Stinky crab cage

[C: ClareCrabOwner :)]

My crab enclosure smells a little weird. Is this usual?

I don't know how to describe the smell... It's like stinky bananas?

Does the dirt usually smell like something?

It does not smell like a crab died, though.

[mrsnuggles]

It could be that they have buried some food. mine love to bury their kale, making me think theyve eaten it. nope. just buried. have you given them any food other than the standard food? perhaps bananas? i would recommend cleaning out the cage and giving the substrate a fresh replacement or clean.
-snuggles/turtle

[C: ClareCrabOwner :)]

That was what I thought! (That they had buried food).
However, I only just got them, so I don't think that they would have had time to bury any thing yet.
(But thank you, though, so much!)

[HermitGuy3]

By "cleaned the substrate" do you mean that you spot cleaned the surface, or you did a full substrate change/clean?

[C: ClareCrabOwner :)]

I took out all the subsrate and baked it in the oven at 350 F. for 40 min.

[HermitGuy3]

You don't need to do that unless there is an emergency. It only stresses out the crabs.

[C: ClareCrabOwner :)]

I cleaned the cage and set it up three days ago, then got the crabs 2 days ago.

[HermitGuy3]

Ohhhh ok sorry for misunderstanding!

[C: ClareCrabOwner :)]

No problem!

[curlysister]

It could be that they have buried some food. mine love to bury their kale, making me think theyve eaten it. nope. just buried. have you given them any food other than the standard food? perhaps bananas? i would recommend cleaning out the cage and giving the substrate a fresh replacement or clean.
-snuggles/turtle

I don't think I would go to all the trouble of a deep clean just because of a bit of banana smell.

[curlysister]

Coco fiber can for sure have a bit of a smell, kind of a damp earthy smell, IMO.

[C: ClareCrabOwner :)]

That's probably why!

I wasn't sure how to describe it! Thank you!

[mrsnuggles]

I don't think I would go to all the trouble of a deep clean just because of a bit of banana smell.

sorry, i didnt mean giving a full deep clean, just cleaning the bits that smell/affected by the smell. sorry for the confusion ^^

[C: ClareCrabOwner :)]

I appreciate the help!