Since you've come to the emergency forum, we know you want a fast answer to your question. In order for us to figure out the problem as quickly as possible, we ask that you answer the following questions as best you can. Some of them may seem odd, but they're all designed to give us the information we need to give you a good solution for your problem. The things in the [ brackets ] are there to make this post easier to read once submitted. Thanks!
1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
Coconut fiber and play sand, 4 inches deep (One hermit crab buried to molt before I got my hands on more sand, so I can’t make it deeper right now)
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?
Temp fluctuates between 75-78, Humidity usually around 85%
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
Yes, heating pads
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)?
Fresh water and salt, distilled water, not sure what brand but salt 1 tsp to 1 cup of water
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
Fresh, a mix of fruit and veggies and a food mix from etsy, as well as crickets, eggshell or calcium supplement. I replace it every night.
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
3 purple pinchers, 2 have been with me for about 1.5 months, 1 has been with me for 2 days
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
One is definitely molting right now, one has just buried and I’m unsure if it’s molting, the newest one has not molted.
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
20 gal glass terrarium, plexiglass lid with lots of holes.
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
2 crabs right now, 1 is in iso tank, the 2 are medium/small and 1 is small
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
12 extra shells or so
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No
12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Spot clean daily and when needed with a clean rag and water, full clean and substrate change with vinegar, water, and sunlight every 2 months
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
I use live moss instead of sponges
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
Half of a clean 2 liter to isolate my molting crab.
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.)?
I try to leave them alone when possible in case they are still adjusting to their new home.
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
I purchased 2 hermies in mid January at a boardwalk because I felt terrible about their conditions. They made it past the PPS period, but 1 buried about two weeks ago. I’m 99% sure he’s molting, so I isolated him within the main tank by putting half of a two liter over him.I was afraid my other crab would become lonely, and the other one is more active. I decided to buy a new crab, but couldn’t find any on HCA near me or Craigslist, so I did the bad thing and bought one from PetSmart. This new crab is currently in an iso tank, I was planning to introduce it after another 5 days or so. However, my active crab has buried itself as of yesterday! If my active crab is now molting as well, should I return this new crab? I really don’t want to put it back in pet store conditions, but if both my crabs are molting, I don’t want it to be lonely! And I know I can’t put 4 crabs in a 20 gallon, so I don’t think I can buy another one to keep this new crab company unless I buy a larger tank. Which then poses the dilemma of moving my molting crabs, which I know is a bad idea. I feel I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place, any advice please?
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Should I Return New Crab? Time Sensitive
Re: Should I Return New Crab? Time Sensitive
Your crabs moults will probably never be exactly in sync, and single crabs will do just fine on their own. Getting a new crab whenever you find one alone in the tank is probably not necessary.
I won't tell you to take on a pet that you don't necessarily want. What you do with this new crab is entirely up to you. If you are worried about the new crab being lonely and that negatively affecting it's health. That should not be a concern. Single crabs do perfectly fine on their own. If you dont want another crab then it's up to you if you want to return it.
And even with 2 crabs you will eventually have to get a larger tank as they grow bigger but for now 3 smaller crabs in that size tank should be fine as long as tank conditions are good.
Oh, and depending on how the conditions were in the pet store. I wouldn't be surprised if this new crab moulted soon since its now in better conditions for moulting.
I won't tell you to take on a pet that you don't necessarily want. What you do with this new crab is entirely up to you. If you are worried about the new crab being lonely and that negatively affecting it's health. That should not be a concern. Single crabs do perfectly fine on their own. If you dont want another crab then it's up to you if you want to return it.
And even with 2 crabs you will eventually have to get a larger tank as they grow bigger but for now 3 smaller crabs in that size tank should be fine as long as tank conditions are good.
Oh, and depending on how the conditions were in the pet store. I wouldn't be surprised if this new crab moulted soon since its now in better conditions for moulting.
