HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hiya! I have a large crab (unsure of “official” size) who loved the hanging coconut hide…
…even when he barely fit in it.

Two molts and one shell change later, he definitely doesn’t fit in it! I thought I’d make him one his size using a dried gourd.

I got two fresh ones from a pumpkin patch last year, and they’re rock hard dry, but they also grew mold.

I don’t want to buy one already dry, because I don’t know what’s happened to that gourd, but I also don’t want avoidable mold in my crabitat.

Crafting sites say these are still useable if there’s no soft spots (there aren’t), but they also say to clean them with bleach, and that’s definitely out!

Yerba mate forums and sites say to clean moldy gourds by soaking in vinegar or lemon juice, then rinsing well.

IF I can get the mold killed (or somehow dry a gourd without growing mold), I was going to cut openings like a coconut hide, coat it in food grade beeswax as a moisture shield, and hang it up as a hide.

What are your opinions?

How are you drying them? Mold sounds like there’s either too much moisture or not enough air flow. If the outside surface is hard wiping with vinegar (or even bleach, you can wash off any residue after the curing process) should help with mold

Typically the drying and curing process will take a few months, though it sounds like you may have started already. Doing it yourself will be cheaper, but if you do throw in the towel any gourd sold for birdhouses should do the trick

I have no idea how well they hold up to heat and humidity in a crabitat though. Could try soaking or boiling in saltwater after curing is done, which works for most other organics


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How are you drying them? Mold sounds like there’s either too much moisture or not enough air flow. If the outside surface is hard wiping with vinegar (or even bleach, you can wash off any residue after the curing process) should help with mold

I used the “put them on the patio for fall decoration and forgot about them all winter” method. Winters are alternating wet and painfully dry (I live in the high desert) and those gourds are rock hard and almost certainly 100% dry. The mold certainly is dry- powdery and dormant.

I think I’ll try hitting them with the hose to keep the powdery mold from getting into the air, scrub them with vinegar, and go from there.