Digging Ability Poll

mrbonzai211 · Post by **mrbonzai211** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 4:38 pm

One of the most popular topics I see on HCA is people worried about "collapsing the tunnel of their crab." I personally think we underestimate crabs digging abilities (and yes even when they are molting). I rearrange my tank every month and I have a lot of heavy wood and I know for a fact I probably collapse every tunnel in my tank in the process, but I have never had a problem with a 15 crab tank during a time period of about a year. I just wanted to know what other people think on this subject and see if we are really underestimating our crabs abilities or if this is a valid thing to be scared of.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 4:41 pm

I vote "Yes" because I have accidentally knocked in tunnels and the crabs dig out of it

if it collapses, then they just come up and start over. However, I think there are exceptions like for crabs that are recovering from a molt.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 5:15 pm

I voted no because all of my friends have told me about their hermit crab's tunnel being collapsed during a molt and they died.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 7:55 pm

i think the average digging crab is fine. it has to happen in the wild. molting crabs however, i think this is a problem for. maybe not always, but they are so delicate and tired from that process.

mrbonzai211 · Post by **mrbonzai211** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 8:21 pm

If it is a problem, I would guess it is also more serious with sand then it is cocohusk. Sand is pretty air tight and doesn't breath as much as EE.

Mamakins · Post by **Mamakins** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 9:05 pm

I peek on the bottom of my tank every few days and I know a tiny has gone from one end to the other of a ten gallon tank. I suppose he could be coming up at night but there's been no evidence of food disturbed or EE in the water dish. If he can dig this far underground then I'm not worried about collapsed tunnels.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 12:02 am

I agree with sorejoints......It is just my belief, but I think that the only times a colapsed tunnel really presents a problem for a crab is when the crab is shedding the exo, and for the few days following a molt. For those several days, they are just too weak to dig themselves out.

If the tunnel-colapse happens a week or so after the molt, they are most likely strong enough to dig themselves out of the mess.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 1:25 am

good points above (in agreement with sorejoints and kathy)

Tidytourniquet · Post by **Tidytourniquet** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:29 am

I also agree with sorejoints and kathy.

I'm sure in the wild they have a tunnel collapse and can dig out just fine but just because they are able to doesn't mean I go around and collapse them. If I know there is a tunnel and I have to move something around in the tank to clean or whatever else I will try to avoid that area or if I must do something above it I will do it very carefully. I don't want to put undue stress on a crab even if they are healthy. I know if I just cleaned my room and someone came along and made a mess I would be pretty mad, just like if a crab just dug a hole or tunnel and someone collapsed I doubt they would be happy to have to do it all over again.

Jedediah · Post by **Jedediah** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 11:36 am

I think the real problem with collapsed tunnels is that the crab is stressed by this and when it happens right after shedding the exo or during hardening again, it might be fatal. I'm fairly sure that they get enough air, especially in coconut fibre, even when the tunnel is collapsed until they can dig out again.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 12:26 pm

When people talk tunneling, are these actual tunnels? My crabs seem to make tracks. When I have windows, I just see a crab with an air bubble around it. When tunneling, it seems they just push dirt* from the front of them to the back of them, moving them and their air bubble forward. Not actually leaving a tunnel behind them. It would seem to me this just leaves an aerated track through the substrate, not a full fledged tunnel. And if it's not a full fledged tunnel, how can it collapse? I can understand dirt becoming re-compacted, but unless something causes a collapse right on top of the crab/air bubble itself, I don't see any problem. But if this collapse IS on the crab and air bubble, then yes, I feel a crab may have issues with that.

Sorry, it's just when I read people talking about collapsed tunnels, I think of adventure movie scenes when the tunnel in the pharaoh's tomb collapses, cutting off the only known escape route

* "dirt" is just a substitute word for "substrate of choice"

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 12:46 pm

acwmaiden wrote: Sorry, it's just when I read people talking about collapsed tunnels, I think of adventure movie scenes when the tunnel in the pharaoh's tomb collapses, cutting off the only known escape route

you are right acwmaiden, come to think of it. i see my PPs mostly make "tunnels" like that. most of all my Es make litteral tunnels though. i can stick one of my fingers in as far as it can go and hit open space that theyve cleared.

HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Digging Ability Poll

Do you think we underestimate our crabs ability to dig with special consideration to when they are already underground and their tunnel is "collapsed"?

Digging Ability Poll