HCA: Hermit Crab Association

What I would do is use something natural that is pesticide free and also on the safe foods list. You can either find it outside or buy online. We made a nice 2nd level out of a piece of ZooMeds cork background and Flukers bamboo tension rods. I would not put any types of sealant on any wood inside ...

Since you have no gauges how do you know the humidity? Do you spray the tank occasionally? You should not have a heat lamp on overnight, get a UTH to put on the side. Heat lamps will burn up your humidity unless you spray it enough.

Sure thing! Should be done by the end of the week.

Ok. I think we're going to try boiled linseed oil to coat the wood. I'm hoping it doesn't attract mold, or at least doesn't grow as much mold as bare wood would. I think we'll also put it some springtails, just to try to prevent any mold caused by decomposing food that I fail to spot clean. Thanks s...

I bet she got the crab when hermit crab data was at it's lowest, so 15-25 years later, she decided nobody could tell her how to take care of a hermit crab better than her. I mean whatever works!

As long as you can form a tunnel by sticking your finger in it, you should be ok.

Whoops! I completely forgot to paste the link! 🤦‍♂️ This is what I bought, and I forgot to mention we made a second piece of identical wood, so I can easily start over. I just read over the manual again (for the billionth time) and actually read a sentence saying "NOT RECOMMENDED for projects that w...

So I'm still turning a 36 gallon aquarium into a crabitat. I'm pretty close to finishing, however I'm trying to put in a large second level, which is a large piece of wood. I'm just wanting to confirm that the two part epoxy coat that I'm using is safe, and I also want to know what kind of wood coat...

Hermit crabs are nocturnal. For the first week or so, you may not see them. Keep replacing the food, as they will come up at night and eat very small amounts. You most likely won't see them eat either. They do, however, come out in the day to climb and explore. Hermit crabs also react positively to ...

Wow! What great colors. Thats also such a large space! I'm assuming she's pretty high maintenance considering how often you change the decorations. How often does she molt? I know that crayfish tend to change color more than most crustaceans.

To get a sense of how long they'll be under, you have to consider the following things. How big they are If they've lost any limbs Low tempatures A bigger crab generally takes longer to molt, though it varies a lot sometimes. If they've lost limbs, it will definitely take longer, as they are growing...

If you're looking for a water-safe glue option, silicone/aquarium glue works just fine. If you use it, you MUST wait for it to fully cure, 24 hours minimum. Most of us just use plastic kitchen containers with craft mesh attached for them to climb out. Make sure they have a good and clear way to clim...

No problem. Just remember that this place will give you all the info you need. If it ever doesn't you can just ask. Its older than me!

Oh. We use marine salt called instant ocean and mix it with distilled water. It's the closest we can get to saltwater, and is probably better than collecting water from most North American beaches, as some have weird chemicals. This site will tell you all you need to know. Read the care guides!

To sterilize wood, I soak it in marine salt water then bake it in the oven at 275° F for (at least) one hour. This gets any toxins out of it and saltwater prevents mold. Good luck with your new crabbies and welcome to the HCA.