New Crabitat for the gang! (Updated 10/14/15)

[Dan H]

After lurking the site for quite some time now getting tons of great information from you folks I finally decided I had to join up and post something myself. I have been taking care of a trio of unique little crabbies (ended up being 4 after a supply run to set up this crabitat ) for awhile now and recently lucked into a hexagon tank much taller and bigger around than the 10 gallon tank they have been living in up to this point. After spending a couple days tinkering and thinking of just how to approach the project I dug in and began the transition. I felt so proud of the work I put in and the results that I had to post. I've seen so many cool pictures from everyone on here for so long now I just hope I can meet the standards set by your awesome crabitats!

The gang surveys the myriad of playthings from their old tank that has been shoved into their hangout tub


Sheldon knows he can escape, if he could just get a boost... (He totally did get a boost later, little trickster.)


The tank with nothing but a thin layer of material to absorb any excess water


The old tank made a pretty good mixing bowl


Letting the gang explore after the sub is down and a basic layout is formed




Some more shots of the tank after the first break




Sheldon requires attention!


Started a second level treehouse (grapewood reinforces from below)



Shot from above at the end of day 1


Jules and the new crab checkin things out


Little Guy wants to know where the apples went


SHELDON REQUIRES ATTENTION!


They've already started to make a mess so they must like it


Today I started on the rest of the upper level and went a bit crazy trying to give them a semi-organic looking path around the area


Used a clear bin so I could spy on anyone hanging out up top (Jules is watching you always!)


I used jute to secure the pieces together and multiple support points to ensure that the crabs would have a bit of trouble taking any of this down, also put some netting along the walkways so they can climb up and around easier




Jules decided he wanted to be a testcrab during all this and immediately began climbing all over the place


Shot from above showing the now deeper freshwater pool (with second bin underneath for easy removal) and saltwater pool complete with decorations and extra moss because Jules


Shells shells shells


A regular tropical paradise


Jules continues to model as I finish up for the day today now that the walkways are secured and covered with a bit of moss for decoration's sake and the upstairs pit is now filled as well



Shot from down low, can almost make out the 2 coco huts hiding beneath the treehouse


And finally, Sheldon shows us a little leg from one of the huts


I hope this wasn't too many pictures, like I said I'm constantly impressed with the great stuff everyone posts on here so I wanted to make my first attempt a good one! I think I'm done tinkering for awhile, as I'm sure they'll destroy a good bit of the work I've done overnight anyhow!

Please let me know what you think and if you have questions about the fearsome foursome by all means ask away!

A few more pictures! (will update the OP here with new pictures as I post them in the thread as well)

This is the bottom level now that I redid the way the shelf is supported, gives the crabs a lot more room around the cocohuts to climb. (as if they needed more room to climb )


They've been pretty good about not trashing the whole thing, the top level isn't shown but its been used more for burrowing and nomming rather than throwing.


Jules wonders what I'm up to


Seems like the bridge here is the new hangout


Found a bunch of sub turned up and covered in which could only mean Jules is in tunnel bore mode. Later I hear a noise at the glass. What a shocker!



(Astute picture viewers might notice the hermit crab known as Jules has switched shells a few times now over the course of this thread, he has apparently taken to keeping an extra set of clothes as no matter how clean the green shell is he eventually takes his old one back almost like he missed it.)

Inspired by user Mr. Crabby Pants' tank update I decided to finally add some oak branches that I had previously prepared for the tank rebuild and never put in place. This encouraged all who were up to go on a climbing spree! Jules dropped his chicken bone to climb the new perch and survey his kingdom of crabbiton.

Trees? I like trees!


No you guys this is my spot!


Hilarious Edit:

After seeing Sheldon climbing along the top of the tank trying to escape via the tiny lip that is covered by glass, I decided to check out the underside of the crab again as despite checking Sheldon many times I was never quite sure I fully checked for gonopores. Sheldon is a bit hairy and never showed them before so I figured he was a duder, turns out I was wrong

The newly dubbed "Shelby" instead of out downed tiny will be properly addressed from now on. Our big girl will get more respect in the future

[Mr. Crabby Pants]

!

[Mr. Crabby Pants]

Wow! looks great to me, and it looks like your crabs are loving it. What are the materials and where did you find them, tank and substrate aside? The green plastic mesh and the jute (?) netting look like they're cool and cheap, maybe ? :thumb:

[Dan H]

Wow! looks great to me, and it looks like your crabs are loving it. What are the materials and where did you find them, tank and substrate aside? The green plastic mesh and the jute (?) netting look like they're cool and cheap, maybe ? :thumb:

Thanks for the feedback! The bins I got mostly at dollar general over time. The green plastic mesh is plastic canvas I got at JoAnn's fabrics for super cheap (2USD for a large sqaure). The Jute thread I got at JoAnn's as well (I think it was 4USD for a big roll). The nets come from a local place in my area called The Shell Factory. I live in Southwest Florida and they are pretty much my go to location for shells and netting. Only problem is they have a hermit crab section with crabs in painted shells, makes me want to rescue them and get them all new shells I convinced them to stop recommending painted shells to customers buying hermit crabs so at least that is something. Also printed out some information for the employees to pass along.

