Hermit crab question. - UPDATE Need more hermie help post 10!! 7/1

[Missy Mouse]

I am a new owner of two hermit crabs. I've never had them before so this experience is new to me. I fixed their environment (the temp and humidity was too low) and now they're sitting pretty at 80 degrees for a temp and 72-75% humidity. There's one problem; they're not sitting. They're very active now which I know is a good thing but I'm afraid one is going to commit accidental suicide. I bought a coconut climber to foster their climbing needs, but the poor darling keeps climbing up it and hanging upside down to the lid of the cage. She then proceeds to fall shell first a little over a foot down into the sand at the bottom of the cage. Is this normal crab behavior? Do I need to worry about her commiting crabicide? Should I remove the climber? Any other hermie tips would be much appreciated.

 

[Forevryoung]

I think it depends on your views on crabicide.

Good luck with your new pet! Maybe you need to attach a bungie cord to the shell?

 

[Bichon Barb]

OMG this is so freaky! I just got off the phone with my 11 year old not a half an hour ago. He is on his way home from a trip to Ocean City with his friend and called to tell me he is now the proud owner of two hermit crabs. I even thought of starting a thread here entitled "My 11 year old has crabs".

All I know is he has a cage with shells in it and a sponge for water to drink and he's supposed to spray them regularly. I'll find out more tonight.

 

[RNMOM]

We used to have crabs for several years. I loved them. They have a, face?, only a mother could love. Actually they have two eyes but I have yet to figure out where their faces are. LOL.

I had some climb a lot and others not. It seems the bigger and heavier they are the less they climb. Do you have extra shells in the cage? They molt and need larger shells to climb into fairly often. They like to shop around so try to have more than one extra.

When they molt they are very vulnerable and other crabs will sometimes attack and kill and dismember them. If you can tell they are molting, you might want to separate them. They will usually start burrowing in the sand and need some dampness to help shed their too small skins. A nekkid crab is not too pretty. Really different than what I thought they would look like.

I have had some manage to excape and found putting several layers of nylon netting over the cage with a heavy rubberband helped. They liked to hang from the netting too.

If you hold them in your hand be sure to make the skin of your palm stretched flat and curve your fingers backward. They can get hold of your skin and when they do they hurt like the dickens. It is hard to get them to release too. It will only take once to make that mistake.

We used to have one named Tank that would hold a lego block and we could build on it. He loved his little blocks.

Have fun having crabs.

 

[Missy Mouse]

We used to have crabs for several years. I loved them. They have a, face?, only a mother could love. Actually they have two eyes but I have yet to figure out where their faces are. LOL.

I had some climb a lot and others not. It seems the bigger and heavier they are the less they climb. Do you have extra shells in the cage? They molt and need larger shells to climb into fairly often. They like to shop around so try to have more than one extra.

When they molt they are very vulnerable and other crabs will sometimes attack and kill and dismember them. If you can tell they are molting, you might want to separate them. They will usually start burrowing in the sand and need some dampness to help shed their too small skins. A nekkid crab is not too pretty. Really different than what I thought they would look like.

I have had some manage to excape and found putting several layers of nylon netting over the cage with a heavy rubberband helped. They liked to hang from the netting too.

If you hold them in your hand be sure to make the skin of your palm stretched flat and curve your fingers backward. They can get hold of your skin and when they do they hurt like the dickens. It is hard to get them to release too. It will only take once to make that mistake.

We used to have one named Tank that would hold a lego block and we could build on it. He loved his little blocks.

Have fun having crabs.

Thank you so much for your advice. I put in four extra shells for their molting pleasure. Right now one is in a soccer ball painted shell and the other is in some kind of pink bird shell. I hope to make them Patriots and Red Sox fans soon! My crabs seem to be friends. I made sure to get them from the same tank, and they like to hide out in their Crabworx hotel and snuggle together...which kind of worries me, I'm not ready to be a grandcrabmother yet. I just hope my daredevil climber doesn't break her spine from the flying leaps she keeps taking from the lid of the cage.

 

[Missy Mouse]

OMG this is so freaky! I just got off the phone with my 11 year old not a half an hour ago. He is on his way home from a trip to Ocean City with his friend and called to tell me he is now the proud owner of two hermit crabs. I even thought of starting a thread here entitled "My 11 year old has crabs".

