific proof.I believe that any product containing isopropyl alcohol causes crabs pain when they smell it. I base this on two observations: 1) My girlfriend approached the crab and it scooted away at high speed. It didn't seem like fear, it was reflexive, like pain. I think it was due to isopropyl in her perfume.2) I note that if 70% isopropyl alcohol is sprayed on a cockroach (an arthropod in the same class as crustaceans), they die instantly. Yet if 90% grain alcohol (everclear) is sprayed on them, they just buzz their wings and keep going.The reason I bring this up, is because it is easy for us to use personal products that are repulsive to the crab. If you use scented soap (like irish spring), imagine what your hands impart to the crab's food when you handle it.If you wear shaving lotion, it could be conditioning the crab to expect pain as you approach.I have been using glycerine shaving bars for this reason. Glycerine is distilled fat. It can be any kind of fat (vegetable, animal). It is normally unscented, unless they add some. Glycerine bars are available online at specialty shaving stores. They are probably the best thing you can buy for shaving anyway. I use them to cut down my scent signature.I'm also careful about laundry. I use unscented laundry detergent. I like Arm & Hammer with baking soda / hypollergenic. One thing I can't do without is minty toothpaste and flouride rinse. I am very careful not to breath on the crab if I just used these. I'm sure it would be very unpleasant for her. Also, foot powder is hard to get along without. It is probably vile smelling to the crab so I have to be careful.A fondly remember all the poisonous chemicals which I can't use anymore. *Homer Simpson doughnut noise here* MMMmmm, Oven cleaner. MMMM-MMMmm acetone for cleaning stainless steel sinks. Mmm Ammonia window cleaner.Oh yea, watch out for scented shampoo too. No anti-static strips in the laundry. Careful with lotion on your hands; Wash it off before handling crab food.

Yah! Makes sense!!

never had my crabs run from me when I have my hands in the tank and there have been lots of times I have just showered or washed my hands with soap. I wear perfumes, sometimes I use my scentsy , it's plugged in the kitchen & it's about 12 ft away from the tank. I spray frabreez and other stuff on my couch and carpet my crabs don;t move when I do it..

Very interesting.I always wonder what to use to clean the inside of the crab tank during a deep clean. I'm sure bleach is out of the question.Vinegar is often recommended, but I find the smell of vinegar so repulsive, even the smallest drop in someones salad and I won't be able to enter the same room for days until the last molecule has been filtered out of the air.Lemon juice is also something I've heard. I wonder if window cleaner has anything too bad in it?I've heard that drier sheets are some of the most toxic piles of cancerous chemicals known to man.

I actually have lavender soap. It's all natural. The only thing that I am skeptical about is that it has lye in it. I don't know if Lye is toxic to hermit crabs or not, but if it isn't I would love to use it to clean out their crabitat when I do their deep clean.

you can use diluted bleach to clean your tank but you have to make sure it is rinsed out really well. Same with vinegar I use diluted vinegar, the smell goes away very fast. I don't use anything else.

I use A cloth, Declor water and a few drops of organic vanilla. Smells good! XD

I hate the smell of vinegar too but it works wonders to clean a live tank with crabs inn it. You don't need a lot, maybe 1/4th mix.

I see here nontoxic aquarium cleaner. I'd like to know what's in it though.http://www.petsupplies.com/ite...lass-c ... 20962/This petco thinks crabs are reptiles, so I think I should do the research on these.

I try to steer away from the paper towels with printed designs on them because the ink used has a strong odor depending on the brand and might actually irritate our hermitcrabs so when I do deep cleans or just wiping out a water bowl I prefer the plain paper towels for the job.

I have always used Dawn dishwashing liquid (a few drops to about a gallon of water) to clean out my tank. You cannot smell it in the tank once it's rinsed away and I've used it for 10 years now with no crab deaths post-clean.

http://www.ewg.org/guides/clea...ashing ... lNichole,I tried to look up ingredients in "Dawn dishwashing liquid," and got this site. It rates the ingredients for saftey.

at some point humans decided bugs were bad , so bring on the chemicals it is hiding everywhere and all of these are dangerous to them and us. lawncare , treated leather and fabric sofa some of the worst offender are things we dont even think of ,pillows causing lung cancer and all kinds of skin problems yikes uk has banned some sofas from china for this reason. lye in soap , homemade soap while curing all the lye is realesed and converted safely ALL soap uses lye, there is no lye in the finished soap, i make an UNSCENTED bar for my hermies food containers and tat. there is nothing wrong with soap. but the stuff you buy are detergents(fragrance and more chemicals) and believe it or not they have no soap! hence dtergents cheaper. good luck ,may the force be with you. notice "dawn dishwashing LIQUID" no soap in there, i would not use it. it is all about shelf life to them.

i have sprayed smelly stuff in my rooms for years and my crabs are fine I just spray it down towards the floor. I use printed type paper towels and wash rags to wipe out my tank between super cleans, like the glass. I just use reg water on them. been doing this since 2009.. if it works for you then do it, it's your crabs..

Thank you for the link Keg! I will check it out, it seems to be blocked on my work computer.