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FAQs on Terrestrial/Freshwater Hermit Crabs
Related Articles:
Terrestrial Hermit Crabs, Freshwater
Crustaceans, Invertebrates
for Freshwater Aquariums by Neale Monks,
Related FAQs: Terrestrial
Hermit Crabs 2, & FAQs on Terrestrial Hermits:
Terr. Hermit ID,
Terr. Hermit Behavior,
Terr. Hermit Compatibility,
Terr. Hermit Selection,
Terr. Hermit Systems,
Terr. Hermit Feeding,
Terr. Hermit Disease,
Terr. Hermit Reproduction.
& FAQs on Marine/SW:
SW Hermit ID,
SW Hermit Behavior,
SW Hermit Compatibility,
SW Hermit Selection,
SW Hermit Systems,
SW Hermit Feeding,
SW Hermit Disease/Health, SW
Hermit Reproduction,
&
FW Crustaceans 1, FW
Crustaceans 2,
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http://landhermitcrabs.com/
http://www.hermit-crabs.com/
http://www.crabbytalk.com
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Hermit crabs, human hlth. 5/1/08
Hi
I just have a few quick questions. My daughter is very ill and can not be around
any disease carrying pets someone suggested a hermit crab to her and she has
been searching to see if she can have one. Do they carry any diseases that can
be transmitted to humans?
<Mmm, not unless the human is badly challenged immunity wise... some waste
bacteria...>
Are they expensive to take care of?
<Mmm, no>
I hope to hear form you soon. I would like to purchase a couple as soon as I
know if they are safe for her because we don't know how much longer she will be
with us and I want to give her what ever she wants but sometimes I can't. She is
just recently without her dog due to this illness and now she just wants
something she can love. Also if they are safe where is the most reputable place
to buy them? I only have corporate pet stores near me like Pet smart and Pet co.
<Some of these (due to individual staff) are excellent. I would visit, engage
them in conversation... purchase a small book on Hermit husbandry, read it with
your child. Oh, and do read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/hermitcrabfaqs.htm
for some general care input>
Thank you
Valeri
<Welcome. Bob Fenner>
I'm needing help with feeding. Terr. Hermits... reading
I have 2 hermit crabs, they both are doing fine .Well I think they are. They
sleep almost all day long, and then seem to want to "play" at night. I
have hermit food for them, but they don't seem very interested in eating
it. So I have tried fresh food for them. I just started giving them
tropical fruits which they seem to love to eat. And then they are very
active after that. But how good is it for them to eat pineapple and
papaya all the time???? thanks Tammy from Ozark , mo
<Mmm, no... likely need a source of minerals as well. Supplemented or
included in the food, or the substrate. Please read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/hermitcrabfaqs.htm
and the linked files in the top right tray. Bob Fenner>
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Terrestrial Hermit Crab Habitat: How much weight in a
terrarium? Sys. 11/8/07
Hey all,
<Hello,>
First to say, love the site, I keep up with it on a
regular basis to make sure that my fish are well taken
care of. You guys do a marvelous job!
<Thanks.>
Next, explaining a bit about my actual question, lol. I
recently decided to get into terrestrial hermit crab
keeping since I work in a biology lab at my college and
they keep one or two little crabs... They're so fun and
cute, I started looking into what it takes to keep some
of my own.
<Ah, yes, they are nice pets. Crustaceans generally make
very entertaining pets but they do have specific needs.
In the case of a hermit crab, it needs warmth from under
the vivarium, a certain amount of humidity, water for
bathing in, a varied (mostly plant-based) diet, and
(often overlooked) the company of at least two other
hermit crabs. The "bath" is one tricky aspect: different
species need freshwater, brackish water or salt water
baths. Make sure you identify the crabs on sale, and
clear this aspect up before purchase. To be fair, the
standard species is Coenobita clypeatus and that one is
fine with freshwater; but oddball species are also sold,
and may be particularly attractive because of their
unusual colours and shapes.>
For starters, I do have an empty terrarium, which is why
I was looking for a new sort of pet to keep, it has
ventilation holes with small screen covers, so there is
no converting it to a fish tank of any sort, it was
meant to be strictly a terrarium. (Originally it was
bought to house some Jackson Chameleons, which was many,
many years ago and they've hence passed on,
unfortunately.) It's made by Oceanic and seems to have
fairly thick glass, thicker than my ten gallon at least
(roughly twice as much), from what I can tell from
general observations. It's also fairly large, roughly
three feet by two and another two and a half tall.
