HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I wasn't sure if it would go here or under crab Behavior but since it is due to me changing the substrate I decided on here. Lmk if I'm in the wrong place. I have been using the sand out of the reptile section at PetSmart. Not the dyed sand are the larger grain sand. It just looked exactly like regular sand but it did say calcium on it. After reading things that I have read on here I went to Lowe's yesterday and got Quikrete play sand. Did my isolation tank yesterday that only had one newly adopted hermies. He digs more than any crab I think. Not molting or stress digging just digging. Like he plays in the sand tipping over bowls etc. Will make 5 new big holes in an hour. Anyway my concern is that once I change this sand all he has done is sit and walk around. NO digging. Did I get the wrong stuff or something. He acts like he completely hates it like it's too heavy or thick. It is the perfect sand castle consistency I tested it all over the tank....

Some crabs just take their time getting used to new stuff and exploring Sounds like u got the right stuff for him at the right consistency so just give him some time to adjust. I'm sure the smell and sensation of it is all different so he's just adapting


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Thank you. I love this site. That makes me feel so much better. I probably would have went back to PetSmart today and bought the other sand for him again being afraid it was hurting him since he's not playing/digging. I am way too over paranoid about these little guys

Sounds like you have done everything right . You can mix the Sand with Eco Earth (EE). 5 parts sand to 1 part EE. My crabs like that mixture. I buy the bricks of EE, much cheaper than the ready stuff, and I wet it with Marine Salt Water (MSW).


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Iagree that everything sounds right. But as someone who accidentally got calcium sand as well i noticed two of my four crabs less diggy after changing. I started adding calcium to one dish a night and now RoxSand stays underground more often than up and Tina digs the most holes. So i assumed they played in the sand so much because they liked the calcium.

I am still crazy about my crababies, only been doing this since the end of Sept. And if it wasn't for this site, I would still have the critter keeper with pebbles my mom brought these home from the beach with. My crabs didn't dig at all for the first month and a half, now they are all down except for the baby. When I got her though she was super hairy and had nice black tips so I assume she has just molted. She is losing all her hair now though and will probably molt soon, once I get their heat back up. You definitely got the right sand, that's what I use but I mix it with the ee. Welcome and I hope you post pictures soon, I Love pictures

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You started adding calcium to their food every night? Or did you start adding calcium sand back in?

Its a calcium powder. Not every night. I dont give them the same thing in a row. UNLESS someone is preparing to molt. Then ill put a dish with food and calcium out. [Depending on food its changed every day-three days at max]

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Awesome thank you guys. One last bit of advice if you don't mind me asking. I'm upgrading to a 20 gallon. Do I get a 20 tall or 20 long? Didn't know there was a difference until getting to the store

Crabobsessed wrote:Awesome thank you guys. One last bit of advice if you don't mind me asking. I'm upgrading to a 20 gallon. Do I get a 20 tall or 20 long? Didn't know there was a difference until getting to the store

I have a 20 tall, and it is awesome for giving them more sub depth and higher levels, but I wish I had more length. Hope that helps, though it only confuses me! I'm never satisfied

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I went with a 20g long because i know in the wild they travel miles and miles in a day.

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I went with a 20g long instead because i know they walk miles and miles sometimes in a day in the wild. I do a lot with levels as well. Just had to get creative.

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Awesome! Thank you so much. You will have helped me so much today. My Hermies thank you so much

This site is great for that! Im sure your welcome!

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You could always get them a hamster wheel too! (All of you!). A fellow crabber on here, mlakers was the first one to show me about them! I now have two for my tank. Both are being used! I just ordered a third! I would have never thought about it! As far as tank size, search Craigslist for tank, aquarium, reptile. Buy the largest you can afford. You won't regret it! You will always want bigger! lol!!


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