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Hermit Crab World - A reliable hermit crab care information site Straws may look so pretty, but they are more delicate than the other species. They are NOT a starter hermit crab. If you are newer to hermit crab, I suggest that you get a purple pincer hermit crab. They require higher humidity, and one bad change in humidity could stress it out, and possibly kill it. Also, their temperature is usually higher, and that could also stress it out a lot if it's not perfect.


Straws die easily from PPS when they are brought to a new home and put into better conditions than the pet store they came from. Make sure you put them in an ISO with similar conditions to the pet store and make it better every once in a while until it is perfect for them.


I have owned 4 straws in all of my crab-keeping time, and only had 1 survive so far. These guys are very delicate. Be careful.


Straws require a salt water pool that they can FULLY submerge in, unlike purple pincers. You must NOT use table salt or HBH. HBH Hermit Crab Salt is just a fancy name they use to get you to buy their product. Oceanic and Instant Ocean are recommended. For each, you should add about 1 to 1/2 tablespoons of salt per cup.

My surviving straw taking a dip in its salt water pool.
The reason table salt is so bad is because the anti-caking agents in it are toxic. You shouldn't use table salt in any hermit crab's food, either. Maybe using it in a treat once in a while is alright, but don't use it often at all.
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