since I've bought them yesterday, they're pretty inactive now and sit in their hideout 
they're so cute btw 
Thank you for the reply very much! The crabs now are much much more active after I added heat cable (I saw them burrying themselves so I read about it), now they're exploring the tank. 1 is eating right now as I'm writing this. And may I ask how much exactly should I feed them? Can I overfeed them?Crabinski wrote:Welcome aboard, viluah21 and new PPs! There is so much to learn about the proper care of these amazing creatures so please read through the FAQS and Care Guides (link is on the left side of the Portal page in the blue Navigator box).
Don't worry about the activity level of newly adopted crabs. Many suffer from Post Purchase Syndrome (PPS), the after effects of being snatched from the wild, transported to the US and then to a pet shop and then to your home, all the while encountering significant fluctuations in temperature and humidity: they just need to dig down, chill out and settle in.
Although you may not see them eating, they are probably doing so very late at night -- remember that crabs eat such a small amount it may appear that the food is untouched. You can encourage them to eat by offering foods that are particularly enticing and very nutritious: peanut butter, honey, a half eggshell with raw albumin, a bit of cooked egg yolk, freeze-dried or fresh shrimp. Commercial crab food is, frankly, a waste of money and provides little in the way of proper nutrition. Check out the Safe/Unsafe Foods lists in the Care Guides and you'll be surprised at how well you can feed them right out of your pantry and refrigerator!
Keep us posted and post pictures of your crabs and crabitat when you have a chance. Good luck!
Thank you very much! Just now I had a chance to remember I once had a crayfish (crustacean but not a crab sadly) Astacus Leptodactylus I called Fufflandlubber wrote:I just wanted to say welcome to the HCA and the world of crab ownership!
old good times :')Overfeeding is not an issue: they will eat as much as they need and then stop (not like humans who will gorge until the food is goneviluah21 wrote:And may I ask how much exactly should I feed them? Can I overfeed them?
). If you're feeding dry mix*, one teaspoon will last 3 PPs for several days. They love to have a variety of foods, not the same thing every day, so offer them food from your own meals (without seasonings or sauces). Try a grape, a small piece of apple, a bit of kale, a little piece of cooked unseasoned chicken each day in addition to their dry mix -- it will be fun for the crabs and will let you learn what they enjoy most and what they don't care for...one person's crabs will go crazy for raisins while someone else's will shun them. Thanks for the reply! And may I ask you if I can feed them LIVE shrimps (like those in aqua stores) and how do I keep the humidity?Crabinski wrote: Overfeeding is not an issue: they will eat as much as they need and then stop (not like humans who will gorge until the food is gone
I mentioned dry mix above and a good homemade dry mix serves two purposes: it provides a healthy base of protein, grain and calcium and can be left in the tank 24/7. The base mix I make is easy and, stored in a tightly sealed jar, will last for months. This is what I use: Flukers Aquatic Turtle Medley (freeze-dried mealworms, crickets and shrimp), Wardley's Hermit Crab Food (100% dried shrimp), dried eggshells and uncooked plain rolled oats or uncooked multigrain hot cereal (i.e., Bob's Red Mill 10-Grain). Using a mortar and pestle, grind up 1/4 cup of Flukers, 1 tablespoon Wardley's, 3 eggshells and 1 tablespoon oats or cereal into a "chunky" powder. You can also add a sprinkle of uncooked quinoa, amaranth, cornmeal, chia seeds, etc., to the mix when serving.
Hmm.. I could take some pics but they aren't still used to their new home, should I really take them? And may handling them help them get used to the environment?landlubber wrote:These do not look like PPs to me. I think you have something else there-hard to tell from these pics-but Ruggies maybe? Darling little things!
soilentgringa wrote:Are their antennae completely orange? Possibly viola? Hard to tell.
I'd like to do more pics, these ones are older. Should I take them out of their home for handling before they get used to it? And would that help them get used to their new home?landlubber wrote:Getting a front view, a profile view, a view of the BP and walking legs help with IDs, it's hard to tell with side angles, but yes, that antenna looks orange.
