Keeping Substrate Moist??

[a22shady]

Hi everyone I purchased 2 Bags of substrate from Hermit crab Patch. I would every other day or so mist the surface with fresh water but I guess just over time eventually bottom starts to dryout. I just completely emptied all sand from cage a re mpoistened the sand using Salt water. I read somepoepl will remix with frsh water inside of cage.

I guess how often do you need to remix the substrate to keep the entire thing sand castle consistency I was about 3months is this average? Also im in NJ and its winter here so we use heat lol... but the crabs cage stays consistent 75-80F and Hygro 75%

[wodesorel]

The HCP already uses saltwater in their substrate, so mixing in more can be dangerous. Salt doesn't evaporate with the water, so continually adding in more will cause the levels to rise to the point where it will burn the skin of molting crabs. I had this happen - I stupidly didn't measure the saltwater out when mixing up new sub, and my crabs started coming up with all these tiny burn mark spots.



It wasn't just on their claws, it was all over their legs as well. I realized it was the salt when I went to empty the tank to try and stop it from happening and ended up with chemical burns on my own hands that didn't heal for two weeks. Once I emptied 3/4 of the substrate and mixed in fresh that had no salt added, the crabs all molted out of the spots.

So, what I'm getting at - please use only freshwater to moisten or spray in the future!!

As for your question about needing to rewet the sub, you can spray heavily instead, or invest in a fogger or humidifier. I go through a gallon of water in the humidifier on my big tank every day in winter. The dry house will suck all available water out of the tank. Sealing it up and using other moisture sources like moss pits inside will help, but if the sub is drying out then the only answer is to keep adding more water in on a regular basis, being careful not to flood it.

EDIT:

I've received several PMs about this post, and I realize now that it's hard to make out what the salt burns look like in the photo above. I put together this image below that shows a badly salt-burned crab and a healthy claw in the hopes that it might clear up the confusion!

[a22shady]

Now I am concerned.. Last thing I want to do is hurt the little guys. You are correct that HCP uses salt water already this was the 1st time I had to rewet the entire cage I figured Salt water was best to not have issues with fungus etc... Didn't think about the effects on the crab. As for Spraying Down the Tank I only use fresh water in a spray bottle. Do you think Having mixed the substrate with the Salt water the one time would cause those injuries? I used a Measuring cup when I added Salt water in. I only used Half Gallon Of Fresh water mixed with 1/4 cup of Sea Salt (for salt water mix) I will definitely Make sure to watch and the second it begins to dry again will rinse down sand with Fresh water only unless you believe that the one time using Salt water will or could hurt them than I guess I am stuck with getting new substrate Ugh..

Ill make sure I inspect the crabs and try get best look possible if this happens would it show from just being on surface or would they need be underground? I also think as you stated you didn't measure your salt water mix out might have had a bit to do with it. I had my hands in the 2 buckets mixing the sand thoroughly for a goo 30-40min lol just being sure I got all sand mixed and hands had no burns or red irritation

[a22shady]

well I watched over the crabs not sure how long this would take to happen if it does. but I didn't see any marks or dots on the one crab who has hung around surface all day and night long. The other crab our original loves to dig and he completely buries himself for some reason he fills on the dirt around him and all it looks like on surface is a big mound lol but once he comes back up and ill try look at him see if anything shows as well.

[wodesorel]

It only happens during a molt when their skin is still soft, so you wouldn't know for quite a while. I don't think once will have much of an effect, especially if your hands were okay, but it's something to watch for.

[kornchaser]

Hi everyone I purchased 2 Bags of substrate from Hermit crab Patch.

I only used Half Gallon Of Fresh water mixed with 1/4 cup of Sea Salt (for salt water mix)

This caught my eye. I used 1 gallon of salt water to wet my 50lbs of playsand that only piled up to a couple inches. A couple of bags from the HCP would be about 50lbs since they sell it in 25lb bags. So I'm wondering if your sub is deep enough eg: 6"+. Also every three months isn't normal and with only a couple inches of sub it won't hold that much moisture in like deep sand will. Also adding some EE bricks will help with keeping in moisture and the depth of your sub. Do you have a pet store near you where you could buy it? It's called expandable coco husk/coco fiber brick/Eco Earth etc.


