Best Substrate??

[taylorsmith1221]

Hello! I’m fairly new to hermit crab care. I’ve had three hermit crabs for about 4 months now. I’ve tried many different substrates, including ZooMed’s Eco Earth, aquarium gravel, and ZooMed’s CalciSand. The substrate I found to work best is a mixture of 3/4 Zilla’s Jungle Mix and 1/4 ZooMed’s ReptiSand. It holds humidity very well and has a “sandy texture” to add to the hermies’ enrichment. I was wondering, is there any substrate that is better than this?

[curlysister]

CalciSand and aquarium gravel are definitely not safe for hermit crabs. I am not certain about ReptiSand, but the Jungle Mix contains fir, which is not on the safe list.

Is there a reason you are changing your sub so often? Once you have a proper substrate, only spot cleaning is needed, you don't need to change the whole thing out. Crabs need a minimum of 6 inches, or three times as deep as your largest crab (whichever is deeper). When they dig underneath, it is important to NOT disturb them except under extreme circumstances (bacterial bloom or flood). It must be wet enough to hole it's shape, ie- sand castle consistency.

Most of us use a mixture of 5 parts playsand (cheap at hardware stores) to 1 part of Eco Earth (which is made from coconut fiber). It should be mixed together with dechlorinated fresh or salt water (made with dechlorinated water that has marine salt such as Instant Ocean added as per instructions).

Here is the link to the HCA page about substrate:

http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 26&t=92542

[RiNiKy506]

This site recommends a ratio mixture of 5:1, using 5 parts play sand to 1 part eco earth with a depth of 6” or three times the size of your largest crab, whatever is more. Play sand that you get at a hardware store works best and is the cheapest option. The calcium sand isn’t recommended because it can harden in their shells, although some do recommend calcium sand as an additive to their substrate. There are other options, I think the Hermit Crab Patch sells a pre mixed substrate. I personally use the play sand and eco earth 5:1 ratio and my tank holds at about 80% or more humidity in a 29 gallon tank with a glass canopy lid. My humidity level seems to jump around with the crazy weather changes that we’ve had here lately but it never drops too low and I mist once in awhile, when the top layer feels dry. Your substrate choice can be your personal preference, different things work for different people with different weather conditions. I’ve read some people using just eco earth, and some just play sand. I had an article on here that I liked, but I can’t seem to find it again.


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[LandFishh]

Is there anything wrong with eco earth alone?

[Hermiesguardian]

Is there anything wrong with eco earth alone?

Mixing with sand holds its shape better.

[wodesorel]

Reptisand is just ridiculously expensive playsand.

Straight EE can be used, but it's a bit more challenging to keep at the right level of moistness. Too much and it rots, not enough and molting isn't safe.