Substrate Inside Shells?

[powerfulpup]

I'm not sure if this really qualified as a shell related question, or a general care, so I thought I'd just toss it out here. Sorry if it's in the wrong place!

I'm the proud caretaker (which I prefer to the term "owner") of 4 new hermit crabs. I got them almost two weeks ago, and they live in a 20 gallon tank. They are relatively small, but I wouldn't say tiny. I also have a number of various shell types for them to change into. I noticed the first night they explored their new home and checked out the shells, and have since spent lots of time tunneling and just being buried, with occasional trips to the surface. Anyway, no one switched shells, but they got Eco-Earth inside all the shells I had just cleaned for them. It made me wonder, after sterilization, is it okay if there is substrate in the shell? Do they clean it out if they want to move in?

Thanks all!

[hermie_lover3542]

When a hermit crab switches shells it takes the time and "modifies" its shell. It will scoop out the dirt and even sometimes chips peices off the shell to the crab's liking.

Also how do you sterilize your shells? If you boil them in dechlorinated salt water the shells will sometimes appeal to the crab. I hope that this helped

[powerfulpup]

Some I boiled in treated water, not salt water though. Others I baked for a half hour at 300 degrees. Thanks for the reply.

[ladybug15057]

Bake shells? I have not heard of this one, it is typical to boil the shells in dechlor water.
Hermies will clean out their shells and it does seem that it annoys the crabber and not the hermie about the substrate in the shells. In the wild the shells are not cleaned as what we normally offer. But a hermie is usually enticed more to change into a clean shell as opposed to one that is full of substrate.