I got rid of my sponges!!

Hermitcrabgirl · Post by **Hermitcrabgirl** » Mon Dec 30, 2013 1:03 pm

I've been reading around these forums and found some posts that said sponges are bad, and like are bacteria breeding grounds. So I looked it up and most places like petco said they were good and boosted humidity. But then I went on a trusted website, the hermit crab patch, and learned that why those posts said were absolutely true. So I tossed them. Glad the gross bacteria is gone!

jenok · Post by **jenok** » Tue Dec 31, 2013 2:38 am

Yes the same applies to any bath sponges or ones that you wash dishes with. Most people don't think to sterilize them and they are breeding grounds for bacteria.

latieplolo · Post by **latieplolo** » Sat Jan 11, 2014 12:30 pm

Congratulations for doing your research! That's very responsible pet ownership.

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Tue Jan 14, 2014 8:15 am

@Hermitcrabgirl, I've been crabbing for a little over twenty years and for the first decade I had the traditional sea sponges in the water dishes and never really changed them out and over time they would break down and cause a huge stink which was coming from the bacteria that the sponges had bred and I couldn't figure out why my hermitcrabs weren't making it and usually died while attempting to molt.Nearly ten years later I find this site and begin to learn that what I was doing with the sponges wasn't helping at all and was doing a lot of harm so I've been running sponge free for the last six years and haven't had another issue with the water being laced with harmful bacteria and my crabs have been healthier and happier as a result.I'm glad you found us and that we could help you as that is what this site is here for.

Homer&Dude · Post by **Homer&Dude** » Wed Jan 15, 2014 1:57 pm

If you find your tank is having humidity issues, especially in the winter heating season, you can make a very cheap humidifier. Take a vase or any similar tall glass jar. Fill with water and place an airstone used in fish tanks in it. Connect to an airpump and cover the vase with some sort of webbing(ex-storm door screen, onion bag)so the crabs don't fall in. And you have instant humidity