HCA: Hermit Crab Association

i was wondering if i could use the little toy hangie thingies for birds and also could i use the ladder for birds? i have 2 questions though: 1 can they climb it?
2 have any of u crabbers used it b4? if so haw did they like it?
and finally hamster toys. ti was wondering if i built a little maze made up of hamster tunels would they like it is it safe and if i had a straight up in the air part could they climb it? i use the hamster ball now and put my large crabs in it and they take a stroll on the hardwood floor.

hermiefanatic wrote:i was wondering if i could use the little toy hangie thingies for birds and also could i use the ladder for birds? i have 2 questions though: 1 can they climb it?
2 have any of u crabbers used it b4? if so haw did they like it?
and finally hamster toys. ti was wondering if i built a little maze made up of hamster tunels would they like it is it safe and if i had a straight up in the air part could they climb it? i use the hamster ball now and put my large crabs in it and they take a stroll on the hardwood floor.

Well....For 1, about the "Bird Ladder" I used them! BUT! I also used a Coco Fiber Wall thing, Cut it Just Narrower than the Ladder and Wove it through the Rungs....Crabbies Loved it!
As for the "Hamster/Gerbil Tunnels...Safe yes....BUT! Bare in mind that by Increasing the Volume of "Crawling Space" I would be leery of Humidity Levels. Also Sometimes "Cracks" can appear where 2 sections Meet, and now U have a Possible Problem with Legs "Breaking off" or Having a Crab Get Stuck. I would also be Very Leery of the Hamster Ball. How do ya Keep it Humid for them? I am not "Slamming" your Pracices or anything...I am just trying to point out some Possible Flaws.
Another Possible Side Effect would be Undue Stress. Again, Maybe the Hermie could be "Conditioned" to Daily Handling. I would Start off Slow and Small. By that I mean, 5 Minutes a day, Maybe 5 minute Periods thru out the Day. Always Be sure to Put Hermie Back into a Safe and Stable environment. This will impart some sense of "Security" in Knowing that it will be kept in a Good Condition. After doing this for about a Month, I would then increase this 5 Minute Interval to 10 Minutes, and then a Month Later 15. I would not go more than 1/2 Hr to maybe an Hour outside the Main Tat, Max. Per Day.
There is alot of Debate on Handling VS. Non Handling.
There are some Good Arguments on the Side of "Handling" stating the Above Conditions...The Hermies need to get Accustomed to being Handled.
Think about it. If U were Picked out of ur current Home (City) By a Giant,
Went to a Holding Facility with Other People all over, and then Herded to a "Human Shop" and then Held there for God knows how Long and Others around U are Dying and Nothing is being done about it. And then 1 day U are brought to a "New" Home and the Next Day, this Giant just starts Handling You and ur not sure when U will get back to "Your Safety Zone". Dont ya think that maybe Small doses of "Exposure" to this "Behavior" would be a Lil Easier to Cope with and Know that the "Giant" meant No Harm?
Again! I am in No way trying to "Flame" you. On the Contrary! I am trying to offer some possible and Hopefully Positive Feedback. Hermies are and Can be "Fun"!! But it is all in the way we approach it.
Some Bird Toys are actually Fun and so are the "Tubes" for Hamsters/Gerbils! That can be a rewarding Environment. As the Hermit Gets to Explore it's Surrounding and Maybe could Lead to "Food"
Hermiefanatic! I really do wish you and the Hermies Well

thanx for all the advice. i usually handle them 10. min. a day tops. and i have always handled them from the beginning. i think i may try ur ladder idea! sounds really good!! i certainly do not feel u r "slamming" me i appreciate ur advice a lot!! the tunnels- i was going to make long ones around a part of my bedroom and let them run around. also put maybe 1 in ther cage. the hamster ball is for exercise perposes. i put one in the ball and if he seems to want to run i let him. if hes not interested he goes back in the cage. also most of them are used to me.. i usually hand feed 1 or so a wk and handle them about 5min each day. again thanx a lot!!!

If U search in The "Pics Archives" U might see some of my "Older" Pictures of my Tat...I Believe, if ya Look at my "Link" (The Blue Text) in my Siggy...I have a Ton of Pics of my Tat there. U may see the "Bird Ladder" that I was talking about

i looked and yes, i saw the picture of the ladder. it seems as though crabs would love it!! perfect for a thing to lead up 2 a second story

I had a couple of hamster balls for a while. I used them a couple of times for a few minutes each, but my crabs were kind of shy, and wouldn't run around quite like hamsters.

I'm not sure if it's been determined how long crabs can safely be kept out of their humidity environment before they get stressed. My guess is that several hours is probably safe for a rare occasion, but anything half-day or longer should maintain proper conditions.

As for shorter periods of time, and handling, OIF_VET responded well about that. It's up for debate. But if you do want to "domesticate" your crabs, the best way to start is with hand feeding.

When I was a kid, I used to take ALL of my crabs out of the tank nearly every night and let them roam my room and my giant lego setups for hours. I'd collect them all before going to bed and put them back in their tank.

It was tons of fun for me, but I can't say it was good for the crabs. I didn't have any success back then, so it's hard to say which factors had the most influence.

When my grandma would come over, when she opened the door to my room, the first thing she'd always do was jump backwards and say "Where are they!"

It was also good for naming. I had names for every crab back then, and the act of recounting their names as I took them out of the tank and put them back almost every night allowed me to know all 30 of them by name, even though half of them were in almost identical welch (sp?) shells.

i believe your responders so far have given very good advice. i personally rarely to never handle my crabs. mine have never loved being handled and do the freak out dance when i pick them up, so you certainly dont ever need to feel bad about neglecting them. your crabs will entertain and keep eachother happy

i have a little concern over the hamster ball..i haven't personally put a crab in one and i dont think i'd endorse it simply because there are better ways to give your hermit crabs exercise. mine crawl around their tanks endlessly as long as they have things to crawl up and around on

Yeah, I'd say making lego jungle-gyms would be more fun for both you and your crabs

One time I couldn't find a crab and had to go to sleep thinking he'd escaped my room or gotten lost. Then in the middle of the night, it suddenly occured to me one place I hadn't checked. Sure enough, he was inside one of the large plastic wheels of a lego set, sound asleep.

I sometimes let my bigger crabs roll around in hamster balls...I don't think its bad or anything. Nemo really seems to enjoy it!

~tess

Yea I have a bird ladder in my crabitat- it's all plastic, I wouldnt put anything metal in there (some of the bird toys have metal bells or things like that). My crabs really do use it to get up to their second level- there's no other way they could really get up there and I've seen them climbing it. I wove a piece of plastic aquarium plant to help the little guys get up and down, but most of the time allt he crabs don't even use the rungs of the ladders- they just climb up the side!