HCA: Hermit Crab Association

So one of my crabs has escaped twice. So last night I saw how he was escaping lol. My tank is an old aquarium with the aquarium top. I have the holes taped over with black electrical tape. Well he is escaping by climbing my air tubes and then just pushes the tape up as he crawls out lol. Any suggestions on how to keep him from escaping??


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Hi, have the same top w same issue, but no tape. Might want to either put piece of stiff plastic over escape hatch, then tape. Or if you're lucky enough, like me, just weight lid down. I have had 1 escape. That's bc my weight was not down. They WILL try once they know there is a way out. Good luck. Its a terrible feeling knowing they get out.

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CrabMater wrote:Hi, have the same top w same issue, but no tape. Might want to either put piece of stiff plastic over escape hatch, then tape. Or if you're lucky enough, like me, just weight lid down. I have had 1 escape. That's bc my weight was not down. They WILL try once they know there is a way out. Good luck. Its a terrible feeling knowing they get out.

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Yes! The first time he was on the floor in the middle of the dining room. We heard the dog growl once and was like "what is he growling at". But didn't think anything about it. A few minutes later my son walks through and asks why the crab is out of the tank. Then Tuesday morning he was on the top of the aquarium lid. Then last night as I was going to my bedroom I saw he was half way in and half way out lol. He got caught!!


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I have no dog, but i have a 7 yr old ( who was asleep thank goodness) and hardwood floors. He must have got cold claws bc when i found him at 4am he managed to put his claw tips into the bulb vents, clinging to the lid. My amazement, to this day, is how he didn't fall in near darkness off a 3" ledge to his doom.
But, Im glad you caught your escape artist. Little bugger. Hope you get it sorted. Escapes are no fun.

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That is hilarious!! I duct tape my lids down. That seems to be strong enough for my guys. I only use a 2 inch piece. No duct tape is exposed for them to access it.

Changing your lid and getting clips for it would be helfpul.

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The first thing in my cart when building my new tat were screen locks!

CrabMater wrote:The first thing in my cart when building my new tat were screen locks!

I just have two pieces of plexiglass set down in the rim of the lid, with a hinged screen lid over that.

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That is a great idea. When my kid loses the screen locks that will be Plan B.

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I have a reptile mesh lid on a ten gallon, with two screen locks. They had a tendency to tumble onto the floor and clatter, so now I put Press-n-seal over the entire lid, including the screen locks. It sticks to the lid and the screen locks even when they're not engaged, and helps them not fall off so much.