Crab Bath

lighteningbee · 11-17-2005, 10:54 AM

Is giving our crabs a bath a good thing or a bad thing?

tb1234 · 11-17-2005, 12:09 PM

I think it depends on who you ask. I think most here say its not a good thing. I myself....not gonna do it. LOL

I am sure others will have more in depth answers for ya.

moire_eel · 11-17-2005, 05:38 PM

I vote "no baths" myself, and I think that's become the more typical over the past year or so, though most hermit crab books and many websites still telly you to bathe your crabs. I bathed my crabs a couple of times when I first started, because everyone said that was what you were supposed to do, but it didn't feel right. This is my reasoning on why baths are not the way to go:

1. Being handled is stressful for many crabs, especially when they are new.

2. Bathtime means removing them from an environment where they feel safe and placing them in water which may or may not be a comfortable temperature, and then usually into a large unfamiliar area to dry off. More stress.

3. As it turns out, hermit crabs maintain their shell water at a precise salinity (the level is different for each species) and when you dunk them in the bath, you mess that up. Still more stress.

4. Crabs, even little ones, do fine with larger water dishes. I don't think they are as prone to drowning as it was once thought, though the little ones do need access to something they can climb out of the water on. Some crabs may even enjoy the occasional swim.

I haven't bathed my crabs in over a year, and they seem quite fine with that.

crazeecrabber103 · 11-17-2005, 05:45 PM

I only bathe crabs if they are new or if there's been an insect invasion.They prefer to just sit in the water dishes and clean themselves.Like moire said,it causes stress,so I say "no" to bathing crabs.

Felicity Loves Animals · 11-18-2005, 09:14 AM

It's not really a bad thing, just a lot of us on HCRU, we only give our hermit crabs baths when we first get them and when they have parasites on them.

gweebles · 11-19-2005, 11:31 AM

I haven't had a crab die since I quit bathing them, it can stress them out badly. Some hate it anyway. Just keep a water dish deep enough so they can bathe themselves. In the wild, they don't have anyone bathing them!

11-17-2005, 12:09 PM	#2 (permalink)
tb1234 (Micro Crab) Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: WA State (eastern half) Posts: 96	I think it depends on who you ask. I think most here say its not a good thing. I myself....not gonna do it. LOL I am sure others will have more in depth answers for ya. __________________ Hermie lover since June 05. Krabby Patty-PP June 19, 05 Mr. Krabs-PP a couple weeks later. Mrs. Hermit-PP Nov 3, 05 All three molted successfully from Nov thru Jan! My crablog http://tiarnna.blogspot.com/

11-17-2005, 05:38 PM	#3 (permalink)
moire_eel "Second Molt, A Success" Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 524	I vote "no baths" myself, and I think that's become the more typical over the past year or so, though most hermit crab books and many websites still telly you to bathe your crabs. I bathed my crabs a couple of times when I first started, because everyone said that was what you were supposed to do, but it didn't feel right. This is my reasoning on why baths are not the way to go: 1. Being handled is stressful for many crabs, especially when they are new. 2. Bathtime means removing them from an environment where they feel safe and placing them in water which may or may not be a comfortable temperature, and then usually into a large unfamiliar area to dry off. More stress. 3. As it turns out, hermit crabs maintain their shell water at a precise salinity (the level is different for each species) and when you dunk them in the bath, you mess that up. Still more stress. 4. Crabs, even little ones, do fine with larger water dishes. I don't think they are as prone to drowning as it was once thought, though the little ones do need access to something they can climb out of the water on. Some crabs may even enjoy the occasional swim. I haven't bathed my crabs in over a year, and they seem quite fine with that. __________________ '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' http://decapods.net

11-17-2005, 05:45 PM	#4 (permalink)
crazeecrabber103 (Small Crab) Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: California Posts: 341	I only bathe crabs if they are new or if there's been an insect invasion.They prefer to just sit in the water dishes and clean themselves.Like moire said,it causes stress,so I say "no" to bathing crabs. __________________ Care to see a picture or 50? http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a44/crazeecrabber103/

11-18-2005, 09:14 AM	#5 (permalink)
Felicity Loves Animals (Small Crab) Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: USA Posts: 329	It's not really a bad thing, just a lot of us on HCRU, we only give our hermit crabs baths when we first get them and when they have parasites on them. __________________ Bitten by the animal bug, Felicity Bitten by the human bug, Blake, Bonnie, and Alex My group: http://groups.msn.com/GodsAnimalLovers

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11-17-2005, 10:54 AM	#1 (permalink)
lighteningbee Hi, I'm New Here! Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 26	Is giving our crabs a bath a good thing or a bad thing?

11-19-2005, 11:31 AM	#6 (permalink)
gweebles "Preparing For First Molt" Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 130	I haven't had a crab die since I quit bathing them, it can stress them out badly. Some hate it anyway. Just keep a water dish deep enough so they can bathe themselves. In the wild, they don't have anyone bathing them!