new LAND HERMIT CRAB OWNER!!!!

[Bory.Garcia]

went to 5 pet stores until I came upon one pet smart. I I saw a few very active happy looking hermies so I picked my top 3 favorite Marley (biggest one turtle shell) Trippy (basketball shell) and lalo (green shell)brought them home and also brought home and set up the following -2 water dishes-1 dish is purified water chlorine free. -1 purified water dish wish salt water conditioner-2 rocks from the beach- light colored tree bark from pet smart- branch from the out doors-calcium sand - coconut fiber bedding my substrate is 70% calcium sand and 30% coconut fiber my humidity has been at a constant 75 for 2 days now. My hermit crabs as of now mainly always hanging in the fiber bedding so I want some help on the ideal substrate for them to feel free to dig and keep great humidity.as soon as we got home I got everything together them let the see there new home. one of the hermies dug itself and was under for the two days I have them and came up about 2 hours ago seems like a false alarm but he seems very stressed free (lalo). another hermie switched shells (marley) and (trippy) seems just fine I would like to know mainly of the following-ideal substrate like I said above-how long to tell if hermit crab is really molting or not-how to exactly isolate a molting hermit crab into a isolation (temporal home)-is it ok that they are very active during the day because they are nocturnal!! sorry about so much writing I just want to be a great LHC owner so please help!

[Geranium]

Welcome to the group. There are a few things most of which are covered below. First, Calcium sand as a substrate is dangerous, please replace your substrate with playsand from the hardware store and EE (Eco Earth, there are other brands which are fine as well). Your proportions are fine just ditch the calcium sand.Food list here. also all sorts of good information at the top of the Zoea section.Below is what I have shared on FB and other places when asked about basics. Feel free to ask questions, we have all been there and are here to share information.Hermit Crab basicsTank: Glass Aquarium Tank 10 gallon minimum, they will quickly out grow it so I would suggest larger if you are willing/able, look for free ones on freecycle or craigslist.Substrate: Fill it 6-8 inches with playsand with some EcoEarth mixed in, more sand than EE twice the depth your largest crab is tall, at least 6 inches deep. Hydrate it with dechlorinated water, many advise dechlorinated aquarium salt water to inhibit mold growth. Playsand not calcium sand, the petstores are wrong, it is not good for them as a substrate, non colored/white sand is fine for a food. The substrate should be hydrated so it is sand castle consistency so they can easily create molting pockets/caves and tunnels.Humidity and Heat: Gauges are important. The heat and humidity should be no lower than 75 each, preferably closer to 80, for exotics 85. For heat, UTHs (under tank heater) are a good place to start. They need to be side or back mounted, under is dangerous for many reasons due to the depth of the sub. You will need the equivalent of 3 times the heat of your tank, for instance a 10 gallon tank would need one or more UTH which combined are rated for 30 gallons. Lights can be used in addition to the UTHs in the larger tanks 20/30 gallon and up. On smaller tanks they usually sap the humidity. To keep the humidity up you want your sub at sand castle consistency and you want a good lid. Some use glass panes or plexi over a mesh lid or just the glass, some use tank lids, some use Saran Wrap or Glad Press & Seal. Either way make sure there are no escape routes, these guys can climb almost anything and are incredibly strong at times and in unexpected ways. If the lid and sub alone don't keep your humidity in a good range you can try adding a damp moss pit, larger pools near the heaters, pools with bubblers, humidifiers, etc.Food: They can eat most real food, shrimp, chicken bone marrow, bananas, popcorn, eggs, dry maple leaves and organic honey are some of the favorites of mine. Variety is important. Most of the commercial food in petstores is bad for them. There are websites such as The Hermit Crab Patch and The Hermit Crab Addiction Store which have good reputations and sell food and supplies. They will need all sorts of variety including fiber sources and calcium sources. Mine enjoy a mix of pulverized cuttlebone, egg shells, crushed oyster shells and calcium sand. To that I usually add worm castings which they are obsessed with!Water: They will need both salt and fresh water available to them at all times. Many love to soak in the bowls so they should be deep enough. You can add river stones or needlepoint canvas to make sure they can easily get out. The waters need to be dechlorinated with a product that breaks down the chlorine but also the heavy metal bonds to make the water safe for them. The salt should be aquarium salt, I use Instant Ocean because that is what I can find. Decoration/Entertainment: They need places to hide like huts or leafy plastic plants or even tipped plastic or glass bowls. They will also need stuff to climb on, sticks of safe woods, maple & oak are my favorites because they are in my yard. Make sure you soak them in declor salt water and bake to kill off bugs, etc. Or cholla branches are wonderful. I found some really nice big ones on sale in the bird section. There is a post with many photos of people's tanks which can give some really creative ideas.Shells: Spare shells in ever so slightly larger sizes and similar shapes to what they are in. Shapes being the opening rather than the outside. At least 3 shells per crab. No painted shells. The carved ones are really neat though.

