HCA: Hermit Crab Association

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?
50lb playsand 1 brick of the coco fiber

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. middle of the tank always above 80% humidity and temp is in the 70s depending on which side of the tank

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
two 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)?
both salt and fresh water bottled

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
ham and a mix of fruit mostly blueberries

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
two pps begining of december both roughly the size of an egg

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
not sure as they both like to tunnel but I am pretty sure they have both molted since I got them

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
20 lb tank mesh lid with seran wrap

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
2 roughly the size of eggs so mediums I think

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
at least 10

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
not that I know of

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
I only spot clean

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?
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.)?


16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.

We have been having ant issues at home recently and I beleive the ants have moved into my hermit crab enclosure there were at least 50 ants in 3 seperate groups with more wandering around. I fully stripped the tank with plans to freeze/boil evreything. My main question is how do I clean the substrate? I can throw it out and replace it if needed though I would prefer not to. Both my crabs are currently in one of their food dishes outside of the tank with sphagnum moss and food with the lid as covered seran wrap with holes in it. I would prefer to not keep them in there for more than a few hours.

I wiped down the top edge of the tank with vineger and killed as many ants as I could. I am going to put some of the decorations back and the hermit crabs back in the tank as most of the ants are gone and it is getting late and I have school tomorrow. Both crabs are awake and one is crawling around.

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
50lb playsand 1 brick of the coco fiber
Curly - It sounds like you probably need more substrate - which it totally unrelated to your current problem. Sub should be at least 2-3 times as deep as your largest crab, and moistened with dechlorinated water so that it is 'sand castle' consistency.

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. middle of the tank always above 80% humidity and temp is in the 70s depending on which side of the tank

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
two heating pads
Curly - Are these on the back or sides?

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 salt and fresh water bottled
Curly - Most bottled water that is labelled for crabs is not actually appropriate for them. You will want to use tap water treated with a dechlorinator for the fresh water, and then for the salt water you will need to add a marine salt. Instant Ocean is a commonly used marine salt brand, and SeaChem Prime is a commonly used dechlorinator brand - but there are also others that are appropriate, check our 'water' care sheet for full info.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
ham and a mix of fruit mostly blueberries
Curly - Crabs need a wide variety of foods, including animal protein (meat, chicken, sea food, insects etc) and calcium (egg shells, cuttle bone etc) daily. They need varied fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, greens, leaves, flowers, etc. Less processed and less additives are best - something like ham could be a now and then treat, but not as a staple of their diet.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
two pps begining of december both roughly the size of an egg

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
not sure as they both like to tunnel but I am pretty sure they have both molted since I got them

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
20 lb tank mesh lid with seran wrap

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
2 roughly the size of eggs so mediums I think

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
at least 10

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
not that I know of

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
I only spot clean

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?
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.)?


16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.

We have been having ant issues at home recently and I beleive the ants have moved into my hermit crab enclosure there were at least 50 ants in 3 seperate groups with more wandering around. I fully stripped the tank with plans to freeze/boil evreything. My main question is how do I clean the substrate? I can throw it out and replace it if needed though I would prefer not to. Both my crabs are currently in one of their food dishes outside of the tank with sphagnum moss and food with the lid as covered seran wrap with holes in it. I would prefer to not keep them in there for more than a few hours.
Curly - You are correct that ants in a tank is an emergency. They can kill a molting crab underground. Personally, I would throw out the substrate and start again. Play sand is pretty cheap, you can use mostly sand with a bit of coco fiber if cost is an issue. You will then need to have a strategy to stop them from getting into the tank again.

Substrate is about 6in deep
Heating pads are one on half the back and one on the side next to it
Its those large bottled jugs of spring water? The tap water we have is well water so its got odd minerals in it
I will try to start making their diet more diverse but they do have egg shells and some leaflitter and sticks they like to tear up. Also sorry about saying ham I actually think it's closer to pork but I use them interchangeably
Playsand and cocofiber is my current setup but I just did not have time last night and wont be able to change the sand until after school today but I will do so
I also decided to leave out one decoration the ants were mainly on just until I can change out the substrate
It's the next morning though and I don't see any ants