Basically the title.
I just got two hermit crabs a week ago. One is probably medium, I named him Basil. The other is small, I named her Skelly
They're in a 10 gallon tank. They have about 1-3 inches of the coconut soil on one side, and an inch of sand on the other(I'm buying more of both hopefully tomorrow.) They have a lamp and a small heating pad. I've been giving them water with the salt water conditioner and fresh water conditioner, in separate things. They have a flat shell where I put their food (it's been mostly just the stuff you get from the store, occasionally I've put crushed up saltine.) I keep the temperature to a good 80-82. I keep it humid by placing a hot rag at the top of the cage, and misting occasionally. My room is very cold and dry so I do that often. I make sure the soil is damp but not soaking.
Now to the behavior. During the day, Skelly mostly sits in her shell somewhat out of it on top of the soil. Sometimes she'll move around, but mostly at night. I've seen her eat and in the morning she's been eating when I wake up, so I'm not worried. But the other one worries me. Basil mostly sits under the soil in the corner near the heating pad. I've never seen any trace that he's eaten or gone to the water. Is he just molting? He moves around if I put him out but he just stops and sits there when something gets in his way. I hope this is the right forum. How are hermit crabs supposed to act?
How are hermit crabs supposed to act?
Re: How are hermit crabs supposed to act?
I got my first crab a couple months ago and it was always hiding. This alone wasn't good because they need friends as they can die of loneliness.
It was once I got the next 3 crabs for company when I realized these guys get scared and stressed out very easily. My advice for you is to follow the advice of others here on this website. I have read over and over again that you should wait to handle them until after their first molt. So far, since I stopped trying to handle them and just letting them do their thing, they have begun to come out more and do their business. Crabs being sluggish can also be a sign of a very soon-coming molt. I learned this the hard way so if they are acting slow just make sure the temps and humidity are acceptable if not at best and check up on them. Mine went is currently going through a surface molt because I thought it's shell was too heavy and I tried placing it in a circle of shells. I found out the next morning I was wrong and now I feel horrible.. But she's still alive! So, that's good..
Even though a new pet is VERY exciting, I suggest trying to just leave them be and do their crabby thang.
Of course you still want to check up on them and make sure their food and water is fresh and not going bad. Just try to show them you want them to have space to be comfortable because isn't that the point of having these guys? Making them comfy and happy? 
Hope this helps! I'm still fairly new.. 
It was once I got the next 3 crabs for company when I realized these guys get scared and stressed out very easily. My advice for you is to follow the advice of others here on this website. I have read over and over again that you should wait to handle them until after their first molt. So far, since I stopped trying to handle them and just letting them do their thing, they have begun to come out more and do their business. Crabs being sluggish can also be a sign of a very soon-coming molt. I learned this the hard way so if they are acting slow just make sure the temps and humidity are acceptable if not at best and check up on them. Mine went is currently going through a surface molt because I thought it's shell was too heavy and I tried placing it in a circle of shells. I found out the next morning I was wrong and now I feel horrible.. But she's still alive! So, that's good..
Even though a new pet is VERY exciting, I suggest trying to just leave them be and do their crabby thang.
Of course you still want to check up on them and make sure their food and water is fresh and not going bad. Just try to show them you want them to have space to be comfortable because isn't that the point of having these guys? Making them comfy and happy? Hope this helps! I'm still fairly new.. 4 PP's:Zelda, Chancho, Parker, Frankie Sinatra
"I find your lack of claw disturbing..."
"I find your lack of claw disturbing..."
Re: How are hermit crabs supposed to act?
First of all, welcome to the wonderful world of crabbing! Check out the link below to the Hermit Crab Care Sheet as it will answer most of your questions.
viewtopic.php?t=92457
As @DarthKrab said, your new crabs are trying to relax and settle in to their new environment as best they can and will rely on your help. They are primarily nocturnal so the fact that Skelly is up and about at night is perfectly normal. Basil's behavior may indicate that he is heading towards a molt or may be trying to destress. Crabs newly purchased from a pet shop (I assume that's where you got them) have been through a lot of trauma: they've been snatched from their home in the wild, transported thousands of miles in terrible conditions, often forcibly reshelled into painted shells, eventually arriving at a pet shop where they may be subjected to barely suitable living conditions. The end result can be PPS, Post-Purchase Syndrome. A crab with PPS needs to be offered optimum conditions and simply left alone to destress and adjust to its new home. Sadly, many crabs suffering from PPs do not survive and it is very hard to determine if a crab has PPS.
