HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I have my four crabs in a temporary enclosure for the present, and I am upgrading to a thirty gallon tank. The tank that I am moving them into, however, has a mesh/wire lid. Any suggestions for keeping the heat in? I have several heating pads and I put a towel over the top, but their still seems to be a lot of heat missing when I check.

Also, can I wet the towel with regular tap water or do I have to have the wet towel dipped in de-chlorinated water? Does tap water hurt the atmosphere?
Thanks

CrabsterBecks wrote:I have my four crabs in a temporary enclosure for the present, and I am upgrading to a thirty gallon tank. The tank that I am moving them into, however, has a mesh/wire lid. Any suggestions for keeping the heat in? I have several heating pads and I put a towel over the top, but their still seems to be a lot of heat missing when I check.

Also, can I wet the towel with regular tap water or do I have to have the wet towel dipped in de-chlorinated water? Does tap water hurt the atmosphere?
Thanks

I just cover the screen with plastic wrap, it works pretty well.
Usually, it's the humidity you are concerned about keeping in, but heat can escape easily also.

I second the plastic wrap....neither of my first two tanks had lids, and plastic wrap worked just fine!

Chlorine becomes a gas, so using dechlored would be safer.

If need be toss a blanket over the whole thing. That'll give you a temp boost until the new tank is ready.

I've seen many people refer to wrapping a wire mesh lid in seran wrap, but how much space are you leaving for ventilation in/out of the tank? Am I crazy, or wouldn't covering the lid deny them of oxygen?

Lorne_Clawstrong wrote:I've seen many people refer to wrapping a wire mesh lid in seran wrap, but how much space are you leaving for ventilation in/out of the tank? Am I crazy, or wouldn't covering the lid deny them of oxygen?

Lifting the lid a couple times a day should be plenty of oxygen for them, but I usually leave a teeny opening.

Moonlightdreams wrote: Lifting the lid a couple times a day should be plenty of oxygen for them, but I usually leave a teeny opening.

Cool. My basement dips down to almost 60F at night, so it's been a bit of a logistical challenge keeping the 29 gallon tank in the mid/upper-70 range for the PPs and not take a major hit on the home electric bill

We've been covering the lid with aluminum foil, but I haven't been sure to what extent we need to keep air flowing, so I've left a few strips around the edge of the lid open and unobstructed. I think I'll cover those, and since I have a screen lid that hinges in the middle, there is some space still open there so it won't be completely sealed off (and of course the lid is opened a couple times a day for food/water changes, etc). So we'll see how it goes. Thanks!

My bedroom dips into the low 60s on a nightly basis. I use a Flukers 11x11 on my 10 gallon tank and it keeps my Rug toasty warm. Aluminum foil covered cardboard behind the UTH and on the screen lid holds the heat in.