PPS Stress or Molting?

[EmmaBatGirl]

Hello everyone! New crab owner here! I have a small-ish and a medium Purple Pinscher in a 5 gallon tall tank with a heater. I've been researching and preparing for the crabs for a while and today was the day! I went to my local pet store and picked them out. The tank wasn't the best, but it was better then most. However, there wasn't much substrate on the bottom of the tank.

In my tank (5 gallon tall) I have about 5 inches of Eco Earth, a saltwater pool, and a freshwater dish. They have a lot of room to climb as well. About 3 hours after I put them in the tank, the smaller one (who I named Hermes), dug down. Every once and a while I see the substrate shift a little where he is. I should also add he ins't all the way down - there's a little mound where he is. He didn't eat anything before, but he sat in the salt pool for a while. Is he already molting or just stressed? At first I thought that maybe my tank wasn't warm enough or something, but the humidity is at 80% and the temperature is also 80. That's good, right?

The other crab, who is much larger (named Cthulhu), is doing OK. He had a little piece of strawberry and sat is the salt bath as well. He's a little lethargic but when I had him out of the tank he was active. When I did this it was mid-day, though.

I'm really hoping Hermes isn't sick. :/ I know some of this is normal for a new crab, but I want to give them the best care possible. I'm also the type of person who gets attached really easily, so I want them to live! Should I just leave them alone besides feeding and watering? Also, is my tank good?

Thank you for the help! Have a nice day!

[KellyCrabbieLove]

A tank that small is not a safe home for your babies. Without enough room they cannot molt safely. If you need a cheap starter tank a 10gal would work for a little while since you only have 2 crabs. Your substrate needs to be at least 3x the height of your biggest crab or 6 inches, whichever is more. Your temp and humidity are perfect. Mixing play sand from the hardware store about 5 parts to 1 part EE helps keep the substrate a good mix. It has to be sand castle consistency so the tunnels they make hold their shape. Don't take them out unless you have to. If you do not let them relax and destress they are likely to pass from PPS. It is out of our hands but it helps to avoid stressing them more. Make sure they can submerge in their water dishes and make sure any produce is organic.

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[EmmaBatGirl]

A tank that small is not a safe home for your babies. Without enough room they cannot molt safely. If you need a cheap starter tank a 10gal would work for a little while since you only have 2 crabs. Your substrate needs to be at least 3x the height of your biggest crab or 6 inches, whichever is more. Your temp and humidity are perfect. Mixing play sand from the hardware store about 5 parts to 1 part EE helps keep the substrate a good mix. It has to be sand castle consistency so the tunnels they make hold their shape. Don't take them out unless you have to. If you do not let them relax and destress they are likely to pass from PPS. It is out of our hands but it helps to avoid stressing them more. Make sure they can submerge in their water dishes and make sure any produce is organic.

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Thank you for the constructive criticism! I actually came in to check on them last night and they were both being active, and the one who had dug down was climbing on the rocks and plants. Probably just me being worried.

All there dishes are deep enough to submerge, so I'm good with that. We are actually going to the pet store today to get dog food, so I'll pick up a new tank. I can probably afford a bigger one, so maybe I'll go for 15 or 20 gallons.

I have a only fresh fruits and veggies for them to eat right now.

I'll leave them alone like you said. Thank you for the help, I'm sure they will be MUCH happier!

[KellyCrabbieLove]

It is amazing to see someone your age care so much. Remember that a bigger tank will need a bigger heat source. (I always forgot that! Lol) Also there is a WORLD of food options out there. Return the pelleted food. There are actually ingredients in there that are harmful. You can feed them bits of the stuff you have for dinner! Plus it doesn't cost anything. just make sure it isn't seasoned first. I can find you the links for safe and unsafe foods. It is incredibly easy to feed them. They eat almost anything. Lol.

What are you using as a dechlorinator for your water? For salt?

You should check out craigslist for tanks. You can get a great deal! I know you don't need to go as big with just 2 crabs but for example I got a 55 with stand for $100. A 15 or 20 would be great for them. They are going to live pampered lives with you and be so happy. They can live 30 years!

How are you on shells?

I am happy to help you figure it all out. There is a lot to learn in the beginning but it gets easier.

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[KellyCrabbieLove]

http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... hp?t=92557. Safe food list.

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[KellyCrabbieLove]

http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... hp?t=92556 Unsafe

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[KellyCrabbieLove]

http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... hp?t=92555 Info on pelleted and store bought foods.

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[KellyCrabbieLove]

http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... hp?t=92553 Info on water dechlorinator and salts.

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[KellyCrabbieLove]

http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... p?t=108866 Finally, shell info.

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[EmmaBatGirl]

It is amazing to see someone your age care so much. Remember that a bigger tank will need a bigger heat source. (I always forgot that! Lol) Also there is a WORLD of food options out there. Return the pelleted food. There are actually ingredients in there that are harmful. You can feed them bits of the stuff you have for dinner! Plus it doesn't cost anything. just make sure it isn't seasoned first. I can find you the links for safe and unsafe foods. It is incredibly easy to feed them. They eat almost anything. Lol.

What are you using as a dechlorinator for your water? For salt?

You should check out craigslist for tanks. You can get a great deal! I know you don't need to go as big with just 2 crabs but for example I got a 55 with stand for $100. A 15 or 20 would be great for them. They are going to live pampered lives with you and be so happy. They can live 30 years!

How are you on shells?

I am happy to help you figure it all out. There is a lot to learn in the beginning but it gets easier.

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I have 3 extra shells for each of them, so six in total. They are all natural, as everything I've ever read has said painted is bad! A friend of my mom's does shell bouquets for people who have weddings on the beach, so later this week we are going to go to her house and handpick some more. She has giant bins full of them! :3

For fresh water I'm using distilled water. In the ingredients and such it says no heavy metals and some people have said it's OK. I've seen Hermes, the smaller crab, drinking from it, so I think it's good.
For saltwater I'm using Instant Ocean Marine salt. I've set the crabs in it but haven't seen them get in by themselves.

I checked the commercial food list and the one I'm feeding (zoo med hermit crab food) doesn't look too good. The seal is broken so I don't think I can return it, but I won't feed it too them anymore!

Thank you for the help again!

[KellyCrabbieLove]

I returned mine. Told them it was poison! I'm confrontational. Lol

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[LadyMorrgian]

I did the same thing KellyCrabbieLove There also may or may not be a pet store am not supposed to return too after telling a new crab owner to put back an entire cart of "crab gear" that an employee had convinced them to purchase and steered them to proper items...


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[KellyCrabbieLove]

Lol!

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[EmmaBatGirl]

One more question!

When should I have the light on? I have a heater so heat isn't an issue. Right now I've been leaving in on during the day until I go to bed, around 10:00. Then I turn it back on around 8:00 or so (I'm homeschooled so I can sleep in a little!), and spray the tank down. I spray it when I wake up, around lunch, when I eat dinner, and right before I go to bed. The humidity, as I stated earlier, stays about 80-85%.

Also, I'm assuming this is normal, but as soon as I walk into the room they run off. It's probably a huge adjustment for them, which is why I'm not worried. :3 Will they get used to me and others or do I just need to walk slow as I first go in? At night and in the evenings it's not a problem though. Probably because they aren't tired.

Thank you so much for all the help!

[LadyMorrgian]

Personally, I would try to turn the lights off a bit earlier, so that they have a more even day/night cycle. A moonlight will provide enough light to observe. that's just my opinion though. I keep my lights on a timer now, but I did exactly what you did for quite a while and they didn't suffer, the timer just came when money fit in.


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