HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hey there! So basically, I have a 20 gallon long tank and I spray It 3 times a day, and I do about 10 large squirts. I check about 10 minutes later and it's still cold! I have a heat pad that's said to be for 10-20 gallon tanks but it's not warming it up at all. This has been going on for a while but I had no idea their tank was still doing this! I don't know what to do I haven't seen my crabs out in a long time I only saw one last night. They eat their food because I notice it goes missing or is bitten off and they definetly use their salt water and freshwater dishes. I'm very upset I didn't have this issue with my ten gallon Please help me! Maybe suggest something I could buy or do to help! Thanks so much

What's your humidity and temperature reading?

If your only heat source is the heat pad, it probably just isn't enough for the 20 gallon. And just to check, you have it on the side of the tank and not actually under the tank, right? I think you need another heat pad - when you're getting one from the store, the recommendation is to ignore how many gallons it's for and go for the biggest size you can get that will fit along the back above your substrate line. You can use a heat bulb but they suck the humidity out a lot faster.

The most highly recommended heat pad would be an Ultratherm, which can only be bought online but they're typically less expensive than a large one from the pet store. They're also more reliable, and can be safely insulated with aluminum foil and/or styrofoam to boost your temps more. One this size: http://www.reptilebasics.com/ultratherm ... uth-6-x-23 would most likely work well for a 20 gallon.

What kind of lid is on your tank? If it's a wire/mesh one, you can seal it up with saran wrap or tape foil over it to hold humidity in. A moss pit can help raise humidity, as well as installing a bubbler in one or both of your water dishes.

If you could, copy and paste this template and answer the questions and we can get a better idea of your setup and hopefully offer some more advice: viewtopic.php?f=27&t=46102

Is your heat pad from the pet store? Like a zoo med one? Those are tricky as you either need a few of them (regardless of what they say for tank size). The heat pad should cover the entire back of the crabitat, above the sub level.

I would recommend purchasing a UTH online. They come in different sizes, are much cheaper and work great. They can also be insulated, where as the stick on ones can not.

As for humidity, a moss put, bubblers in your pools or a humidifier/fogger can help.

I spray my moss put once a day, keep my bubblers going and my humidity stays constant. If I need a boost, I turn on my fogger for 10min and it shoots up to the 90% range. Hope that helps!


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These are the UTH heat pads


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