how to avoid pests?

[Beeliz]

I wondered how to prevent pests from invading the hermits tanks? If you don't introduce new crabs,and keep things relatively clean,could you still get them? I'm getting nervous of getting mites or something now,,it seems to be a common problem... (
I don't have any ,and hoping I never do,,but I want to know more how mites would get in there,other than on another crab that you introduce?

[arhoads]

If you collect anything from nature; ie. oak leaves, be sure to wash them in de chlorinated water. I've never had mites but I have had earwigs once, don't know how but two of them got in the tank and I had to kill them

[Wai]

There may have been earwig eggs on the leaves.

[Beeliz]

ok,That's what I was thinking,,that if I never bring things in from outdoors,and freeze any sand,coco fibre before using it,,ect,,should be fine right? Same would apply for my box turtle,,,both tanks have the same habitat settings,high humidity and warm.,and never had a problem with my boxie(knock on wood!)

[ladybug15057]

Sadly, no. Freezing does not kill all pests, but will make some go dormant until the warmth returns. If it would kill all pests, the northern states of the U.S. (or Canada) should not have any pests at all. No creature or pest can live through boiling or baking.
We can try to limit the access of pests by boiling and baking items, as well as grinding our foods prior to offering them. (some pests will hitch hike into tanks on foods... like on grains for example)
We have screen lids under all our plexiglass lids, and to make the holes even smaller I have put another layer of nylon screen on top of the screen lid.