HCA: Hermit Crab Association

hey guys, I just set up my new hermit crab and put all my crabs in, but didn’t realize I had to moisten the substrate until today. Some crabs are already burrowed in the coco fiber section which is already fairly moist, but I was wondering how to moisten the sand section without flooding. The sand is almost completely dry other than a bit of water I have added to the top.

What kind of sand are you using?

To moisten it you can either spray it or pour water in along the sides of the tank.


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Its usually a good idea to mix sand and the coconut fiber together as it creates a hybrid that is malleable and hold moisture at the same time. But since theyre molting at the moment, you cant really remodel the tank im assuming. From my experience crabs usually learn where the moist and humid parts are, hence why they like moss pits so much, so i wouldnt worry too much about it unless they start to burrow and molt in the sand, in other words if theyre smart enough theyll molt in the coconut fiber

TinyRioters wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 21, 2020 12:55 pm

hey guys, I just set up my new hermit crab and put all my crabs in, but didn’t realize I had to moisten the substrate until today. Some crabs are already burrowed in the coco fiber section which is already fairly moist, but I was wondering how to moisten the sand section without flooding. The sand is almost completely dry other than a bit of water I have added to the top.

if you can be absolutely sure that your aren't disturbing any crabs, I'd suggest taking out a portion of the sand (it doesn't have to be all of it, but a few handfuls maybe) and just moisten it in a bucket with some sprays of water- and put it back in. Again, don't do this if there's a possibility that a crab(s) have burrowed in there.

The problem is that once a crab tunnels underneath, you don't know where it is.
As Joe said, the safest is to add some water along the edges where the sand meets the glass. It will disperse into the sand. You can probably add a quarter cup in each of 3 or 4 areas, then check the next day to see how it is going, and repeat. The crab might still be in the EE, but you don't know that for sure.