First post! How is my setup?

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Enson
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First post! How is my setup?

Post by Enson » Wed Jul 29, 2020 10:48 pm

Hey everyone, I'm new here. My wife and I recently got some hermit crabs on our honeymoon.. I did a bit of research before buying and we agreed it would be ok to spend the money to create a proper setup. It's close to complete and I'd like to get some feedback.

The first picture is just after installing the second level I just built. The lid was open for a bit so the humidity dropped, but it quickly went back up to 90+% after closing the lid.

The second picture is just to show off Herman (little one on the left) and Hermione (bigger one on the right). My wife named them lol. I've noticed Herman is a common name.

Water dishes are ~4-5" deep. Currently I'm using a vinyl bath mat cut up and suctioned to the water dishes as a ladder. I plan to upgrade to a plastic canvas (craft mesh) ladder soon. The water dishes are nested into a matching dish with stones siliconed to the bottom to prevent suction for easy removal and to not disturb the substrate during water switches.

Food dish is an old water dish I was using. It's 1.5" deep which is nice because it keeps them from knocking the food into the substrate.

Speaking of substrate, I'm running about a 5:1.2 play sand to Eco Earth ratio. I was going for 5:1, but the play sand took up more room than I thought it would. The shortest part of the substrate is about 6 1/4". Deepest 8".

Heater is a 6"x23" Ultratherm UTH from The Bean Farm. Insulated with reflectix duct insulation. Taped on using what my wife calls "chest tube" tape. It's used by hospital staff to attach chest tubes I guess. But it's very nice for holding securely to warm surfaces since it's meant to go on people.

24 extra shells in there. The sponges are dry and just for decoration and the hermits seem to really enjoy moving them around. I also have been using them to hold the vinyl ladders out of the sub during water swaps.

Temp is currently 76-82 depending on location in the tank, I've been bumping it up every few days as to keep from shocking them.I wanted to slowly add humidity, but unfortunately im not very good at controlling it. I don't have any issues keeping the humidity high, if anything I'm worried about mold/flooding the tank because if I leave the lid shut for a little while it hits 99% over the water dishes. I'm going to being working on somethings for that soon. I plan to put a piece of pvc pipe with some piccolo holes down the side in one corner so I can detect floods if they occur.I checked the calibration of my gauges at 75% with the salt test, so it's at least close to 99% assuming the sensor error is static.

The last picture is the silly little kritter keeper they came home in inside the 20G high I switched them to. I just like to see the progression. I had the small reptitherm uth while I was waiting for the one from the bean farm to be delivered.

What do you guys think? Any suggestions?ImageImageImage

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asiankanye
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First post! How is my setup?

Post by asiankanye » Wed Jul 29, 2020 10:50 pm

Wow! You’re doing really great after a critter keeper. Good luck on your crabbing journey!

One thing I do notice is that your humidity in the first picture looks like 65%, I know you mentioned that you were trying to raise it, but you should raise it as soon as possible because the crabs could suffocate. Otherwise your tank looks perfect!


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Enson
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Re: First post! How is my setup?

Post by Enson » Thu Jul 30, 2020 6:21 am

I guess I wasn't clear enough lol. The humidity just dropped because I had the lid open for a bit installing the second level. The humidity is back above 90%, and it got there minutes after closing the lid. The sensor is just close to the opening so it was mixing with room air.

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asiankanye
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Re: First post! How is my setup?

Post by asiankanye » Thu Jul 30, 2020 7:32 am

Ah, got it. Great setup!


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aussieJJDude
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Re: First post! How is my setup?

Post by aussieJJDude » Thu Jul 30, 2020 8:04 am

Wow, beautiful setup, love the eggcrate level you habe in there. Turned out beautiful!

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CombatMist
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Re: First post! How is my setup?

Post by CombatMist » Thu Jul 30, 2020 1:49 pm

Welcome

You have a great start. Love the egg crate level.

Lots of good chola. Create more opportunities to maximize surface area. They cant get to the bottom ones. Try leaning some against 2nd level, against glass, on top of hides, vertical, vertical with others angled against it tied together so they cant fall. Hermit crabs are also known as tree crabs. They love to climb and even upside down. They like high places and to perch. You have a great start. I'd just suggest a more height. Maximize volume with fixed floor space.

The food dish seems pretty big. Could save space with smaller footprint.

You may want a shell shop. So they dont all end up on the ground covered in sand. 25 shells for 2 wow. Maybe consider removing those way outside your crabs sizes to free up some space. My crabs love the corners of the tanks. I try to give full access to corners. Even a water dish in my corner they can wade through and perch on other side. Like a cat they often look out side the crabitat and just watch us.

Good luck
Craber since (december 2019)
5 pps, 1 successful molt 🥳
20 gallon long

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Enson
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Location: West Virginia

Re: First post! How is my setup?

Post by Enson » Thu Jul 30, 2020 2:04 pm

Thanks for the feedback!

It seems like wherever I put the Cholla they have, they move it around and put it where they want it. Any I prop up get knocked over quickly lol. The few times I've piled it up, within a few days they are scattered about the tank. I have been thinking about getting a bigger piece to put in there, maybe it would stay in place better. Good call.

