HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I asked Megs for her idea. This is a really great and I have seen alot of posts about people moving with crabs. Hope this helps.


On average, it takes me 3-1/2 to 4 hours to travel between school and my parents' house (except in ridiculous hurricane traffic!) If I'm just going home for a weekend visit, the crabs stay at my apartment, but for longer time periods like Christmas or summer breaks, they need to go with me.

I found when moving a glass tank, it was hard to keep the temperature steady if the weather was too hot or cold and I was always paranoid about it getting bumped and broken with them inside.
Kritter Keepers are fine for a couple of crabs for a short time but aren't practical with larger numbers of crabs or for longer periods of time so I made my own giant Kritter Keeper.

I bought 2 plastic Sterilite storage bins, a clear 13 gallon one and a larger opaque one. (Smaller ones would probably work if space is a concern.) I cut several air holes in the lid of the smaller bin. This one serves as my temporary tank and gets set inside the larger one. I did not put any holes in the larger bin's lid. It holds in the humidity and keeps it nice and dark in there.

I start preparing the bin as a tank a couple of days ahead of time to get the conditions as similar to my crabitat as possible.
I used to put in about 3-4 inches of sand, but I've found a brick of coconut fiber works just as well and is much lighter.
I put in hiding spots that are light, short and won't tip such as cocohuts, half-buried plastic cups and a few low plants. I have a grumpy, shell-stealing PP so I make sure to put plenty of extra shells in to distract him.
Before I leave, I pack a couple of towels around the inner bin. They provide padding and keep it from sliding around. I also dampen them to keep the humidity up.

In cold weather, hot water bottles can be put in with the towels or in really hot weather, I wrap bottles of ice in the towels. (I have no a/c! )
Wal-Mart sells a handy indoor-outdoor digital thermometer/hygrometer for $14. I put its outdoor probe in with the crabs and keep the display part out where I can see it without disturbing the crabs.

vckums wrote:I asked Megs for her idea...

...Wal-Mart sells a handy indoor-outdoor digital thermometer/hygrometer for $14. I put its outdoor probe in with the crabs and keep the display part out where I can see it without disturbing the crabs.

This is an excellent Sticky. I have only one small concern, and being that this is about moving and generally is only for a short (relatively speaking) period of time, it isn't a terribly big deal, just something that I felt needed pointing out.

I also got an indoor/outdoor digital thermometer/hygrometer. After tinkering with it a bit and then going back and reading the little pamphlet, I discovered that the probe only reads the temperature. There is only one sensor for humidity and it is on the main unit.

Maybe we have different ones? The Wal-Mart here had 4 or 5 different kinds
This does one give a reading for indoor and outdoor humidity and also a range so you can see how high or low it's been.

Oh cool. I got mine off ebay so it is probably a different brand. I've never seen them at my walmart. I'm going to have to check more carefully next time I'm out there. Thanks for letting me know.

What department did you find these hygrometers in? Pets or Garden? Or Home? Thanks!

I got mine there too. It was on an endcap by the gardening stuff.

$6

Thanks for all the info, but does anyone here have any info on flying with crabs? By now I only contacted British Airways about that and they couldn't answer me, they said I should call

Another good temporary insulation tip:

At your local gas station and probably at the supermarket as well you can buy styrofoam coolers, they fit a small/mediumish KK quite nicely. Insta insulation against heat or cold. You could put holes in the lid or crack the lid. They remind me of those crates they ship reptiles in.

I wouldn't put your crabs directly in them as the styrofoam is quite soft and my crabs love tearing into anything plastic ;p

I wouldn't recommend the styrophome boxes unless you sterilize them thoroughly before putting the hermies anywhere near them. I worked in a supermarket, and we had those. Boxes and boxes all sitting in the back. When we ran out of them up front, I would get a box from the back, open it, and have to wash them out because of all the crud inside them. I quit that job, got another job at a different supermarket, and they had the exact same problem.. These things gather gross-stuff like they're magnetic..

I just recently adopted 2 hermies and I am concerned ab out traveling with them. My boyfriend and I have a house in Hilton Head SC, which is about 9 hours from our house in Alex, VA. Our next trip down I want to take them, tank and all, but am afraid that the constant a/c with no heater will kill them. I do have an adapter that I can plug the under tank heater into to try and regulate the humidity and temp. Any thoughts?

You could put a heat pack, either the instant kind or the microwavable kind, next to the tank to keep it warm.

Another idea would be to wrap comforters or blankets around the container to protect it from the AC cooling them down.. I have used that for birds and it has worked really well...

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for all the info, but does anyone here have any info on flying with crabs? By now I only contacted British Airways about that and they couldn't answer me, they said I should call

I have the same question....I'm moving, and want to bring the crabbies with me.

This thread is good in all, but missing some vital points. In early june I'll be moving with my 20L and my 13 hermies. Only about 5 miles down the road, but between us and the new home are these evil things called Speed Bumps. And just how in th eheck do you go over speed bumps and ensure your EE doesnt collapse and smother poor hermies? I've been thinking about just carrying it myself past them, but my mom thought I was rather insane and said it wasn't that good of an idea, so, there ya go.

I'm not moving any time soon, but living in an apartment, a move will be inevitable. My idea was to suspend the tank on bungee cords inside a big plastic storage bin. If it's only 5 miles, this might work without the extra insulation. Or with the extra insulation as long as it stays clear of the bungee cords. This, of course, also depends on the size and weight of the tank I'm sure. Or do the double storage bin idea, with EE and suspend the inner container on the bungee cords. In my head at least, this helps slow down the force of the bumps. If anyone ever tries it, lemme know how it works out!