Just learning

Geranium · Post by **Geranium** » Thu Sep 04, 2014 1:02 am

Please do not mist the crabs! It is very stressful to be doused with water. If you need the humidity boost, mist the tank. I have never needed to mist any of my tanks.Gnats sometimes happen here too. I will switch to dry foods for several days when they appear and then go back to fresh foods after they have gone. You could just take the food out sooner. I would consider putting food in at dinner time or bed time and taking it out in the morning. Also look for where they might have stashed food in the sub, that can attract gnats/fruit flies and mold.I give oatmeal dry but you could cook it if you want just don't add anything and us the dechlor water.I don't know about tuna from a can. I would check the ingredients and wait to hear from someone with experience using canned tuna. I have only ever fed fresh and frozen fish. I react badly to canned tuna, makes my legs and hands swell, but not to fresh so I am very hesitant to think it would be good for them.

jenok · Post by **jenok** » Thu Sep 04, 2014 8:20 am

IF I remember correctly it is not advisable to use canned anything due to the fact that most items have extra salt/sodium added and/or the metals will slowly leech/leak into the food small amounts so for us it's ok but for the crabs it builds up to toxic levels in their system.

Laurie LeAnn · Post by **Laurie LeAnn** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 3:15 am

I mist..and I mean mist, not squirt..but from above. Like a gentle rain. Not head on in their face and eyes.. ouch...They love it..

ellenh46 · Post by **ellenh46** » Mon Sep 15, 2014 8:09 am

So one of the hermit crabs(shelly) died last night, i dont know what I did wrong. I did notice that she hardly came out of her cave or ate. I make sure there is food and plenty of water in the tank everyday, and already changed the tank because of a foul odor. Anyway my dog is the once that sensed that it had died by bringing me to the tank, I petted shelly and nothing, but she was very loose in her shell. My daughter was very heart broken so i went out and bought another crab to keep my other one(Tucker) company, and this one seems to be very active. So what could I do better to keep these crabs alive and well. Also what is their life expectancy. and can you tell if a crab is a boy or a girl?

ellenh46 · Post by **ellenh46** » Mon Sep 15, 2014 8:15 am

Cont from my last post- I still have shelly sitting in my tank, waiting for my other daughter to come home so we can decide what to do with her, how should we give her a farewell, I dont want to just throw her out in the garbage

jenok · Post by **jenok** » Tue Sep 16, 2014 5:47 am

Make sure it is really dead. Sometimes they can molt on the surface and what you see is the old skin/exoskeleton and the freshly molted crab is behind it in the shell. There is a story that goes around sometimes where one of the members thought a crab was dead, buried it and then found it in moving in the yard a few days later. It probably isn't your fault. A "lot" of crabs die from PPS post purchase stress. Basically meaning they are so stressed by the time that we get them their stress hormone builds to a toxic level and they die. The best thing that you can do is give a good environment for them, don't handle for the first month or so giving them time to calm down and destress (kinda like a time out)and provide lots of nutritious food since it has probably been months since they've eaten a good quality meal. You could use it as a teaching moment that all things that live must eventually die. Crab are so small you could probably bury it in your yard if you have one. If not maybe a trip to a place you can. You mentioned that the crab was loose in the shell so you could leave the shell on or take it off boil it and leave it in the tank for an extra shell.Sorry for your loss hope this helps.

ellenh46 · Post by **ellenh46** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 1:46 am

Thank you, it does help. I left it in the tank for a few days, we havent burried it yet, and it hasnt moved, but i think its time cause the tank is really starting to stink. Also i put a very small slice of banana in tank last night for the other crabs,is that a good to give them.

Horsejazz34 · Post by **Horsejazz34** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 2:38 am

banna is fine crabs love it. Sorry about your crab though hope everything works out for the others.

ellenh46 · Post by **ellenh46** » Wed Oct 15, 2014 3:59 am

One of my crabs has been walking around the tank without its shell for a few days now, and just sitting in a puddle of water from the water bowl. i have a bunch of shells in the tank for it to choose from, but she hasnt bothered to check them out, is this normal

jenok · Post by **jenok** » Wed Oct 15, 2014 7:27 am

Not usually, are any of the other shells similar to the one it had? I think you should move this post and put it in the ISO tank forum under streaking and copy and paste the questions at the top that it says to answer. That way we can help you better.

ellenh46 · Post by **ellenh46** » Fri Oct 17, 2014 1:20 am

Thanks, the hermit crab i realized was in distress, it died the other night

Laurie LeAnn · Post by **Laurie LeAnn** » Fri Oct 17, 2014 2:31 am

You have a tank set up now go crabs to restart over. Just make sure the temp and humidity is right as well as your day and night lighting. When getting crabs look for active crabs that want to get away or get at you not just hang 10. Then put them in the tank and just feed and change waters ( when needed ) don't handle, don't tap on glass, I even blocked off the ends of my glass tank so they didn't see a lot of camotion coming at them. Keep shells from the passed on crabs, just boil them. Crabs are very delicate in the first year even though they are hearty creatures. They go through so much before they hit that store front and crappy conditions and then we throw them in an other condition no wonder they get stressed...I'm sure if you try again you will have better luck..