subject: The Dos And Donts Of Curing Hermit Crabs Mites [print this page] It seems as if all creatures have some sort of parasite, or achilles heel if you will which is microscopic in size compared to the host, but can do tremendous physical damage when infected. The kryptonite to hermit crabs is the mite. Very small and granular in appearance, mites attach themselves to hermit crabs and will cause over time unnecessary stress and even serious health issues including premature death.
The adage an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure is truer than ever with hermit crab mites. Simple proactive steps to preventing mites will go a long way in the overall health and happiness of your hermit crabs. It is much easier to prevent these pesky little guys from ever infecting your hermit crabs than dealing with them once they make their appearance.
Donts of Hermit Crabs Mites
- The most important thing to remember is that hermit crabs are not reptiles, they are crustaceans, so do not buy mite spray. Taking this step will lead to the death of your hermit crab as well as the mites.
- Dont leave all the existing substrate and contents of your tank. You will want to properly sanitize these items, which is discussed in more detail below.
- Dont keep molting hermit crabs with the non molting crabs when mites are spotted. Be sure to isolate them while they undergo this process.
- Dont assume a new hermit crab you bring home from the pet store is free of mites. Place him in quarantine for 7 to 10 days to ensure he is healthy to unite with your other crabs.
Dos of Curing Hermit Crabs Mites
- Curing mites can be easy, it is just a process to go through. First you will want to ensure that everything in the tank or cage is sterilized properly. This means all the extra shells, toys, drift wood, food bowls, etc., needs to be boiled for at least 15 minutes before reuniting these items with your newly cleaned hermit crab.
- If you find that your crab is infected with mites, be sure to bathe him immediately. Many of the mites will fall off and drown in the bath water right away, but you will want to wash your crab multiple times to ensure all the mites have been removed from the surface and inside the shell.
- Clean the tank as thoroughly as possible. If your crab is infected with mites, there is an excellent chance the mites are infecting the substrate and other parts of their cage. The most effective way to completely eliminate mites from the tank is to replace the substrate entirely with fresh substrate. If complete replacement of the substrate is not possible, you can sterilize the substrate by boiling it for a few minutes, effectively killing all the mites. If your substrate material is sand, you can bake it in the oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes and let it cool.