In regards to the tank, the crabs do seem to be enjoying the new setup, never seen them so active before! Any time I look in at least one or two are climbing on something

[IBlab crab]

Hi Dan, Nice tank,looks like alot of work went into it.I was wondering what the material was that you put in first at the bottom to absorb access water?

[Dan H]

Hi Dan, Nice tank,looks like alot of work went into it.I was wondering what the material was that you put in first at the bottom to absorb access water?

Thanks for the reply! I spent more time than I thought I would on the tank but I'm quite happy with the results. The crabs are even happier which is pretty awesome to me

In regards to the material it is something I've used in fish tanks as well as in decoration around my house in the yard here in Florida. It is a fine ground mix of coral, shell, and stones that I have used in the bottom of the water pools for the crabs with some success and figured I'd see what else I could use it for after finding it absorbs quite a bit of water. (as will anything touching the water as most of us probably know )

Some was also sprinkled on top for decoration. I didn't use it in the substrate so that the crabs wouldn't get poked by it but I wanted a tiny barrier at the bottom there so there was some separation. I am not at the eggcrate level yet like some of the awesome crabbers on here but wanted at least something before the sub layer. Probably won't do much but worth a shot

Thanks again to everyone for checking this out!

[hermitcrabdc]

It looks really nice! The moss makes it look really nice! However it's not going to stay up there for long lol

[Dan H]

It looks really nice! The moss makes it look really nice! However it's not going to stay up there for long lol

Yep, thats half the fun though is letting them redistribute it

I pack some in some areas to let it stay but most I expect to end up the pool. Got up this morning to find Sheldon had kindly relocated about half the shells to underneath the treehouse so that the cocohuts were blocked a bit. He wanted a bit of privacy I guess

[Dan H]

Wanted to post an update on the crabitat. With the layout settled other than some minor adjustments to the shelf above the cocohuts and to the treehouse to raise them up a bit, the crabs have been enjoying climbing all over the place and causing all kinds of mischief, most of the upper ramp on the left side is now clear of moss, but they love using the netting to climb about. One thing I've noticed is now that at any time during the day there is at least one crab active when before the tank would be a ghost town at mid day for nap time. Seems like this new layout is encouraging them to exercise!

After some consideration on layout the only thing I really have left to do is upgrade my airpump as I want to add small airstones to the fresh and saltwater pools. Anyone have any suggestions on a pump that would be good for that?

The one I have now is pretty small and doesn't kick out much in the way of bubbles, hence why I put stones in the jar to break up the air more. Works pretty well and looks neat, gives the crabs another pool to play in as well

I'll try and add some pictures to the thread again in the near future, hope it isn't a problem to double post, just wanted to give an update!

edit: I forgot to mention, to no surprise, shortly after the habitat settled the new teeny crab vanished. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess they went down and I won't be messing with the sand anymore just in case, I can only imagine how surprised they were to go from pet store conditions to a spot like that and wanted to relax ASAP.

A few more pictures!

This is the bottom level now that I redid the way the shelf is supported, gives the crabs a lot more room around the cocohuts to climb. (as if they needed more room to climb )


They've been pretty good about not trashing the whole thing, the top level isn't shown but its been used more for burrowing and nomming rather than throwing.


Jules wonders what I'm up to

[hermitcrabdc]

Ah! I love seeing crabs in moss, it's too cute

[Dan H]

Ah! I love seeing crabs in moss, it's too cute

Yeah they are cuties

Jules and Little Guy love to burrow into the moss and then turn outward so that just their little eyes are poking up above the moss. I call it spy mode. Recently I saw the both of them stacked on top of each other in the moss as if they were trying some sort of advanced camouflage.

edit:

Seems like the bridge here is the new hangout

[Dan H]

Found a bunch of sub turned up and covered in which could only mean Jules is in tunnel bore mode. Later I hear a noise at the glass. What a shocker!



(Astute picture viewers might notice the hermit crab known as Jules has switched shells a few times now over the course of this thread, he has apparently taken to keeping an extra set of clothes as no matter how clean the green shell is he eventually takes his old one back almost like he missed it.)

edit: Inspired by user Mr. Crabby Pants' tank update I decided to finally add some oak branches that I had previously prepared for the tank rebuild and never put in place. This encouraged all who were up to go on a climbing spree! Jules dropped his chicken bone to climb the new perch and survey his kingdom of crabbiton.

Trees? I like trees!


No you guys this is my spot!


Hilarious Edit:

After seeing Sheldon climbing along the top of the tank trying to escape via the tiny lip that is covered by glass, I decided to check out the underside of the crab again as despite checking Sheldon many times I was never quite sure I fully checked for gonopores. Sheldon is a bit hairy and never showed them before so I figured he was a duder, turns out I was wrong

The newly dubbed "Shelby" instead of out downed tiny will be properly addressed from now on. Our big girl will get more respect in the future