New to hermies, arid climate questions.

[Renorattler]

Hello all! Brand new to hermits. My family was on vacation at the beach in California for Christmas, and my daughter collected some shells. Unfortunately one of them was still occupied. Upon arriving at home we tried to save the little guy and I started researching care. He did not make it very long, being a marine hermit crab. But in doing research I learned about land hermies, and my daughter and I are very interested in starting our own crabitat!

We have been scouring Craigslist and the like for our first tank and planning out all our purchases. I was very glad to find this community! I have learned a great deal and feel prepared to start our journey. My daughter is 12, and my wife and I realize that we will be doing the bulk of the work so we have been making sure we are comfortable with the long term care needed.

My main concern is in climate. We live in northern Nevada, which is very dry. Cold in the winter and hot in the summer. So our ac and heater run quite frequently throughout the year. I am planning on using play sand and ee for our substrate, maybe a higher ratio of ee to help with humidity? Also planning on one or two of the bundy humidifiers as needed.

Can we overcome the conditions here to give some hermies a good home? Any tips for dry climates?

Thank you!

[LadyJinglyJones]

Welcome!
Sounds like you're already pretty well read on crabby needs.

While I don't live in a desert, my radiator can dry my room to under 30% humidity... I use proportionately large pools with bubblers attached (and you want the air stone positioned a couple of inches under water - you'll get better results than if it's close to the surface), and jute crocheted net that I mist heavily every day. Sometimes twice a day. The struggle is real!

Also moss pits are your friend, but again, you got to give them a good wetting down every day.

Hope that helps!

[Renorattler]

Welcome!
Sounds like you're already pretty well read on crabby needs.

While I don't live in a desert, my radiator can dry my room to under 30% humidity... I use proportionately large pools with bubblers attached (and you want the air stone positioned a couple of inches under water - you'll get better results than if it's close to the surface), and jute crocheted net that I mist heavily every day. Sometimes twice a day. The struggle is real!

Also moss pits are your friend, but again, you got to give them a good wetting down every day.

Hope that helps!

Thank you! Yes we are planning on doing a moss pit, and maybe a moss cave as well. Will do with the bubblers and air stone.

We found a brand new Aqueon 29 gallon aquarium at a thrift store today for $25 so I guess we are getting close to starting!

Another question, I believe we are going to start with smaller guys so we can watch them grow, should we still shoot for around 6-7" of substrate to start with so we don't have to add later?

[LadyJinglyJones]

Nice find on the tank!

I'd use more sand rat her than less... the 6 inches rule is a bare minimum.

[kieagcarm]

Welcome!
Sounds like you're already pretty well read on crabby needs.

While I don't live in a desert, my radiator can dry my room to under 30% humidity... I use proportionately large pools with bubblers attached (and you want the air stone positioned a couple of inches under water - you'll get better results than if it's close to the surface), and jute crocheted net that I mist heavily every day. Sometimes twice a day. The struggle is real!

Also moss pits are your friend, but again, you got to give them a good wetting down every day.

Hope that helps!

Thank you! Yes we are planning on doing a moss pit, and maybe a moss cave as well. Will do with the bubblers and air stone.

We found a brand new Aqueon 29 gallon aquarium at a thrift store today for $25 so I guess we are getting close to starting!

Another question, I believe we are going to start with smaller guys so we can watch them grow, should we still shoot for around 6-7" of substrate to start with so we don't have to add later?

With a 29g I would do at least 9 inches. I have a 20g high and it's 9 in sub except under the uth(I put my uth too close to the sub when I first got crabs) so it's only 6 in under it, I have a hill lol. My crabs are mostly small but they love to dig

Sent from my C5215 using Tapatalk

[Renorattler]

Done and done. I've read about settling now as well. We will probably shoot for 9"-10".

[Crabinski]

I live in Arizona, in the Phoenix area, and so am very familiar with constant AC in the late spring through fall and heat going in the winter. As I have severe arthritis, I can't let the house get too cold in any season and so keep the thermostat set at 71 in the winter and 81 in the summer. An Ultratherm UTH (11x23) keeps the crabitat (a 29g) at a cozy 80-85 year round. The 29g has about 8" of sub comprised of a 50/50 blend of playsand and EcoEarth: it was set up two years ago and has maintained its sandcastle consistency beautifully. I don't need to mist to keep the humidity up as the 50/50 blend and the pool bubblers take care of that -- the only misting I do is the moss pit twice a week.

[Renorattler]

I live in Arizona, in the Phoenix area, and so am very familiar with constant AC in the late spring through fall and heat going in the winter. As I have severe arthritis, I can't let the house get too cold in any season and so keep the thermostat set at 71 in the winter and 81 in the summer. An Ultratherm UTH (11x23) keeps the crabitat (a 29g) at a cozy 80-85 year round. The 29g has about 8" of sub comprised of a 50/50 blend of playsand and EcoEarth: it was set up two years ago and has maintained its sandcastle consistency beautifully. I don't need to mist to keep the humidity up as the 50/50 blend and the pool bubblers take care of that -- the only misting I do is the moss pit twice a week.

Thank you so much! This is what I was looking for! When you made your 50/50 blend did you mix all together, or layers of sand and eco earth?

[Crabinski]

Thank you so much! This is what I was looking for! When you made your 50/50 blend did you mix all together, or layers of sand and eco earth?

Blended it all together -- that's how it'll form that perfect sandcastle consistency. I strted with about 15 pounds of playsand and added in a prepared batch of EcoEarth (best to prep it with dechlorinated SW as that'll help prevent mold), then mixed it together. Added more playsand, more prepped EE, mixed it together until I reached the depth I wanted. To be sure you've gotten the consistency right, take a pencil or plastic soda straw and poke it down through the substrate -- when the pencil/straw is removed, the hole should remain open.