Questions About New 50gal crabitat

This is where you discuss the conditions of your crabitat -- temperature, humidity, substrate, decorating, etc.
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avocadocrabbies
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Questions About New 50gal crabitat

Post by avocadocrabbies » Fri Apr 17, 2020 4:17 pm

Hey guys! So I recently got a 50gal for $55 on eBay (whatta steal) and it is now sitting in our living room. with its arrival are a couple questions:

for one, the dude who I purchased it from was super nice and gave me all his old lizard stuff (at least that's what I think was in there judging by the substrate) and the there are water and food bowls among them. The water pool is a perfect size, but it looks like it was clay cooked in a drum (the kind that kids do at an elementary school) and it's painted with watercolor. The inside is the same except it's been glazed. I might try to add pictures, I'm having trouble with tap talk.

Anyway, is it okay to use a water pool like that? Also, there is another bowl kind of square shaped, and it's a little worse for wear. The inside walls of the bowl look they've been made out of the kind of material that they use on the floors at ice rinks, that weird rubberish mat. Anyway, if I scrape it with a fingernail, some of the material actually comes away. I was going to make it into a moss pit, but is it safe to use it?

I was also given two heating rocks- the kind that I think you plug in and a lizard sleeps on or something. Is that safe for crabbies, or will it just cook them like fried eggs?

Okay, so now about when I will actually execute the masterful switch *hehehe*
I have four hermits, Argyle, Sandy, Karen and Igor. Three PPs and an Ecuadorian. They are currently in a 20gal, and very recently I did a full substrate change (due to mold outbreaks). I changed the setup around and it got them quite excited, and straightaway they buried themselves. Sandy, the most active one, is the only crab that I see out and about nearly every day. The other three seem to have abandoned me for sand world :,) they may or may not be molting. I hear a lot of scratch scratching and croaking at night, though :lol:

There has been a lot of activity, as you can see. I had to move them to an iso while changing the substrate and then back- and I know hermits can get fatally stressed if you handle and move them too often. I'm itching to redo this next tank (it's more than two times bigger!) but I know I should wait so they don't get too crazed out. Question is, how long should I/do I have to wait?

Also, having four crabs, the likelihood of at least one being buried when I go to switch tanks is quite high. Do you guys recommend trying to catch them on a day where everybody is above ground? I really dislike the idea of interrupting a molt to switch tanks.

That's pretty much it! Also, the 55gal is a lot taller, and I really want to try a second level. I've been toying with ideas of tension rods ad little plastic tables covered in burlap, but I would totally love and appreciate any and all suggestions for decor and setup. Thanks for reading! :cheer:
four crabbies: Pool Guy, Karen, Hurricane Sandy, Igor- 3 PPs and an E :)

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JoeHermits
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Re: Questions About New 50gal crabitat

Post by JoeHermits » Fri Apr 17, 2020 4:29 pm

The ceramic one I would avoid unless you can confirm the glaze is food safe.

The soft one will only get ripped to shreds if your nails can scrape it away.

I don’t have experience with heat rocks but they’re usually discouraged because they get so hot. The cord is also a pinching hazard.

No, don’t dig them up just to move them. You may move them as they pop up. They don’t all have to be moved at once.

(Oh, and try not to get anxious about moving them around. It’s an ongoing debate but bit of handling won’t put them at risk of becoming “fatally stressed” ;) )


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Re: Questions About New 50gal crabitat

Post by avocadocrabbies » Fri Apr 17, 2020 4:34 pm

JoeHermits wrote:
Fri Apr 17, 2020 4:29 pm
The ceramic one I would avoid unless you can confirm the glaze is food safe.

The soft one will only get ripped to shreds if your nails can scrape it away.

I don’t have experience with heat rocks but they’re usually discouraged because they get so hot. The cord is also a pinching hazard.

No, don’t dig them up just to move them. You may move them as they pop up. They don’t all have to be moved at once.

(Oh, and try not to get anxious about moving them around. It’s an ongoing debate but bit of handling won’t put them at risk of becoming “fatally stressed” ;) )


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Okay, thanks so much!
four crabbies: Pool Guy, Karen, Hurricane Sandy, Igor- 3 PPs and an E :)

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