They don't seem to be eating

[hermieelover]

Hello, I am new to hermit crabs. This is my third day with them and so far I have been loving it! My only concern is that they don't seem to be eating any food. I am afraid they might starve themselves the poor babes. I bought the All Living Things variety diet from PetSmart when I got them, they have a five-gallon tank and I only got two of them. I have some coconut fiber for them to climb on and it also doubles as a house. I have a small-ish heating pad that keeps it at 70, but I am afraid it is too cold for them as the site I got my information from said to keep it around 75. I have two plastic dishes with a sponge in it to help them get in and out while also helping the humidity. One contains salt water, the other freshwater. I want them to have a good happy life, but I need to make sure their living conditions are just right!

[Hermiesguardian]

Welcome! Please read the care sheets about basic care and feeding. A 5 gal tank is too small for 2 crabs. If they are small you can do a 10 gal. But they eill grow so the bigger the tank you can get now is better. The coconut fiber you are using, did you leave it as a dry brick? They need a minimum of 6 inches of substrate mixed with dechlorinated fresh or salt water to sandcastle consistancy. The most recommended dechlorinator is Prime. And Instant Ocean for the salt. Ditch the sponge, they hold bacteria. The water dishes need to be deep enough for them to fully submerge with a safe way in and out. Does the tank have a lid? They need a sealed lid to keep in the humidoty. If the lid is mesh you can tape saran wrap on it covering tge entire lid. They won't suffocate. Most items marketed for crabs actually isn't good for them. They can eat most of what we eat, just try and do mostly organic. They need protein and calcium every day. Read the safe/unsafe food list and pyramid. The heating pad goes on the outside of the back or side of the tank. From the substrate to the top of tank. A digital thermometer/hygrometer is more accurate than analog. They need a minimum of 80% humidity. They have modified gills and need it humid to breath. I know it sounds overwhelming but once you have the proper conditions set up they are mostly easy to take care of. They won't starve. They eat such tiny amounts it's hardly noticable. If you have the proper depth of substrate they will most likely immediately dig down to either de-stress or molt. They should never be dug up unless there's an emergency such as a flood or bacterial bloom.