Made a big crabitat

For presenting do-it-yourself projects for your crabitat and for discussing and displaying custom built crabitats. Also for questions and reviews on equipment and products. *Stores and their reviews now have their own section in Classifieds*
Post Reply

Topic author
HermitHound
Posts: 38
Joined: Tue Jul 25, 2017 11:01 am

Made a big crabitat

Post by HermitHound » Sat Jul 29, 2017 9:23 am

ImageImageImageImage
Also planning to add moss as soon as I get some :)
Slightly worried about the water containers, they can easily climb out on the mesh but still worrying me since This is the first deep pool I've had, I've only had these crabs just over a month lol.
Any improvements/things I'm doing wrong?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

User avatar

Astronna
Posts: 35
Joined: Sat Jul 08, 2017 7:09 am
Location: Louisville, KY

Re: Made a big crabitat

Post by Astronna » Sat Jul 29, 2017 11:26 am

Hey love the knitted hammock of sorts! It looks like it's a cut out part of an old sweater or some such? If you want, I can give you directions on how to keep the edges from fraying and unraveling. Remember a crabitat is a high-humidity environment- that thing's going to stink like a used towel with mildew eventually. To prevent that, you probably want to clean it about once a week. You can do the same thing people sometimes do with sponges: put it in a dish with water, and stick it into the microwave for a couple of minutes so it boils. Since this is cloth, you'll then want to dry it out. First, spread it flat on a towel, and put another towel flat on top. Press down to get the majority of the wetness out. Don't wring the knitted fabric because it'll weaken it. Then hang both towels and the knitted fabric to dry the rest of the way, on a towel rod, a clothes line, or really anywhere else that dry air can get all the way around it.

They'll love moss :) My two crawl around and under the moss all the time. I hope to one day have a house with a bed of moss for part of the yard. It's so comfy to lie on, even for us :) I can see what the crabs like about it.


Topic author
HermitHound
Posts: 38
Joined: Tue Jul 25, 2017 11:01 am

Re: Made a big crabitat

Post by HermitHound » Sat Jul 29, 2017 12:21 pm

Thanks for all the advice! I guess I haven't really thought the little shell shop/hammock part through since you are completely correct and it will reek!

Problem is ive plastitied it onto paper towel rolls and I'll seldom be able to effectively wash it lol.

I guess I'll have to find something to replace it.

In terms of the moss, Peat moss OK? Also I don't know how exactly I'm supposed to make the bed for it, just a heap of it In the substrate? In some Tupperware?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

User avatar

PinchersAndShells
Posts: 1343
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2016 12:02 pm
Location: Ohio
Contact:

Re: Made a big crabitat

Post by PinchersAndShells » Sat Jul 29, 2017 5:41 pm

I'm imagining paper towel rolls may get soggy due to the humidity, do you think it may work more effectively to cut up some PVC pipe? :)
4 PPs + 1 E = Dusty, Momo, Seasalt, & Elvis
Captive Bred PP = Randy
75 Gallon Crabitat | Crabbing Since 8.11.2015
https://www.instagram.com/pinchersandshells/


Topic author
HermitHound
Posts: 38
Joined: Tue Jul 25, 2017 11:01 am

Re: Made a big crabitat

Post by HermitHound » Sat Jul 29, 2017 10:13 pm

Probably! I just didn't have any lol. I'll have to get some. I'm in Australia anybody have any clue where to find appropriate pvc and other things


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

User avatar

Astronna
Posts: 35
Joined: Sat Jul 08, 2017 7:09 am
Location: Louisville, KY

Re: Made a big crabitat

Post by Astronna » Sun Jul 30, 2017 9:49 am

Many home improvement stores have PVC pipe in its plumbing section. I believe many will also cut it to length for you.

As far as the moss, I don't know whether peat moss is okay for the crabbies, but it does have very different properties from the rest of the mosses I'm familiar with. Also most sources of peat moss are going to be for gardening, and may have fertilizers or pesticides in it. I'd be cautious. I got a whole bunch of moss from a pet store in the reptile section, with no colors or fertilizers or whatever. You can probably find some in a pet store around you as well?

Post Reply