HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Good morning!

I'm currently at work but arranging to meet someone in town at lunch to pick up a crab from them, but the only time they can meet me today is during my lunch break. How long would a hermit crab be OK in a general office setting in a small box or something? I would hate to pick it up if they won't survive for a few hours till I can get him home into my tank.

Thank you in advance!

Can you put together a "travel tank"? We have a 10 gallon with substrate and lid to take for rescues/adoptions. Keep your car as warm as you can. Our concerns are always heat and humidity. We don't want them to get cold or for their gills to dry out. Maybe take a dish and some salt water along and a small amount of food.

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Unfortunately I'm already at work and didn't know about it until after I got here. And I am not sure what they will give me to transport him in. >.>

I had no idea, so wasn't able to plan well in advance, unfortunately.

How far is your trip? It should be ok for a short distance, but I wouldn't waste time getting him home and in a proper tank.

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Meaning I would pick him up between 1-2PM, and then go back to work until 5pm. And be home by 5:30pm to put him in the tank.

Since it's doubtful he's been in perfect conditions, there is a good likelihood that him sitting on your desk is going to match what he's been living in. I wouldn't worry too much! Try to keep him out of drafty areas and stick a wet paper towel in to boost humidity a bit.

That makes me feel better. Thankfully I was able to talk them into letting me pick him up after work! I can imagine the look on coworker's faces if they saw a hermit crab sitting on my desk. LOL

I worked the rest of the day with a giant snail in a cup once! Everyone stopped by to see it. The species had just been made illegal to transport across state lines and I wasn't sure I would ever see another again so I bought it right then on my lunch break. Evil thing lived for over a year with me.

Hahah. Why was it evil??

I could just imagine the look on my boss' face though. She has one of those expressions that displays EVERYTHING she is thinking, on top of being a germophobe.... The combo with a hermit crab at work would have been comical.

That would have totally been worth it.

The snail turned into a hunter, which is not how they are supposed to be. I'm pretty sure she ate a few dwarf frogs alive and was skinning my kuhli loaches before I realized what was going on. She would parachute down and trap them under her foot. It took 16 years but I found another of the same species, but am keeping it with big fish it can't hurt!