Questionwhen we first got our hermits they were babies. the guy said to use a sea sponge to give them water cause the babies are afraid of the water. when can we get rid of the sponge and just give the dish of water?
AnswerDear Bob,
thank you for your question.
Hermit crabs are not afraid of the water, but they may drown in it. It's important that they have a way of climbing out of the water dish and a sponge is good for that, but pebbles, a big shell, some branches or a piece of coral works just as well. A sponge is a good source of chitin for the crabs, too.
You don't need it and I have stopped using them because they tend to turn into algae city very fast and don't help keepnig up the humidity very much. The crabs must also be able to submerge in their water bowl and that's easier without a sponge. In the saltwater bowl, sponges start to smell very fast.
If you are interested, here are a few websites that have excellent information on crab care:
www.thecrabbagepatch.com
www.crabstreethournal.com
www.landhermitcrabs.com
www.hermitcrabassociation.com
I hope I was of some help to you
Jennifer
