HCA: Hermit Crab Association

janellethehermit wrote:I just recently got a hygrometer and it keeps dropping to around 40-50% humidity. I spray them with water whenever I can and have moss and water inside for them. I don’t know what else I can do to keep the humidity up unless I buy a humidifier which I might be forced to do to keep the right humidity for me Hermies. Any tips or tricks to keep humidity up would be appreciated!!


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janellethehermit wrote:1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?

I use coconut fiber and it goes from about 7inches at one end to 4 on the other

the entire length need to be a minimum of 6inches or 3x the height of your largest crab.
Whichever is deeper. Then you can make hills

2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?

Yes I have a temperature and humidity gauge and the temperature stays at 77ish and the humidity drops from 80 to 40 constantly
if you are using a digital therm/hygro they are highly inacurate. We recommend a digital.
If you have a digital one already then you should calibrate it

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?

I have a UTH but on the side of my tank and a heat lamp. The heat lamp is pretty high above the tank though.
heat lamps will zap the humidity

4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?

I have both fresh and salt. I don’t treat my water I just get it from our water filter jug. The salt water is just regular salt that I wash to clean as best I can and then boil it in filtered water and let it cool down. I typically make with 2 tablespoons of salt and a cup ish of filtered water.

you still need to treat your water to remove chlorine, chloramine, heavy metals and neutralize ammonia. Table salt does nothing for them. They need marine salt to get all their minerals. We recommend Prime for dechlorinater and Instant Ocean. And the water pools need to be deep enough for them to fully submerge with a safe way in and out.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?

I have a 3 day cycle that I replace every one to two days. I give them extra food that’s not in the cycle whenever I get some (ex. if I boil an egg I give them the shell)
they need a variety and wide range of food.
Under the care section read the food pyramid and safe/unsafe food list. They need calcium and protein every day.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?

I have had them for about 4 months and I think they are all purple pinchers

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?

I think one of them about a week ago but I am not sure if he molted and switched shells or just switch led shells.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?

A 10 gallon (I think it might be more) tank and a plastic lid with a hole for the heat lamp. I plan on changing the lid to a towel because of a post I saw on here:-)
a towel will absorb humidity. The plastic is better. But the humidity will escape through the hole you have for the heat lamp.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?

I have a three and I would say two of them small-medium and one of them medium-large

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?

5-6
it's recommended 3-5 shells per crab so they have plenty to choose from and not have shell wars
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?

No

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?

If I see something I usually spot clean. It’s normally stray pieces of moss that are everywhere and I’ll just pick them up and put them back with the other moss. Or it might be pieces of food laying around and I’ll put it back in their food dish.

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?

No sponges are used and I spot clean them and when I change the water I’ll give it a quick rinse with filtered water
sponges are an old practice. They harbor a lot of bacteria. Throw them out

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?

A coconut I turned into a hide.

15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)?

Nope.

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.

When ever I spray the crabitat the humidity goes to 80% but then I’ll check after school or after I wake up and it drops all the way to 30-40%. I have to spray it a ton for the humidity to stay up but when I go to school and sleep I can’t spray them. I’ve tried to add more moss and make a hide filled with moss to keep the humidity up but it’s not working. I don’t know what else to do except buy a humidifier for them.
over spraying can cause flooding. Bubblers in the pools really help with humidity

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Hermiesguardian wrote:

janellethehermit wrote:1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?

I use coconut fiber and it goes from about 7inches at one end to 4 on the other

the entire length need to be a minimum of 6inches or 3x the height of your largest crab.
Whichever is deeper. Then you can make hills

2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?

Yes I have a temperature and humidity gauge and the temperature stays at 77ish and the humidity drops from 80 to 40 constantly
if you are using a digital therm/hygro they are highly inacurate. We recommend a digital.
If you have a digital one already then you should calibrate it

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?

I have a UTH but on the side of my tank and a heat lamp. The heat lamp is pretty high above the tank though.
heat lamps will zap the humidity

4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?

I have both fresh and salt. I don’t treat my water I just get it from our water filter jug. The salt water is just regular salt that I wash to clean as best I can and then boil it in filtered water and let it cool down. I typically make with 2 tablespoons of salt and a cup ish of filtered water.

you still need to treat your water to remove chlorine, chloramine, heavy metals and neutralize ammonia. Table salt does nothing for them. They need marine salt to get all their minerals. We recommend Prime for dechlorinater and Instant Ocean. And the water pools need to be deep enough for them to fully submerge with a safe way in and out.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?

I have a 3 day cycle that I replace every one to two days. I give them extra food that’s not in the cycle whenever I get some (ex. if I boil an egg I give them the shell)
they need a variety and wide range of food.
Under the care section read the food pyramid and safe/unsafe food list. They need calcium and protein every day.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?

I have had them for about 4 months and I think they are all purple pinchers

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?

I think one of them about a week ago but I am not sure if he molted and switched shells or just switch led shells.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?

A 10 gallon (I think it might be more) tank and a plastic lid with a hole for the heat lamp. I plan on changing the lid to a towel because of a post I saw on here:-)
a towel will absorb humidity. The plastic is better. But the humidity will escape through the hole you have for the heat lamp.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?

