HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hi,

In November I got 2 hermit crabs as a classroom pet. I did research, and I spoke with many people in the store about the requirements. I teach students in high school that have Autism, so I needed to have a tank I could easily move if I needed to get them animal to a safe place. I also needed to be able to bring them home on long weekends and vacations without having several people come out and help me carry the tank to my car. ( I have had lots of classroom pets and they all required this, so my husband put his foot down on this go around).

After a lot of research and information gathering, I went with a round habitat that has mesh sides. I just purchased my 5th hermit crab today and was told I am doing everything right except for the habitat. It is just not holding in the humidity. I have water, food ( not the pet store food) things for them to climb on, places for them to hide and I mist them regularly now that I have something better than a spray bottle.

I think I lost my first two because they didn't get misted enough. The last one I lost because he came out of his shell and he just died. I tried getting him new shells right away and I misted him, but nothing worked.

Today I was told by the pet store that the round habitat I picked with guidance from the store employees, was not the right thing and I should try a sterilite container. I am ok trying it if it is going to work, but I cant see spending money and time to drill holes and set up a new habitat to only have these die on me as well. If that happens, I may throw in the towel. I explained my frustration to the employee, so then she suggest I put some plastic wrap or duct tape around the tank to hold in the humidity. I think those are both terrible ideas and bought some coconut husk climbing wall that the pet store had to see if that would work.


I am just not sure what to do and I want to make sure that the little guys have a good home and a good life! Any help is appreciated.


Thank you so much!

Hi I think I might be able to help out here, but just wanted to check one thing first. Is the enclosure that you started off with similar to the picture of the enclosure that I have attached below? (Sorry for fuzzy photo, I saved it from Google images)


Only reason why I’m asking, is that these types of enclosures hold no humidity, and are very cruel for hermit crabs to live in - crabs living in these containers often die within months.

Could I suggest that you purchase a 10 gallon tank? This would be a relatively small tank for you to carry and move, and will also provide good living conditions for your crabs so that they can live a long and happy life.
I have attached a picture of it below, let me know if this tank is suitable?


Hope this helps



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The plastic wrap or duct tape are good ideas infact, especially for a quick fix. I know it sounds weird and unlikely that it will do anything, but it will help trap moisture in the tank...

As for Angel's suggestion of a glass tank, that is certainly a good and recommended choice. However you may find that the tote that the store employee suggested may suit better, since its a lot more durable than glass and a lot more lightweight... Just not as clear!

(If you can afford it or happen to stumble across an acrylic tank that may be the vest choice to have thw best of both worlds, its strong and clear like glass, but lighter/less heavy than glass... Common example of acrylic tanks are those aquariums with built in overhead filters, seamless or rounded corners)

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Crabs will be fine for long weekends, as long as you give them some dried food so it doesn't go moldy. A week vacation you will probably want to transport them home.

Substrate is heavier than it looks - a 5:1 mixture of play sand to EE, moistened to sandcastle consistency and 6 inches deep as recommended, will be heavy. So you will want your tank or container to be as light as possible. There is a tutorial of how to turn a plastic tub into a crabitat. But I second the acrylic tank if you can find one. You will need a lid, or many of us use plastic wrap over the top to keep the humidity in.

Do you have a thermometer and hygrometer? What do you use for a heat source in the cage that you have?

This is a picture of my tank before all the fake plants were added. I only have 4 hermit crabs from small to medium size. It has two 5”x3”x3” water bowls one for salt and one for freshwater. They also have a basket of shells with plenty to choose from. I have two UTH on the back of the tank in order to keep their temps right around 80 F. I have ~8” of eco earth/ sand mix because they NEED deep substrate to relax, burrow and molt. Out of four of my hermit crabs, I only see Atlas daily the rest hide or only come out at night. The tank I have here is a 29 gallon which weights 40 pounds empty. To make the soil mixture I used a 50 pound bag of play sand and about 4-5 bricks of eco earth. The only way this is going anywhere is if I take it apart.


If you wanted to keep them as class pets I would recommend a 10 gallon aquarium with ONLY two crabs. They do best in group and seem to get stressed if they’re alone. If you over crowd them it could lead to cannibalism. When they molt they are very vulnerable.If another crab is going exploring in his 20”x10” cage it makes it very like he would find the vulnerable crab. And they are scavengers so anything that smells like food is food.


I’d be so wary of getting any pet shop advice because they generally don’t know what they’re doing. This forum has taught me everything there is to know and if I were you I’d check your conditions with someone like gotbutterflies. They seem to be a pro!

curlysister wrote:Crabs will be fine for long weekends, as long as you give them some dried food so it doesn't go moldy. A week vacation you will probably want to transport them home.

In order to save money, some school systems turn down the heating during the weekends. (Mine always did, Monday were freezing in the winter.) Janitors are also often instructed to unplug things they see to reduce cost and risk of fire. In some schools leaving them may be fine over the weekend, but in others they may get too cold!