Mommy of 10 PP babies:
Poseidon (Sid), Toby, Matty, Junior, Aries, Kaylee, Turbo, Adrian, Pepper and Flower. RIP Octavius & Fred

[a22shady]

Yes I have the Sub deep enough I have a small tank 10Gallons so the 2 bags made plenty there is 6 inch of substrate. I only have the 2 crabs and both are maybe medium size no bigger. Usually every other day or so I would spray the sand down with a water sprayer just listing the surface. It wasn't as if the sand was completely dried out where it wouldn't hold its form. You could still put a whole down into the sand with your finger and it would hold its form or when the crab come up from his over night hole digging the hole would still hold its form it was just that it wasn't as moist not quite "Sand Castle wet consistency" it was when I first got the bags back in November from HCP. As far as in the Tank goes I have absolutely zero problems with Maintaining Hygro or temp. The temp stays 72-75F and Hygro is typically at 75%

I also Created a somewhat of a second level in the Tank have a long bridge like thing I bought at pet store that the crabs will walk up goes the length of the cage it allows them to get into a pretty big moss pit as well which I also spray every other day to keep it moist

[Thardyrn]

Would u guys put the EE bricks in a corner of the tank or in a bowl in the tank I'm having the same issue keeping the sand to sand castle consistency! I find it turns into a dry clay on the bottom and the crabs get stuck during molt I lost a crabby due to this ! So frustrating is it ok just to use this EE all together and no sand ?


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[wodesorel]

You can definitely use straight EE, but it also can be challenging to keep at the right consistency since it will also dry out from the bottom up, but will rot (grow bad bacteria) if kept too wet. A mix of the two is usually the best of both worlds - the sand gives a great digging texture and the cocofiber keeps the moisture.

[kornchaser]

Would u guys put the EE bricks in a corner of the tank or in a bowl in the tank I'm having the same issue keeping the sand to sand castle consistency! I find it turns into a dry clay on the bottom and the crabs get stuck during molt I lost a crabby due to this ! So frustrating is it ok just to use this EE all together and no sand ?


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How you put it in the tank is mixing it all together with the sand, not in a bowl or corner. You get a bucket or tub and mix one brick with one gallon of dechlorinated fresh water and let it sit for 20 minutes then break it up and make sure it's all soaked through. Make sure your tank is empty and no crabs are under and then take a shovel and mix it all in.


Mommy of 10 PP babies:
Poseidon (Sid), Toby, Matty, Junior, Aries, Kaylee, Turbo, Adrian, Pepper and Flower. RIP Octavius & Fred

[curlysister]

Many of us use the approximate 5:1 ratio of sand to the broken up moist EE, in order to keep the consistency.

[Thardyrn]

Ok thanks very good to know !!! I'm gonna go grab some today ! I'm so nervous I have one that I dug up by accident and when I did I found broken old legs next to the shell I also seen some exoskeleton kinda hanging out of the shell BUT it won't fall out by itself ! So for me when I noticed when they are dead it falls right out but it's not I can't tell if there's a crabby in there ! So I dug a little ditch put him in there and covered with a soap dish that has holes so idk what to do it hasn't moved


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[Thardyrn]

So ? Guys this last post I wrote here about how I found the crabbie but his exoskeleton is still attached it still won't fall out ! I have it isolated but it hasn't moved should I try to inspect him ? No bad smell or anything also I just had another crabbie go down Under im afraid as I spray the sand everyday it getting heavy on him and it will turn to clay again ? Help


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[YYWW]

He needs to be in the dark. You can try to offer food and water to give him nutrients to molt, but if hes trying to dig or refuses to eat just get him dark and quiet so he can molt.


Crabbers unite!!!