That said, all you can do for your new crabs is to offer the best conditions possible for them. As you noted in your post, the crabs need deeper substrate, a good 6" deep for them to be able to tunnel down to destress and/or molt. The coconut soil you mention I assume is EcoEarth and can be mixed with play sand (50lb bag at Home Depot/Lowe's is $5) not calcium/reptile sand. The latter is what is sold in pet shops but is actually harmful to hermit crabs as it can harden around them when they tunnel, effectively suffocating them. Just mix the EcoEarth and play sand together (1 part EE to 5 parts play sand) and slowly add dechlorinated water, mixing it all together to reach a "sand castle" consistency.
What type of lid do you have on the tank? If it is a mesh lid, wrap it in plastic wrap, leaving about 1" unwrapped. That will hold in humidity and heat. Invest in a thermometer/hygrometer unit: that makes it much easier to monitor temperature (at least 75 degrees) and humidity (80%). To help boost humidity, add a small moss pit to the tank -- damp sphagnum moss is a treat for hermit crabs as they will nestle in it and even munch on it!
Where is the heating pad placed on the tank and what size is it? Although the pads (UTHs) are sold as "undertank heaters," for hermit crab tanks they must be placed either on the outside back or side of the tank above the substrate line. If placed under the tank, the warmth generated cannot penetrate the substrate and can cause the substrate to dry out and even burn. UTHs are sold according to the manufacturers' recommendation based on the gallon size of the tank; for hermit crabs, ignore the per-gallon recommendations and opt for the largest size that will fit on the back of the tank. For example, a 10g tank is 20"Lx12"H so, assuming a 6" substrate, to be effective the UTH should be 17"Lx6"H.
Water conditioners can be tricky and, frankly, those suggested by pet shop personnel are woefully inadequate for hermit crabs. Both the FW and SW need to first be dechlorinated to remove chlorine, chloramines, heavy metals and ammonia -- good product choices are API Betta Water Conditioner or Prime by Seachem, among others. Salt water products sold as "specifically for hermit crabs" do not contain the minerals the crabs normally find in ocean water so what you'll want is a product made for salt water aquariums -- the one a majority of crabbers use is Instant Ocean. Be sure to provide FW and SW in containers large enough for the crabs to completely submerge in as that is how they not only clean out their shells but allows them to carry water in their shells to nourish and moisturize them. Small plastic storage containers work perfectly as pools.
As for food, hermit crabs really don't need anything special as they can eat virtually everything we can. Commercial foods such as crab pellets offer minimal nutrition and are designed, essentially, to make you spend money. Check out the links to the Safe Food, Unsafe Food and Commercial Foods lists below.
viewtopic.php?p=852660#p852660
viewtopic.php?p=852659#p852659
viewtopic.php?p=852658#p852658
Although we want to treat hermit crabs like other types of pets, they really aren't "hands on" animals. As far as the crab is concerned, we are predators: we open the tank lid and reach in to swap out food dishes or take out the pools to change the water and his first reaction is to either run for cover or pull into his shell for safety. Until they have destressed and undergone a successful molt, it is best that they not be handled or removed from the crabitat.
Hope this helps and please continue to ask questions -- we all learn from one another (and from our crabs
) every day!
viewtopic.php?t=92457
As @DarthKrab said, your new crabs are trying to relax and settle in to their new environment as best they can and will rely on your help. They are primarily nocturnal so the fact that Skelly is up and about at night is perfectly normal. Basil's behavior may indicate that he is heading towards a molt or may be trying to destress. Crabs newly purchased from a pet shop (I assume that's where you got them) have been through a lot of trauma: they've been snatched from their home in the wild, transported thousands of miles in terrible conditions, often forcibly reshelled into painted shells, eventually arriving at a pet shop where they may be subjected to barely suitable living conditions. The end result can be PPS, Post-Purchase Syndrome. A crab with PPS needs to be offered optimum conditions and simply left alone to destress and adjust to its new home. Sadly, many crabs suffering from PPs do not survive and it is very hard to determine if a crab has PPS.
