calcium sand issue

asuperjman · Post by **asuperjman** » Thu May 07, 2015 6:50 am

Im getting new hermit crabs this summer. Ive used calcium sand and eco earth before, but ive learned that hermit crabs eat calcium sand. I'm worried my hermit crabs will eat the eco earth and they'll have impaction (it'll back up their digestive system). What should I do?

jenok · Post by **jenok** » Thu May 07, 2015 8:46 am

Eco Earth is safe for the crabs if you are giving them a healthy varied diet(check out the food lists at the top of the zoea forum) they shouldn't eat it. If they do eat it won't be much and won't hurt them. The calcium sand they can and will eat as a calcium source but don't use the colored ones use the natural white. The dyes in the colored ones can cause harm over time. Also if you're putting it as part of the substrate don't use a lot because the calcium sand acts kind of like cement when it gets wet then it hardens, small amount mixed with the eco earth won't cause any problems though. If your are really worried about it just use playsand instead.Hope that helps. Make sure you do some reading on here it sounds like you may be using old info or were given the wrong info. A lot of people are just flat out given the wrong info even at the pet store.

asuperjman · Post by **asuperjman** » Thu May 07, 2015 10:29 am

Thanks for the help

Laurie LeAnn · Post by **Laurie LeAnn** » Thu May 07, 2015 5:47 pm

I just use the calci sand in a dish for them to eat. To much getting mixed in w the eco earth still can cause troubles , it can harden like cement around your crabs body parts