I am a fairly new hermit crab owner as of 2 weeks now. One of my hermit crabs, Gibbs, (most likely a pp) is pretty lively and likes to explore, so I let him out of the tank to sit with me while I do homework.
Today as I was watching him, he kept dipping his eye stalks down one at a time, almost like he was cleaning them but it seems almost like a weird twitch or scratch. Is that normal or worrisome?
Dipping eyestalk down?? Normal cleaning or worrisome?
-
beccas_hermit_crabs
Topic author - Posts: 3
- Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2015 7:10 pm
-
soilentgringa
- Posts: 4352
- Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2014 5:18 pm
- Location: Dallas, TX
Re: Dipping eyestalk down?? Normal cleaning or worrisome?
Probably just cleaning them or relieving a cramp or something, lol. Shakin' some dust off. 
Welcome, btw.
What are your tank conditions like? Is he in calcium sand or playsand? If in calci sand he may have a bit stuck to his eye, which is one of the reasons why it can be dangerous to hermits.
I am going to post some questions that you may answer so we can help you with your new buddies!
http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... hp?t=46102
Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk
Welcome, btw.
What are your tank conditions like? Is he in calcium sand or playsand? If in calci sand he may have a bit stuck to his eye, which is one of the reasons why it can be dangerous to hermits.
I am going to post some questions that you may answer so we can help you with your new buddies!
http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... hp?t=46102
Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk
Re: Dipping eyestalk down?? Normal cleaning or worrisome?
Might be worth it to give the crab a look over if it will let you. Check to see if any little mites or anything are on the crab and also check for maybe some food or something on the eyestalk just in case. Also in regards to keeping them out of the tank make sure to not have them under too a cold ac vent or other environmental hazards that might give them a bit too much of a breeze. In regards to the eyestalks in general my crabs sometimes like to flick theirs down and will run their feelers over their heads. I wouldn't concern myself too much but if it becomes a constant thing definitely post in the emergency forum.
Also if you wouldn't mind since you're a newer owner can you please fill out this template?
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=46102
It is for emergencies but it will give us an idea of what conditions the crabs are living in.
If you have any pictures that would help and I'm sure someone with more knowledge can probably give you more input as well. Thanks for posting and good luck with the crabbies!
(here is the guide on posting pictures viewtopic.php?f=8&t=87783 )
edit: haha beaten while I was doing the reply!
Also if you wouldn't mind since you're a newer owner can you please fill out this template?
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=46102
It is for emergencies but it will give us an idea of what conditions the crabs are living in.
If you have any pictures that would help and I'm sure someone with more knowledge can probably give you more input as well. Thanks for posting and good luck with the crabbies!
(here is the guide on posting pictures viewtopic.php?f=8&t=87783 )
edit: haha beaten while I was doing the reply!
-
beccas_hermit_crabs
Topic author - Posts: 3
- Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2015 7:10 pm
Re: Dipping eyestalk down?? Normal cleaning or worrisome?
Thank you for the welcome! I took a look at Gibbs and there are no mites or signs of them, nor are there bits of substrate on the eye stalks. He just "cleans"/rubs his eye with the small arm. Here is some more information if you'd like (conditions will be improving! I've been constantly anxious about it):
I have 2 crabs Gibbs and Teddy (both small-medium), but 1 has gone digging (maybe molting) immediately after I got him. Currently they are in a large plastic traveling cage. Tomorrow actually I am getting a 10 gal tank. The substrate is "Desert Blend" and I've sifted it (except around burrowed crab to not stress him) and kept it damp to keep humidity up.
I do have a gauge in the tank that measures temp and humidity. It is located on the side wall and currently reads 74 degF and 80% humidity. I have a spritz bottle to keep humidity levels up. Temperature dips to around 70 (not the best, I know!) during the night.
No heat source besides the occasional warm ziploc bag of water to help keep the temperature up until I get the 10 gal tank tomorrow.
Just freshwater is available currently (not the best again, I know!) but I have a salt mix coming in the mail tomorrow for the big tank. I was going to get salt mix ready for the small tank, but it is just too small! I wanted to make sure there was still scurrying room.
I feed them Hermit Crab treats and Zoo Med hermit crab food. I've been doing some research on fresh food to give them, so I will be incorporating that in. It is replaced every 2 days at least or sooner if Gibbs has made a mess.
Gibbs (non-burrowed crab) is purple, so I'm guessing a Purple Pincher. I've had Gibbs and Teddy (burrowed) for 2 weeks now. They were a brand new arrival to a local pet store.
