My name is Sarah, and I am a new Hermit Crab owner. Yesterday, I purchased my first two hermit crabs (at least, first two since I was very young) and just want to make sure that my new babies are okay. I should also note that I used your care forums for help on setting up their Crabitat, and I'm thankful for all of the information you're giving freely! It's good to see people sticking up for these little guys.
My Crabitat is as follows, just to give a little context. I have a 10 Gallon Zilla Critter Cage with a screen top. I mixed Eco Earth Substrate with Playsand for the bottom, 1 Part Substrate to 5 Parts Playsand, and I'd say it goes about halfway up the tank (roughly 2-3 times as tall as my new hermits). I had mixed the Eco Earth Substrate with Dechlorinated water. (If you need the type of Dechlorinator I used, it is Prime, which lists that it removes Chlorine & Chloramine, and detoxifies Ammonia, Nitrite & Nitrate). I have two .5"-1" deep water bowls (both dechlorinated and one salted with Instant Ocean) with Thrive Natural Coconut Fiber Climbing Background to help the crabs get in and out. I cut these into small strips so it would fit. I also have a small food bowl that has Fluker's Medley Treat for Aquatic Turtles in it for them to eat. I have two UTH, one small one that I had originally purchased that wasn't putting off enough heat, and another that I bought that covers the entire back side of the tank. My digital hygrometer is under by 3 degrees (I used the salt test) and has been reading that it's around 83% humidity (so it would be roughly 86%) and the temperature of their crabitat has been staying around 77.6 degrees, plus or minus a few degrees at different times of the day. (My family is in Texas, so we keep our home pretty cold with the AC.) I have a half log for them to hide in, as well as a fish aquarium castle that has plants on it for them to hide and climb. I also have a chunk of Cholla Wood that is propped against the half log, and another piece of fish aquarium wood for them to crawl/climb on as well. I also have 3 shells in the Crabitat that are bigger than the ones they have now, and of different variety. I believe that covers all of it.
Yesterday evening and last night, both crabs went and hid for a while when I first brought them home. It took them a little while to muster up the courage to do that, but not too long. Eventually, one decided to check everything out and I saw him crawling around on his new castle, but the other one I haven't seen much. At the pet store, one of the Hermies was more active and the other was not, so originally I was assuming that this was just their personality showing through. Today, however, I have seen neither of them crawling around, but I can tell they're both hiding under the Cholla Wood log. I saw a little of one of their legs, but the last I saw they both seem to just be staying in place in their shells.
I know that the crabs are at risk of Post Purchase Syndrome, so I'm a little concerned that they're not moving much due to this. I can tell neither of them have eaten because their food hasn't moved, and I'm assuming neither are drinking either as their water bowls only seemed dirty with bits of the Coconut Fiber. Is this normal, and is there anything I should do?
Thanks in advance for any replies!
P.S.: I've decided to name them Jojo and Dio, if anybody wants to know!
Thanks for sharing!!!