Actual Average Lifespan?

[itsjoel]

What is the actual average lifespan of a hermit crab kept in ideal conditions? I know they can live to be around 20 years old in the wild, but how long is the average life of one in captivity? Maybe I should ask how long yalls crabs lived?
Im worried about the lifespan being something like 5 years and me feeling awful because mine died at 6 or 7 thinking they should live to be 10 or 20.
Thank you in advance!!

[Pumpkincrab]

It depends on the care and the origin of the crab.
If you have a near perfect setup, most likely around 10 years or more. (From what I've heard from others on HCA)
If you don't, probably less. And if you get them from a really crappy place, I wouldn't say a year even. That's just my own opinion, and I'm just making estimates. It varies.

[itsjoel]

Thanks! One of my little guys came from one of those trash beach gift shops, so we're going to hope he lives much longer than under a year. He really like digging and tunneling which is definitely sad, since we all miss seeing him, but I understand being anxious and wanting to hide and relax. He's always very timid, but incredibly active and loves to climb everything, especially loves to try and climb the class of his tank. He really dig and tunnel around all the time and I can hear him sometimes, so I'm not incredibly worried as of now. :)

[Pumpkincrab]

No problem! He sounds healthy to me. What's your setup like?

[itsjoel]

No problem! He sounds healthy to me. What's your setup like?

10 gal, 5.5-6 inch playsand (not quite sure), heat lamp (getting a side heater today), nice big salt water dish, slightly smaller fresh water dish (neither are incredibly deep but probably both about an inch because my new guy got stuck about 5 times last night in the deeper ones I had before), nice little hidey tunnel and box, climbing branch and a net I made, 5 extra shells. Oh, and I got a combination hydrometer and thermometer yesterday. One of the little ones with the gauges that look kinda like speedometers.

Okay, I know this is like cardinal sin #1 and I absolutely should not do this, but my little guy had 0 way of getting air where he was buried and I am incredibly anxious. I had started to worry that I had killed him because last night I had to switch out their water dishes so other guy wouldn't drown. I stirred up the sand as gently as a could, found him, made sure he was okay, and buried him very shallow. He's digging down again and we're hoping that this tunnel stays up. Either way, I read where someone said "they're crabs, they know what they're doing" and I realized I was being dumb and he'd dig out if he couldn't breathe. I actually ended up changing what they said and remembering it as "They're crabs, they know what they're doing and I don't."

I guess I'm just saying all that to see if you have any insight or affirmations that he'll be okay? Now I'm worrying that he's going to get really sick or die because I bothered him.

[Pumpkincrab]

I don't think you harmed him too much. I wouldn't worry too much!
What do you feed them? (Speaking of hermit crab food.. it isn't official yet but I am/ do have a hermit crab food business, I will announce it officially next month)

[itsjoel]

I don't think you harmed him too much. I wouldn't worry too much! :D
What do you feed them? (Speaking of hermit crab food.. it isn't official yet but I am/ do have a hermit crab food business, I will announce it officially next month) :crabbigsmile: :crabblush: :birthday:

Thanks for the reassurance I really need it right now. :)

I feed them a big variety of things! Dried coconut, chopped pecans, sliced almonds, quinoa, dried krill, cuttlebone, then this treat mix for small mammals that has dehydrated carrot, marigold and rose petals, spinach, and strawberry. My little guy I was worried about, who I named Truffle but I'm still adjusting to, seems to really only care for the krill and quinoa, but new guy I haven't named yet loves almonds.

Good luck on your business! One thing I'd definitely buy from you would be a dried mix of all the things they need in their diet, or maybe a few blends for picky crabbies.

[Pumpkincrab]

I'm still working on it! I need to get more stuff right now. I do have shredded coconut, a fruit mix, dried apple and a forage mix. I do have some krill I'll try to incorporate. I need to buy some more supplies.. all in the works )))

[Links]

https://crabstreetjournal.org/blog/2015 ... rks-ormes/

[wodesorel]

It's 50 to 70 in the wild.

Carol Ormes' have been with her for over 40 years, putting her remaining crab at around 50.

10 to 20 seems to be a good amount of time for most captive hermits.