[Bory.Garcia]

Thanks for the help really appriciate it but i would like l further know how to -exactly isolate a molting hermit crab to a different "home" until he/she is ready-when to know exactly when your hermit crab is going to molt-how mad is the calcium sand for now until i get play sand-and is mixing the play sand and coconut fiber good? If you what percent of playsand shoul i put and how much percent of coconut fiber should i put (forest bedding)

[Bory.Garcia]

Well what percent of both substrate should i mix before putting it in my crabitat

[Geranium]

The mix of substrate is pretty much preference but it can influence conditions in your tank. Given that you are in Florida, you might not have the same humidity issues as someone in the desert south west unless you run your AC high. I like my mix about 60% sand, you may do better with a higher % of sand. Some do all sand and no EE.Many of us do not isolate molting hermit crabs. If there is enough substrate and a large enough enclosure they molt and return without issue. It is really hard to time your removal for molting correctly and you never want to dig up a crab. If you have one who is surface molting or in distress or new and needs ISO prior to introduction, then a separate ISO is important.Calcium sand is pretty bad. It sticks to the crabs and when wet can get to a cement consistency and trap a molting crab. Given that you have mixed it with coconut fiber helps but it can still be dangeourous. It is good as a food source in a dish though as long as it doesn't have coloring.

[Bory.Garcia]

Sorry or askin many many quedtions as i as i want the best for them and there preference Cant say how much thanks for helping me out ive saved so much trouble thanks to your help instead of falso online FAQs-I have much coconut fiber left to make more so is that ok if i go and buy play sand and mix it with the coconut fiber bedding and if so in your opinion whats a good mixture of the both since im in SOFLO live in a trailer with the 10 gallon abd average temperature in my house is 70-80 -is it necesarry for me to buy a lamp for my crabitatAnd thanks about the molting i really didnt want to bother the little guys while there doing there thing !! Thanks again on the help im planing to go buy play sand in a bit .

[jenok]

For now if you want to you can use all coconut fiber(EE/Eco Earth). Everyone mixes differently. some prefer a 50/50 mix or 75 sand/25 fiber or some use all sand or all fiber. I personally use all sand cause its cheaper. If you take some of your calci sand and add a little water to it by itself let it dry and see what happens (it gets hard like concrete) this is why calci sand for a substrate is no good. However you can use it to feed them as a calcium source just put a tiny amount in a bowl/shell. IF it isn't colored if its colored find a different use for it or toss it. If you go to the main forum page and scroll to the bottom there is an archived library full of useful info and tells how different you can set your tank up, food ?s, all kinds of good stuff.It is not suggested to use a heat lamp/light on tanks smaller than 30 gal. If its bigger than go ahead. For heat on smaller and/or larger tanks get a uth(under tank heater) pad BUT place it on the side of the tank NOT under it. For best results most of us use a uth 3x the rating of the tank we have (ex. 10g tank gets a 30g uth) its warmer in Florida so you may find it useful to get to smaller ones that equal 3x the amount (ex. 10g tank gets 1-10g uth & 1-20g uth) that way you can adjust your heat better to match the weather and have 1 or both on.Hope I didn't confuse you.

[Geranium]

I agree with Jenok, especially since you live in south FL, I would get two or three smaller heaters (UTH in the reptile section) that rate 30 gallons for your 10 gallon. Mount them across the back or back and one side. In CT, it gets warm enough in summer that I turn most of my heaters off. And I also agree no heat lamp, though light is nice to be able to see them just make sure it doesn't add heat and sap your humidity.You likely won't need a huge amount of EE for increasing humidity. I would start with 75% playsand and 25% EE and see. It needs to be hydrated with dechlor aquarium salt water to sandcastle consistency so it will hold for molting pockets. I would use the salt water as opposed to the fresh because FL is particularly susceptible to mold. The sub should also be 6 inches or more in depth.Also note that 75 is the LOWEST your temp/humidity should be, my PPs are happier closer to 80 and my Es closer to 85 for both heat and humidity.Keep asking questions, we are here to help as we were helped.

