Hello!!!!

Mikab24 · Post by **Mikab24** » Wed Aug 07, 2013 10:53 am

Hi! I just "rescued" a hermit crab from a beach superstore and it is a critter carrier with about an inch of sand, some weird hermit crab food, a moist sponge, a painted shell, some oraganic lettuce, and a plastic palm tree. My friend, Mikau132, came over and recommended I go on this site. I now know these conditions are really really really bad and I would like some help soon. Can you give me a list of what I should do. My friend is going to bring over some new shells, declonrinator, and help as much as she can. Thanks!

Marshmelo76 · Post by **Marshmelo76** » Wed Aug 07, 2013 12:36 pm

Welcome! Read the stickies on this board asap! Get a tank with lid and some play sand first, gauges to measure temp and humidity and some dechlorinator and aquarium salt like instant ocean since they need fresh and salt water. He will also want a hiding space of some sort. Eventually you need to get extra natural shells the same size and a little bigger than what he's in. Put them in so he can find one he likes. For safe food lists, go to epicurean-hermit.com. Oh, and you'll probably want to get him a friend or two since they are social.

Marshmelo76 · Post by **Marshmelo76** » Wed Aug 07, 2013 12:40 pm

Get rid of the sponge, they don't need it. Make sure he can walk in the waters but that it's not so deep he would drown. You'll want sand dollar or a cuttlebone (w/ bird supplies) soon as well for calcium.

finalfantasyxii · Post by **finalfantasyxii** » Wed Aug 07, 2013 12:58 pm

I agree with Melody. I would recommend getting a 10 gal tank (or bigger) asap. Here is an awesome guide JMT put together on how to make a 10 gal crabitat: http://landhermitcrabs.com/eve...510198 ... 86752First and foremost your crab needs proper heat/humidity just to breathe properly. So a tat you can seal up properly is high priority as well as a thermometer/hygrometer. Getting proper substrate will also help with humidity, which brings us to:Secondly you want deep, moist substrate! You can use play sand (home depot) and/or eco-earth (coconut bedding). Many people use mostly sand with some eco-earth mixed in. Good pics of deep substrate: http://www.hermitcrabpatch.com...-Substrate-a/133.htmAs Melody said, they need dechlorinated fresh and salt water. They need to be able to get in their water dishes and change out their shell water. A good dechlorinator that does NOT have any aloe or extras in it (like for fish) is a must and some aquarium salt (I get a big box of Instant Ocean at Petco for $10).Now that your crab can breathe and drink and stay hydrated, you will want to work on some quality food and things to hide in and climb on.

Mikau132 · Post by **Mikau132** » Thu Aug 08, 2013 2:15 am

Ok here is what I could set up for her so far with some extra supplies I had on hand: a five gallon with about ten extra shells, (I made her throw away the painted one) with about three to five inches of Eco Earth and sand, saltwater and freshwater, the tank has a lid and light, a plastic plant and a pistachio for some food.

jgfceit · Post by **jgfceit** » Thu Aug 08, 2013 5:56 am

You probably didn't need to throw out the painted shell: the paint would probably come off if you boiled it. It gets off 90% of it for about an hour's boiling. There may be a little stuck on there, but if it's not coming off now at 212 degrees, it's not coming off at 80, is it?

finalfantasyxii · Post by **finalfantasyxii** » Thu Aug 08, 2013 7:40 am

You can boil the painted shell, but I just throw them out unless it's a really good shell otherwise. I'm lazy... Sounds like an awesome set up! You should be on call for anybody with a new crab. I wish I had somebody else I knew who kept hermit crabs. Maybe there's a club or something around here...

Mikau132 · Post by **Mikau132** » Thu Aug 08, 2013 1:46 pm

Thanks! She said she will buy somedeclorinater and sea salt of her own, a few real dishes, a friend, a hygrometer, and maybe a thermometer. I feel all fuzzy inside for helping her hermit crab!

Laurie LeAnn · Post by **Laurie LeAnn** » Fri Aug 09, 2013 3:51 am

sadly this is just the way most crabs are sold. in bad conditions. I would just ditch the painted shell just for the fact that if you don't get all the paint off there is the chance a crab can pick at it and eat it or paint in side that you didn't see that didn't come off..