Maximum temperature?

[CrabLoverPT]

So after a few months of worrying over their well-being, all three of my PP's have emerged from their first molt and have since gone on to munch on every edible in sight, stash away pieces of shrimp, forcibly redecorate their crabitat via extensive dragging of the cholla logs... The works.

The thing that has me worried now is that the thermometer I use, one of those little LCD strips, only goes up to 30º Celsius (86º Fahrenheit) and a short time after I turn on the overhead fluorescent light, the reading disappears altogether which according to the thermometer's instructions means that the temperature has gone up past 30º C/86º F. I also have a UTH but it's currently stored away and not in use, since the area I live in is going through a pretty scorching Summer.

Now, I've read that temperatures past that range could have a severe negative impact on the crabs' health, but they seem to love it. They're just as active when the light is on as they are at night in the dark, if not more so! I walk past and all three of them are out and about climbing something, or picking through the shell shop, or ambling around. Aren't overheated crabs supposed to hide in the shade or burrow down into the sand to cool off? It's not even that warm in there, I open the lid and I stick my hand inside the tank, and it actually feels as cool or even cooler than outside.

Maybe I'm overreacting and there's nothing to worry about? They look happy, healthy and active (and hungry!) enough, so... What do you guys think?

[soilentgringa]

I'm assuming you're an Aussie crabber?

@AussieJJDude probably knows way more about average temps in Oz, but crabs are usually happy in the mid 80's. Some crabs like it even a little bit warmer.

[CrabLoverPT]

Portuguese, actually. The crabitat feels cool enough to me that I'd rather shrink down and get in there with them than stay out here in this heat, but I'm a gigantic mammal next to my trio of PP's, so what do I know...

After I started the thread, I spent some time watching them as they had dinner and one of them seemed to be hanging out of his shell somewhat. That is supposed to be a sign of overheating, yes?

[soilentgringa]

Portuguese, actually. The crabitat feels cool enough to me that I'd rather shrink down and get in there with them than stay out here in this heat, but I'm a gigantic mammal next to my trio of PP's, so what do I know...

After I started the thread, I spent some time watching them as they had dinner and one of them seemed to be hanging out of his shell somewhat. That is supposed to be a sign of overheating, yes?

No, he could be grooming or removing poop from his shell.

Do you have Ecuadorian crabs? Coenobita compressus?

If your crabs did feel a little warm they would bury in the cooler substrate.

86 really isn't too high.

[CrabLoverPT]

Portuguese, actually. The crabitat feels cool enough to me that I'd rather shrink down and get in there with them than stay out here in this heat, but I'm a gigantic mammal next to my trio of PP's, so what do I know...

After I started the thread, I spent some time watching them as they had dinner and one of them seemed to be hanging out of his shell somewhat. That is supposed to be a sign of overheating, yes?

No, he could be grooming or removing poop from his shell.

Do you have Ecuadorian crabs? Coenobita compressus?

If your crabs did feel a little warm they would bury in the cooler substrate.

86 really isn't too high.

All three are Purple Pinchers, Coenobita clypeatus.

I've never seen them removing poop from their shells before, so I have no idea what it looks like (I have been fortunate enough to catch them changing shells in broad "daylight" several times, though) and I panicked a bit. Went over to have a look and they're all still pretty active, climbing rocks or dragging off bits of their dinner. Whoever coined the phrase "steal away" surely owned a hermit crab!

The temperature is definitely over 30º C/86º F, by how much I cannot tell and I'm still afraid it'll rise too much without me realizing, but I'll rest a little easier now since there's no immediate danger. Thanks for putting up with my worries and answering my questions!

[soilentgringa]

No problem.

[CallaLily]

The thing that has me worried now is that the thermometer I use, one of those little LCD strips, only goes up to 30º Celsius (86º Fahrenheit)

These tyoes of thermometers are not accurate. It's reading the surface of the glass, not the ambient air. The actual temp of your crabitat is probably a little lower. Pick up a digital or even analog thermometer to double check.