That said, all you can do for your new crabs is to offer the best conditions possible for them. As you noted in your post, the crabs need deeper substrate, a good 6" deep for them to be able to tunnel down to destress and/or molt. The coconut soil you mention I assume is EcoEarth and can be mixed with play sand (50lb bag at Home Depot/Lowe's is $5) not calcium/reptile sand. The latter is what is sold in pet shops but is actually harmful to hermit crabs as it can harden around them when they tunnel, effectively suffocating them. Just mix the EcoEarth and play sand together (1 part EE to 5 parts play sand) and slowly add dechlorinated water, mixing it all together to reach a "sand castle" consistency.
What type of lid do you have on the tank? If it is a mesh lid, wrap it in plastic wrap, leaving about 1" unwrapped. That will hold in humidity and heat. Invest in a thermometer/hygrometer unit: that makes it much easier to monitor temperature (at least 75 degrees) and humidity (80%). To help boost humidity, add a small moss pit to the tank -- damp sphagnum moss is a treat for hermit crabs as they will nestle in it and even munch on it!
Where is the heating pad placed on the tank and what size is it? Although the pads (UTHs) are sold as "undertank heaters," for hermit crab tanks they must be placed either on the outside back or side of the tank above the substrate line. If placed under the tank, the warmth generated cannot penetrate the substrate and can cause the substrate to dry out and even burn. UTHs are sold according to the manufacturers' recommendation based on the gallon size of the tank; for hermit crabs, ignore the per-gallon recommendations and opt for the largest size that will fit on the back of the tank. For example, a 10g tank is 20"Lx12"H so, assuming a 6" substrate, to be effective the UTH should be 17"Lx6"H.
Water conditioners can be tricky and, frankly, those suggested by pet shop personnel are woefully inadequate for hermit crabs. Both the FW and SW need to first be dechlorinated to remove chlorine, chloramines, heavy metals and ammonia -- good product choices are API Betta Water Conditioner or Prime by Seachem, among others. Salt water products sold as "specifically for hermit crabs" do not contain the minerals the crabs normally find in ocean water so what you'll want is a product made for salt water aquariums -- the one a majority of crabbers use is Instant Ocean. Be sure to provide FW and SW in containers large enough for the crabs to completely submerge in as that is how they not only clean out their shells but allows them to carry water in their shells to nourish and moisturize them. Small plastic storage containers work perfectly as pools.
As for food, hermit crabs really don't need anything special as they can eat virtually everything we can. Commercial foods such as crab pellets offer minimal nutrition and are designed, essentially, to make you spend money. Check out the links to the Safe Food, Unsafe Food and Commercial Foods lists below.
viewtopic.php?p=852660#p852660
viewtopic.php?p=852659#p852659
viewtopic.php?p=852658#p852658
Although we want to treat hermit crabs like other types of pets, they really aren't "hands on" animals. As far as the crab is concerned, we are predators: we open the tank lid and reach in to swap out food dishes or take out the pools to change the water and his first reaction is to either run for cover or pull into his shell for safety. Until they have destressed and undergone a successful molt, it is best that they not be handled or removed from the crabitat.
Hope this helps and please continue to ask questions -- we all learn from one another (and from our crabs
) every day!PPs are Big Enzo, Charles Paris and Mr Pinch
On the Big Beach in the Sky: Murray, Gino, Oscar, Gordon, Ignatz, Harry and King Felix the Pale
Also Mom to Imogene the Syrian Hamster
On the Big Beach in the Sky: Murray, Gino, Oscar, Gordon, Ignatz, Harry and King Felix the Pale
Also Mom to Imogene the Syrian Hamster
Re: How are hermit crabs supposed to act?
Thanks @Crabinski! I saw this post earlier this morning and hoped someone with better experience would get to it. A few hours went by, still nothing, and I know how stressful it can be as a new hermie owner and not knowing the answer right away so I jumped in to try relieve some of that stress. Glad you could hop by and explain things better! Crab on, Crabber!Crabinski wrote:First of all, welcome to the wonderful world of crabbing! Check out the link below to the Hermit Crab Care Sheet as it will answer most of your questions.
viewtopic.php?t=92457
As @DarthKrab said, your new crabs are trying to relax and settle in to their new environment as best they can and will rely on your help. They are primarily nocturnal so the fact that Skelly is up and about at night is perfectly normal. Basil's behavior may indicate that he is heading towards a molt or may be trying to destress. Crabs newly purchased from a pet shop (I assume that's where you got them) have been through a lot of trauma: they've been snatched from their home in the wild, transported thousands of miles in terrible conditions, often forcibly reshelled into painted shells, eventually arriving at a pet shop where they may be subjected to barely suitable living conditions. The end result can be PPS, Post-Purchase Syndrome. A crab with PPS needs to be offered optimum conditions and simply left alone to destress and adjust to its new home. Sadly, many crabs suffering from PPs do not survive and it is very hard to determine if a crab has PPS.
