Sand Dollars

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 8:54 pm

I just purchased 6 large sand dollars from naples seashell co. but they are brown in colour rather than the white I am used to...
are they hermie safe? I got them right in the section online where they sell the hermit crab shells.

How come they are brown? and do I have to boil them ?
I bought them on the thought that it would be a great and pretty way to seperate my substrates as well as a healthy treat.

also how often should i change their bath waters in the pools?

Oh and a final question...
I have all hard floors in my house which means I use mr clean lemon fresh smell to clean my floors... is this alright to use around my crabs once a week to wash the floor since its not a spray....

it smells very strong but I do need to keep my floors clean and must wash at least once a week some times more because of my two small boys and a few crazy cats .
let me know ^.^

Thanks

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 9:06 pm

The sand dollars are brown because they are natural, rather than bleached, like the ones you are used to seeing. You WANT them to be natural. The bleached ones are not good for the crabs. Yes, I would boil them first.

On the cleaning issue....
I get nervous everytime my cleaning ladies come. They know to stay clear of my tanks, or else!

But I cover my tanks with large garbage bags, & then place a beach towel over the bags. I know it is impossible to keep every speck of cleaner/disinfectant away from them, but let's face it.....we can't live in filth, just because we have hermit crabs! Just do the best you can to make your tank air-tight while cleaning, and for an hour or so afterward. That is about all you can do, in my opinion.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 9:17 pm

Thanks! that really does help ... I refrain from useing things like pledge for dusting and windex and things like that around the crab room ( yes I dedicated a whole room to them now ^.^ )

I am glad that its not a bad thing to wash the floor in the room with them.

I might end up just useing the hoover floor mate though ^.^ since that washes and dries as it goes it might make the fumes last less time.

even when I do that though I shall really seal off the tank just to be safe