Using treebranches/tree material in Crabitat
Using treebranches/tree material in Crabitat
I recently got two hermit crabs, and I'd love to give them something to crawl around on before I get back to the pet store tomorrow. Anyone know if it's okay to use branches off of the trees in my backyard as a structure? I don't treat the trees with and pesticides or anything. I'm just thinking of taking one of the bigger branches and plonking it down for them for tonight. Thoughts?
Re: Using treebranches/tree material in Crabitat
Check the Safe and Unsafe Foods lists to see if your trees are listed. For example, the fruit of a particular tree may be safe but the leaves and wood not.
PPs are Big Enzo, Charles Paris and Mr Pinch
On the Big Beach in the Sky: Murray, Gino, Oscar, Gordon, Ignatz, Harry and King Felix the Pale
Also Mom to Imogene the Syrian Hamster
On the Big Beach in the Sky: Murray, Gino, Oscar, Gordon, Ignatz, Harry and King Felix the Pale
Also Mom to Imogene the Syrian Hamster
Re: Using treebranches/tree material in Crabitat
You may also want to look into how to sanitize the branches. I know you can do low heat in the oven (very carefully), freeze, or possibly soak the branches. I've never done it so I don't know all the details but hopefully someone who does will chime in soon.
Re: Using treebranches/tree material in Crabitat
Our yard is full of oaks, which are on the safe list. I put branches and dead leaves in the oven on 200F for two hours to sterilize them. The crabs not only love climbing the branches, they also eat the bark. I didn't realize this at first (oak bark is on the safe food list), but within two weeks their main climbing branch was completely stripped of bark! It's time to find a new one. 
The leaves, I bag them after sterilizing in the oven and use them as food.
I'm new to hermit crabs but used the 200F/two hours oven method all the time to sterilize substrate, branches, half log hides, etc. when we kept garden snails. Helped eliminate any unwanted hitchhikers coming in from outside, too.
The leaves, I bag them after sterilizing in the oven and use them as food.I'm new to hermit crabs but used the 200F/two hours oven method all the time to sterilize substrate, branches, half log hides, etc. when we kept garden snails. Helped eliminate any unwanted hitchhikers coming in from outside, too.