Hi! New to hermit crabs. A little concerned for my little guys.

[Kermitandplum]

My little brother got a hermit crab when we were at vacation. When we went back home, we got a friend for him. We have a 10 gallon tank with 5 inches of coconut soil and calcium sand. (Just learned that was not good for them.) We sprinkled the top with leftover beach sand. We have extra shells and a few climbing and hiding things. (We'll get more later.) I feed them fresh veggies, shrimp exos, eggs, etr. My first, and smaller guy Kermit buried when we put him in the 10 gallon tank. He's been down there for a few days. I accidently dug a small hole where he started his tunnel and am worried I collapsed it. Will he be OK? When we got Plum, the bigger guy, his shell was so small his eyes couldn't even go in! So even when I tapped him, he couldn't shrink back into the shell. He immediately switched the night we got him. But now he just sits in a corner, idk if he's eating, he only moves if I pick him up and put him somewhere else, and immediately crawls back to the corner. Is he about to molt or just stressed? Or sick?

[I<3mycrabbies]

Maybe your tank is too cold or humidity isn't where it should be?
Temperature should be 75-80°F and humidity should be around at least 80%
Also make sure you have fresh and saltwater pools (to treat both pools use prime and to create a saltwater pool you can use instant ocean (instant ocean will have to be stored in an airtight container)

[Kermitandplum]

Oh yeah I do have fresh and saltwater pools. Forgot to mention that.

[Kermitandplum]

I also mist them every day, I think the humidity is fine. It's also rather hot here in TX so I'm not worried about them getting cold.

[JoeHermits]

The tunnel shouldn’t be too much of an issue. Time will tell but if you only collapsed part of the entrance I’m betting the crab is fine

Sometimes crabs just choose a spot and sit there. If he likes it leave him be, although more hiding places may make him more secure. He’ll walk around when he wants to


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[Kermitandplum]

Even if he's molting? Cause I'm afraid I collapsed his only exit out of his burrow and I've heard they can't dig out of the sand after molting without a tunnel. I might be over-worrying tho...

[JoeHermits]

When he’s ready to leave he will dig his way out. By the time his exoskeleton is fully hardened he will be more than capable of making a new exit


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[Kermitandplum]

As for Plum, the one that's not moving-whats happening with him?

[JoeHermits]

He is adjusting to his new space and feels most secure in the corner


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[Kermitandplum]

Ohhh, that makes sense! One last question-sorry I'm asking a lot-we put a mossbed and a coconut hut where kermit started burrowing. What if he finishes molting and comes up-only to be blocked by these things? Should I move the stuff or will he find a way around?

[curlysister]

Ohhh, that makes sense! One last question-sorry I'm asking a lot-we put a mossbed and a coconut hut where kermit started burrowing. What if he finishes molting and comes up-only to be blocked by these things? Should I move the stuff or will he find a way around?

He will find his way around it. But crabs often move underground, and come back up in a totally different place than they went down.

[Kermitandplum]

I've also learned that lots of different hermit crab species are called different things, like pps and violas-but I couldn't find an example of these so I have no idea what species Kermit and Plum are. Does anyone have a link to identifying species of hermit crabs or something?

[dee127m]

Hi, I rescued 2 baby PP maybe the size of a dime. I set up my tank before I got them. They have everything they need. What worries me is that they both dug a tunnel and have not ate or drank water. It has been a week today. I went on line and saw an article about PPS. method for new crabs. This method tells me to not put too much sand so they can eat and not dig and stay under. I am a little stressed now and need help as to what to do with them. thanks! PS I had PP before and they lasted a very long time, years, but they were not so little.

[curlysister]

Hi, I rescued 2 baby PP maybe the size of a dime. I set up my tank before I got them. They have everything they need. What worries me is that they both dug a tunnel and have not ate or drank water. It has been a week today. I went on line and saw an article about PPS. method for new crabs. This method tells me to not put too much sand so they can eat and not dig and stay under. I am a little stressed now and need help as to what to do with them. thanks! PS I had PP before and they lasted a very long time, years, but they were not so little.

Some groups / people will say this is the only correct way to treat new crabs. But in reality, no method has every been shown to increase survival rates. If a crab needs to molt, they can't put it off forever or even on a care takers schedule - and a surface molt is more dangerous in general than a molt underground. If they are already under, do not dig them up!

[CrabbyLover77]

I've also learned that lots of different hermit crab species are called different things, like pps and violas-but I couldn't find an example of these so I have no idea what species Kermit and Plum are. Does anyone have a link to identifying species of hermit crabs or something?

Check out the care sheets here:

https://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB ... ed76f08c9e

There is an individual care sheet for each of the different species of crabs. They have descriptions of their characteristics, but no pics. I usually read up on the descriptions, and then Google for pics of those crabs.

Purple Pinchers are the most common type of crab found in the pet trade in the US.

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