Exotic species care

[Dragonfire1577]

Do we have any recent updates on the baby aussies or even the purpureus or violas bred back in 2014? If they are still alive that would be awesome maybe it would point towards something to do with being imported.

[wodesorel]

E's tend to do amazing (when not overcrowded) until they reach larger sizes. At that point they go down for molts and never come back up. Toss up as to whether it's molting failure or cannibalism, but I know many that leaned towards the latter, myself included from personal experiance, as the deaths didn't start until after a larger mature male was in the tank.

Edit: again, you'll get the few outliers who do have larger Es with zero problems, no clue as to why.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[123AE]

C.brevimanus has been good for me


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[GotButterflies]

I have two large mature Es that are doing great- no clue how old they are...I do not know their sexes though, as I do not handle mine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dragonfire1577]

C.brevimanus has been good for me


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

How long have you had them? They seem to be adapted quite similarly to C. clypeatus but even more terrestrial in terms of going inland so another non PP species I'd like to look into captive lifespan.

[LadyJinglyJones]

Perhaps you could try reaching out to crabbers from other parts of the world... I know that there are a good number of crabbers in Indonesia & Japan, for example. There is an international Facebook crab group, and the crab street journal has an Indonesian hermit rep now.

If you were to look into what the crab cultures outside of N. America & Europe are like, what practises are considered normal, how long experienced keepers see crabs living, etc., you might begin to get a picture of what the baseline for success with the animals is, before being shipped across oceans.

If you do, totally report back to us! I want to know these things myself... but right now I have quite enough work just learning about PPs.

[wodesorel]

For long time success, the German groups are a better reference point. They get theirs shipped in and still have better luck than Americans. Captive animals in Eastern Europe have had much higher standards of care and it's been that way for decades, and that type of thinking has transferred into hermit crabs from the start.

Sadly hermits in their native countries are also treated like extremely disposable pets, but even cheaper and easier to replace than here. Even worse, because of cultural differences in how 'pets' are viewed, in many places reptile or hermit supplies are nearly impossible to find for sale or are prohibitively expensive, there is very little access to aquariums or large enough enclosures, and there no care guides.

[erin.leaman]

I think the term "exotic" is based on perception. If it doesn't originate in your home country it's labeled foreign. Since they are desirable, a nicer, more flattering term is used (thus we have an "exotic" breed")

Sent from my SM-S320VL using Tapatalk

[erin.leaman]

I think the term "exotic" is based on perception. If it doesn't originate in your home country it's labeled foreign. Since they are desirable, a nicer, more flattering term is used (thus we have an "exotic" breed")

Sent from my SM-S320VL using Tapatalk

Also, I think abundance plays a part in this. A rare-kept hermit crab or one with a skimpish population also makes them that much more desired to the public, and in combination of the foreignity (if that's a word. It's totally a word. I made it a word) makes a species "exotic". Although I'm certain that some species truly do required special care, I think "exotic" species were originally labeled for the benefit of the seller or the crab. (Environmentalists may use the term to encourage conservation efforts.)

Sent from my SM-S320VL using Tapatalk

[wodesorel]

Exotics was used here just so we wouldn't have to list every species every time since it applied to them all. Faster than having to type "everything that isnt a PP".

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[erin.leaman]

Exotics was used here just so we wouldn't have to list every species every time since it applied to them all. Faster than having to type "everything that isnt a PP".

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

I know. I'm just being too philosophical for my own good. One of the results from taking that Humanities 100 class last semester.

[Dragonfire1577]

Who on here do we know has exotics preferable members who have had them for a while I'd like to try and get them to chime in.

[wodesorel]

I've had my little Ruggie for over a year now, she seems to be doing good so far but I'm not holding my breath when it comes to her long term survival in a couple more years. I also kept Es for several years but they always turned canibilistic so I finally had enough and rehomed them to a fellow experianced crabber a few years back. She also had trouble with them doing the same thing after a few months.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[Dragonfire1577]

I've had my little Ruggie for over a year now, she seems to be doing good so far but I'm not holding my breath when it comes to her long term survival in a couple more years. I also kept Es for several years but they always turned canibilistic so I finally had enough and rehomed them to a fellow experianced crabber a few years back. She also had trouble with them doing the same thing after a few months.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Would keeping them singly work possibly? I know we always say give em a friend but when their friends are eating them it may not be in their best interest. Maybe isolating crabs for molts would also help which if I recall correctly used to be a lot more common.

[GotButterflies]

I have Es. No issues with them digging up molters here. Have two full grown, that I've had forever. Just added a few juveniles. I have them in my 100 g tank. Lots of substrate, two modified hamster wheels, lots of climbing, two - three protein choices daily.

Edit: I also have Straws and Lilas.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk