Josh's Frogs BioBedding HERMIT CRAB Bioactive Substrate (4 Quarts)

Please note that the 4 Quart is different than 10 Quart. See prep instructions.

Hermit Crab BioBedding is the perfect substrate for your bioactive hermit crab enclosure. This substrate is a unique blend of ingredients designed to jump-start the bioactive environment. It helps to maintain a proper level of humidity, yet retains moisture in a way to easily provide humid hides, support burrowing and foster a community of cleaner invertebrates and beneficial organisms.

• Tank stays cleaner due to bioactive cycle
• No substrate changes, which is less stressful on your pet
• Closer to replicating your pet’s natural habitat
• Maintains humidity better than traditional substrates

How to Prep: 

This bag has already been mixed with Quikcrete Play Sand! This means no mixing and no mess for you! Add mixture to the enclosure to a minimum depth of 3 times the height of your largest hermit crab. It is likely that no water will need to be added, but if the substrate does not hold its shape for burrowing, slowly add dechlorinated water until it is "sand castle" consistency.

One 4 quart bag is not enough for a proper size hermit crab enclosure. 5 bags would accommodate a 20L setup with smaller crabs, or a a 20H with larger crabs.

Want to set up an enclosure larger than 20 gallons? We recommend our 10 Quart bag that hasn't yet been mixed with playsand (sold separately at home improvement stores). Two 10qt bags easily set up a 40B after being mixed with two 50 cuft bags of playsand. 

Recommended Animals: 

• Hermit Crabs

Recommended Plants: Air plants and other bromeliads, spider plants, and parlor palm are great for hermit crab enclosures. For plants with large root systems, we recommend using pots with no holes to keep roots out of molter's tunnel systems and for targeted watering.

• 18x18x18 (20 Gallon) Hermit Crab Vivarium Plant Kit
• 24x18x24 (40-55 Gallon) Hermit Crab Vivarium Plant Kit

Suitable for Misted Setups: No. Hermit crab enclosures do not need to be misted when set up correctly with a glass lid. Misting can cause flooding or overly soggy conditions that can harm molting crabs. Bromeliads and air plants can be misted outside the enclosure if possible. Potted plants sunk into the substrate can receive a splash of water when dry. 

Care: Hermit Crab BioBedding is a naturalistic vivarium substrate and is meant to house a bioactive clean up crew! Stir the surface of the soil every 1-2 weeks with a fork, or if waste is visible. Burying waste allows microfauna to process it quicker. Hermit crabs will eventually eat some of the ingredients in this substrate so providing calcium supplements and leaf litter in your hermit crab's diet are highly recommended. Please note that Hermit Crab BioBedding is designed to grow fungi - this is not a sign of a dirty tank, but of a healthy, clean bioactive environment.

Recommended Clean up Crew: Springtails are helpful for eating mold. Mold is common in warm, humid, low ventilation environments and springtails will keep it from becoming unsightly. Isopods eat droppings and pieces of food hermit crabs will try to bury. Ideal isopods are not picky about their environment and will not bother soft molting crabs. For these reasons, the best candidates are Porcellionides pruinosus (Powder Blue, Powder Orange, White Out, Oreo Crumble), Cubaris Murina, Cylisticus convexus ‘Ukraine Pied’ and Dwarf Tropical Whites. We do not recommend any Porcellio laevis. 

Not sure if this is the right substrate for your pet? Josh's Frogs also offers Coco Select, Dig It, ABG Mix, Coco Cradle, incubation media, feeder insect beddings, various shredded barks like Aspen, Cypress, Pine, and more!

WARNING: This product can expose you to a chemical (silica), which is known to the State of California to cause cancer. For more information, go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.