HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hi All,

We have had our crabs for 7 months now and while they seem to being doing well, I would like to give them a larger crabitat. If just seems by the time I put their water dishes, food, shells and hiding place (cave) in the tank, they are always walking over things.

A larger take is really expensive - I already have over 200 sunk into these $12.00 crabs - lol, so I am looking at totes. My concern is keeping them at the right temperature. The lights used to keep the crabitat warm get quite hot. I am not sure that would work will with a plastic tote.

Is anyone using a heat lamp w/a plastic tote?

Thanks.

Have you considered looking at garage sales, Craigslist, OfferUp, LetGo, 5miles, or Facebook Marketplace for a used tank? It doesn't have to hold water or be new. You can search Reptile, Vivarium, Tank, Fish tank, fishtank. Just a suggestion. You could also post an ad on Craigslist that you are looking for a free tank - and that it doesn't have to hold water. You just never know - sometimes people are looking to get rid of things.

Like GotButterflies said. You can find great deals on used tanks. It may take several weeks or months to find what you want but the deals do pop up frequently. My guess is in a few months when people start "spring cleaning" more will pop up. I scored a 75 G with stand last year for $150. I had to drive over an hour but it was cheaper than spending around $500 for the same thing new. My mom called me last fall and her neighbor was going to throw out several tanks because she didn't want them. We scored two 55G, two 20 talls, and a few more odd sizes for free!

Be sure to ask everywhere, neighbors, friends, relatives, chances are somebody knows someone that wants to free up some space at their house or garage.

Totes can be great habitats. They’re portable, and are a cost effective way to provide a larger amount of space for cheap.

You can put a heat mat like an ultratherm on the side; use a thermostat/dimmer switch if necessary.

Cut a hole in the lid and place a reptile lamp fixture with LED bulb in it for light with no heat.


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soilentgringa wrote:Totes can be great habitats. They’re portable, and are a cost effective way to provide a larger amount of space for cheap.

You can put a heat mat like an ultratherm on the side; use a thermostat/dimmer switch if necessary.

Cut a hole in the lid and place a reptile lamp fixture with LED bulb in it for light with no heat.


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Or a waterproof/submersible LED strip commonly used for outdoor/aquariums...

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I really want to use totes to give my 6 guys more room, but I keep reading where the fumes are toxic to our crabs. I spoke with a pet store owner, not like a chain store, that sells exotic pets and they said totes are fine to use. I’ve also read where you can get food grade plastic totes that don’t emit those fumes. I’m disabled and can no longer lift those heavy glass tanks and I could totally move them sooner if I used totes due to how inexpensive and lightweight they are. Trying to figure out how to put 2 together for like a 6 foot enclosure equal to 125 gallons. If anyone has ideas on a good way to do that, please let me know. Thank you so much

Hermiemom68 wrote:I really want to use totes to give my 6 guys more room, but I keep reading where the fumes are toxic to our crabs. I spoke with a pet store owner, not like a chain store, that sells exotic pets and they said totes are fine to use. I’ve also read where you can get food grade plastic totes that don’t emit those fumes. I’m disabled and can no longer lift those heavy glass tanks and I could totally move them sooner if I used totes due to how inexpensive and lightweight they are. Trying to figure out how to put 2 together for like a 6 foot enclosure equal to 125 gallons. If anyone has ideas on a good way to do that, please let me know. Thank you so much

Hi!
I have a soldering iron I got for about $20 on Amazon. It gets super super hot and can melt through plastic (it will smell too, like burning plastic lol, so either use a fan nearby while your working and crack a window like I do, or work outside). If you got a very large pvc pipe (make sure your crabs could move through it without getting stuck), you could trace each end onto each container. Then melt the plastic circle where you traced the pipe earlier. You could then insert the pipe on each end to join the containers. Then use aquarium safe silicone to seal up any gaps around the pipe on the outside and inside. Make sure everything is dry and the fumes are gone before filling up the containers.
I've never done this before, just some brainstorming going on here haha!

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The fumes from plastic while it is being melted or overheated are extremely dangerous to everything including humans. It should really be stressed that there are inherent risks to modifying totes and care should be taken to avoid these fumes and to do things outside, etc.

However, there should be no fumes for the type of everyday heat that crabs need, 80 degrees inside and a heat pad that should be staying below 120 on the surface.

Wodes is def right about the fumes. I do work outside with the soldering iron when ever it's warm enough. I make stuff for my etsy crabby business all year tho. That's why I open a window and use fans when it's too cold to go out. So def be careful!

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Thanks guys! I will do it outside for sure! Crabbylover77, that’s a great idea You’re pretty good at this. Thank you everyone who responded to my post. I really appreciate it

So putting a heatmat on the outside of a plastic tote is fine? Will it harm the crabs or the plastic? Will the inside still heat up properly with plastic as it does glass?
Because I set my light on top of my tanklid over the plastic part that holds it up, and it turned yellow. Will the same happen with a tote?

Hermiemom68 wrote:Thanks guys! I will do it outside for sure! Crabbylover77, that’s a great idea You’re pretty good at this. Thank you everyone who responded to my post. I really appreciate it

Yw! Keep us updated!

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I will post pictures when it’s all done

@iamsam. You have to use food grade, bps free totes which Sterlite brand are. The heat pads, I use Ultratherm from Reptile Basics, do not get hot enough to melt the plastic and will warm the inside of the tote. If your temperature gauge says it’s not warm enough, you can add more heat pads or cut a hole in top of the lid and put wire mesh over it and put a heat light. Just be careful not to dry the sand out. You can also just put a light with no heat on there if your temp is good. I plan on getting a 5.0 uvb lamp with hood and drilling holes in the lid and zip tying in underneath the lid. Uvb is great for our crabs and then you have your light

I ended up with a 75 gallon glass aquarium because PETCO was having their half off sale. I will post pictures of the finished tank. I just couldn’t make 2 totes work so this was the next best thing. I know my guys will love it!