I have a couple extra shells in the tank, but I think they are just a little too big. I have some smaller ones on the way.
There have been no fumes or chemicals near the crabitat. I make sure any hairspraying or perfume is done outside of the room.
I have done light cleaning of the tank 2 times a week by clearing the top layer of substrate and shuffling it around to keep it light. There are 3 inches of substrate in the tank.
No sponges are in the water dish. There are some small marbles since the dish is a tad too deep.
Nothing new has been added to the crabitat recently besides new substrate.
When I bring Gibbs out to roam, I make sure he stays in sight (reminds me of a toddler!) and away from any dangers. We are also away from the air vents so there is minimal fluctuations in temperature or drafts.
I have 2 crabs Gibbs and Teddy (both small-medium), but 1 has gone digging (maybe molting) immediately after I got him. Currently they are in a large plastic traveling cage. Tomorrow actually I am getting a 10 gal tank. The substrate is "Desert Blend" and I've sifted it (except around burrowed crab to not stress him) and kept it damp to keep humidity up.
I do have a gauge in the tank that measures temp and humidity. It is located on the side wall and currently reads 74 degF and 80% humidity. I have a spritz bottle to keep humidity levels up. Temperature dips to around 70 (not the best, I know!) during the night.
No heat source besides the occasional warm ziploc bag of water to help keep the temperature up until I get the 10 gal tank tomorrow.
Just freshwater is available currently (not the best again, I know!) but I have a salt mix coming in the mail tomorrow for the big tank. I was going to get salt mix ready for the small tank, but it is just too small! I wanted to make sure there was still scurrying room.
I feed them Hermit Crab treats and Zoo Med hermit crab food. I've been doing some research on fresh food to give them, so I will be incorporating that in. It is replaced every 2 days at least or sooner if Gibbs has made a mess.
Gibbs (non-burrowed crab) is purple, so I'm guessing a Purple Pincher. I've had Gibbs and Teddy (burrowed) for 2 weeks now. They were a brand new arrival to a local pet store.
I have a couple extra shells in the tank, but I think they are just a little too big. I have some smaller ones on the way.
There have been no fumes or chemicals near the crabitat. I make sure any hairspraying or perfume is done outside of the room.
I have done light cleaning of the tank 2 times a week by clearing the top layer of substrate and shuffling it around to keep it light. There are 3 inches of substrate in the tank.
No sponges are in the water dish. There are some small marbles since the dish is a tad too deep.
Nothing new has been added to the crabitat recently besides new substrate.
When I bring Gibbs out to roam, I make sure he stays in sight (reminds me of a toddler!) and away from any dangers. We are also away from the air vents so there is minimal fluctuations in temperature or drafts.
soilentgringa wrote:Probably just cleaning them or relieving a cramp or something, lol. Shakin' some dust off.
Welcome, btw.
What are your tank conditions like? Is he in calcium sand or playsand? If in calci sand he may have a bit stuck to his eye, which is one of the reasons why it can be dangerous to hermits.
I am going to post some questions that you may answer so we can help you with your new buddies!
http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... hp?t=46102
Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk
-
soilentgringa
- Posts: 4352
- Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2014 5:18 pm
- Location: Dallas, TX
Re: Dipping eyestalk down?? Normal cleaning or worrisome?
I am going to go through your answers point by point and address the areas of concern:
1. Remove all "desert sand". It is calcium based and is probably what is sticking to him, causing the irritation. The sand is dangerous as it cements crabs inside their shells and pulls moisture out of their bodies. Playsand by quikrete or sakrete is less than $5 for a 50lb bag at Lowes or Home Depot and 1 bag is plenty for a 10 gallon tank. We recommend mixing it with Eco Earth (coconut fiber) about 1/2 a brick to 1 bag of sand. A 10 gallon tank is fine for 2 small crabs but keep in mind that they will grow quickly and will need a larger space soon.
2. Gauges are a must, digital Acurite from Wal*Mart are less than $10 usually. Your heat needs to be at least 80°F at all times. 75°F is the absolute lowest safe temperature. Their natural habitat is in the mid 80's or so year round, and they risk organ damage and death at low temps.
3. Both fresh and salt water need to be treated with a product like SeaChem Prime to remove chlorines/chloramines/ammonia/heavy metals. Tap water contains chlorine which blisters their gills. Salt mix needs to be marine grade such as Instant Ocean or Oceanic. It cannot be aquarium salt, it needs to be the marine grade sea salt for setting up saltwater aquariums. They have to have both, in dishes deep enough to submerge in.