<Sounds ideal.>
Now, onto asking the question. I want to make sure the
crabs would have plenty of digging/molting depth, so I
was looking at how much sand I'd have to put into this
thing... And a site was brilliant enough to bring up the
point that some terrariums really aren't meant to handle
heavy loads. So I was wondering if it was actually safe
to put as much sand as I'd need into it and not risk the
tank. Now there's a few things I was thinking of
doing... For the record, this terrarium currently sits
on a pretty sturdy metal frame work that it came with,
but there is no underneath/middle support, it's strictly
the frame work that it rests on (I'm not sure how
crucial that is, so thought I'd mention it).
<You actually don't need masses of sand, and in fact a
mix of sand and coconut fibre (available in reptile
shops) is the ideal. In the wild they burrow into leaf
litter, and this mix replicates this perfectly. The
coconut fibre holds moisture well, which is critical to
hermit crab health in the long term. Anyway, the mix of
fibre with a bit of sand for stability will add very
little to the weight of the vivarium.>
Now, I can take the tank off the current stand and sit
it on the floor (it's tall enough that viewing is still
fine like this), so that I don't have to worry much
about the weight at all, but I have tile floors and I'm
a little worried about the tile lowering the overall
temperature of the tank. I could also buy some scrap
carpet or material to sit it on so that it won't be
directly on the cool tile, if that would make a
difference.
<The ideal here would be to place polystyrene tiles on
the table, put the heating mat on that, and then the
vivarium on top. The heating mat should have
instructions about this. The loss of heat by conduction
through the base of a vivarium is pretty trivial
compared with, for example, warm air rising out the top
of the tank.>
I can also buy a piece of plywood or something and use
it as a brace for the bottom of the tank, placing it
between the framework and the bottom of the terrarium,
but I'm not entirely sure what exactly to use or how
well that would work.
<Sounds overkill to me.>
I could also leave the tank where it is and trust it's
sturdy enough to handle the weight of the sand... I'm
fairly certain a tank this size was meant to handle
fairly heavy reptiles and it's possible I'm worrying
over this for no reason whatsoever, but I thought,
better safe than sorry, and I should ask some people
that might know more about how much weight a terrarium
could take. :)
<Should be fine. Test it out before adding the animals,
and if all seems well, press on!>
Alright, think that was all I needed to pester you with.
Thank you soooo much for your time and consideration!
It's extremely appreciated.
~Caitie
<Hope this helps, Neale>
Re: Terrestrial Hermit Crab
Habitat: How much weight in a terrarium? 11/8/07
Thanks for the response, I'll pick up some coconut fiber substrate tomorrow
to mix in with the sand. That should take some of the weight out of it, I think,
not a lot, but still... I was just worried because I know they need a lot of
burrowing room so that they'll molt properly, and I do intend to have some
jumbos at some point, either from the littles I'll get growing up or just
starting with some jumbos. Everything I've read thus far suggests having at
least double the crab's height in sand. So yes, I was a little worried that much
sand would be fairly heavy.
<Mix the sand in with the coconut fibre, with the coconut fibre being 90% by
volume. The sand is really there just for stability, though they may also use
sand during moulting (crustaceans have structures called statocysts into which
grains are sand are placed during moulting; these act as balance organs).>
The only thing I have a further question on is the heating pad for underneath
the terrarium, wouldn't that be just fine attached to the bottom of the tank,
since I'll just leave the tank where it is on the metal framework? (i.e., there
would be nothing underneath the heating pad, it would just stick to the exposed
bottom.)
<Sounds fine. But do check with the specific heater: all are different, and the
manufacturer will state best practise for that particular model.>
And do I really need an under tank heater if the overall temperature stays
around 80?
<If you live in Caribbean where these crabs come from, or somewhere else in the
tropics, then no, you don't need a heater. But if you live in the continental
United States or Europe, then yes, a heater is important. The danger with
keeping tropical animals at room temperature is that we don't appreciate the
variations across the year. Even in, say, California or Italy, the summertime
temperatures might be fine, but in winter once the air temperature drops below
25 C//77 F the poor crabs become stressed. They are adapted to warm, humid
conditions. Under tank heaters don't cost very much and cost very little to run.
If your home is warm most of the year, then the heater will be off much of the
time anyway. But it'll be there as a back-up for when it *does* get cold,
producing warmth and humidity, and keeping your crab cozy and active. After all,
these crabs are fun when they're scooting about climbing stuff and checking out
shells. They are incredibly boring when they are cold, morose, lethargic or
sick.>
That way the top of the sand would be warm and the under sand would be cool,
like in nature? (Least it is if I'm remembering my last trip to the beach
correctly, lol.)