I have a three and I would say two of them small-medium and one of them medium-large

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?

5-6
it's recommended 3-5 shells per crab so they have plenty to choose from and not have shell wars
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?

No

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?

If I see something I usually spot clean. It’s normally stray pieces of moss that are everywhere and I’ll just pick them up and put them back with the other moss. Or it might be pieces of food laying around and I’ll put it back in their food dish.

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?

No sponges are used and I spot clean them and when I change the water I’ll give it a quick rinse with filtered water
sponges are an old practice. They harbor a lot of bacteria. Throw them out

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?

A coconut I turned into a hide.

15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)?

Nope.

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.

When ever I spray the crabitat the humidity goes to 80% but then I’ll check after school or after I wake up and it drops all the way to 30-40%. I have to spray it a ton for the humidity to stay up but when I go to school and sleep I can’t spray them. I’ve tried to add more moss and make a hide filled with moss to keep the humidity up but it’s not working. I don’t know what else to do except buy a humidifier for them.
over spraying can cause flooding. Bubblers in the pools really help with humidity

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curlysister wrote:Great advice given above! One question about the coco fiber substrate - is it dry or moist?

janellethehermit wrote:

Hermiesguardian wrote:

janellethehermit wrote:1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?

I use coconut fiber and it goes from about 7inches at one end to 4 on the other

the entire length need to be a minimum of 6inches or 3x the height of your largest crab.
Whichever is deeper. Then you can make hills

2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?

Yes I have a temperature and humidity gauge and the temperature stays at 77ish and the humidity drops from 80 to 40 constantly
if you are using a digital therm/hygro they are highly inacurate. We recommend a digital.
If you have a digital one already then you should calibrate it

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?

I have a UTH but on the side of my tank and a heat lamp. The heat lamp is pretty high above the tank though.
heat lamps will zap the humidity

4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?

I have both fresh and salt. I don’t treat my water I just get it from our water filter jug. The salt water is just regular salt that I wash to clean as best I can and then boil it in filtered water and let it cool down. I typically make with 2 tablespoons of salt and a cup ish of filtered water.

you still need to treat your water to remove chlorine, chloramine, heavy metals and neutralize ammonia. Table salt does nothing for them. They need marine salt to get all their minerals. We recommend Prime for dechlorinater and Instant Ocean. And the water pools need to be deep enough for them to fully submerge with a safe way in and out.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?

I have a 3 day cycle that I replace every one to two days. I give them extra food that’s not in the cycle whenever I get some (ex. if I boil an egg I give them the shell)
they need a variety and wide range of food.
Under the care section read the food pyramid and safe/unsafe food list. They need calcium and protein every day.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?

I have had them for about 4 months and I think they are all purple pinchers

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?

I think one of them about a week ago but I am not sure if he molted and switched shells or just switch led shells.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?

A 10 gallon (I think it might be more) tank and a plastic lid with a hole for the heat lamp. I plan on changing the lid to a towel because of a post I saw on here:-)
a towel will absorb humidity. The plastic is better. But the humidity will escape through the hole you have for the heat lamp.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?

I have a three and I would say two of them small-medium and one of them medium-large

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?

5-6
it's recommended 3-5 shells per crab so they have plenty to choose from and not have shell wars
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?

No

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?

If I see something I usually spot clean. It’s normally stray pieces of moss that are everywhere and I’ll just pick them up and put them back with the other moss. Or it might be pieces of food laying around and I’ll put it back in their food dish.

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?

No sponges are used and I spot clean them and when I change the water I’ll give it a quick rinse with filtered water
sponges are an old practice. They harbor a lot of bacteria. Throw them out

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?

A coconut I turned into a hide.

15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)?

Nope.

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.

When ever I spray the crabitat the humidity goes to 80% but then I’ll check after school or after I wake up and it drops all the way to 30-40%. I have to spray it a ton for the humidity to stay up but when I go to school and sleep I can’t spray them. I’ve tried to add more moss and make a hide filled with moss to keep the humidity up but it’s not working. I don’t know what else to do except buy a humidifier for them.
over spraying can cause flooding. Bubblers in the pools really help with humidity

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I took out the heat lamp and that helped a ton. The temperature dropped though so should I just buy another UTH? (I put them on the side not the bottom btw)


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GotButterflies wrote:It depends on what kind of UTH you have. Some UTHs don't heat as well as others (IMO). UTHs from http://www.reptilebasics.com and http://www.beanfarm.com are really great - whereas Zoomed UTHs are expensive and don't heat as well.

You can also try insulating your tank. UTH's from reptile basics and bean farm can be insulated over the top - but zoomed ones and ones similar to those cannot be insulated over the top of them. They need to be insulated around them because they are heat mats and already come insulated. To insulate, do the following:
Option a: Costs more, less work: Reflectix insulation (looks like a car shade) sold at Walmart/Lowe's/Home Depot - $14 roll: Cut to size - hang with packaging tape/duct tape/reflectix tape.
Option b: Cheaper, more work: Aluminum foil (shiny side facing inside the crabitat), then cardboard or styrofoam. may repeat layer of aluminum foil and cardboard or styrofoam if needed.