HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hello! Ever sense the 19th of October he molted ( he finished) and he hasn't been drinking. He just stays under his shelter and comes out once and a while. But after I'm finish misting the tank (with fresh water) he starts eating the dirt/ sand. Is this ok or is it something else?

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Also, he hasn't changed shell in 2 molts

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He's probably out more and drinking late at night. They're mostly nocturnal. Are temps and humidity ok? Does he have easy ways in and out of the water dishes?

As for eating the sand, he's probably just collecting water that way or finding bits of food or whatever to eat. Completely normal.

He'll change shells when he needs to or finds one he likes better. All you can do is provide him with a good variety of clean shells. Check out the Preferred Shell Guide.

CallaLily wrote:He's probably out more and drinking late at night. They're mostly nocturnal. Are temps and humidity ok? Does he have easy ways in and out of the water dishes?

As for eating the sand, he's probably just collecting water that way or finding bits of food or whatever to eat. Completely normal.

He'll change shells when he needs to or finds one he likes better. All you can do is provide him with a good variety of clean shells. Check out the Preferred Shell Guide.

Humid gauge works fine. My temp one though just broke tuesday. Going to get a new one. Yes, he can get out of water bowls just fine. Thanks for telling me these things!

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If you have sand mix smooth it before you go.to bed then in.the morning you will see if he had been to the water bowl. Check the tank all over to for bugs.. Mine won't budge from the caddy or where ever if there is a Japanese beetle or spider in there tank. Purple pitchers love turbo shells! They will only change when.they want to.. crabby paddy was hanging from his shell before he changed. Now they shop but always go back to their original shells..

CallaLily wrote:He's probably out more and drinking late at night. They're mostly nocturnal. Are temps and humidity ok? Does he have easy ways in and out of the water dishes?

As for eating the sand, he's probably just collecting water that way or finding bits of food or whatever to eat. Completely normal.

He'll change shells when he needs to or finds one he likes better. All you can do is provide him with a good variety of clean shells. Check out the Preferred Shell Guide.

Good news! Today I went a boiled my dirt ( cause I just saw little bugs) and when I put the dirt in it was 3 times thicker a filled 6 inches! He is extremely happy and is moving around. I looked at the shell guide and he is wearing a shell that PPs wouldn't like. Its not painted he came in it when he came home. Its weird!!! Would a pp wear different types of shells that he wouldn't like or expected to like I dunno here's a picture

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Some PPs will wear murex, though I find once you have a nice selection of tapestry turbos or striped turbos they tend to stick with those. You do get some oddballs that prefer others though.

Actually my purple pinchers seem to really like these types of shells I offer all different types of shells but almost half of mine are in these kind right now

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Yep, like I said, some PPs will wear murex. It's just my experience that once they start switching into turbo shells, especially tapestry or striped, they rarely look back to other types.

CallaLily wrote:Yep, like I said, some PPs will wear murex. It's just my experience that once they start switching into turbo shells, especially tapestry or striped, they rarely look back to other types.

Thanks for the advice!

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I tried other shells cause the large turbo is are getting harder to find they look, flip, and say ha! I'm not moving into that! I have lots of jumbo size but not large. He's not yet big enough for jumbo but getting to big for a large