Hermit crabs can sometimes be infected with mites. These tiny bugs are the size of sand grains, and they can itch and stress out your crabs. The paralysis of the gills and the death of your crab could result if you do not remedy the problem.
If you notice mites floating in the water after you have given your hermit crab a bath or if you notice mites scampering around on the backs of your hermit crabs after you spray them, begin fixing the problem by throwing out or boiling all substrate and washing the cage completely.
Decorative wood should be microwaved or roasted in an oven. Water and food dishes should be placed in boiling water. All crabs should be bathed daily (using new bath water with each dunk to prevent the mites from jumping back onto the crab) until no more mites appear in the bath water or on the crab.
Do not use any chemicals or soaps to remedy this problem. Mites are arthropods just as hermit crabs are, so any chemical used to kill mites will also kill your hermit crabs.
If you notice mites floating in the water after you have given your hermit crab a bath or if you notice mites scampering around on the backs of your hermit crabs after you spray them, begin fixing the problem by throwing out or boiling all substrate and washing the cage completely.
Decorative wood should be microwaved or roasted in an oven. Water and food dishes should be placed in boiling water. All crabs should be bathed daily (using new bath water with each dunk to prevent the mites from jumping back onto the crab) until no more mites appear in the bath water or on the crab.
Do not use any chemicals or soaps to remedy this problem. Mites are arthropods just as hermit crabs are, so any chemical used to kill mites will also kill your hermit crabs.
Mike knows that toasting his
decorative woods in the oven
will help rid his tank of mites.
decorative woods in the oven
will help rid his tank of mites.
