Sponges, do you really need them?

Many petstores will tell you that hermit crabs need sponges to drink from, but there are no sponges in the wild! I'll admit, sponges do contain chitin, which is beneficial to their exoskeleton, if your hermits like eating the sponge. They can be used as a way for smaller hermits to get out of the water pools, but they must be cleaned often. To clean them, remove them from the crabitat, squeeze them out, and let them dry competly, then microwave them for a few second to kill any bacteria. If you microwave them while they are wet, they will shrink! Also, if you choose to use a sponge in your water pools, clean out daily and make sure it is an all natural sea sponge, not a fake, colorful spong.. I personaly think its to much trouble! Putting a rock in there works just as well for the smaller crabs! They are not needed for hermits to drink from, and they are a breeding ground for harmful bacteria!