That said, all you can do for your new crabs is to offer the best conditions possible for them. As you noted in your post, the crabs need deeper substrate, a good 6" deep for them to be able to tunnel down to destress and/or molt. The coconut soil you mention I assume is EcoEarth and can be mixed with play sand (50lb bag at Home Depot/Lowe's is $5) not calcium/reptile sand. The latter is what is sold in pet shops but is actually harmful to hermit crabs as it can harden around them when they tunnel, effectively suffocating them. Just mix the EcoEarth and play sand together (1 part EE to 5 parts play sand) and slowly add dechlorinated water, mixing it all together to reach a "sand castle" consistency.
What type of lid do you have on the tank? If it is a mesh lid, wrap it in plastic wrap, leaving about 1" unwrapped. That will hold in humidity and heat. Invest in a thermometer/hygrometer unit: that makes it much easier to monitor temperature (at least 75 degrees) and humidity (80%). To help boost humidity, add a small moss pit to the tank -- damp sphagnum moss is a treat for hermit crabs as they will nestle in it and even munch on it!
Where is the heating pad placed on the tank and what size is it? Although the pads (UTHs) are sold as "undertank heaters," for hermit crab tanks they must be placed either on the outside back or side of the tank above the substrate line. If placed under the tank, the warmth generated cannot penetrate the substrate and can cause the substrate to dry out and even burn. UTHs are sold according to the manufacturers' recommendation based on the gallon size of the tank; for hermit crabs, ignore the per-gallon recommendations and opt for the largest size that will fit on the back of the tank. For example, a 10g tank is 20"Lx12"H so, assuming a 6" substrate, to be effective the UTH should be 17"Lx6"H.
Water conditioners can be tricky and, frankly, those suggested by pet shop personnel are woefully inadequate for hermit crabs. Both the FW and SW need to first be dechlorinated to remove chlorine, chloramines, heavy metals and ammonia -- good product choices are API Betta Water Conditioner or Prime by Seachem, among others. Salt water products sold as "specifically for hermit crabs" do not contain the minerals the crabs normally find in ocean water so what you'll want is a product made for salt water aquariums -- the one a majority of crabbers use is Instant Ocean. Be sure to provide FW and SW in containers large enough for the crabs to completely submerge in as that is how they not only clean out their shells but allows them to carry water in their shells to nourish and moisturize them. Small plastic storage containers work perfectly as pools.
As for food, hermit crabs really don't need anything special as they can eat virtually everything we can. Commercial foods such as crab pellets offer minimal nutrition and are designed, essentially, to make you spend money. Check out the links to the Safe Food, Unsafe Food and Commercial Foods lists below.
viewtopic.php?p=852660#p852660
viewtopic.php?p=852659#p852659
viewtopic.php?p=852658#p852658
Although we want to treat hermit crabs like other types of pets, they really aren't "hands on" animals. As far as the crab is concerned, we are predators: we open the tank lid and reach in to swap out food dishes or take out the pools to change the water and his first reaction is to either run for cover or pull into his shell for safety. Until they have destressed and undergone a successful molt, it is best that they not be handled or removed from the crabitat.
Hope this helps and please continue to ask questions -- we all learn from one another (and from our crabs
4 PP's:Zelda, Chancho, Parker, Frankie Sinatra
"I find your lack of claw disturbing..."
"I find your lack of claw disturbing..."
Re: How are hermit crabs supposed to act?
Thank you guys so much! I got more sand today and coconut soil, so that'll be going in there. All I have right now is the hermit crab specific salt water conditioner and the fresh water one. Will that at least do for awhile? Until I can buy the Instant Ocean or whatnot. I'll check out all those links. When I put the sand and coconut soil in, it'll be the last time I handle them for awhile so they can destress.