isolating new hermit crab?

[Novablast]

So tonight or tomorrow I will be getting a very neglected hermit crab. I sometimes take in unwanted hermit crabs from people. And I have this lady that emailed me saying this past summer her kids got 2 hermit crabs from the beach, and since then they have been neglecting them and not taking care of them at all :/ And she said one of them passed away a couple days ago. So she wants this other one to go to a good home. I don't know what he will look like or anything. But when I get him I was going to isolate him from my others for a bit since that other one that he was with died. My question is how long should I isolate him before I introduce him to my hermit crabs? I'm very anxious to get him and see how he looks. Thanks.

[soilentgringa]

We have never ISO'd new additions. All we've ever done is give them a quick dunk and checked for mites, then put them in the main 'tat. If it is ill you might ISO but all of our adoptions perked up really quickly once introduced to a healthy environment. Scuttling around stuffing their maws, engaging in antennae battles, and climbing on everything were good indicators that they were alright.

[Novablast]

Ok, I'll prob do that then. Just didn't know since the lady said the other one she had died. Apparently the little guy has been kept in a little critter keeper and hasn't been taken care of at all, poor thing :/ I'll be getting him tomorrow and excited to give him the love and care he deserves

[KellyCrabbieLove]

The only time i ever just did a dunk the new guy got attacked. My usually docile crabs were blood thirsty. It works for everyone else but I am more a fan of giving the new guy a bath in fw. I make sure the water gets in the shell and everything before letting them play in the water and putting them in the big tank. I was always over cautious about it until the one time and now I won't do just a dunk.

[Novablast]

All my hermit crabs are very docile. I'll prob give the new one a quick bath before i put him in the tank. Ill be receiving him tomorrow. But here is a pic is the size difference between my hermit crabs lol. My smallest crab, and my biggest crab, and they are all friendly and very gentle toward each other

[soilentgringa]

The only time i ever just did a dunk the new guy got attacked. My usually docile crabs were blood thirsty. It works for everyone else but I am more a fan of giving the new guy a bath in fw. I make sure the water gets in the shell and everything before letting them play in the water and putting them in the big tank. I was always over cautious about it until the one time and now I won't do just a dunk.

Maybe I should have worded that better, lol. We give them a minute to walk around in the bowl but we don't prolong the bathing, if that makes sense? Not like dunking cookies in milk, haha!

[Novablast]

I understood what you meant lol

[Novablast]

Well I got the new little guy today. When I went to pick him up. I couldn't believe what he had been living in. He was in the smallest critter keeper ive seen, on a paper towel...Food sprinkled around and there wasn't any source of water in the container. So idk if she took it out before or what. No wonder the one before died. I'm so glad I was able to rescue that little guy out of their. He didn't know what to do when I put him in his new home, he just sat their a min lol. He has been exploring all afternoon, and is now checking out the extra shells. Sadly he did come in a painted shell, so hopefully he will come out of it soon. Hopefully he will pull through and live a great life with my other happy hermit crabs