Angel_crab yes that is similar to what I currently have. The first picture is my current setup.


I use a lamp for heat that is on during the day. I would love nothing more than to get an acrylic tank, but that is just not in the bugdet at the moment.

I do have 2 currently and dont plan on adding more anytime soon.

As far as leaving the crabs for a long weekend, I wrote a grant to help cover the inital cost of the crabs and they specifically stated they cannot be left over long weekends. The custodoans at my school are wonderful and even have helped me spray the crabs if the looked a little dry! As far as the heat yes it does get turned off for the weekend.

So besides a glass aquarium that unfortunatly would not work in my classroom, a plasic tote is my next best option?

Do I drill holes in the top and along the top? And from what I have read, I need about 6 inches of substrate? Anything else I need to do for the little guys?


Im thinking of getting a snapware tote that is about 16 by 9 by 12. (The second picture)


Thank you everyone for helping me!

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Oh! I had no idea about the temps and things being uplugged in schools! Sorry!

Have you read through the 'care sheets, guides, and FAQ' section? Lots of good info there! You will need a heat source for the tote, fresh and salt waters (look in the care section for appropriate dechlorinators and marine salt brands, do not trust that people at the pet store know), thermometer and hygrometer, etc.
Here's the 'basics' page from that section:
http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 51&t=92457

curlysister wrote:Oh! I had no idea about the temps and things being uplugged in schools! Sorry!

Have you read through the 'care sheets, guides, and FAQ' section? Lots of good info there! You will need a heat source for the tote, fresh and salt waters (look in the care section for appropriate dechlorinators and marine salt brands, do not trust that people at the pet store know), thermometer and hygrometer, etc.
Here's the 'basics' page from that section:
http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 51&t=92457

I read through the care sheets and here is what I have so far. I need to buy a few more things and plan to make a second level for thier shell selection, and just places for them to climb,but I feel like this is an improvement! Thank you everyone for your help!

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Superbug06 wrote:

curlysister wrote:Oh! I had no idea about the temps and things being uplugged in schools! Sorry!

Have you read through the 'care sheets, guides, and FAQ' section? Lots of good info there! You will need a heat source for the tote, fresh and salt waters (look in the care section for appropriate dechlorinators and marine salt brands, do not trust that people at the pet store know), thermometer and hygrometer, etc.
Here's the 'basics' page from that section:
http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 51&t=92457

I read through the care sheets and here is what I have so far. I need to buy a few more things and plan to make a second level for thier shell selection, and just places for them to climb,but I feel like this is an improvement! Thank you everyone for your help!

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That looks great! It’s a big improvement from the wire enclosure that they were previously living in. Your crabs will be very happy living in their new environment


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Hello! Welcome to the HCA! I'm a little late to the conversation, but the colored sand you have looks like calcium sand. I just wanted to warn you about it if it is. Calcium sand is not recommended. It can clump like cement and harden.

Also, has anyone mentioned the possibility of tunnels collapsing if you transport them when they have dug down?

Hate to jump on the questions bandwagon, but what is the soil you have in there? Is it actually potting soil? I worry because I have had bad batches of potting soil kill pets before! The safe stuff for crabs is reptile cocofiber bedding.

GotButterflies wrote:Hello! Welcome to the HCA! I'm a little late to the conversation, but the colored sand you have looks like calcium sand. I just wanted to warn you about it if it is. Calcium sand is not recommended. It can clump like cement and harden.

Also, has anyone mentioned the possibility of tunnels collapsing if you transport them when they have dug down?

It was the hermit crab sand that is sold with the hermit crab stuff. I dont know what kind of sand it is.....

And no, no one has told me about the tunnels collapsing if I move them. Unfortunately that is just a risk I am going to have to take as leaving them at the school for extended periods of time without school in session is not really an option. It was part of the grant I wrote to help get them that I would take them home on long weekends and for vacations to make sure they are being cared for.

Im sure Ill need to change the substrate often, so ill make sure not to buy Calcium sand


Thank you for the help!

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wodesorel wrote:Hate to jump on the questions bandwagon, but what is the soil you have in there? Is it actually potting soil? I worry because I have had bad batches of potting soil kill pets before! The safe stuff for crabs is reptile cocofiber bedding.

No worries! Its actually eco earth! It mat look a bit moist because i had some dry eco earth I mixed with the brick kind and wanted to get the humidity up to where it should be.

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I am going to be brutally honest here and tell you that hermit crabs are not going to be a good classroom pet for you.

You are unable to provide them with adequate and humane conditions, not even the bare minimum for their survival.

You are not able to maintain good conditions or a safe habitat for them and are not able to provide the 5-10 gallons of space per crab they need.

From what you've written, you have to move their habitat often, which is dangerous and stressful for them.

These are creatures that have a life span of over a decade if properly cared for and I very much understand wanting to teach your students about them, because they are really cool, fascinating crustaceans, but they spend months under ground at a time, are mostly nocturnal, and require much more specialized care than you are able to provide for them.



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