<In the wild, the soil is actually a "buffer" used to escape extremes in
temperature. When it gets too hot (e.g., at midday) these crabs will burrow into
the cooler, moist sand. But at other times, for example during storms or cold
snaps, the sand will be a relatively warm and dry place they can wait out the
bad times. Your job is to provide something as close as possible to the tropics:
warm humid air, substrate for digging into, water for bathing, and a glass lid
over the tank to keep the humidity inside the vivarium.>
Again, thanks for your input. :)
<Good luck, Neale.>
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Hermit Crab Outside It's
Shell*** – 09/10/07
Hello,
My daughter received a hermit crab for her birthday, so we were
unfortunately un-prepared and un-educated regarding this "new
pet"...nonetheless, after one week of having him, (and after
reviewing hermit crab information), we decided to buy him a
"friend".
The new hermit crab has been active since the purchase, climbs,
and we actually saw him eat, compared to the other ones
behavior. (Prior to the new one's arrival, the initial one
didn't move around too much, unless outside of it's cage or
handled, and we never saw him eat---)
After it was determined the "friend" was safe, we introduced
them...the new one seemed pretty interested in the initial crab,
and appeared to corner him in a pot we are using for a hideout
for them. However, there wasn't too much noise, nor loss of
limbs which would indicate a shell fight?! We moved them apart
from each other, and they remained apart as far as we know...
The other morning, my daughter woke up and discovered that the
original crab came outside his shell (approximately 12 hours
after the two crabs were introduced)...
We tried to isolate him with his original shell and newer ones
of different sizes (we boiled all of which)...we tried to
manually get him in his shell, and after all of which has failed
he is now isolated in a new bigger aquarium. He doesn't seem to
eat much, and hangs out on the water dish...
Is this crab going to make it? How long can they live outside
their shell?
Is there something else we can do for it? How long should we
keep him isolated?
Thank you~
<Greetings. When hermit crabs leave their shells -- and don't go
into new ones -- it is a very bad sign. The bottom line is this:
despite being widely sold as inexpensive pets, hermit crabs are
every bit as demanding as any other exotic animal. They need
warmth, humidity, and access to the right sort of water. Some
need freshwater to bathe in, others brackish (slightly salty)
water. As much as they need warmth and humidity, they can also
overheat, and one response to this they have (in the short term
at least) is to leave their shells and lose extra heat by
evaporation. Hermit crabs can and will fight -- they don't need
friends! Quite the opposite: crabs fight over access to shells
in the wild because complete shells suitable for use are a very
restricted resource. So they tend to fight and then the winner
will try out the loser's shell to see if its an improvement. The
loser might get the winner's old shell, and if you're lucky,
it'll fit and no harm is done. But if the loser ends up with a
shell that won't fit, then the poor little crab is a homeless
hermit. You can coax crabs back into their shells, mostly by
rinsing both off with clean, dechlorinated water, either fresh
or brackish depending on the species you have (this is
important: try and identify which species you have, and then use
the right kind of water). Place the cleaned crab and hermit
somewhere quiet, and hopefully nature will take its course.
Offer some alternative shells as well of similar or slightly
larger size. Never, EVER try to force the crab into a shell --
you'll almost certainly cause damage to the animal. In the short
term at least, the crab isn't at risk, so speed isn't critical.
Finally, go through the list of environmental things and make
sure you're up to speed on all of them. Just a reminder: you
need a substrate of coconut fibre or similar for them to walk
about it, a pool of fresh or brackish water, an under tank
heater to raise the air temperature to around 25 C, and a way of
ensuring the humidity is quite high (a loose fitting glass lid
is ideal, keeping the warm air and moisture in, but leaving
enough ventilation to prevent fungus). None of this is
expensive. Coconut fibre you can buy in blocks from reptile pet
stores for a few dollars, glass can be cut to size by any glass
or DIY store, an under tank heater costs around 10-20 dollars
depending on the size of the tank, and the pool of water need be
nothing more complex than a plastic peanut butter jar lid or
very shallow trough of some sort. Needs to be deep enough they
can crawl into and splash about, but not so deep they can climb
out of easily, and certainly shouldn't be able to drown in. For
the average size crab, a bath about 1 cm should be fine. As
mentioned before, avoid overheating by keeping the tank away
from direct sunlight. And that's basically it. They aren't
expensive animals in the least, but those very few things are
pretty much non-negotiable. Some folks pamper their crabs by
giving them plastic plants and bogwood to crawl about on and
explore, and so much the better. These are mostly
forest-dwelling animals, and they appreciate climbing areas. But
the coconut fibre is the thing they like to dig into, and that's
fun for them too. It's like leaf litter, I guess. And that's
about it. I hope this helps, Neale>
Hermit Crabs, beh., sys.
