Crab Rescue - florida

[westflorida123]

Today was my late day to go into work and yesterday I noticed on Craigslist 3 Free Hermit Crabs.
I spoke with the person who owned the hermies via gmail and we agreed that I would get them
before I went to work. I arrived at the location which I agreed to meet her at, she arrived 15 minutes
late and all hope began to fade. Finally, I noticed at the apartment across the street a lady came
out and said that she didn't think I would show up. I had driven close to 50 miles to facilitate this
adoption and really needed to get to work within the next hour (35 miles to work). She went to get
the hermies and came out with them in a box. She said that she was giving them up because they never
came out of their shell or were always buried in the sand she had them in. When I got them to my car
I took one of them out, they were so cold that I got a shoe box out of my trunk and put a shirt in there
to try to warm them up. I immediately went to petsmart and bought some frog moss and I brought some
food with me from home. I took them to work I lined the shoebox bottom with plastic bag that I taped down and wet down the moss with some bottled water I had in
the trunk of my car (which happened to be warm). They now sit in my desk at work in the shoebox til I get
home tonight. They have eaten and now are curled up in the warm moss. I have to wonder why would
a person think that these little creatures would be active when they are so cold they would not come out
of their shells till they warmed up.. I am so happy I made the 50 mile trip. After awhile in
my iso tank they will become part of my 50 gal.......warm/humid crabitat. Today is my birthday best
gift I have received in a long time!!!!!

[GotButterflies]

Great job on the rescue! I can't believe that she brought them out to you in a box. I always carry a kk in the trunk of my car with ee/sand and moss in it just in case. I'm a little nuts though. Hey...at least I admit it! Happy Birthday!

[westflorida123]

Thanks for the birthday greeting. Now comes the hard part what to name them!

[C_fiesta]

That's awesome!

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[Jellybean!]

Aww congrats on the rescue! I'm glad they're going to a good home now! Poor babies!

[westflorida123]

OK, so rescues were added to main habitat, 2 of the 3 are doing great and fitting in.
The biggest one which is a medium I think turns out to be a bully. He backs the other
hermies in corners and rolls them around, scaring the poo out of them.....Well, I gave
him a week to try to be a team player, but now its the ISO tank for him. Which brings
me to the conclusion. Maybe I need another tank I have my main tank pretty
much complete what could it hurt........besides my bank account.

[Hermias_mom]

OK, so rescues were added to main habitat, 2 of the 3 are doing great and fitting in.
The biggest one which is a medium I think turns out to be a bully. He backs the other
hermies in corners and rolls them around, scaring the poo out of them.....Well, I gave
him a week to try to be a team player, but now its the ISO tank for him. Which brings
me to the conclusion. Maybe I need another tank I have my main tank pretty
much complete what could it hurt........besides my bank account.

Have you tried feeding him a large variety of protein and calcium yet? He could just be depleted in his stores of nutients, hence some of the agression. Also, it could be a dominance thing. Usually, they settle down after a while once the dominant crab is clearly established.

Did you dip them all in the freshwater before adding them to the tank? Sometimes this helps avoid agression, because it makes them all smell like they're the same colony.

Of course, the more tanks, the better

Good luck!!!

[GotButterflies]

Sometimes they can get "moody" before molting too...

[westflorida123]

I think the molting thing is the best reason I see, I put him in the ISO tank and he has been down
for about a week now. Hopefully he will emerge with a new outlook.