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It is the cover to a kritter keeper, but we don’t use it anymore, we bought that when we bought the first crab, Oddish, but we moved to a regular glass tank shortly after. Right now we use the kritter keeper for isolation, but we just bought another 10 gallon tank last night because it was only 8 dollars! The pet store changed locations and had a “grand openingâ€
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It really is hard not to keep getting more and more hermit crabs. I have seven right now, and I'm adopting four more tomorrow. Of course, I'm getting a bigger tank, too; 10 gallons just doesn't cut it when we're talking about 11 crabs.
Gizmo is a real cutie pie! As for the shell thing, I hope Godzilla can behave himself. I've never had a serious problem with that, so I don't know what to tell you. Maybe he'll relax after a while. I've heard that hermit crabs who have come from bad conditions where shells and food are scarce can be aggressive like that, so maybe it's just what he's been conditioned to do.
Gizmo is a real cutie pie! As for the shell thing, I hope Godzilla can behave himself. I've never had a serious problem with that, so I don't know what to tell you. Maybe he'll relax after a while. I've heard that hermit crabs who have come from bad conditions where shells and food are scarce can be aggressive like that, so maybe it's just what he's been conditioned to do.
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Protein lots of Protein is the only other thing i can think of other than lots of shells. I give mine those freeze dried krill and plankton with their food. Maybe he is having PMS (per molt Symptoms)sometime it can make them a bit of a bully. I had a crab and boy was he crabbie(his name)he changed shells and molted and you would not know it was the same crab... he is a sweetheart now. What is your humidity and temp currently?
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Your newbie is very pretty too! Is it an E, or Rug, I can't really tell, although I'm leaning tward E.
supercrab gave a good suggestion with the protein, and premolt ideas. I've had crabs get very crabby premolt. Sometimes it just takes time for them to become less competitive, and they could be working out some dominance issues too. Some people even try behavoir modification of moving the crab to the oposite side of the tank every time they see agression, or lightly tapping the top of the shell.
supercrab gave a good suggestion with the protein, and premolt ideas. I've had crabs get very crabby premolt. Sometimes it just takes time for them to become less competitive, and they could be working out some dominance issues too. Some people even try behavoir modification of moving the crab to the oposite side of the tank every time they see agression, or lightly tapping the top of the shell.
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I got about 10,000 shells (or a package) from Wal-Mart over the weekend, boiled them and put them all in the kritter keeper I have Godzilla isolated in. I keep trying to put him back in the regular tank with the others, but he keeps flipping Gizmo and Oddish over and trying to get their shells. It seems he wants nothing to do with Lestat, but I assume it’s because he has a weird shell. I read the protein thing on Friday and gave him more food with protein, some blood worms… he hasn’t changed his shell and he doesn’t seem ready to molt, he’s really active.
Secretly, I’m thinking about setting up a second tank with some crabs that are larger than him. I like to think that they can defend themselves.
In the main tank the humidity hovers between 70 and 80, it seems really dry lately so it dips down below 70 sometimes, but we never let it get below 65 without doing something about it. Usually we catch it before it gets below 70. I can’t be sure of the temp and humidity of the two kritter keepers we’re using for isolation. I know clawdia’s is looking good. It’s right next to the main tank so it can get some of the heat from the heater and I spray it as often as I do the main tank to make sure it’s moist. I also have plastic wrap over about 70% of the cover to keep in the moister. I spray Godzilla’s just as often as well, though it might be a little cool. Oh, the main tank is at about 75 degrees, I forgot to say that!
I can’t be sure about my new guy, I’m still having a hard time distinguishing between E’s and Ruggies. I thought Gizmo might be a Ruggie because he’s got black marks under his eyes, though I really can’t be sure of that still! I have a hard time looking at them closely to see the small differences while I’m actually holding them, I have an easier time with photos, but then I have a hard time getting the photos!
I looked at the play sand in Wal-Mart, but it was all colored so I didn’t know if it was safe. I ended up getting white play sand at Home Depot, but I wasn’t sure if white play sand was actually colored or what. Is what I bought safe?
Sorry for the really long post, we currently don’t have internet at home so I haven’t been on all weekend!
Secretly, I’m thinking about setting up a second tank with some crabs that are larger than him. I like to think that they can defend themselves.
In the main tank the humidity hovers between 70 and 80, it seems really dry lately so it dips down below 70 sometimes, but we never let it get below 65 without doing something about it. Usually we catch it before it gets below 70. I can’t be sure of the temp and humidity of the two kritter keepers we’re using for isolation. I know clawdia’s is looking good. It’s right next to the main tank so it can get some of the heat from the heater and I spray it as often as I do the main tank to make sure it’s moist. I also have plastic wrap over about 70% of the cover to keep in the moister. I spray Godzilla’s just as often as well, though it might be a little cool. Oh, the main tank is at about 75 degrees, I forgot to say that!
I can’t be sure about my new guy, I’m still having a hard time distinguishing between E’s and Ruggies. I thought Gizmo might be a Ruggie because he’s got black marks under his eyes, though I really can’t be sure of that still! I have a hard time looking at them closely to see the small differences while I’m actually holding them, I have an easier time with photos, but then I have a hard time getting the photos!
I looked at the play sand in Wal-Mart, but it was all colored so I didn’t know if it was safe. I ended up getting white play sand at Home Depot, but I wasn’t sure if white play sand was actually colored or what. Is what I bought safe?