[Bory.Garcia]

OK AWESOME I HAVE A NEW ADDITION TO THE FAM I BELIEVE HE IS A 'TINY' HERMIT CRAB ! -I BOUGHT THE SAKARAT (HOWEVER ITS SPELLED) PLAY SAND FROM HOME DEPOT AND DID A (60/40) FOR MY SUBSTRATE (PLAYSAND/COCONUT FIBER)THEY SEEM TO BE TREMEDOUSLY HAPPING THEY HAVE ALL BEEN EATING GETTING INTO THE WATER DISHES AND WONDERING AROUND .NOWW... I DO HAVE ONE SPECIFIC HERMIT CRAB NAMED (LALO) SINCE THE FIRST NIGHT HE HAS DUG HIMSELF IN AND OUT ABOUT 2/3 TIMES AND AS IM TYPING HE HAS PRETTY MUCH STARTED TO DIG A HOLE BUT HASNT REALLY GONE DOWN---IS THIS A SIGN OF A MOLT????AND WHAT WOULD IT MEAN IF ONE SPECIFIC HERMIT CRAB IS ALWAYYSSSSSS MOVING AROUND ? COULD IT BE THAT ITS ABOUT TO MOLT TO OR STRESS. OR DO YOU THINK HES STRESSED? I DONT THINK THEY WOULD BE AS FAR AS I KNOW THEY LOOK FINE . CONSTATLY EATING WALKING AND CLIMBING

[Geranium]

I am certain they are all stressed. They go through a horrible process getting to us and petstore conditions are never ideal, most often they are horrible. Without adequate humidity, the crabs cannot breathe.The one who is digging may be preparing to molt or he may be preparing to go down to relieve stress or he may be digging for fun. Hermit crabs like to dig and they like to climb, some more than others. Digging is not something to worry about. Set up the ideal conditions and let them relax without bothering them, no handling, except to give food and waters for about a month to give them the time they need to recover and learn to trust you.

[Bory.Garcia]

GERANIUM THANKS SO MUCH MAN YOU HAVE BEEN A TREMENDOUS HELP.SO I WOKE UP TODAY AROUDN 9 AND THE HUMIDITY THERMOMETER WAS AT 78 WHICH I THINK IM DOPING A GOOD JOB WITH WHAT I HAVE FOR THEM.. LITTLE TO KNOW I COME TO FIND (LALO) ONCE AGAIN BURRIED HAHA BUT AS YOU SIAD I AM NOT WORRIED BECAUSE MAYBE HE IS JUST A NATURAL DIGGING MACHINE LOL OR HES GETTING READY FOR MOLT OR JUST RELEIVING STRESS . HE DOES COME OUT AT NIGHT HE CLIMBS EATS GET IN HIS WATER DISHES.- I DID WANT TO KNOW IF ITS NORMAL FOR EXAMPLE THAT (LALO) HAS BEEN NORMALLY MORE LONER THAN THE REST OF THEM? WHAT MAY BE THAT ?- ALSO I WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU HAD A INSTAGRAM BECAUSE THAT WAY ID BE ABLE TO SHOW YOU MY CRABITAT OR UNLESS YOU KNOW ANOTHER WAY BECAUSE ATTACHMENTS ARE TO LARGE TO PUT ONTO HERE!!

[crazycrabber]

i still would reccomend separating them when one is molting. the way you would do it is, you would inconvenience the one who isn't molting, by moving him to another cage. that way you wouldn't have to worry about harming the molter. i am reccomending this, because one of my crabs killed and started eating the molter, even when i blocked the other side of the tank with books. be careful! don't underestimate a hermit crabs abilities. they are strong enough to rip the top of a cage off to.

[crazycrabber]

i am sure lalo will fit in, don't worry.

[jenok]

Crabs can all have different personalities. Some will spend the majority of their time digging and some climbing. Just let them do their thing and they'll be happy.On a separate note I do not separate my crabs but again that is a personal preference kind of thing.

[Geranium]

You can post links to photo sharing sites so we can see the pictures. Photobucket is one but I know there are others.I have ones who buddy up with one other crab, others who want to be in the middle of a crowd and some who prefer their own company. One funny one didn't want to be in the crab pile but always a couple inches away. As you will see, they are individuals with their unique quirks and dare I say it, personalities.