Sand Dollar Snacks: Calcium and Bleach???

[RebsCritters]

Hey guys,

I've been looking around for a while now trying to find special decorations/treats to include in the new tank I'm setting up (or in general really) and I'm trying to keep things as natural as possible. I've seen that other crabbers have offered sand dollars to their hermit crabs and figured it would be perfect to add to my set up as well. However, sand dollars are not naturally so white. Every seller I've spoken to has confirmed that the sand dollars are "bleached and hardened".

So, I'm curious. Is this actually safe to give to our hermits knowing they will most likely ingest it?
Or is there a better source for them that I am missing somewhere lol

[ladybug15057]

Sand dollars are not normally white, and some will begin to give off the bleach type odor when warmed. (tanks warm side substrate should be about 80* F) And hermies do have a habit of attempting to taste everything and they are not safe for them to eat.

[aussieJJDude]

Sometimes they can be "bleached" by the sun as well, but they would have to be sitting out for a while before they turn white.

[ladybug15057]

Here in the U.S. sand dollars are normally a beige in coloring naturally. Even those on the beach would not be "white" as mentioned. I do not know about Australia, but here in the states if they are white there's 99% chance they have been bleached.

[aussieJJDude]

True that.... But it was worth asking regardless. (And yes, I pretty sure throughout the world their natural colouration is normally a beige)

[RebsCritters]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm a tiny bit disappointed because I found the cutest little sand dollars (the size of a fingertip!), but their safety is what's most important. Don't wanna make anyone sick! I guess they'll have to hold out until we find a nice beach to live on where I can collect my own Good thing hermits live a few decades