The big food dish is nice for me. And they don't seem to mind. If real estate ever becomes an issue I have some smaller options to put in there. The hermits can just knock the food out easier in those.

For now they seem pretty timid. What pictures I get of them out I have to sneak and get. One spends a lot of time under the Cholla and the other spends a lot of time in the cocohuts. I want to add some more eggcrate structure. Perhaps over the water as well. I just have to make sure it's still easy to remove the bowls for water swaps.

Since I don't have much in the way of decorations ive been thinking of the shells more as decorative and things to climb on. I'd like to do a shell shop, but I want to find a nice small container that doesn't look out of place. I may make one out of egg crate/craft mesh.

One day we'll move out of this little apartment and into a house. At that point I'll get a bigger tank for them and maybe some more companions. When that happens I'll set up lots of egg crate structures. Lol

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Last edited by Enson on Thu Jul 30, 2020 2:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Maddamay32
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Re: First post! How is my setup?

Post by Maddamay32 » Thu Jul 30, 2020 2:04 pm

Wow really impressive for how recently you got the crabs! I love the deep sub and your crabs are so cute

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Enson
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Re: First post! How is my setup?

Post by Enson » Thu Jul 30, 2020 2:19 pm

Thanks! I appreciate it! They have been my quarantine project. Lol. I've really enjoyed getting them set up. I hope for many happy years.

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CombatMist
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Re: First post! How is my setup?

Post by CombatMist » Fri Jul 31, 2020 9:27 am

Yes crabs move things around. Try burying the cholla several inches and leav it making it difficult to move. Try tying 1 end of the cholla to the egg crate through the many natural holes in it. Then they cant move it too far.

I have a 2nd and 3rd level on glued on dowls. 1 cholla has a string going through it and around the dowl. They cant pull it off. The the other end a string connects it to 2 other cholla woods in a 3 way teepee. They can pull each only 1/2 inch and cant pull it down. Have to be smarter than the crabs.

Assume they can exert a pound of force to move things. If you dont want it to move secure it. Yes after a few days things get moved some. Good luck
Craber since (december 2019)
5 pps, 1 successful molt 🥳
20 gallon long

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Enson
Posts: 59
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2020 10:06 pm
Location: West Virginia

Re: First post! How is my setup?

Post by Enson » Fri Jul 31, 2020 11:12 am

I know one day they managed to move that big ol food dish about half an inch. It has to be at least a couple of pounds. I was very impressed.

I'll try to tie some of the Cholla up! Thanks for the advice :)

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CrabbyLover77
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Re: First post! How is my setup?

Post by CrabbyLover77 » Fri Jul 31, 2020 11:22 am

Enson wrote:Hey everyone, I'm new here. My wife and I recently got some hermit crabs on our honeymoon.. I did a bit of research before buying and we agreed it would be ok to spend the money to create a proper setup. It's close to complete and I'd like to get some feedback.

The first picture is just after installing the second level I just built. The lid was open for a bit so the humidity dropped, but it quickly went back up to 90+% after closing the lid.

The second picture is just to show off Herman (little one on the left) and Hermione (bigger one on the right). My wife named them lol. I've noticed Herman is a common name.

Water dishes are ~4-5" deep. Currently I'm using a vinyl bath mat cut up and suctioned to the water dishes as a ladder. I plan to upgrade to a plastic canvas (craft mesh) ladder soon. The water dishes are nested into a matching dish with stones siliconed to the bottom to prevent suction for easy removal and to not disturb the substrate during water switches.

Food dish is an old water dish I was using. It's 1.5" deep which is nice because it keeps them from knocking the food into the substrate.

Speaking of substrate, I'm running about a 5:1.2 play sand to Eco Earth ratio. I was going for 5:1, but the play sand took up more room than I thought it would. The shortest part of the substrate is about 6 1/4". Deepest 8".

Heater is a 6"x23" Ultratherm UTH from The Bean Farm. Insulated with reflectix duct insulation. Taped on using what my wife calls "chest tube" tape. It's used by hospital staff to attach chest tubes I guess. But it's very nice for holding securely to warm surfaces since it's meant to go on people.

24 extra shells in there. The sponges are dry and just for decoration and the hermits seem to really enjoy moving them around. I also have been using them to hold the vinyl ladders out of the sub during water swaps.

Temp is currently 76-82 depending on location in the tank, I've been bumping it up every few days as to keep from shocking them.I wanted to slowly add humidity, but unfortunately im not very good at controlling it. I don't have any issues keeping the humidity high, if anything I'm worried about mold/flooding the tank because if I leave the lid shut for a little while it hits 99% over the water dishes. I'm going to being working on somethings for that soon. I plan to put a piece of pvc pipe with some piccolo holes down the side in one corner so I can detect floods if they occur.I checked the calibration of my gauges at 75% with the salt test, so it's at least close to 99% assuming the sensor error is static.

The last picture is the silly little kritter keeper they came home in inside the 20G high I switched them to. I just like to see the progression. I had the small reptitherm uth while I was waiting for the one from the bean farm to be delivered.

What do you guys think? Any suggestions?ImageImageImage

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Very nice! Image

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