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curlysister
- Administrator
- Posts: 4301
- Joined: Sun Sep 05, 2010 3:54 pm
- Location: Manitoba, Canada
Re: Should I Return New Crab? Time Sensitive
1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
Coconut fiber and play sand, 4 inches deep (One hermit crab buried to molt before I got my hands on more sand, so I can’t make it deeper right now)
Curly - Substrate should be at least 2-3 times as deep as your largest crab, and moistened with dechlorinated water so that it holds it's shape (but not so wet that water pools in the bottom). If yours is not deep enough, you can add more even with a crab underground - just add it gently, don't drop in it from a height or pack it down. Some people only add up to an inch every 24 hours, just to be cautious.
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?
Temp fluctuates between 75-78, Humidity usually around 85%
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
Yes, heating pads
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)?
Fresh water and salt, distilled water, not sure what brand but salt 1 tsp to 1 cup of water
Curly - Distilled water does not contain ground minerals like tap water. HCA recommends treating tap water with a dechlorinator (Seachem Prime is a commonly used brand). Use that for the fresh water, and add a marine salt (Instant Ocean is a commonly used brand) to make salt water. The marine salts recommended for hermit crabs are all mixed with the same ration, 1 Tablespoon per two cups of water. Check out the 'water' care sheet form tons of info and brand names.
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
Fresh, a mix of fruit and veggies and a food mix from etsy, as well as crickets, eggshell or calcium supplement. I replace it every night.
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
3 purple pinchers, 2 have been with me for about 1.5 months, 1 has been with me for 2 days
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
One is definitely molting right now, one has just buried and I’m unsure if it’s molting, the newest one has not molted.
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
20 gal glass terrarium, plexiglass lid with lots of holes.
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
2 crabs right now, 1 is in iso tank, the 2 are medium/small and 1 is small
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
12 extra shells or so
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No
12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Spot clean daily and when needed with a clean rag and water, full clean and substrate change with vinegar, water, and sunlight every 2 months
Curly - Substrate does not need to be changed that often. Personally, I have never changed mine all out, I have just added to it over the years as I have upgraded tanks and as the crabs have grown. Some people change it every year or two. If there is an emergency like a bacterial bloom or flood, it may need to be changed.
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
I use live moss instead of sponges
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
Half of a clean 2 liter to isolate my molting crab.
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.)?
I try to leave them alone when possible in case they are still adjusting to their new home.
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
I purchased 2 hermies in mid January at a boardwalk because I felt terrible about their conditions. They made it past the PPS period, but 1 buried about two weeks ago. I’m 99% sure he’s molting, so I isolated him within the main tank by putting half of a two liter over him.I was afraid my other crab would become lonely, and the other one is more active. I decided to buy a new crab, but couldn’t find any on HCA near me or Craigslist, so I did the bad thing and bought one from PetSmart. This new crab is currently in an iso tank, I was planning to introduce it after another 5 days or so. However, my active crab has buried itself as of yesterday! If my active crab is now molting as well, should I return this new crab? I really don’t want to put it back in pet store conditions, but if both my crabs are molting, I don’t want it to be lonely! And I know I can’t put 4 crabs in a 20 gallon, so I don’t think I can buy another one to keep this new crab company unless I buy a larger tank. Which then poses the dilemma of moving my molting crabs, which I know is a bad idea. I feel I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place, any advice please?
Curly - Crabs move once they have dug underground, so there is no way to know where they are in the tank. Pushing anything down into the substrate could potentially harm a crab or collapse a molt cave. A pop bottle would only be used that way if you had a surface molter and no other crabs underground. With proper depth of substrate, and a tank that is not over crowded, crabs won't come across each other underground, so there is no need to isolate a molting crab unless it is doing so above ground. And there is no need to isolate a newly bought crab, you could put it right into the main tank as well.
Crabs are susceptible to PPS - post purchase syndrome - until at least after their first molt in a new home. As already stated, crabs don't get lonely when they are the only one above ground, or even when kept as a single crab. The number of crabs in a tank depends on the size of the crabs - but as has already been said, your crabs will probably never all be up or down at the same time.