That said, crabs hanging way out of their shells can be a sign of overheating, but not always. As SG said, they could also be cleaning house. It's been my experience with PPs that temps higher than the recommended safe range are perfectly acceptable so long as there's cooler areas within the tank. As SG pointed out, the sub is usually cooler. But - there have been a few times during the heat of summer that temps in my crabitat have soared to mid-90s+ F throughout (when I've forgotten to unplug the heater). During that time my PPs were all very obviously hanging way out of their shells, overheated.

I hope this helps.

[CrabLoverPT]

The thing that has me worried now is that the thermometer I use, one of those little LCD strips, only goes up to 30º Celsius (86º Fahrenheit)

These tyoes of thermometers are not accurate. It's reading the surface of the glass, not the ambient air. The actual temp of your crabitat is probably a little lower. Pick up a digital or even analog thermometer to double check.

That said, crabs hanging way out of their shells can be a sign of overheating, but not always. As SG said, they could also be cleaning house. It's been my experience with PPs that temps higher than the recommended safe range are perfectly acceptable so long as there's cooler areas within the tank. As SG pointed out, the sub is usually cooler. But - there have been a few times during the heat of summer that temps in my crabitat have soared to mid-90s+ F throughout (when I've forgotten to unplug the heater). During that time my PPs were all very obviously hanging way out of their shells, overheated.

I hope this helps.

It does help, thank you! I am indeed considering getting a different thermometer for a more accurate read. The only "heating" equipment I have right now in the middle of Summer is the overhead fluorescent light on the lid. It spans the entire length of the tank and it does crank up the temperature at least a couple of degrees. Every morning it's at 26º C/78º F on room temperature alone, and shortly after I turn the light on, the little blue indicator thing on the strip simply disappears.

Tonight I noticed one of them digging a hole and burying itself inside with only the shell poking out, so I switched off the light just in case. I can't look inside without it, but it's not like they'll die of cold in there anytime soon either.

[aussieJJDude]

OMG, my ancestry is from portugal! (Dad comes from Madeira while my mum comes from Ourem!) I hope you don't mind, where do you come from?

But yeah, everyone summed it up pretty well. If is too hot, the crabs have their ways of cooling down. Its could include hiding, going to a damp cool spot, swimming or just digging. As long as you have the basics - deep substrate, water dishes - they should be fine. Plus at night the temperature will fall, as long as it's not prolonged it should be fine. In the wild, crabs are use to the fluctuations of extreme heat, where they have learn to adapt. Even just opening up the tank - airing it out - can reduce temps with air flow.

(soilentgringa, remember. Its June. Winter in Australia! )

[soilentgringa]

@AussieJJDude Ah! You are absolutely right, lol. I can't believe I forgot that. I've been talking to Aussie crabbers all week and we've been joking about socks and flip flops. [FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY]

[CrabLoverPT]

OMG, my ancestry is from portugal! (Dad comes from Madeira while my mum comes from Ourem!) I hope you don't mind, where do you come from?

But yeah, everyone summed it up pretty well. If is too hot, the crabs have their ways of cooling down. Its could include hiding, going to a damp cool spot, swimming or just digging. As long as you have the basics - deep substrate, water dishes - they should be fine. Plus at night the temperature will fall, as long as it's not prolonged it should be fine. In the wild, crabs are use to the fluctuations of extreme heat, where they have learn to adapt. Even just opening up the tank - airing it out - can reduce temps with air flow.

(soilentgringa, remember. Its June. Winter in Australia! )

I'm from Lisbon but I'm currently living in Alentejo, where Summers are usually unbearably hot. The only plus is easy beach access to stock up on sand and such. Never been to Madeira but I do know Ourém.

I usually turn the light on at around 2 PM, but they only come out of hiding later into the afternoon and dinner is served at 9 or 10 PM. The light goes off around midnight and they're still active when I pop by for a quick check at around 4 AM. I didn't turn on the light on schedule today, and noticed they were holed up most of the afternoon and early evening, until I finally turned it on for dinner. Tomorrow I'm thinking of going back to the usual routine. I've noticed one or two more instances where they dig themselves into a hole with just the shell poking out, but the water dishes are always full and I've taken to opening the lid on occasion as well, so the heat shouldn't be much of an issue.

