A newbie that is not so new

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 5:49 pm

Hi everyone,

Ok to start off with although I am fairly new to this site, I am not so new to hermit crabs. My kids and I got addicted to hermit crabs when about three years ago my youngest who was in kindergarten at the time brought home the class pet hermit crab for a weekend visit. We really enjoyed having him that weekend and wanted to get some but never knew where to get them lol. Welllllllllllllllllll a few weeks later we were walking thru the mall when what do we see but a hermit crab kiosk. The rest as they say is history. We started off with two hermit crabs from that kiosk and one died within the first month, however i was undaunted lol. I went back and bought 3 more hermies. We started off with the little plastic case they came in and moved up to a 10 gal tank with a hinged glass lid, gravel, just a fresh water pool, weekly stress coat baths and commercial food. Although those probably werent the ideal conditions I must have been doing something right because all lasted for bout 2 1/2 years. I even had a couple of successful surface molts. Our last crab passed on about 5 months ago and since the hermit crab fad in this area had died down I was unable to get more hermit crabs in this area. Whenever I went to Petco they didnt have any hermit crabs and there shipments of them seemed to be few and far between. So I ended up doing something I know most if not all of you will frown upon, but I bought hermit crabs on e-bay. He was one I believe anyway of the more reputable sellers of them and if I had to I would buy from him again if I needed too. They arrived by 10 am the next day, I ordered 5 he sent me 8, all were alive and acitve and eagerly explored there new home. They had been packaged very well. He did forget to send the caresheet he sends with the crabs, but emailed me one when i emailed him to say he forgot it. I still have a copy of it if anyone wants to compare it with the ones the HCA put out. Well anyway I did receive 8 hemit crabs instead of the 5 I had purchased so I knew I needed to upgrade the tank. Soooooooo as of this week I upgraded from a 10 gal tank that had gravel, just a fresh water dish, one small hermie hut a large piece of driftwood, a half log hidey. The new tank is a 40 gal long with playsand, a fresh and salt water dish with hermie hut, driftwood, half log hidey and lots and lots of other climby things and artificial plants and coral reefs they just seem to love. I also have a hygrometer as well to monitor tank conditions. The crabs just love there new roomier digs. I do have pics of their new crabitat however my hubby has misplaced the usb cord for the digital so for now the pics are banished to just the camera.

Anyway I do look forward to getting to know all of you. I have already learned alot from this site and as I learn more I hope to be a contributor to this site as well. Let me just say I am sorry if I offened anyone with the way I got my crabs however, I am committed to giving them a happy healthy home.

annopia · Post by **annopia** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 6:32 pm

I'm a lot like you-for most of the year I've had hermies, I had pretty poor conditions, but must have done something right because my jumbo PP Big 'un did well. Now I've got all the right stuff and more crabs (5) and they love their 20 g!

welcome to the HCA! i can't wait to see pictures!

Caroline

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 6:38 pm

Hi anna, its nice to meet you. I have learned so much from this site already that I think with what I already knew and what I have learned now my crabs are in for a long and healthy life. Thats what I am hoping for anyway.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 6:53 pm

I just wanted to welcome you to the HCA as well! Get those pictures! We love 'em here.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 7:01 pm

Thanks so much crabbin, I am working on trying to find what my husband did with the usb cord for the digital. Men ya cant live with em ya cant live without em lol.

starmaiden · Post by **starmaiden** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 7:18 pm

Hi and welcome to the HCA! This place has lots of good info and friendly people. And you're not the only one who has mail ordered crabs! LOL! Others on here have done it as well.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 7:50 pm

Hiya and welcome to the HCA! It sounds like you have a really neat setup.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 10:16 pm

Welcome to this house of crabs and crabie lovers. hope you have as much fun reading the stuff in here as I've had

HERMEZ · Post by **HERMEZ** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 4:59 am

WELCOME glad to have you here

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 11:39 am

Heya! Welcome.

cranlsn · Post by **cranlsn** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 11:51 am

Hi and welcome! We, of course, always look forward to new pics.

Sounds like the eBay guy you used, at least works at maintaining a good environment for them to be shipped.

Your new home for them sounds great too!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 1:23 pm

Welcome to the HCA!