Hermie question!!

[Hermias_mom]

So I just ordered Instant Ocean and Primer for the water as well. I will be picking up my 30 gallon tank tonight. Hopefully everyone is up and moving around so they can move out. They like the bury themselves during the day if they can't get in the coconut (have more hiding placing available in their new home). I have 7 total including my one molter. Had the one day... Put them in and next morning he was gone! Thats when I found this lovely website Always there to answer any question and tons of information already available! Thank you guys so much for helping me provided better care for my rescued hermies

Congratulations Gabster! I'm glad we've been able to help

One last thing - I thought I'd better let you know, since you just mentioned that you have seven crabs, and you obviously care about them to do the research to find out what they need to thrive- Depending on the size and type of your crabs (purple pinchers? Ecuadorians?) seven crabs may be overcrowded, even in a 30 gallon tank. If your crabs are small, they may be fine for a while, and different crabs adjust to captivity differently, so I guess I'm just saying if I were you, I'd keep a good eye on them and see how they behave. If a few of them are overly agressive while having a good diet and plenty of extra shells and hiding places, you might consider putting one or two back into your current tank (I assume you have a ten gallon aquarium?), or upgrading your tank again. Craigslist and yard sales are usually a good place to look for big tanks at a decent price, and the tank doesn't have to hold water to be used for hermit crabs. There is a nice post about crab sizing and tank sizing here: http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 26&t=92541 Also, FYI, I've known some hermit crabs to double in size in a year. They don't all do that, but it can happen.

If you wonder what is normal crab behavior and what is overly agressive, check out the Crab Behavior Forum. I've learned a lot from that. http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... m.php?f=29

I hope everything goes well and smoothly for you. Best of luck!

[Gabster]

Pretty sure they are purple pinchers. They are on the smaller side and they all seem to get along famously. I just got the 30 gallon tank today so hopefully they will be settled in soon. I will keep in mind they will need more room but as of now (with there size) they should be alright. They cuddle up in the coconut or hide during the day and they are all over the place at night. They no longer pace and try to get out so I think thats good. I got 5 from a friend who bought them for her kids She was giving them tap water and table salt in blue sand (1 in deep) with no hiding places, no humidity. I paid her to give them to me (more then I care to admit). The first 3 she gave me one died the next day, one started molting the next day and the last one was all by himself so I had to give him some friends so they all know were together previously. What are the signs they are overcrowded?

[Gabster]

I bought some wood to place in their tank. I first got cholla which they liked but I wanted something bigger so I got a Mopani log. I know the cholla is ok but what about the other? Should I boil them in SW before putting in tank like everything else?

[Hermias_mom]

I bought some wood to place in their tank. I first got cholla which they liked but I wanted something bigger so I got a Mopani log. I know the cholla is ok but what about the other? Should I boil them in SW before putting in tank like everything else?

Mopani is on the safe list. SW boil is fine or you can soak in SW and bake in the oven on low heat till dry.

[Hermias_mom]

Pretty sure they are purple pinchers. They are on the smaller side and they all seem to get along famously. I just got the 30 gallon tank today so hopefully they will be settled in soon. I will keep in mind they will need more room but as of now (with there size) they should be alright. They cuddle up in the coconut or hide during the day and they are all over the place at night. They no longer pace and try to get out so I think thats good. I got 5 from a friend who bought them for her kids She was giving them tap water and table salt in blue sand (1 in deep) with no hiding places, no humidity. I paid her to give them to me (more then I care to admit). The first 3 she gave me one died the next day, one started molting the next day and the last one was all by himself so I had to give him some friends so they all know were together previously. What are the signs they are overcrowded?

30 gallon sounds big enough - if you want to, you might consider putting in a modified hamster wheel. Many crabbers say their crabs LOVE!!! it. And I've watched a video - it's hilarious, just the thought of a crab on a hamster wheel. They are known as tree crabs, and walk miles a day in the wild, so being able to walk is something they appreciate I think.

