As for humidity, my personal opinion is that moss is a better choice. It's easily disposed of so there is no bacterial dilemma, is more esthetically pleasing and does a better job.
Just my two cents.Is it ok to use a sponge?
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Guest
Honestly, I wouldn't rely on the salt water. It won't kill the bacteria that will be breeding within the sponge. To sterilize them, let them air dry natrually and then zap them in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
As for humidity, my personal opinion is that moss is a better choice. It's easily disposed of so there is no bacterial dilemma, is more esthetically pleasing and does a better job. Just my two cents.
As for humidity, my personal opinion is that moss is a better choice. It's easily disposed of so there is no bacterial dilemma, is more esthetically pleasing and does a better job.
Just my two cents.-
Guest
Oh Thank You!
Thank you so much for posting this! I had no idea about sponges being bad! Everyone in the stores told me I needed to buy them. Of course, they don't even take care of theirs. 
I am going to switch it out now! So just add a a thing of salt water and a thing or fresh? They are in a smaller cage right now [[biggest hermit crab cage they sold but not that big]]. So it'll be real little. When I get them another tank I wanna make sure it's huge so I have room for many many more hermits! 
I am going to switch it out now! So just add a a thing of salt water and a thing or fresh? They are in a smaller cage right now [[biggest hermit crab cage they sold but not that big]]. So it'll be real little. When I get them another tank I wanna make sure it's huge so I have room for many many more hermits! -
JediMasterThrash
- Jedi Tech Support
- Posts: 1803
- Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2004 3:05 pm
- Location: Nerima district of Tokyo, Japan
Nobody should think "sponges are bad". That's not the point anyone's trying to make with this thread.
It's just sponges need to be cleaned regularly. Just like everything else.
Standing water dishes needs to be changed every few days or it will become bad for hermits, but we don't say water is bad. Substrate needs to be changed every few months. Food needs to be changed every few days. Sponges need to be changed every week. No different.
Sponges don't really help much with humidity, even though that's what they're always touted for. But they serve other purposes just perfectly.
My only problem with how most books and stores treat sponges is that they're the be-all end-all solution for humidity. It lets new crab owners into a false sense that all they have to do is put a sponge in their tank and they'll magically have the required humidity. Nope, not gonna happen. Have to have a hygrometer, have to have a lid.
It's just sponges need to be cleaned regularly. Just like everything else.
Standing water dishes needs to be changed every few days or it will become bad for hermits, but we don't say water is bad. Substrate needs to be changed every few months. Food needs to be changed every few days. Sponges need to be changed every week. No different.
Sponges don't really help much with humidity, even though that's what they're always touted for. But they serve other purposes just perfectly.
My only problem with how most books and stores treat sponges is that they're the be-all end-all solution for humidity. It lets new crab owners into a false sense that all they have to do is put a sponge in their tank and they'll magically have the required humidity. Nope, not gonna happen. Have to have a hygrometer, have to have a lid.
JMT.
Stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking crab-herder since '92.
Stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking crab-herder since '92.