my crabitat build photo journal!!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Apr 15, 2011 12:23 pm

love it! love it! love it! I wish I had the budget to do such a huge project. I love making terrariums and vivariums. It is so much fun and the fun continues even after it's done! Your terrarium is awe-inspiring! What I love about Terrariums are, it's not that high maintenance as people think if it's made right the first time. I think you did a wonderful job!

joshjahnke · Post by **joshjahnke** » Tue Apr 26, 2011 11:43 pm

First of all, I'd just like to say kudos! What an incredible set up! I have one question (I haven't read all the posts, mainly just looked at pictures so far) - do you have an approx. dollar amount that a project like this would cost someone? If you don't want to share, that's fine. I was just wondering what kind of funds I should look at spending if I want to come out with something like this. Thanks!

curious_kitty · Post by **curious_kitty** » Thu May 05, 2011 10:11 pm

lol thank you everyone! The tank has been running really really well for... I forget how long it's been(I suppose since the last photo update?) Everything except for the 'live plants'. My humidity has been up between 75-90%(lower end at the end of the day, and it mists for 10-20 sec for 5 times throughout , so it goes up to 90%+ after that, and tapers off).

This enclosure did not cost that must at all, let see,
- the heat cable=$20
- two 55W light with reflector kit from AH store, for $70 each.
- misting kit $99
- coco peat giant brick(two) $14 each=$28
- Titebond glue $12/gallon, used 2
- sand $3/50lb bag, total of 6.5 bags $18
- leftover cocopeat from previous tank(to be mixed with sand)= free
- styrofoam blocks= free, from packing material
- foam sprays= used about 6 cans to fill the gaps only between styrofoam pieces= $3 each, total $18
- display glasses cut= all three pieces, around $180
- branches, $8
- Live plants= a lot of $$, i wouldnt do it if I were you- therefore free for you

dont forget that this was done over the course of several month, so quite little $ but nice results.. lol everyone loves the tank when friends come visit!

I hope this helped..! Go back to my first few pages on this thread, and should explain how I did this in detail.

happy Crabbing!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed May 11, 2011 5:19 am

you are the most EPIC CRABBER EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!
i atchuly did a back ground kinda like yours a year ago and i thought mine was epic but you are just plain freaking AWSOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu May 12, 2011 12:40 am

do the lights need to be uv for the plants?

curious_kitty · Post by **curious_kitty** » Sun Jun 05, 2011 5:28 pm

Since the crabitat was built and after hermit crabs moved in, I've switched out three times- for the entire tat... when it came time to do fourth, I couldn't do more. I've spent too much $$$ to satisfy my vain for fresh plants in the crabitat, but after awhile, I started to feel like a fool for not accepting the simple fact- hermit crabs, simply, like to munch on anything green and edible. I tried to place the plants in strategic locations where I thought hermit crabs wasn't frequent. Wherever I placed the plants, my violas and strawberries went after it, and started it to eat them inside out. It gave me shivers whenever I saw violas heading straight for my favorite Broms,.......... they'd sit on top of it, and start to munch. I would occasionally interrupte their snack time whenever I spot them doing it, but went back for it as soon as I dropped them off. All of them........ my precioussssss plants... AHHHHHHHHHHHHH

After they've done their deed on my last fresh live plant sets in the tat, I gathered few ideas and headed off to local craft store and picked-up few realistic looking plastic plants. I thought I'd never see the day that I was going to have plastic plants in my home......but hermit crabs made me kneel on my knee with both my hands and legs up. I gave in.

soo here it is, my plastic plant galore.... in my crabitat. My misting system still turns on as it did before, and it helps to drench the plastic plants to make them dewy, and more realistic. sigh..
please... don't ask how much I spent on my live plants... its..... tooo painful.....
I dare my violas and strawberries to try and destroy my plastic plants. I can always go get more,, for much less $$$!!! eh HAHAHAHAHA

CrabbyMom33 · Post by **CrabbyMom33** » Sun Jun 05, 2011 7:25 pm

Sorry to hear they destroyed your live plants, but crabs will be crabs. I think the new version of your crabitat looks great! OH, and they tend to distroy the plastic and silk versions, too.

Actionizer · Post by **Actionizer** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 1:50 pm

Thats so cool! It Reminds me of lava charcoal or whatever its called.. Lol, Hawaiian Stuff hehe

SoulEater · Post by **SoulEater** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 2:20 am

OwO. Destructocrabs. That's a really nice tank. Wish mine were like that T.T

wendyj · Post by **wendyj** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 11:39 am

Awe-inspiring! Heavenly! Gorgeous! I am on my knees with arms out straight and bending over again and again worship ping you.

Hermitcrablover12 · Post by **Hermitcrablover12** » Sun Jun 12, 2011 7:48 pm

I am going to re-do my tat and I want to use that foam and coco paste you used to create the background. Also, the heating cable would be good for my 55. It is a must here in MA. ;D What foam did you use for the stuff I mentioned and what heat cable? Where did the cable go? Underneath the egg crates? Thank you! ^^

Hermitcrablover12 · Post by **Hermitcrablover12** » Sun Jun 12, 2011 7:48 pm

I am going to re-do my tat and I want to use that foam and coco paste you used to create the background. Also, the heating cable would be good for my 55. It is a must here in MA. ;D What foam did you use for the stuff I mentioned and what heat cable? Where did the cable go? Underneath the egg crates? Thank you! ^^

curious_kitty · Post by **curious_kitty** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 8:30 pm

Hermitcrablover12 wrote:I am going to re-do my tat and I want to use that foam and coco paste you used to create the background. Also, the heating cable would be good for my 55. It is a must here in MA. ;D What foam did you use for the stuff I mentioned and what heat cable? Where did the cable go? Underneath the egg crates? Thank you! ^^

hi there! I used the box styrofoams(like the ones that comes when you buy a computer) and I carved it using a exacto knife. To put small pieces together, I used long bamboo skewers and styrofoam glue to hold them toghether..
The heat cables is the one that looks like a cord. Its made for reptiles, and the color is like brown(if you look through my previous postings, i do have pictures of things I bought, and have used, and where I bought them from.)
good luck, and do post the pictures of your awesome tat when you are done!!!

Hermitcrablover12 · Post by **Hermitcrablover12** » Tue Jun 14, 2011 3:27 pm

Thanks. ^^ Should I put it under the stryrofoam or over? I don't want it to burn the crabbies.

DustAndEchoes · Post by **DustAndEchoes** » Thu Jun 16, 2011 3:15 pm

You could always get some plants to propagate outside of the tat, and throw them in as an occasional treat.
Either way, it looks great, even with the plastic plants

HCA: Hermit Crab Association

my crabitat build photo journal!!

Plastic plants galore......