Newbie-ish. [emoji23]

ThatMamaDawn · Post by **ThatMamaDawn** » Sat Jul 06, 2019 7:19 pm

Hello all. My name is Dawn and I am a new-ish crab owner to 4 hermits. I have NO clue what kinds they are. But I am working on building my tank slow & steady. I just redid it and added more substrate. But it’s all eco-earth and no sand. I didn’t learn that until after I redid my tank.

is it ok to just have eco-earth for awhile? I only had about 3” of substrate before and now I have about 6-8 and I think I may never see my crabs again.

I have a moss pit. And I just got some drift wood from Lake Superior. That I need to disinfect. I’ve read soaking it in water & kosher salt for at least an hour and then baking it for like another half hour. Thoughts?

Also, I was told to keep sponges in their water bowls because “they are kinda stupid” and will drown but I see you guys all talking about having deep dishes so they can swim in it.

Also, my biggest crab tried on a shell then went back to his old one within minutes. And hasn’t changed shells since. Is this normal?

Please give me tons of advice on how to give my hermits the best home & life. I will have to take pics of my tank so you can see what it looks like soon. But here’s a two of my crabs. I haven’t been able to get pics of the two others. They are little and hide a lot.

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RiNiKy506 · Post by **RiNiKy506** » Sun Jul 07, 2019 8:59 am

They are so cute, they are purple pinchers. The recommendation is to have 5 parts playsand to 1 part eco earth but it really is up to your preference. It can be hard to maintain humidity with just eco earth and I’ve noticed when I keep a bucket of it (extra left over) the top layer dries out and the bottom can be more wet. I’ve read that it can cause molt problems but I’m not really sure, I’ve only used the recommended ratio. The sponges are not recommended and can just harbor bacteria. Hermit crabs are not stupid, whoever told you that is.

Just kidding! Their water should be deep enough for your largest crab to fully submerge but make sure you have something so they can climb out bc they can drown, they will leave the water when they are ready. It can be normal for them to try a shell and go back to their old one, they’ll find the shell that they think is right for them eventually. The only thing you can do is keep extra shells in there for them. Check out our care guides for all the info you’ll need to care for them.

Welcome to the HCA.

curlysister · Post by **curlysister** » Sun Jul 07, 2019 10:33 pm

Also, HCA recommends 3-5 extra shells per crab. Check out the 'shells' guide, as there are proper and improper shells to buy. When they change into a natural shell, remove the painted one.
Do you have a hygrometer / thermometer?

ThatMamaDawn · Post by **ThatMamaDawn** » Thu Jul 11, 2019 12:47 pm

curlysister wrote:Also, HCA recommends 3-5 extra shells per crab. Check out the 'shells' guide, as there are proper and improper shells to buy. When they change into a natural shell, remove the painted one.
Do you have a hygrometer / thermometer?

I have a hygrometer that just sits on the top of the tank. It sits around 70-75% humidity.

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curlysister · Post by **curlysister** » Thu Jul 11, 2019 4:44 pm

You mean it's inside the tank or outside the tank?

You will also need to know the temperature inside the tank.

ThatMamaDawn · Post by **ThatMamaDawn** » Thu Jul 11, 2019 5:53 pm

curlysister wrote:You mean it's inside the tank or outside the tank?

You will also need to know the temperature inside the tank.

It sits on top of the tank on the outside. My tank has a mesh lid. I know that’s not good. I’m working on finding something that fits it that’s solid.

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curlysister · Post by **curlysister** » Thu Jul 11, 2019 7:08 pm

You can cover it with Saran Wrap. That's all I had on the top of my first two tanks. Cheap and fast, and will immediately help the humidity.

What is the temperature in the tank?

The Crab Maid · Post by **The Crab Maid** » Thu Jul 11, 2019 10:42 pm

I hear people have flooding issues with EE only, like stated above it dries fast at the top but stays soaked at the bottom. Sand helps with that. And EE helps said retain even moisture.

The sponges were originally meant to help raise humidity. I'm guessing people didn't understand why they were used so they started making things up - like crabs being stupid and needing sponges to help them with water. But they can fully submerge for a bit with no issues. Sponges are more of a hassle like stated, they are bacteria magnets.

Shell changing within minutes is fine. It's buyer's remorse with crabs. I watched my guys change shells up 6 times the first night they had access to their new shells. Hermit crabs may even drag old shells around while they're deciding if they like their new shell.

Welcome aboard! :crabbigsmile:

ThatMamaDawn · Post by **ThatMamaDawn** » Fri Jul 12, 2019 9:15 pm

curlysister wrote:You can cover it with Saran Wrap. That's all I had on the top of my first two tanks. Cheap and fast, and will immediately help the humidity.

What is the temperature in the tank?

I’ll have to do the Saran Wrap. And idk the temp of the tank.

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curlysister · Post by **curlysister** » Fri Jul 12, 2019 10:41 pm

You will need to get a thermometer, and both it and the hygrometer need to be inside the tank. Then you will know if you need to get a heat source.

HCA: Hermit Crab Association