HCA: Hermit Crab Association

LadyJinglyJones wrote:Heya, and welcome to the HCA!!

Good to have you aboard!

So, reading your post, several questions come to mind, mostly having to do with tank conditions. So here's the emergency template linked below... it will give other crabbers am idea of what you're working with so we can offer constructive suggestions!

http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... hp?t=46102

Next, I want to warn you not to dig up crabs - even if they aren't fully buried! They hunker down, or dig into the sub for many reasons, often to de-stress. All the transitions through the sub-par conditions of passing through the wild, where they are caught, through shipping & holding in the pet trade before they get to you, can be physically traumatic. That's why we (and other hermit crab groups), don't recommend handling them - they're preyed upon by things like raccoons & birds in the wild, and can't know the difference between you and a predator.

Humidity is a bit low - most crab groups these days recommend humidity & heat in the low eighties.

Their metabolisms are tied to temperature, and at 80°, they tend to move about more.

A towel typically won't keep your humidity up enough - a Plexiglas, glass , or other kind of lid that can be fastened down is better. The crabs won't suffocate - their oxygen needs are different that mammals because they breath through modified gills which are always kept wet - hence the need for higher humidity!

A dry towel may even absorb moisture. If you have a screen lid you can seal it with packing/duct tape turned sticky side out.

Here's the care guide, but I think the humidity recommendation is a bit out-dated. 80 % humidity is the new 75.

http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... 51&t=92457

Also, are you familiar with post-purchase syndrome (PPS )? Reading on that:

http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... 25&t=92531

Finally, the food pages, because I happen the like the food pages - and we don't really recommend crab pellets:

Water:

http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... 25&t=92553


Safe food list:
http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... 25&t=92557

Food pyramid:

http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/ ... 25&t=92554

Hope that helps! There are a tone of resources in the FAQ section!

FeelingCrabby wrote:1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it? T-Rex Crab Island Jungle Bed, they’ve piled it up in some areas since we’ve changed it so in places it’s only half an inch while others are a little bit over an inch-and-a-half.

D- Your substrate needs to be a minimum of 6 inches or 3 times your largest crab. Whichever is deeper. It also needs to be sand castle consistency. For substrate you can use straight play sand, straight coco fiber (eco earth= EE), or a combo of both. Many use 5:1 ratio (sand:EE)... I'm not to sure about the jungle bedding just make sure it's not the chunky kind. You want the 'fine' kind that's similar to coffee grinds.


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? Yes; upper middle of the tank. Temperature is usually between 75 and 80; humidity varies, as it continuously drops and we have to keep misting. It can be between 50 and 60 in the morning when I wake up, but I try to spray it enough to keep it around 80.

D- temp needs to be min of 80. Humidity also needs to be a min of 80. Analog gauges tend to be way off. Digital is better. You can get digital set at Wal-Mart or any hardware store for around $10. Also make sure you calibrate them to be sure they're accurate.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? Yes; Zoo Med Hermit Crab Heater, along with an oversized heat lamp we now keep less than a foot away (I now know their temperature needs to be 80, so I’m going to move it closer) before we kept it a foot away.

D- zoomed does little to nothing for heat. http://www.reptilebasics.com is good place to buy UTH. Us grabbers don't use them as suggested. We want to heat the air not the sub. You'll want the biggest that will fit along the back and ABOVE the sub.... Lights zap humidity. I wouldn't use them if you can't keep humidity ABOVE 80.

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)? Both Fresh and Salt; http://zoomed.com/db/products/EntryDeta ... SearchID=5 and http://www.zoomed.com/db/products/Entry ... NyYWJzIjt9 My Dad mixed together the water, I didn’t ask but I’m assuming he used what was in the instructions. He used Ozarka bottled water.

D- I can't view the links. All water must be declorinated. Most use prime. Also make sure you're using a marine grade salt such as Instant ocean.... Water dishes should be deep enough for them to fully submerge.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced? Zoo Med Hermit Crab Food pellets, some crushed for the smaller crabs, and sometimes a pinch of Zoo Med Fruit Salad; I replace it every 2-3 days.

D- the fruit salad us good but most use it as a treat. Toss the pellets - they are bad. Make sure you offer plenty of protein (krill, shrimp, mealworms, grasshoppers, and crickets) and plenty of calcium (cuttlebone, sand dollar, sea urchin, egg/oyster shells). They walk need fruits and veges. They have a food pyramid like we do.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known? Three I have had for 17 days, and three I have had for 15 days; I do not know the species.

D- more than likely Purple Pinchers. They are most common in US.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen? None have molted while I’ve had them.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing? 10 galleon glass tank, with a ‘cage’ lid (so they cannot crawl out) with a towel draped over it.

D- 5 crabs in this is overcrowded. Ivercrodibg can lead to cannibalism. You want 1 crab per 5 gallons. So with these 5 crabs, you'll need a minimum of 25 gallons.... Screen lid is okay but glass is better at trapping heat/humidity. To make screen lid work, cover it with packing tape (sticky side out), seran wrap, press n seal, or tin foil.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they? 5 crabs. Two are the size of a half-dollar, one is small enough to stand on a quarter, and the other two are in-between.

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any? 6 or 7

D- you'll want 3-5 shells per crab ranging in sizes and their preferred type.

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently? No.

12. How often do you clean the tank and how? Remove crabs and things, throw out the bedding, wipe down sides and bottom with wet rag (no cleaner), dry with paper towels, put in new bedding and crabs and things. I’ve been told it you’re supposed to clean it only once a month, so we haven’t cleaned it yet.

D- deep cleans aren't needed... You loose beneficial bacteria doing this. Just remove drug away food and poop.

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned? Yes; not cleaned, but we have extras to replace the old ones with when we clean the tank.

D- toss the sponges. They are awful for harboring bacteria. If they're natural, toss them in the tank (not the water) to munch on.

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently? 6 shells we bought a few days after the last batch of crabs.

D- most thing added to tank has to be cleaned, rinsed, boiled, or baked.

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.)? Before they started acting weird, I would reach in and rub their legs, or sometimes pick them up and look at them. I do not bathe them, as a site I researched said they would do that themselves with their water when they felt the need to.

D- this can also stress them out IMO. They are prey animals. We are predators to them.

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail. See first post.

D- sounds like you're crabs are de-stressing. Them digging at this point is normal. Also, newly purchased crabs are high risk for PPS and can last for 2-3 molts. I read in first post you dug them up. NEVER dig a crab up! This can lead to death.

EDIT: I now know the substrate needs to be deeper than I have it now. Do I take the crabs out and add in more? I'm afraid one is molting, though, and I don't want to harm it.

D- you can add up to an inch of sub every 24 hours. Just add it loosely and don't pack it down.

NLindsey921 wrote:Hermit beach sand is probably gonna be calcium sand which hardens like cement when it gets wet. It's also crazy expensive. For just a few dollars you can get play sand from a hardware store.

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FeelingCrabby wrote:I'm afraid I don't have the money OR room to buy a 25 galleon tank. If I add more hidey-holes in their tank would it be okay, or will I need to adopt them out? I feel so bad I honestly do not care if I need to give them away, as long as they don't go back to that store.

The reason I picked Hermit Crabs was because the store said they were the "easiest" pets to keep, "low-maintenance" and that "they love to be handled". I regret not doing more research before purchasing them, and I am NEVER buying another pet from there again.