In today'due south how-to, I'm going to talk nigh cleaning shells.  Shells are your hermit crab's home, and having a variety of shells in your tank is vital for salubrious hermit crabs.  When you first buy shells, you should always eddy them showtime before placing them into the tank.  And although not entirely necessary, you tin can clean them over again during a deep clean, or if they expect like they might need it.  Here's how you lot do it.

You Will Need:

– Shells (new or onetime)

– Salt Water (prepared for hermit crabs)

– Pot

– Paper Towels

– Tongs

– Bowl

– Timer (optional)

– Dechlorinated Water (optional)

Directions:

one. Take them out of the tank/container/bag and lay them SHELL UP.  This is a good addiction to go into, especially if you programme on cleaning shells from the tank, as this will enable you to cheque the crush for whatsoever crabs that might be hiding in the shell.  Crabbers have had tragic accidents where they have accidentally boiled a crab, non knowing it was in there.  Obviously, if this is a brand new pocketbook of shells this isn't necessary, merely I nevertheless think it's good to arrive the habit of doing it.

2. (Optional Step) Clean them in a basin of dechlorinated water.  This is but necessary if these are shells that accept already been in the tank.  Stuff accumulates in them in the tanks, especially if they've been worn by crabs–sand, water, common salt, moss, poop…

And so this helps affluent the junk out so it'south non all in your pot later.

To clean the stuff out:

a. Milkshake them two or three times UNDER the water.  This volition affluent the gunk out of the beat out.  The shell has to be underwater for this to piece of work.

b. Shake the water out.

3. Plow the stove on, and wait for the pot to boil.

4. Once the h2o is boiling, put the shells in ane at a time.  2 things to be conscientious of when putting them in:

a. Don't have the shells splash the boiling water so you don't go burned

b. Don't drop them in up loftier, this increases the chances of not bad (and ruining) your shell

5. Let the shells sit in the boiling water for 5 minutes.

It helps to set a timer and so you don't go out them in too long.

vi. Remove the shells with something similar tongs i at a fourth dimension and put them in a bowl.  Be conscientious when using glass–your shells are nevertheless hot, and it might crevice glass.

vii. Put them down on a paper towel Trounce OPENING Downward.  This will enable the some of the water to affluent itself out of the shell.  Once the shells have cooled down a bit, shake out (to the all-time of your ability) the remaining water in the shells and place them in a bowl.

8. Put the shells in the tank.

And now your shells are squeaky make clean and set up to be used past your hermies!