HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I just upgraded my crabitat to a 20 gallon high,the crab(I’m ordering more as soon as my new tank is set up) isn’t in there yet.I need good ideas for diy decor!Like diy hides and things to climb on.And I would like to make a second level for a shell shop and maybe small moss pit but have no idea how to do that.Since it’s a 20 high I have a pretty good amount of height to work with which I’m excited about!My crab is currently in a 10 gallon by himself so I’m ordering him some friends(his buddies died to PPS ) as soon as it’s finished so and I don’t have much money as I’m not old enough for a job yet,so I get $40 a month as allowance(just not right now bc my family is with my grandparents due to a hurricane this summer)

I have a 29 gallon (which is the same thing as a 20 High, same foot print as a 20 but taller) I don’t really have room for a second level because most of the tank is sub. I do however have an elevated moss pit on one side and a shell shop on the other. For those I simple used shower caddies with suction cups (I got mine at a thrift store but I’ve seen them at dollar stores). I also have a lot of suction cup vines I got at the pet store for like $4 each Ive seen a lot of people here with the exact ones so I thing they’re pretty common. I modified dollar tree organizer bins for my water dishes and they’ve worked out great so far. My other decor are the caves for reptiles from pet stores those can get costly but I really like the look of them I think one was $7 and the other was $6 or something.

I want to do a second level if I can,I might have an end with more substrate and an end with a little less and do the second level on the lower end if I can.I also don’t need as much substrate because my crab and the ones I’m getting are all small

That’s true. I saw a post on here talking about how all of the sub gets dug in/ made tunnels with. Yet the opens surface can only be used with things to climb on so the sub is the most important part. My crabs range from small to medium so I have about 10” of sub and that leaves me with 8” of space on the top.

I got some little plastic plants from the fish section at Wal-Mart for 98 cents (I think?), and while they aren't sturdy enough to support any weight or tall enough to be useful ladders, the crabs enjoy trying to climb them. I also bought a half-log from Wal-Mart for about $8, and I just bought a soap dish with suction cups to make a moss pit. I may buy another for a shell shop.

Nets can be made out of yarn, fishing net, etc. My crabs really seemed to like theirs when we had one. We hung ours with Command Strips.

You could also try to make something out of Legos. I tried, but my crabs couldn't get a grip on the slippery bricks and had a hard time climbing.

I hope you find something that works.

It's safest to have at least 6 inches of even substrate, or three times deeper than your largest crab, whichever is more. In a 20 high that is at least one-third of it filled with substrate, more if your crabs have any size to them.

Is there any reason why you are ordering hermits? Mail ordered crabs are at even higher risk of PPS due to the mailing process, and depending on where you are and were they are coming from it may be too cold to ship even though the companies will do it for the money. All hermits are sourced from the same area and kept the same way, ones you order online are no different from the ones at a store.

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I've got a 29G and to create some higher levels I used artificial plant vines to drape across the tank (I modified the vine to connect it to suction cups so I could attach it to the wall) shower caddies for moss pits and shells, and I also made my own net out of jute that I hung along the back wall of the tank. They love to climb it to get to the moss pit. Organic burlap can also be draped around the tank. You could also make planters out of shells that are too large or plastic containers to grow chia, which crabs love. Another thing you can do is add in a modified hamster wheel!


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Wodesorel,the closest place to get hermit crabs is 1 1/2 hrs away and I have to go on a ferry to get there and I can’t drive and I know my parents won’t take me:(