Signs they are over-crowded - I'm not the best person to ask, hopefully some other folks will chime in, hence my recommendation that you check out the Crab Behavior forum. But what I'll be looking for in my tank is crabs standing on top of each other's shells and rocking them with the one on the bottom chirping in distress (some rocking behavior is normal for establishing pecking order I think, but chirping in distress, I don't think that's normal, but crabs can chirp for lots of reasons...), crabs physically going after each other and trying to pull the other crab out of his shell, or pulling off body parts (more than the standard "wave my feelers and legs in the air until you've conceded I'm higher in the pecking order than you") - these are often signs that the other crab wants the first crab's shell (having enough shells of the proper type and size in the crabitat can help prevent this), or that he is hungry and his diet does not provide some essential nutrients, so he's trying to eat the other crab. There may be other indications I don't know about. If you have any molt attacks, where they dig up and/or consume a molter, that's often a sign that there wasn't enough space for them all to dig in peace, or that your sub is too low, or that their diet is not providing some essential nutrients. Or it could just be bad luck. If crabs smell a molter, it smells like dinner to them. It's best to try and prevent most of these things on the front end, hence my caution to you. It's heartbreaking to have to tell someone that their crabitat conditions may have contributed to the death of their crab after something bad has happened, and you don't always get much, if any warning that bad things are about to occur. Sounds like you really care about them and are trying to meet all their needs, and that's great! Hopefully you won't have any problems.

Best of luck and happy crabbing!!!

[GotButterflies]

I bought some wood to place in their tank. I first got cholla which they liked but I wanted something bigger so I got a Mopani log. I know the cholla is ok but what about the other? Should I boil them in SW before putting in tank like everything else?

Mopani is on the safe list. SW boil is fine or you can soak in SW and bake in the oven on low heat till dry.

When I purchase wood from the store I personally don't treat the wood, but to each's own

Edit: overcrowding- you will see forms of aggression- shell jacking is what she was describing. Pp's can tolerate overcrowding better than other species. Make sure you always provide lots of calcium and protein at all times. Aggression can be bullying, cannibalism. Keep an eye out for those types of things. They will establish pecking order once in the new tank, that is not bullying.
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[Gabster]

I have another question. I know I just keep going and going lol The UTH that I bought doesn't have a sticky adhesive. Is it safe to tape it to the back side of the tank? It's a 6x23 from Reptile Basics. Obviously it can't go under the tank but I want to make sure it can still transfer heat well being taped.

[Hermias_mom]

I have another question. I know I just keep going and going lol The UTH that I bought doesn't have a sticky adhesive. Is it safe to tape it to the back side of the tank? It's a 6x23 from Reptile Basics. Obviously it can't go under the tank but I want to make sure it can still transfer heat well being taped.

Yup, tape is great! The manufacturer's website tells all about how to tape it, and that taping is what you'll need to do. You can use just about any tape you like as long as it sticks and can hold up to the heat. Just keep and eye on it for a bit. Make sure you tape it flat to the tank all around. One thing I like about putting on my own tape, is that I can reuse the UTH indefinitely. Manufacturers placing the sticky stuff on the UTH is in my opinion a way for the manufacturer to make more money by ensuring you have to break it in order to get it off the tank, and therefore can't reuse it.

Reptile Basics has great info on how to secure these and insulate them even I think. Just make sure you put it above the level of the sub.

[Gabster]

So on the back of the Primer it says a cap full 5 ml per 50 gallons? So would adding a few drops per gallon be ok? Should I give all my crabbies a quick rinse before putting them in a new tank too?

[soilentgringa]

So on the back of the Primer it says a cap full 5 ml per 50 gallons? So would adding a few drops per gallon be ok? Should I give all my crabbies a quick rinse before putting them in a new tank too?

Seachem Prime is 2-5 drops a gallon, depending on how heavily treated your city water is.

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