Hermit Crab Articles

The basic rule of thumb for land hermit crabs' drinking water is this: Do not give the crab any water you would not put in a tropical fish tank. This means that you'll probably need to remove the chlorine and other harmful chemicals from the water prior to giving it to your crab. Bottled and filtered water are also acceptable, but usually more expensive. Plus there is no way of guaranteeing that during processing (with bottled water) that the chlorine was adequately removed or (with filtered water) that the filter you're using wasn't clogged or contaminated. I'd go with the method below, regardless of the type of water you use.

How do I remove the chorine from the water?

You can do this by purchasing from your pet store a general dechlorinizer (or tap water conditioner). It's relatively inexpensive and usually comes in a dropper-style bottle. You do not need to buy a large amount of it (in fact, you shouldn't, because the drops may gradually lose the ability to dechlorinate the water if stored for a long period of time). Try to get a brand with instructions on how to mix only ONE GALLON of dechlorinated water, otherwise you'll have to do some calculating as to how many drops per quart, etc.

Ok, I got the dechlorinizer, now what do I do?

Read the instructions on the bottle or packaging. Usually it's something like 1 drop per gallon (if the dechlorinizer is really strong) or 5 drops per quart. Check your individual brand, though, because the amount per brand can vary significantly. Put the required amount of drops in the bottom of the gallon (or half gallon) jug and fill it up in the sink, tub, whatever. I usually let the water sit open overnight after treatment, to be sure all the chemicals are neutralized.

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Hermit Crab Articles