HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hello all!

I got a few Amazon gift cards for my birthday and wanted to get an exoterra for my small hermit crabs (3 of them) because they are in a 29 gallon with 4 mediums, I wanted to space them out a lot more. Any recommendations on the size I choose for them?

Thank you!


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Get the big one! Cost not that much more and lots more space; the 36 x18" is 40 gals. I think. A lot of people are critical of exo's because the doors in front don't allow you as deep of sub but I have mine up to the doors which is 7" and then I put a plexi divider in the middle of the tank to allow the sand the ramp up to 12" in the back half of the tank (the plexi only goes across half the tank so a crab could tunnel from the front door to the back wall if he wanted). You can also put plexi in front of the doors. I would never have a different type of tank because I use those doors multiple times daily, to either clean or replace something or just to wipe off the humidity which seems to only collect there.

So you could use this one for your mediums and put your smalls in the old one if you wanted.

Everyone's opinion is different but I think if you want a tank that is highly functional as well as really attractive it's the way to go.

A lot of people say they come in broken when they are shipped so that could be a pain, but the tank is really sturdy once set up.

Thank you! Did a bit more searching and considered getting two 18x18x18 and then getting a few violas later. Love violas! Or straws. Would this be an adequate setup? A 29 gallons and two 25 gallons for 9 crabs and considering getting a few more down the road?


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Are you planning to join up the two 18 x 18 or leave them separately? If you join them up, they would do for a while but expect to upgrade down the road as your crabs get bigger.

Or you could do what one member did here - forgot the name - and got two large/x-large exo-terras and joined them, creating a "super" tank. Looked really cool too. (Does anyone remember the members name? )

Was it Calla who stacked an exoterra on top of a 40B?


Crabby since 8-13-14
Es Bullseye, Buzz and Bo Peep
PPs Rex, Woody, Jessie and Mick
(Bo Peep and Rex coming March)

I did but I think JJ is referring to Lefty's setup.

CallaLily wrote:I did but I think JJ is referring to Lefty's setup.

Yup, that was it! Thanks Calla - I was too lazy to search it plus the bell went so had to go to class.