Timely reminder about odors and toxins

[Crabby Abby]

Many of the members here know already but I'm sure many of the newer members don't so with us on the brink of summer and at a time when cleaning indoor and out increases I thought it was a good time to inform people about the hazards of odors on hermit crabs.Like birds, hermit crabs are very susceptible to odors.Please don't use bleach, ammonia, carpet shampoo, paint (water based are fine), potpourri or incense, air sprays or other odorous chemicals in the area of hermits or where it can carry over to them. When in doubt or if you can't avoid use near them, seal their tank well. Don't use scented powder carpet fresheners in rooms where hermits are housed and don't let them crawl on freshly shampooed or powder freshened carpets.If insect spraying or painting is going on outside, shut your windows. Water based paints are fine for indoor use, other paints require precautions and proper ventilation.Overheated teflon and oil are toxic. From the Epicurean-Hermit site, "Aluminum pans are very dangerous to your crabs and to you. Aluminum cookware is not to be used in making crab food. There is a link between aluminum particles and Alzheimer’s plaques in the brain. Aluminum could be one of the reasons crabs might have some types of molting problems, in my opinion. Teflon, likewise, is terribly dangerous. At high heat it outgasses toxic chemicals that kill pet birds kept in the kitchen, and workers in the plant that makes it have high cancer rates, and there have been some birth defects in their children. It can cause flu-like symptoms in a person. If it can kill a bird, it can kill a crab. The tiny flakes that can come off into their food can’t be doing them any more good than it would do you.The only safe cookware is stainless steel, or glass/pyrex/ceramic. Avoid using all others. (For a human, you can add cast iron to that list, but I prefer not to use cast iron for my crabs)." And I'm going to assume that this lends itself to hermits but I just found out that the Stain guard that manufacturers use to treat new furniture is toxic to birds and is quite likely harmful to hermits as well. (Birds are more sensitive to odors because their lungs concentrate chemicals breathed from the air so something we think is only slightly odorous can be at a toxic level for a bird.)