Sorry for the really long post, we currently don’t have internet at home so I haven’t been on all weekend!
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Sand is usually sand color like at the beach...I do not know what you mean by white. I know for sure the sand Toys R Us sells is clean and good, I have had no problems with it and it is only about $4.50 for a big bag. I think I have heard some people say they have used home depot sand but I cannot say if it is the same sand you have or how clean it is. Hope this helps.
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We went to Toys R Us as well, before Home Depot, and they were all out. The white sand I got looked to me like the sand where they have white sand beaches in all those places I’ve never been… but not like boring brown sand we’d find around here. Though, I’m land locked. It’s not a big deal if I can’t use it, considering I spent 4 bucks on it, but it was the only bag of sand to be found that wasn’t orange or blue!
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I missed the two posts above mine because they were made while I was typing! I just noticed them today.
Good to know about the sand.
Last night I mentioned to my husband that sometimes crabs get more aggressive before they molt, but that I didn’t think that Godzilla showed any other signs of molting. Then he reminded me that in one night Godzilla ate half of a baby carrot! I’ve never seen any of my crabs eat so much in one night. It couldn’t have been multiple crabs, he was isolated for his aggression.
I keep trying to put him back in the main tank because keeping up 3 tanks is getting to be too much! We tried to put him back in again last night, but once again he kept flipping the other crabs and trying to get their shell. He even got after Lestat. I kept moving him away and hoping he would get the message, but he didn’t so I had to remove him for the night.
He took a look at one of the new shells I got him, it looked like he was cleaning it out or adding salt water to it (it was right next to the dish). We thought he was going to change, but he didn’t. I ordered some shells from Naples on Friday, but we’re still waiting for those.
He was drinking a lot of water last night, I’ve been giving him loads of protein and calcium rich foods, and now that I know the sand is safe I plan to set him up with a better isolation tank, one that’s ready for molting rather than time outs! Right now it’s just repti-bark because that’s all I had. (My crabs seem to love it, is that okay? They have sand and a small amount of gravel as well)
I’m still worried about Clawdia. She hasn’t moved at all in weeks, she above surface, and she just looks dead. There’s a small smell coming from her, but from what I understand the death smell is really strong, and they give off a faint smell when they’re molting. She’s half way out of her shell, much like she would be if she was just sitting there alive, but she just hasn’t moved. I just keep giving her new food and water and keeping it warm and humid, hoping for the best…
Good to know about the sand.
Last night I mentioned to my husband that sometimes crabs get more aggressive before they molt, but that I didn’t think that Godzilla showed any other signs of molting. Then he reminded me that in one night Godzilla ate half of a baby carrot! I’ve never seen any of my crabs eat so much in one night. It couldn’t have been multiple crabs, he was isolated for his aggression.
I keep trying to put him back in the main tank because keeping up 3 tanks is getting to be too much! We tried to put him back in again last night, but once again he kept flipping the other crabs and trying to get their shell. He even got after Lestat. I kept moving him away and hoping he would get the message, but he didn’t so I had to remove him for the night.
He took a look at one of the new shells I got him, it looked like he was cleaning it out or adding salt water to it (it was right next to the dish). We thought he was going to change, but he didn’t. I ordered some shells from Naples on Friday, but we’re still waiting for those.
He was drinking a lot of water last night, I’ve been giving him loads of protein and calcium rich foods, and now that I know the sand is safe I plan to set him up with a better isolation tank, one that’s ready for molting rather than time outs! Right now it’s just repti-bark because that’s all I had. (My crabs seem to love it, is that okay? They have sand and a small amount of gravel as well)
I’m still worried about Clawdia. She hasn’t moved at all in weeks, she above surface, and she just looks dead. There’s a small smell coming from her, but from what I understand the death smell is really strong, and they give off a faint smell when they’re molting. She’s half way out of her shell, much like she would be if she was just sitting there alive, but she just hasn’t moved. I just keep giving her new food and water and keeping it warm and humid, hoping for the best…
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Topic author
Repti bark is not good for molting because crabs cannot dig in it so you should change that if your crabbie is looking to molt. Put the sand in so it is 2x the height of the crab and make it sand castle wet. I would touch Clawdia at this point and see if she moves, if she molted she would be eating her exo but if she is just sitting there with a smell she might be dead. I hope it is not the case but I would check if it has been weeks. Good luck and keep up posted.
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I plan to buy a cover for the new 10 gallon and set him up with a proper isolation tonight now that I know the sand is okay.
My husband went to pick up Clawdia a couple of weeks ago, because she just looked like she was sitting there. She didn't go back into her shell at all, and actually fell out a bit. We didn't notice anything strange for days before that, other than she had been drinking a lot of water. I've moved her out of the tank and into isolation with a scoop, but she didn't move at all then either. I'm assuming it's not just her exoskeleton and she left the shell - unless she neatly put the exo back inside her shell...
My husband went to pick up Clawdia a couple of weeks ago, because she just looked like she was sitting there. She didn't go back into her shell at all, and actually fell out a bit. We didn't notice anything strange for days before that, other than she had been drinking a lot of water. I've moved her out of the tank and into isolation with a scoop, but she didn't move at all then either. I'm assuming it's not just her exoskeleton and she left the shell - unless she neatly put the exo back inside her shell...