I hope. And here I thought Winter would be the only nerve-racking season to get them through...

[aussieJJDude]

Oh, i when to Alentejo a few years back. Unfortunately it was nighttime so didn't really sightsee, but been there.

Sounds like you know what your doing, I'm sure just keeping an eye on things will be suffice. But winter will be a totally different experience, I'm sure you will be struggling to keep the heat up.

(soilentgringa, you're forgiven. Don't worry, I also get confused when you guys start talking about summer or when my newsfeed on FB comes up about summer.)

[CrabLoverPT]

Oh, i when to Alentejo a few years back. Unfortunately it was nighttime so didn't really sightsee, but been there.

Sounds like you know what your doing, I'm sure just keeping an eye on things will be suffice. But winter will be a totally different experience, I'm sure you will be struggling to keep the heat up.

(soilentgringa, you're forgiven. Don't worry, I also get confused when you guys start talking about summer or when my newsfeed on FB comes up about summer.)

That means a lot to me, many of you folks here are experienced hermit keepers while I'm just a shmuck trying to keep his crabs alive, and apparently doing something right at least. Thanks!

Nights in Alentejo can be deceptively chilly. Personally, it's pretty much the only time I can stand to go anywhere or do anything outside the house. I suspect that in 50 years or so this place will have turned into a full-blown desert, if the climate changes continue.

I got my first PP (called Potato in Portuguese, since he came to me like something of a hot potato) in March and you're correct, back then the problem was the temperature being so low that the thermometer indicator didn't show up either. I had to find a UTH in a matter of days, stuck it to the side, and by the time I got the other two crabs (Barbarian and Ninja) they all huddled up to it, perched on a cholla log. Then I noticed the temperature starting to rise day after day, until it was in the mid-20's C/mid-70's F range, and I thought the worse was behind me and that I could chill out for the Summer. Little did I know...

When Winter comes around again, I'm better prepared this time. The fluorescent light does a far better job at heating up the tank than the UTH but I'll hook it up as well if I decide they need a littla something extra.

[aussieJJDude]

Ahh, Batata(s)? Beautiful name, and sounds rather delicious too.
I've been wondering for a while, how do you say hermit crab in portuguese? When explaining to family over there, they look at me like they never heard of a hermit crab before. I always thought that people who have hermit crabs lived in the larger cities - like Lisbon and/or Porto... So I was surprised when you mentioned that you lived in Alentejo! I swear that it's more of a large town than a city....

For winter, insulate the tank. It could mean putting tinfoil around the back, sides and/or top, as well as using cardboard. Even styrofoam would work well, or the reflective material used in cars to keep out the sun...

This:

*Not my image, one of google images

[CrabLoverPT]

Exactly, Batata! The other two are Bárbaro (Barbarian) and Ninja which is, well, still Ninja.

I've known about hermit crabs from books ever since I was able to read and I've always seen it written in Portuguese as "caranguejos-eremita", though apparently there's some confusion in the national pet trade and some folks call them "caranguejos-ermita" but I just chalk it up to them not knowing what "eremita" (hermit) means originally. Trust me, they're still very obscure creatures over here. My cat's vet has never seen one in person, and every pet shop employee I talk to when I'm looking for toys and decorations looks both delighted and astonished to hear I have them, as if I just said I have a unicorn in my backyard. I did get Batata from a man in Lisbon, though. He'd bought it for his daughter at a pet show but then they realized that they wouldn't be able to take care of it properly and put it up for sale on OLX (roughly our equivalent of Craigslist), where I came across the ad by mere chance. Even I had no idea there were hermies for sale in the country, so you can imagine I jumped at the opportunity. I got the other two just a week later from a big exotic pets shop in Alverca to keep the first one company.

I do know what you mean, and I have a couple of those that won't see much use in the car during Winter. Thanks for the tip!