Is this normal, should I worry and can I help?

[kleotide]

I am a new hermie owner. Our tank is not even completely set up yet, but a friend of a friend need a place for her crabs and now I have five Purple Pinchers. (too soon ack!!)

So far they all seem to be adjusting okay. But I am worried about the big one.

First about the tank. We have a long 20 inch tank heated with lamps, and humidified with a spray bottle. The temperature is about 80 degrees during the day and at night it dips to about 75. They have declorinated fresh and salt water (but the wrong kind of salt water apparently, not marine quality, just aquarium salt, we will be replacing that soon). Right now the tank only has about 2 inches of substrate, which I know is not enough (but like I said, our crabitate was still a work in progress). We should be getting extra good substrate in the mail by this Tuesday, (along with a digital hydrometer, thermometer, heating mat and shells). So far none of the crabs seem to want to burrow or dig, so I am really hoping no molters start before the package comes in. I don't know the exact humidity level, but I spray often and try to go for that "tropical feel"

About the crabs: They are all purple pinchers of various sizes. The smallest is Maybe half an inch big, and the largest I think just about tops two inches, the other three are right near one inch. I have bad spacial relations, so it is a little hard for me to tell, and I didn't want to stress them out by measuring them.

What's going on:
When they first got settled in the medium sized hermit crabs started fighting a bit over shells. (All of the hermies were in painted shells but one). So yesterday we picked up a shell pack from petsmart boiled them in declorinated water, and dropped them in. This morning two of our hermies had change shells! (Yay!) except one of them was our big guy, and the shell seems way too little for him. He is hanging out of it almost half way and I am really worried he will dry out, but he will NOT go back into his old painted shell. I am misting the cage a ton to try and help, and my husband has visited two pet stores so far looking for larger shells but we haven't found any. Are bigger hermies uncommon? We have one more place in town to check, but if we don't have any luck there I thought I should ask for your guys help.

Is there anything I can do?

(I don't know how to add photos, but here are some links.
For size:
https://flic.kr/p/x1NEcM
What he is doing now:
https://flic.kr/p/x147A3

Any help is greatly appreciated!!

[A_HandyCrab]

They won't go back to their old shell especially if it's painted


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[A_HandyCrab]

Because most of the times they abused into those shells


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[soilentgringa]

Hi and welcome to HCA.
First: How many gallons is the tank? With 5 PP you should be in around a 20 gallon at least.
I'm going to link our care guide below but you need to get gauges for heat/humidity ASAP. PP's do best in mid 80's temps with 75°F being the lowest at which they can survive. The sub needs to be sand castle consistency which means it holds its shape when molded. This will help with humidity. If you haven't already, wrap the lid in saran wrap or use packing tape to cover it to hold moisture in. Get rid of the painted shells. You can go to walmart or craft stores and find some shells in the home decor or craft sections.
Here is a link to the care guides:
viewtopic.php?t=92457
Check them out and feel free to ask any follow up questions! We're here to help!

Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk

[kleotide]

I understand that. I took the shell out around noon and scraped the paint off and sanded it down as much as I could boiled it then offered it back, but he is still avoiding it like the plague. I am just really really worried for him, hanging out like that.

[soilentgringa]

Ok so I was finally able to view the pics. Go online to ebay or etsy and look up user mygann. They have free shipping and good deals on shells. That crab looks like it needs a 1.5 inch or so shell opening but I can't be sure from the photo. Can you measure the old shell opening? It needs to have around 5 shells with slightly larger openings. I would personally just get several in sizes between 1.25"-1.75" just to have on hand.

Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk

[soilentgringa]

viewtopic.php?t=92552

Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk

[kleotide]

Hi and welcome to HCA.
First: How many gallons is the tank? With 5 PP you should be in around a 20 gallon at least.
I'm going to link our care guide below but you need to get gauges for heat/humidity ASAP. PP's do best in mid 80's temps with 75°F being the lowest at which they can survive. The sub needs to be sand castle consistency which means it holds its shape when molded. This will help with humidity. If you haven't already, wrap the lid in saran wrap or use packing tape to cover it to hold moisture in. Get rid of the painted shells. You can go to walmart or craft stores and find some shells in the home decor or craft sections.
Here is a link to the care guides:
viewtopic.php?t=92457
Check them out and feel free to ask any follow up questions! We're here to help!

Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk

Thank you! The tank is 20 gallons. the temp is usually around 80, when we have both heat lights on, but at night it drops to 75. The sub is pretty wet, and our lid is wrapped.
Whenever a hermie moves out of a painted shell I get rid of it... Except in this case because the new shell he picked was such a bad fit! I took off as much of the paint as I could and boiled it and placed it back in the tank, but he wants nothing to do with it. I'm worried for him. On the bright side if the hubby doesn't come home with shells, we can check the craft stores tomorrow. We haven't searched those yet.

[kleotide]

Ok so I was finally able to view the pics. Go online to ebay or etsy and look up user mygann. They have free shipping and good deals on shells. That crab looks like it needs a 1.5 inch or so shell opening but I can't be sure from the photo. Can you measure the old shell opening? It needs to have around 5 shells with slightly larger openings. I would personally just get several in sizes between 1.25"-1.75" just to have on hand.

Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk

My husband took it with him, so I can't. I have no idea how big the opening was. Well I suppose he will either come home successful tonight with more shells or I will hit the craft store tomorrow. In the mean time I'll try to keep on top of the humidity as much as possible. There doesn't seem to be much else I can do. Cross your fingers for me that Gordon stays well and happy.

[Allyb01]

This is not for shell size but for the size of your crab. http://lennon.csufresno.edu/~esperance3 ... hartV2.doc This is how big your crab is so you know the approximate size we (on HCA) are taking about.


Proud owner of 5 PPs,Twinkie, Tweedles, Tiny, Nugget, and Squidgy.
R.I.P Bumbie

[wodesorel]

You should be able to find something at least a little bigger at a craft store to hold him over in the mean time. He's pretty big and would probably love a 1 & 1/8 or 1 & 1/4 inch opening turbo. I've regularly found the heavier green turbos this size in mixed bags. it's not a perfect shell for them, but he should wear it happily.

Bigger hermits aren't uncommon, but bigger shells have become extremely hard to find and they're getting expensive. He may very well need a 1 & 1/2 inch shell, but the prices are steep and most crabs put off moving into a shell that size for a long time because they're heavy. It's a good idea have have a couple on hand, but if money is an issue go with a bigger selection of the smaller ones, they'll be happier for it. All three dozen crabs I have that are the size of yours are in 1 & 1/8 Striped and Tapestry turbos.

Keep in mind the size opening on the painted shell will not match the opening of a Turbo because they are a different shape.

[kleotide]

This is not for shell size but for the size of your crab. http://lennon.csufresno.edu/~esperance3 ... hartV2.doc This is how big your crab is so you know the approximate size we (on HCA) are taking about.


Proud owner of 5 PPs,Twinkie, Tweedles, Tiny, Nugget, and Squidgy.
R.I.P Bumbie

He is right in between the medium and large size. Right on that border line.

[kleotide]

You should be able to find something at least a little bigger at a craft store to hold him over in the mean time. He's pretty big and would probably love a 1 & 1/8 or 1 & 1/4 inch opening turbo. I've regularly found the heavier green turbos this size in mixed bags. it's not a perfect shell for them, but he should wear it happily.

Bigger hermits aren't uncommon, but bigger shells have become extremely hard to find and they're getting expensive. He may very well need a 1 & 1/2 inch shell, but the prices are steep and most crabs put off moving into a shell that size for a long time because they're heavy. It's a good idea have have a couple on hand, but if money is an issue go with a bigger selection of the smaller ones, they'll be happier for it. All three dozen crabs I have that are the size of yours are in 1 & 1/8 Striped and Tapestry turbos.

Keep in mind the size opening on the painted shell will not match the opening of a Turbo because they are a different shape.

Thanks! Hubby came home with some shells, but they are HUGE. The smallest has an opening of about an inch and a half. Hopefully he will take it, but it is one of those swirly spikey ones, so I doubt he will.

[A_HandyCrab]

I'd say get natural shells (of the type your hermit crab likes )from online or the beach if you live near one ( always boil new shells in dechlorinated water for 10-15 minutes)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[soilentgringa]

I'd say get natural shells (of the type your hermit crab likes )from online or the beach if you live near one ( always boil new shells in dechlorinated water for 10-15 minutes)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Please make sure you are aware of beachcombing laws for your area if you do live by a beach. There is also a shell shortage in the wild for both land and marine hermit crabs due to overharvesting.

Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk