HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I have an escape artist named Pete. I brought the wrong size screen cover, for my 20 long gallon tank. I had installed mini pools but because of Pete I had to take the tubes out. One morning due ]p a really bad toothache I awoke 4am to go to the hospital on my way out the back door in the kitchen i notice Pete fell off the door. Again while hanging out in the living room my mother in law said one of your baby's on the floor it was Pete again. Why does he insist on breaking out no one else does. It will be a while before I'm able to purchase new things for them since I'm saving for a new apartment

My escape artist


My boring tank setup


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He's looking for the beach! Naughty little guy! I had a straw that would continuously escape too. It's enough to drive you crazy trying to figure out how to stop them!

Yes lol his first escape when he fell he cracked his new shell that he took over once my crab crank passed away. He molted and went into a smaller shell Idk y

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Just a suggestion: do you think he would be more inclined to stay if he had some things to climb on/hide in? Personally I think this would help. I notice that you're on a budget, but there are plenty of diy options out there!


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purpleperson wrote:Just a suggestion: do you think he would be more inclined to stay if he had some things to climb on/hide in? Personally I think this would help. I notice that you're on a budget, but there are plenty of diy options out there!

I agree with @purpleperson: more things to climb and hide in. You can make no cost hides from empty yogurt or margarine tubs -- just cut out a doorway, flip it over and there you have it! Check out your local dollar and thrift stores for artificial plants and vines...you'll be able to pick up several items for less than a single fake vine from the pet store.

Locking clips are a must have. Or at least weigh the lid down somehow. They are excellent climbers and without either of those things, they will get out.

Yes I tried weighing it down picture above but he crawls climbs up the tube then across the lid to the 10 gallon light lid I keep on the other sides and squeezes through but I will definitely look up some ideas here looking to hook up my tank better

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To keep my escape artist from popping up the top, I had put 3 decorative glasses filled with shells on top of the glass. This gave my tank a nice beach decor look and at the same time weighed down the glass top.

I'm going to try it again when I do my cleaning and hook all the pools back up

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Try lid clips for sure. You have a Houdini in the making there.

Wait, I may have misunderstood but I think they said that the screen cover is the wrong size, so if it's too small clips probably wouldn't help at all


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purpleperson wrote:Wait, I may have misunderstood but I think they said that the screen cover is the wrong size, so if it's too small clips probably wouldn't help at all


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Yeah it's small. It seems to be for a 20 gallon tall tank instead of my 20 long tank. It cost me 20.00 but petsmart is far bus ride for me

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How big is the gap? Is there any way you could block it off? With a piece of plexi glass or a book or something?


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I don't have any I'm gonna try and find a big book till I get a new lid but my tank don't have a light I won't be able to see them after I move it to put the book there

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