Jennycat wrote:1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it? Coconut fiber
H: How deep?
GB: Your substrate needs to be at the minimum of 6" or 3 times the size of your largest crab. (Whichever is deeper). It also needs to be sandcastle consistency. You would moisten it with dechlorinated marine salt water.
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? 80 and 80
H: I would calibrate your hydrometer to be safe. 80% is the min.
GB: Are you using digital or analog? I agree with Hermie that you need to calibrate. Here is the guide:
http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... 26&t=92540
I also agree that 80/80 is the minimum. Surviving and thriving are two different things
Humidity is how the hermit crabs breathe due to their modified gills
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? Small heater attached to side and red bulb
H: Heat lamps zap humidity. You would be safer buying a heat mat and putting it over the sub on the back of tank.
GB:
www.reptilebasics.com or
www.beanfarm.com have great uth's.
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)? Yes we use both water types
H: What declaring actor and salt mix brands do you use?
GB: Very important that you are using a dechlorinator. Chlorine and chloramine are deadly to the crabs. It needs to be removed before rinsing anything off or being put into the crabs tank. Very important that you are using marine salt water like Instant Ocean. Here is a link on what I am talking about:
http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... 25&t=92553
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced? Commercial foods and an assortment of fresh foods daily . Apples , hibiscus , cutle bone, carrots
H: Toss the commercial food, it's actually awful for the crabs. You should definitely provide more proteins like dead insects and meats.
GB: A lot of products marketed for hermit crabs are unfortunately not safe. Here is a list for you:
http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... 25&t=92555
Safe food list:
http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... 25&t=92557
Unsafe food list:
http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... 25&t=92556
Food pyramid:
http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... 25&t=92554
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known? 4 weeks purple claw
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen? I think maybe today
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing? 10gal tank mesh lid with plastic over half for humidity
H: A glass tank would be better for humidity.
GB: I know that you have since upgraded your tank
I recommend 1 crab per 5 gallons.
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they? There are currently 3 2 fairly large and one smaller
H: Your a bit overcrowded. I recommend upgrading to minimize aggression between crabs.
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any? 8
H: 3 extra per crab. Check the shell guide to make sure you have the proper shells
GB: The HCA recommends 3-5 shells per crab. I recommend more. You can never have enough!
There are incorrect shells to buy. Here is the shell guide:
http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... 24&t=92552
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently? No
12. How often do you clean the tank and how? I haven't yet
H: Just spot clean as needed.
GB: You don't need to do anything but pick up poo, food that has spilled and change the water.
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned? Yes -boil in water every other day
H: Sponges are not actually necessary. Make sure you bowls are deep enough for your crabs to fully submerge but make sure you have a way out for the smaller crab.
GB: Agreed. Sponges are an old practice. If they are natural sponges, you can dry them and place them in the tank for the crabs to munch on. They really harbor too much bacteria when left in the water.
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently? No
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 dig the crabs up yesterday to check on them . The one then sat under a branch that is in the middle of the tank (still
Visible ) I moved him tonight and hie body (or maybe just his exoskeleton ) fell out . I believe I might have saw him still inside but didn't want to bother him too much . I sat him back where I found him and left the exoskeleton beside him .
H: Never ever dig up a crab! They were probably de-stressing after the long journey to the pet store.
GB: Crabs dig for several reasons. They dig for fun, to cool off, to destress, to molt, etc.
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail. The info noted above . And in first post .
