HCA: Hermit Crab Association

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
Mix of play sand and eco earth. Mostly sand. 6+ inches deep.


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?
Gauge is in upper right corner. Currently reading 73 F and 60% humidity. I try to keep the humidity higher, above 70%

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
Two stick-on glass heaters at sand level.

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)?
Aged tap and salt water dishes. Tap water is aged for 72 hours and mixed with instant ocean to make the salt water.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
I feed a variety of foods from the hermit crab patch. I replace it every 2-3 days.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
Carribbean hermit crab

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
Freshly molted. Soft

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
Glass tank with screen lid. 24x12x16”

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
3. 2 are in shells with openings 1.5-2”. 1 was in .75” opening.

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
10+ of various sizes

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

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Do a complete substrate change once a year. Wash the shells about every month.

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
No

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
Added a coconut fiber climbing sheet about a month ago.

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.)?
Usually do not handle them super often and let them do their own thing. If they are buried for more than three days, I check on them.

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
Blueberry is a larger hermit crab that was in a 1.25” shell. He molted very recently and was able to complete his molt underground. Jacques is smaller, was in a .75” shell. Jacques kicked Blueberry out of his shell and took it. Blueberry was found naked on the surface, very pale and soft. I put him in his saltwater dish briefly to keep him moist. He is now in a container with his uneaten molt, some food sprinkled on top of his molt, 7 clean shells, and some very moist substrate, there is standing brackish water on top of the substrate. I am trying to prevent him from drying out and his exoskeleton from hardening too fast. He is lethargic but has attempted to check out some of the shells. How should I help him? Does he need to be buried again? I am waiting for him to enter a shell and was going to try to bury him with his molt in a separate enclosure. Is this a good idea?

.

Update: I have put him in a different container with no substrate and shallow water and he seems to be attempting to enter a shell

Update: I have put him in a different container with no substrate and shallow water and he seems to be attempting to enter a shell

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
Mix of play sand and eco earth. Mostly sand. 6+ inches deep.
Curly - Your crabs are pretty large, is the sand at least two to three times as deep as your largest crab?

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?
Gauge is in upper right corner. Currently reading 73 F and 60% humidity. I try to keep the humidity higher, above 70%
Curly - Humidity needs to be higher than 70%, over 75 is even better. Crabs have modified gills, and need the humidity in order to breathe. 73F is right at the lowest end of the safe temperature too. Can you insulate some of your tank to boost the heat a bit?

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
Two stick-on glass heaters at sand level.

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)?
Aged tap and salt water dishes. Tap water is aged for 72 hours and mixed with instant ocean to make the salt water.
Curly - Tap water should really be treated with a dechlorinator such as Seachem Prime.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
I feed a variety of foods from the hermit crab patch. I replace it every 2-3 days.
Curly - Ensure that they have a source of protein and calcium daily. Do you give any fresh foods too?

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
Carribbean hermit crab

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
Freshly molted. Soft

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
Glass tank with screen lid. 24x12x16”
Curly - You can cover the screen lid with something non-pourous, to keep the humidity and heat in. Plastic wrap, plexi glass, glass, etc.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
3. 2 are in shells with openings 1.5-2”. 1 was in .75” opening.

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
10+ of various sizes
Curly - What types of shells do you have?

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

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Do a complete substrate change once a year. Wash the shells about every month.

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
No

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
Added a coconut fiber climbing sheet about a month ago.

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.)?
Usually do not handle them super often and let them do their own thing. If they are buried for more than three days, I check on them.
Curly - What do you mean you 'check on them' if they are buried for more than three days? How do you do that?

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
Blueberry is a larger hermit crab that was in a 1.25” shell. He molted very recently and was able to complete his molt underground. Jacques is smaller, was in a .75” shell. Jacques kicked Blueberry out of his shell and took it. Blueberry was found naked on the surface, very pale and soft. I put him in his saltwater dish briefly to keep him moist. He is now in a container with his uneaten molt, some food sprinkled on top of his molt, 7 clean shells, and some very moist substrate, there is standing brackish water on top of the substrate. I am trying to prevent him from drying out and his exoskeleton from hardening too fast. He is lethargic but has attempted to check out some of the shells. How should I help him? Does he need to be buried again? I am waiting for him to enter a shell and was going to try to bury him with his molt in a separate enclosure. Is this a good idea?
Curly - I wouldn't say that he 'completed' his molt if he did not stay underground until he was hardened and had eaten his exo. Did Jacques dig Blueberry up in order to steal his shell? What type of shell was he in before, and what type is the stolen one?
Have you had a look at the 'naked crab' care sheet? It outlines what to do for a naked crab. Being dug up when he is still soft and has not eaten his exo is not good at all. The priority is to get him into a shell. You don't want standing water or substrate, or a lot of shells. A mm or two of water in the container, two or three shells - the idea is there are no distractions, just the shells. Then I would add in his exo and keep him isolated until he eats it. You never want to re-bury a crab, or they can suffocate because you won't be able to re-created the molting cave they made where they can breathe.

You should not dig them up but if there cave is blocked then immediately unblock it

Tim cuthbert wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 20, 2022 11:36 am

You should not dig them up but if there cave is blocked then immediately unblock it

Crabs back-fill their tunnels when they dig underground, so you usually won't know where they are underground. In this case, one crab dug up another, the human didn't dig them up. You are correct that in general we should leave crabs alone when they are underground, I just wanted to clarify that we would generally not see a cave because the crab has back filled as they dig.

Ok