All I know is he has a cage with shells in it and a sponge for water to drink and he's supposed to spray them regularly. I'll find out more tonight.

What a coincidence huh?? I have two sponges in there for them and I have been spraying them with spring water only several times a day. I found this website is very helpful: http://www.hermit-crabs.com/care.html
Good luck with yours too and let me know what you find out!

 

[Jaimee]

DS9 has 8 hermit crabs. The climbing is normal we have some that do it alot and other are pretty lazy. I wouldn't worry about them falling, they're landing in sand so they'll be ok. We have a 20 gallon tank and ours climb pretty high. DS made a "second story" for them out of legos and we put coconut fiber strips on it. I just try to keep it far enough away from the wish mesh top so they can't get up there.

Also, wanted to warn you about those painted shells. The paint is VERY toxic to the crabs. If they came in the painted shells, try to provide them with natual shells for when they decide to switch. The painted shells are also usually much thinner than natural ones, so they could injure themselves more easily. Check out the Hermit Crab Association message boards (yes there is such a thing and some of those people are crazy about crabs lol..they build custom 100 gallon tanks and everthing

 

[M 'n C]

Also, wanted to warn you about those painted shells. The paint is VERY toxic to the crabs. If they came in the painted shells, try to provide them with natual shells for when they decide to switch. The painted shells are also usually much thinner than natural ones, so they could injure themselves more easily. Check out the Hermit Crab Association message boards (yes there is such a thing and some of those people are crazy about crabs lol..they build custom 100 gallon tanks and everthing

I have heard the same thing. Get them out of those painted shells as soon as you can.

 

[hellokitty86]

I had hermit crabs for a very long time. They are a great pet!!

It is cool when they molt. Try to seperate them when it happens with lots of sand in the tank because they like to burrow, and take the skin they molted and put it next to them. They like to eat it Try not to bother them duing this time. I would leave them in there for about a week.

DO NOT try to remove them from their shells. The painted shells might be toxic but it will kill them if you try to remove them because they hang on so tightly. Some hermit crabs change their shells often, sometimes not at all. Just have acouple available to them so they can have their choice! It's really fun to see them change their shells. They usually do it when they know nobody is around because they are very vulnerable during that time- but if you can catch it its awesome!!!

They also like to snack on carrots.

By the way- don't worry about getting grandcrabbies. Hermit crabs ONLY lay their eggs in salt water and thats how they hatch. Since you shouldn't have salt water in your tank (they should only drink regular water- preferably bottled ) it won't happen!

This is a great website!
http://www.hermit-crabs.com/

 

[Missy Mouse]

New problem: I cannot keep the humidity up in the tank. It was 60% a little while ago. I put a heating pad under the bottom of the tank and the heat is up to 78 degrees and the humidity is at 68%. What can I do to stabilize the temperature and humidity? I have a screened lid, it is not solid plastic. Do I need to get a different one?? Also, my crabs are sleeping inside their hotel I bought them. Go here to see it: http://www.petco.com/Assets/product_images/0/015561180528B.jpg
They have been sleeping in there since last night and refuse to come out. They are definitely alive. Is this normal crab behavior?

 

[MomNeedsVacay]

WOW... you are testing temp and humidity? I've never tested anything! .. our hermit crab has lived with us for about a year now and has NEVER shed his shell... Is this not normal? I have 2 other shells for him to "try out" but I've never sprayed him either...GEESH..I'm a bad crab owner... He seems fine...not very active. He likes to hide a lot.....

 

[Missy Mouse]

WOW... you are testing temp and humidity? I've never tested anything! .. our hermit crab has lived with us for about a year now and has NEVER shed his shell... Is this not normal? I have 2 other shells for him to "try out" but I've never sprayed him either...GEESH..I'm a bad crab owner... He seems fine...not very active. He likes to hide a lot.....

I bought a dual gauge thermostat and humidistat for my crabs because our weather has not been very humid and a humidity consistently less than 70% will kill crabs. Is your crab Ecuadorian? If he is he may only shed it every few years. Carribean crabs are the ones that shed every few months. I know that if you don't spray them at all or if you spray them with chlorinated water you will suffocate and kill him slowly.