Hermit Crab Sponge in Water: Good or Bad?
Common advice is to add a hermit crab sponge to water, but is this the right advice? There are sponges sold specifically for hermit crabs, and the instructions say to add a sponge to their water bowl.
Here are the most common questions about using sponges in a hermit crab habitat water bowl (answered below). And the biggest question: is a hermit crab sponge in water good… or bad?
- are sponges safe for hermit crabs?
- is a sponge essential for their water bowl?
- reasons NOT to add a sponge
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Are Sponges Safe for Hermit Crabs?
Only 100% natural sea sponges that come from the ocean should be used in a hermit crab habitat. If the sponge comes from the ocean, it will actually serve as a healthy snack for your hermies.
Natural sea sponges grow in the ocean, and most eventually wash up on shore. Hermit crabs, in the wild, love to eat the tiny shrimp, copepods and other sea life that hitchhikes on sponges.
In captivity, hermit crabs have been known to eat natural sea sponges if they are hungry or malnourished, or if the sea sponge still contains small elements of the ocean inside. Many hermit crabs also enjoy ripping sponges apart as an activity.
Only use natural sponges that have not been treated in any way, or bleached. To be safe, it’s a good idea to buy sponges that are made specifically for hermit crab pets.
However, many hermit crab pet owners say NOT to add sponges to hermit crab water bowls. Why? Read on!
Is a Sponge Essential in their Water Bowl?
No, a sponge is not essential! But there ARE a bunch of companies that sell sponges for the purpose of adding them to a hermit crab water bowl. And there are plenty of hermit crab pet owners who agree with this advice.
Here are some reasons FOR adding a sponge to hermit crab water bowls:
- Prevents drowning: in deeper bowls, can help prevent drowning of your smallest hermit crabs if they are not able to crawl out of the bowl otherwise
- Easy drinking access: provides easy drinking access for hermit crabs that don’t want to climb in the bowl
- Adds humidity to the habitat: helps add and/or maintain humidity levels in the habitat
Reasons NOT to add a sponge
- Dirt and bacteria: sponges attract the nasty stuff that grows quickly and can be harmful, corroding the water much faster than without the sponge, and they also degrade over time
- Extra maintenance: extra time/effort needed to clean the sponge very well each day to avoid health issues
- “Adds humidity” is miniscule factor at best: the amount of moisture in the sponge that could contribute to humidity and moisture levels within the habitat is very miniscule
- Sponges take up valuable submerging space: hermit crabs need to submerge in water when they are planning to molt, and because they need to keep their soft abdomens inside their shells wet, and need the space to do so comfortable inside their water bowls
There are more reasons NOT to add a sponge to hermit crab water.
Personal note: I used to place a small sponge in larger water bowls when my hermit crabs were very small, but that was years ago. Since then, there are more and more really well-designed water bowls in different sizes, with built-in ramps that can be purchased for most any size habitat and space available. Or simply use aquarium caulk and secure a few small stones or rocks at one end to create a stable stepping stone trail out! (see steps and photos for ideas here). These can work perfectly for the littlest of hermies. I haven’t used sponges in water bowls in years, which is my personal preference.
Conclusion
Adding a sponge to your hermit crab habitat is NOT crucial to their survival. Maintaining healthy fresh and saltwater conditions IS crucial!
There are many more reasons NOT to add a sponge inside the water bowls.
However… 100% natural sea sponges CAN be a good healthy snack and/or activity! Why? There are tiny ocean particles of healthy stuff inside sea sponges that hermit crabs love to pick out.
And, many hermit crabs love the mundane activity of picking apart sponges even if they aren’t eating any of it! So buy a natural sea sponge, but consider keeping it in the habitat… dry!
Here’s more on Hermit Crab Habitat Setup and Basic Needs.
Here are some ideas on water bowl ramps to prevent drowning (without using a sponge).
Last update on 2024-04-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API