I got new crabs!

[Paradi]

So I was able to get my first two crabs last night! I called petco and they told me they only had two but when I got there they had about 10 or so. I got two small hermies and they were VERY active last night. I brought them home in a little tubberware container with some moss and they started digging around and eating it immediately. They were crawling all over me when I put them in their tank, and they must've been happy because they were exploring everything! I could hear they're shells clink against the glass while they climbed around the moss pit. One of them seems to have completely disappeared so I'm assuming it dig down to molt or de-stress but idk how to tell if it dug down? The other is hanging out in a rock cave as of today, occasionally peaking out at me. I'm thinking about the names Yippe and Olve but we'll see. What do you guys think? I took some pictures of them. I'll try to figure out how to post them once I get back home.


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[Paradi]

Unfortunately, as I'm sure you all know, the little guys came in painted shells but I just got back from hobby lobby with my mother and happened to find a bag of shells that had a lot of turbos. I'll offer them to my crabs after I get a chance to clean them in some spring water. I'm not interested in boiling the shells if I don't have too because I don't want them to fade as I've read on here that they do. Should I clean them in salt or fresh water??


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[hermitharbor]

Boiling them in fresh water won't dull them, it's the salt water that does. You should be fine to boil them Boiling makes sure to kill off anything bad in them. Plus the crabs seem to like the fresh smell.


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[Paradi]

Ahh! Okay thank you! Do you boil yours in dechlorinated water?


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[hermitharbor]

Last time I boiled shells (which was quite a long time ago since I have a ton and haven't needed more) I boiled them in MSW. But that was just my choice. Either is fine


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[Kermie16]

I usually boil our shells in regular tap water for 5 mins then do a quick dunk in FW before putting them in the tank.


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[GotButterflies]

I boil mine in dechlorinated freshwater and saltwater. It really depends on my mood. My hermit crabs go CRAZY over the shells if I do salt, they seem to love that more than when I use fresh. I keep a gallon of each under my tank, so it just depends on if I have enough of salt made or not. The saltwater does dull beautiful shells though. It's all about the crabs happiness, and not mine!


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[Just Jay]

I agree. My hermies love the salt but i also dont want my shells to dull; so i just boil them in ubtreaded water for about 5min or so then dip them in a salt water bath before offering. My only male Uu loves it and will changes shells a coupke times right when they are fresh.

[soilentgringa]

I boil in tap water then dip in MSW when putting in the tank.



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[GotButterflies]

That is smart! I think I will try that! I drove to Daytona and spent $60 on new shells, it would be nice to keep them pretty! Thanks for the idea!


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[Just Jay]

of course! now post some pics of these beautiful shells!

[GotButterflies]

I don't know how to post pictures on here! Lol


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[Just Jay]

i had to download tapatalk to get pictured to load.....and its kina confusing. i just use it to post pics.