4. Get rid of the pellets and commercial hermit crab food. They contain preservatives and ingredients that are toxic to the crabs. The Safe Food List is linked in the care guide posted earlier in this thread.
5. They are more than likely both Purple Pinchers but a photo would help make 100% sure.
6. Each crab needs 3-5 extra shells of the type they like and incrementally larger sizes. PP's like turbo, murex, and magpie shells (just a few). Turbos are always a good bet. You can find them at craft stores nowadays! Bags of green turbos are cheap at Michael's, JoAnn, etc.
7. Remember that anything that kills insects will kill crabs.
8. The crabs need several inches of substrate and once your tank is set up correctly you will not need to do anything other than remove moldy bits of old food. Beneficial bacteria builds up in the substrate and breaks down waste. Essentially you are creating a closed micro-ecosystem for your crabs.
9. That's great! As long as they can hook a leg over the side of the bowl they can get out. Bowls need to be deep enough for them to fully submerge
10. Again, please read the care guides thoroughly and chuck the desert sand.
11. Don't handle your crabs or bring them out of the tank. They view anything larger than them as a predator, especially from above. They're wild animals caught on beaches and the best thing to do is leave them alone and only handle them if necessary. The humidity and heat in your home is very likely too low (unless you live in a rain forest, lol) and the hightened activity is actually them panicking. They need several weeks to months to dig down in proper substrate, destress, and molt.
Here is another link to the care guide so please give them a read through and consider making the necessary changes. These guys can live for over 30 years in captivity so we want your crabs to have a long, healthy life.
http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... hp?t=92457
Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk
1. Remove all "desert sand". It is calcium based and is probably what is sticking to him, causing the irritation. The sand is dangerous as it cements crabs inside their shells and pulls moisture out of their bodies. Playsand by quikrete or sakrete is less than $5 for a 50lb bag at Lowes or Home Depot and 1 bag is plenty for a 10 gallon tank. We recommend mixing it with Eco Earth (coconut fiber) about 1/2 a brick to 1 bag of sand. A 10 gallon tank is fine for 2 small crabs but keep in mind that they will grow quickly and will need a larger space soon.
2. Gauges are a must, digital Acurite from Wal*Mart are less than $10 usually. Your heat needs to be at least 80°F at all times. 75°F is the absolute lowest safe temperature. Their natural habitat is in the mid 80's or so year round, and they risk organ damage and death at low temps.
3. Both fresh and salt water need to be treated with a product like SeaChem Prime to remove chlorines/chloramines/ammonia/heavy metals. Tap water contains chlorine which blisters their gills. Salt mix needs to be marine grade such as Instant Ocean or Oceanic. It cannot be aquarium salt, it needs to be the marine grade sea salt for setting up saltwater aquariums. They have to have both, in dishes deep enough to submerge in.
4. Get rid of the pellets and commercial hermit crab food. They contain preservatives and ingredients that are toxic to the crabs. The Safe Food List is linked in the care guide posted earlier in this thread.
5. They are more than likely both Purple Pinchers but a photo would help make 100% sure.
6. Each crab needs 3-5 extra shells of the type they like and incrementally larger sizes. PP's like turbo, murex, and magpie shells (just a few). Turbos are always a good bet. You can find them at craft stores nowadays! Bags of green turbos are cheap at Michael's, JoAnn, etc.
7. Remember that anything that kills insects will kill crabs.
8. The crabs need several inches of substrate and once your tank is set up correctly you will not need to do anything other than remove moldy bits of old food. Beneficial bacteria builds up in the substrate and breaks down waste. Essentially you are creating a closed micro-ecosystem for your crabs.
9. That's great! As long as they can hook a leg over the side of the bowl they can get out. Bowls need to be deep enough for them to fully submerge
10. Again, please read the care guides thoroughly and chuck the desert sand.
11. Don't handle your crabs or bring them out of the tank. They view anything larger than them as a predator, especially from above. They're wild animals caught on beaches and the best thing to do is leave them alone and only handle them if necessary. The humidity and heat in your home is very likely too low (unless you live in a rain forest, lol) and the hightened activity is actually them panicking. They need several weeks to months to dig down in proper substrate, destress, and molt.
Here is another link to the care guide so please give them a read through and consider making the necessary changes. These guys can live for over 30 years in captivity so we want your crabs to have a long, healthy life.
http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... hp?t=92457
Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk
-
beccas_hermit_crabs
Topic author - Posts: 3
- Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2015 7:10 pm
Re: Dipping eyestalk down?? Normal cleaning or worrisome?
Thank you for the tips to improve! Definitely a lot to learn and get right off the bat.