New crab owner, Hello! :D

[DorkyCorcy]

Hi! I've been a crab owner since late July!

My crab's name is Clark (Named after Superman, since he was in a superman painted shell when a friend and I found him wandering the streets at night.) I don't really know what conditions he was being kept in before we found him. But I've been referring to the HCA since then.

Lately he's been burrowing under the substrate and doesn't come out for days on end, I know hermies are usually nocturnal and I do see him out and about at night occasionally. I'm not sure if he's just shy or if me and my cat spook him? Sometimes I worry he doesn't touch the food I leave out for him if it does turn out that me or my cat are scaring him. (My cat especially likes to watch crab TV and sometimes tries to bat at him through the glass while other times he just stares intently while he's sitting out in the open. Unfortunately due to a lack of space in my house, my cat and Clark both live primarily in my room. I'm not sure if it's something to be worried about. Will the two eventually get used to each other's pressence?)

I digress, Clark has since changed out of his painted shell (With more shells on the way,)
[url]https://imgur.com/a/5D1Z60m

I'm very grateful to all of the information and help the HCA offers to others as you all have definitely helped me out as I'm starting out!

[KyMart]

Hi! I've been a crab owner since late July!

My crab's name is Clark (Named after Superman, since he was in a superman painted shell when a friend and I found him wandering the streets at night.) I don't really know what conditions he was being kept in before we found him. But I've been referring to the HCA since then.

Lately he's been burrowing under the substrate and doesn't come out for days on end, I know hermies are usually nocturnal and I do see him out and about at night occasionally. I'm not sure if he's just shy or if me and my cat spook him? Sometimes I worry he doesn't touch the food I leave out for him if it does turn out that me or my cat are scaring him. (My cat especially likes to watch crab TV and sometimes tries to bat at him through the glass while other times he just stares intently while he's sitting out in the open. Unfortunately due to a lack of space in my house, my cat and Clark both live primarily in my room. I'm not sure if it's something to be worried about. Will the two eventually get used to each other's pressence?)

I digress, Clark has since changed out of his painted shell (With more shells on the way,)
[url]https://imgur.com/a/5D1Z60m

I'm very grateful to all of the information and help the HCA offers to others as you all have definitely helped me out as I'm starting out!

Welcome! A crab wondering the street, how funny of a sight that would be (it's awful, but just the picture of thr crab going for a "stroll" make me laugh a little). I'm glad to hear he changed out of the painted shell, and is doing well! What are your tank conditions like, I want to know (I'm nosey hehe)! I think that Clark is probably destressing and adjusting the new environment (and the cat), I don't have experience with cats and crabs being in the same room (as I don't have a cat, sadly...), but I think that maybe they will warm up to each other and Clark will become less scared.

[curlysister]

Welcome to crabbing and to the site!
Some of my cats have been interested in my crabs, and some haven't over the years. Be sure that the crabs have lots of places to hide, and greenery in the tank so that they feel that they have safe places. That can make them feel more secure and not seem so scared of every movement outside the tank. Also be sure that you have a good lid on your tank - a couple of my cats like to sleep on top of the tank because it's nice and warm!
Just keep putting in a variety of food, and he will take what he needs. WHen they are small, they eat very little - I swear that for the first couple of years, the only way I knew they were eating is that they were still alive LOL!

[DorkyCorcy]

Welcome! A crab wondering the street, how funny of a sight that would be (it's awful, but just the picture of thr crab going for a "stroll" make me laugh a little). I'm glad to hear he changed out of the painted shell, and is doing well! What are your tank conditions like, I want to know (I'm nosey hehe)! I think that Clark is probably destressing and adjusting the new environment (and the cat), I don't have experience with cats and crabs being in the same room (as I don't have a cat, sadly...), but I think that maybe they will warm up to each other and Clark will become less scared.

Thank you! I'm glad I found him on the street, haha, it's like how many of my cats came from the streets lolol, so many of my friends say it must be destiny!

I have him in a ten gallon tank with coco fiber substrate, a hydrometer/thermometer I bought from the petstore and a zoomed heat mat on the back of the tank. He has some shallow water bowls and a coco fiber mat that I piled up in the corner and he likes to burrow and hide under there and occasionally sit on top of it. Overall it's really bare, but I do intend to replace some of the stuff inside such as the hydrometer and bowls and figure out how to install a hamster wheel into his tank!

