HCA: Hermit Crab Association

i got her a soaking pad for her to get moisture on her when she sits on it but i heard they need it to be humid to breathe…
i run my humidifier close to her cage (it’s a cage not a tank so it has openings)
AND it’s blazing in my apartment so is that good enough?
please help

You will need a thermometer and hygrometer to measure the temperature and humidity inside the tank - this is not an optional item. Once you know the current temp and humidity, you will know how much you need to do to get to proper conditions.

If you haven't looked at the care sheets yet, read through the 'basics' one to start. It outlines everything you need to successfully care for crabs. A cage probably won't work, you will need a tank.

thank u
money is tight right now so which one of those is the HIGHEST priority? i love my hermie so much i don’t want it to die

Watch Markeplace or local buy and sell groups for a cheap used fish tank. If you only have one crab, a ten or twenty gallon will be big enough. It doesn't even need to be water tight. Or have a lid - you can put plastic wrap on the top to hold humidity in.
A hygrometer/ thermometer combo is less than ten dollars most places - Acurite is a popular digital brand that is good.
Play sand is less than ten dollars for a 50 pound bag at most hardware stores.

Did you look at the Basics care sheet?

A tank and a thermometer/hygrometer are both essential. They do need moisture in the air to breath, and a tank helps keep it nice and humid. If you can't get a glass lid, you can get a mesh top for the tank and completely wrap it in saran wrap to keep the humidity high. If you can't afford a large tank, even a 10 gal will do as a starter tank. A cage will let all of the humidity escape, and cages are much too small for a hermit to be comfortable in. You also can't keep the substrate deep enough in a cage. You'll need the thermometer/hygrometer to know what the actual temp and humidity is.

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ok so I got a 5 gal today for my hermie!! it has TINY holes that are easy to cover to trap humidity! got a thermometer and humidifier measurer!! i can’t find a real humidifier so can i just mist the tank then trap it?

also ps, the hermit is small so a 5 gal is big for her

A 5 gallon is still pretty small and there isn't much room once you get everything you need in there with the crab- you will want to watch for a larger tank so you can upgrade soon.

What are your current temperature and humidity readings?

At the best heat, but a sad 40 percent humidity level that’s slowly rising… how do i raise it? I have a humidifier going and multiple damp towels on top of the lid that has small holes. I’m going to here a mister soon.

allamericancrab wrote:At the best heat, but a sad 40 percent humidity level that’s slowly rising… how do i raise it? I have a humidifier going and multiple damp towels on top of the lid that has small holes. I’m going to here a mister soon.

You'll want to wrap the lid completely in saran wrap. That will help seal in the moisture. They will get air exchange when you do tank maintenance. The towels are porous, so they won't hold the humidity in. Is your substrate moistened to sand castle consistency using dechlorinated fresh or marine salt water? With moist substrate and the lid completely sealed, it should raise the humidity quite a bit.

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it came moistened luckily but i do t have Saran Wrap… is there something else i can use?

ok so update! it’s now at 60 percent

If you don't have a glass lid, or Plexiglass to put on top, saran wrap is the next best thing. It is non-porous, and will trap in all the moisture.

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ok but what can i use in the meantime while i do not have Saran Wrap?

Oops I'm sorry, I thought you said you did have saran wrap. Do you have aluminum foil? That would probably work too.

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