HCA: Hermit Crab Association

First, please know I would never do anything to hurt my hermies.

As you may know I have an outdoor tat. I built it myself and water can drain out of the bottom. Currently its under an over hang and has a lid so no rain can penetrate.
I use only natural materials for the tat driftwood, beach sand, soft corals, oak branches etc
I was wondering if allowing some natural rain in once in a while would be good? Not a downpour but just light rain. Would simulate nature.

Thoughts? Thanks

Like a misty rain. Maybe that could work but what about the substrate. I imagine anything more than a mist could flood the sub.

You said water can drain out the bottom. How big are the holes for drainage? If it rained and started draining the excess water off, wouldn't you lose some sub in the process?

And what about the pollutants in the rain? I know it rains in their natural environment but wouldn't it be just like snow.... They tell you not to eat the first snow because of the pollutants. Only to catch edible snow on the second storm and after it's been snowing a while.

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daws409 wrote:Like a misty rain. Maybe that could work but what about the substrate. I imagine anything more than a mist could flood the sub.

You said water can drain out the bottom. How big are the holes for drainage? If it rained and started draining the excess water off, wouldn't you lose some sub in the process?

And what about the pollutants in the rain? I know it rains in their natural environment but wouldn't it be just like snow.... They tell you not to eat the first snow because of the pollutants. Only to catch edible snow on the second storm and after it's been snowing a while.

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Thanks, Yes those are excellent points. I won't lose any sub the way its designed.

I have wild crabbies near my home so I am just trying to mimic that habitat...I'm still going to think about it

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I totally understand mimicking their natural habitat. Those were just my thoughts. Hopefully more experienced crabbers will chime in.

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Hermits can feel the change in pressure...I remember how all of us posted how they came up and were on the branches when we were getting the hurricane...I think they will know when it's going to rain. But, that being said...I think whatever you do would really be a learning experience for you. Being in a tank and being out in the wild are totally different. In the wild they have a lot of options, more space to dig, more things to climb, whereas in a tank there is very limited space. I wouldn't trust nature with my tank personally. We have so many squalls with rain...it can be lightly raining and then pouring the next. (I'm in Florida too). So I wouldn't, but that's me.