Coconut fiber and play sand, 4 inches deep (One hermit crab buried to molt before I got my hands on more sand, so I can’t make it deeper right now)
Curly - Substrate should be at least 2-3 times as deep as your largest crab, and moistened with dechlorinated water so that it holds it's shape (but not so wet that water pools in the bottom). If yours is not deep enough, you can add more even with a crab underground - just add it gently, don't drop in it from a height or pack it down. Some people only add up to an inch every 24 hours, just to be cautious.
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?
Temp fluctuates between 75-78, Humidity usually around 85%
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
Yes, heating pads
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)?
Fresh water and salt, distilled water, not sure what brand but salt 1 tsp to 1 cup of water
Curly - Distilled water does not contain ground minerals like tap water. HCA recommends treating tap water with a dechlorinator (Seachem Prime is a commonly used brand). Use that for the fresh water, and add a marine salt (Instant Ocean is a commonly used brand) to make salt water. The marine salts recommended for hermit crabs are all mixed with the same ration, 1 Tablespoon per two cups of water. Check out the 'water' care sheet form tons of info and brand names.
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
Fresh, a mix of fruit and veggies and a food mix from etsy, as well as crickets, eggshell or calcium supplement. I replace it every night.
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
3 purple pinchers, 2 have been with me for about 1.5 months, 1 has been with me for 2 days
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
One is definitely molting right now, one has just buried and I’m unsure if it’s molting, the newest one has not molted.
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
20 gal glass terrarium, plexiglass lid with lots of holes.
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
2 crabs right now, 1 is in iso tank, the 2 are medium/small and 1 is small
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
12 extra shells or so
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No
12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Spot clean daily and when needed with a clean rag and water, full clean and substrate change with vinegar, water, and sunlight every 2 months
Curly - Substrate does not need to be changed that often. Personally, I have never changed mine all out, I have just added to it over the years as I have upgraded tanks and as the crabs have grown. Some people change it every year or two. If there is an emergency like a bacterial bloom or flood, it may need to be changed.
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
I use live moss instead of sponges
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
Half of a clean 2 liter to isolate my molting crab.
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.)?
I try to leave them alone when possible in case they are still adjusting to their new home.
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
I purchased 2 hermies in mid January at a boardwalk because I felt terrible about their conditions. They made it past the PPS period, but 1 buried about two weeks ago. I’m 99% sure he’s molting, so I isolated him within the main tank by putting half of a two liter over him.I was afraid my other crab would become lonely, and the other one is more active. I decided to buy a new crab, but couldn’t find any on HCA near me or Craigslist, so I did the bad thing and bought one from PetSmart. This new crab is currently in an iso tank, I was planning to introduce it after another 5 days or so. However, my active crab has buried itself as of yesterday! If my active crab is now molting as well, should I return this new crab? I really don’t want to put it back in pet store conditions, but if both my crabs are molting, I don’t want it to be lonely! And I know I can’t put 4 crabs in a 20 gallon, so I don’t think I can buy another one to keep this new crab company unless I buy a larger tank. Which then poses the dilemma of moving my molting crabs, which I know is a bad idea. I feel I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place, any advice please?
Curly - Crabs move once they have dug underground, so there is no way to know where they are in the tank. Pushing anything down into the substrate could potentially harm a crab or collapse a molt cave. A pop bottle would only be used that way if you had a surface molter and no other crabs underground. With proper depth of substrate, and a tank that is not over crowded, crabs won't come across each other underground, so there is no need to isolate a molting crab unless it is doing so above ground. And there is no need to isolate a newly bought crab, you could put it right into the main tank as well.
Crabs are susceptible to PPS - post purchase syndrome - until at least after their first molt in a new home. As already stated, crabs don't get lonely when they are the only one above ground, or even when kept as a single crab. The number of crabs in a tank depends on the size of the crabs - but as has already been said, your crabs will probably never all be up or down at the same time.
"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." -Will Rogers