I hope he and my cat will get used to each other eventually, sometimes my cat is way too friendly lolol

[DorkyCorcy]

Welcome to crabbing and to the site!
Some of my cats have been interested in my crabs, and some haven't over the years. Be sure that the crabs have lots of places to hide, and greenery in the tank so that they feel that they have safe places. That can make them feel more secure and not seem so scared of every movement outside the tank. Also be sure that you have a good lid on your tank - a couple of my cats like to sleep on top of the tank because it's nice and warm!
Just keep putting in a variety of food, and he will take what he needs. WHen they are small, they eat very little - I swear that for the first couple of years, the only way I knew they were eating is that they were still alive LOL!

Noted! I'll be sure to make sure he has more places to hide eventually! Slowly but surely getting stuff to fill out his tank. I already have tank clips so my cat and Clark won't have an easy time getting in or out!

I'll continue putting in new food for him and hope he's eating when he needs to lolol Thank you so much!

[KyMart]

Noted! I'll be sure to make sure he has more places to hide eventually! Slowly but surely getting stuff to fill out his tank. I already have tank clips so my cat and Clark won't have an easy time getting in or out!

I'll continue putting in new food for him and hope he's eating when he needs to lolol Thank you so much!

They don't eat much, trust me, most of my crabs eat very little! I have some food lovers in my tank tho, Frog and B love the food in the tank, I catch them in the tank all the time! I have to refill my food every few days because it gets moldy, but like 1/4 of what I put in there is gone (most of the time, depends on the food, sometimes they almost clean it for me)!

[KyMart]

Thank you! I'm glad I found him on the street, haha, it's like how many of my cats came from the streets lolol, so many of my friends say it must be destiny!

I have him in a ten gallon tank with coco fiber substrate, a hydrometer/thermometer I bought from the petstore and a zoomed heat mat on the back of the tank. He has some shallow water bowls and a coco fiber mat that I piled up in the corner and he likes to burrow and hide under there and occasionally sit on top of it. Overall it's really bare, but I do intend to replace some of the stuff inside such as the hydrometer and bowls and figure out how to install a hamster wheel into his tank!

I hope he and my cat will get used to each other eventually, sometimes my cat is way too friendly lolol

Sounds like a great basic setup! Here is the wheel I used! It's a modified hamster wheel to make it easier for them to run on, it seems expensive at first, but then you look at the regular prices for wheels this size! The smaller side is all you will need, Jumbos can fit on it (barley, but the owners have one in their tank and they have seen them do it)! I have one and I love it, it's super quiet never falls over (even when my mediums use it)! And it looks great in the tank! https://www.etsy.com/listing/1031908567 ... for-hermit

[hermitsinnc]

I have a saucer-style wheel, and my crabs love it too! Just choose whatever fits well in your tank.

[KyMart]

I have a saucer-style wheel, and my crabs love it too! Just choose whatever fits well in your tank.

Absolutely! Whatever you prefer and fits best in your tank is definity the way to go! I've heard of some people's crabs refusing to use saucers and only using regular wheels, and others refusing to use regular wheels and only using saucers, so your crabs may have a preference! Them little bugs!

[DorkyCorcy]

Thanks everyone for saying hi and giving advice I really appreciate it Hopefully I'll be able to give frequent updates, I may be busy for a bit as school is about to start up for me!

[KyMart]

Thanks everyone for saying hi and giving advice I really appreciate it Hopefully I'll be able to give frequent updates, I may be busy for a bit as school is about to start up for me!

School is about to start for me as well, and I may be getting another tank soon, I'm also busy working a ton! I still make special time for my babies (crabs) tho! Frog came out and said hi today, did a bit of walking in me, and ate some honey off a spoon! He always gets it all over his legs and pinchers, silly crab!

[DorkyCorcy]

School is about to start for me as well, and I may be getting another tank soon, I'm also busy working a ton! I still make special time for my babies (crabs) tho! Frog came out and said hi today, did a bit of walking on me, and ate some honey off a spoon! He always gets it all over his legs and pinchers, silly crab!

Clark said hello the other day too! I recently did a little cleaning in hid enclosure and added some new stuff for him to explore and play with! He seemed interested at first, but by the next day he just went back to hiding in the substrate. I suppose he's just a sleepy shy guy at heart xD