HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Does anyone have a good heating option for the tank? I have a pad that is on the back of the tank that came from previous owner and then a bulb on top of the mesh lid. Problem is my son went to take care of the crab and put the lamp face down on his dresser and made a burn mark. He is scared to touch the lamp because it gets so hot. Is there a hood/light option that might not be such a fire hazard?

Also, in terms of creating humidity....it sounds like I need some moss but anything else I can do? I installed the humidity gauge and if it is not constantly misted, it drops to 50%. I wet the substrate, put a wet sponge in there. Our house is really dry. Is there anything else I can do?

You can make humidity hotspots, where you have an enclosed space and make it extremely humid. You could also use small bubblers in your pool.


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Either a heat lamp or a ceramic heat emitter is going to be extremely hot. Unless you want to upgrade your pad to an Ultratherm those are your options.

As for the humidity, you could seal the tank lid with Seran wrap, but it can’t touch your heat lamp.


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JoeHermits wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 30, 2020 10:38 am

Either a heat lamp or a ceramic heat emitter is going to be extremely hot. Unless you want to upgrade your pad to an Ultratherm those are your options.

As for the humidity, you could seal the tank lid with Seran wrap, but it can’t touch your heat lamp.


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This may be a dumb question but the Ultratherm pad, does it go under the outside or inside of the tank? And that would keep it warm enough?

Heating pads under the tank can burn the crabs when theyre digging and molting, so thats a big no no, place it on the side of the tank, and definitely make a sealed lid like saran wrap, i like to go to my local hardware store and have them cut out an acrylic lid from my measurements then coat the outer rim with tape to make a seal, works very well

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I would recommend just getting a glass lid I have one from pets smart and it works just fine ( I also have a small heat pad and lamp)!


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Firstly, you don't really need the heat lamp. As long as you have the heat pad on one of the walls, it's plenty of heat. Second, wrap and cover the lids in Saran Wrap, that locks in humidity. (air circulates during food changes). Gets some sphagnum moss and spray it! It raises humidity. And bubblers are cheap, easy to use, and also great for humidity. (The lamp is not needed )

I am pretty sure my lamp does nothing other then give a small amount of light lol


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avocadocrabbies wrote:Firstly, you don't really need the heat lamp. As long as you have the heat pad on one of the walls, it's plenty of heat. Second, wrap and cover the lids in Saran Wrap, that locks in humidity. (air circulates during food changes). Gets some sphagnum moss and spray it! It raises humidity. And bubblers are cheap, easy to use, and also great for humidity. (The lamp is not needed )

Some pads are stronger than others. In some cases supplementation is necessary if the pad is weak or you live in a cold climate.


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JoeHermits wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 30, 2020 12:05 pm

Some pads are stronger than others. In some cases supplementation is necessary if the pad is weak or you live in a cold climate.


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true, but I used to use a heating lamp that just made my lid super hot and didn't warm the air at all I actually kept burning myself on the metal (learned the hard way to pick it up by the ends). Are there specific brands of heating lamps that people should use?

avocadocrabbies wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 30, 2020 12:09 pm

true, but I used to use a heating lamp that just made my lid super hot and didn't warm the air at all

You didn't happen to use a glass lid, did you? Heat lamps and emitters need airflow to work properly.

Is a glass top bad for a hermit crab tank? I have 4 glass panels that cover the top with a wooden top, but I’m not using the wooden top becuase I don’t feel like taking it off every day to replace food and water. The glass is a little chipped, so I’m covering those open parts with cling wrap


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If your lid keeps the heat, humidity, and crabs in then it's perfectly acceptable.