8/18/07
Just a simple but maybe a complex question; I recently bought two hermit
crabs. One of them died and the other has really been acting funny. There was a
natural sponge in the aquarium with the hermit and it has torn the sponge all
apart. Can you tell me what I need to do, whether I should buy another sponge or
just what. What caused him to destroy the other sponge?
Thanks
<Greetings. Hermit crabs, like crabs and crayfish, view sponges as soft
sediments to be picked through and any organic detritus found therein eaten as
food. It's what they do in the wild, and you can't stop them doing this in the
aquarium. So, the filter needs to be something encased in plastic, like a box
filter. Hermit crabs are not "easy" pets, and keeping them alive for any length
of time requires a little effort. They need warmth, humidity, soft sediment
(like coconut fibre) for burrowing into, a proper diet, water for bathing
(either freshwater or brackish depending on the variety). Be sure and read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/hermitcrabfaqs.htm
If you still have problems, get back in touch. Cheers, Neale>
My hermit crab has buried
him/herself twice in two days! 8/14/07
Hi
I just came home from vacation and my dad has been taking good care of my crabs
(even though one of them died).
I found one buried in sand.
That night it came out of the hole
The next morning (today) I couldn't find it!
I found it buried under the small "stick" we have in our crabitat.
I left him be-I think he's molting.
What should I do?
Thanks,
David
<... what species is/are these? Do you provide moisture (as in a piece of damp
sponge?)... Have you read here?:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/hermitcrabfaqs.htm
Bob Fenner>
My daughters Hermit Crab
needs a friend, sel. 8/12/07
We purchased a hermit crab for my daughter at an outdoor fair a few months
ago and we read that they do better with other Hermit Crabs.
We have since moved to Monterey and today we noticed hundreds of them in little
tide pools at the beach. Is it safe to snag one of those little guys to give
Shabby a Friend? Thanks.
<No, this won't work. The tide pool hermits are aquatic and marine; the hermit
crabs you have as a pet is almost certainly a terrestrial freshwater or brackish
water species. In other words, one wants to stay underwater in a marine tank,
the other on more or less dry land with fresh or brackish water for the
occasional bath. They have nothing in common requirements-wise, and can't be
kept together. While hermit crabs may all look the same to the untrained eye,
they're really a very diverse group. So, best to stick with finding others of
the same species as you already have. Shouldn't be difficult, since these are
quite widely sold in pet stores. Do be sure and read up on them though: like
goldfish, people often end up with these animals without actually having learned
anything about their quite demanding needs. Cheers, Neale>
My Terrestrial Hermit Crab
has lost a leg 7/29/07
Hello,
I bought a hermit crab and brought him home a week ago.
He was fine until he lost a leg. He is still alive and hardly moves (he can't
walk).
I spray him with dechlorinated water everyday and put him on top of some food.
What should I do?
David
<Hi David. It doesn't sound like your Hermit Crab is feeling too well. Perhaps
his home isn't as comfortable as it should be. Please reply with the following
information:
What is the substrate you use (sand, gravel)?
What is the humidity of his environment?
What is the temperature of the surface of the substrate?
What is the temperature of the air?
Do you use a heat pad under the tank or a light?
Is the heat pad or light positioned on one half of the tank only?
Do you provide fresh dechlorinated or spring water daily?
Do you provide fresh food and remove the old daily?
Do you provide different size shells for him to switch if need be?
Hermit crabs generally need humidity of at least 70% and temperatures that do
not drop below 72F. They enjoy company of their own kind and are known to travel
in packs in the wild. You shouldn't spray them down EVERY single day. Once or
twice a week will suffice. However, spraying keeps the humidity up so you CAN
spray the substrate (sand, hopefully) every day, several times a day if need be.
Regardless, if you provide him with all of his needs he can grow his leg back as
he molts. So, as you can see, you've got some testing to do and perhaps some
environmental concerns to alleviate if the results are less than satisfactory.
For the time being, here is a link to help you:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwcrustfaqs.htm
Good luck and reply back if you need any more help. -Paul>
Re: My Hermit Crab has lost a
leg – 07/30/07
> <Hi David! Twothless here.>
> Thanks but he died 3 hours after I emailed you- but please tell me what I
should do for my other crab.
<Aww, Sorry to hear that>
> Answers to your questions:
> What is the substrate you use (sand, gravel)? -Gravel. Should I use sand
instead?
<Yes, absolutely.>
> What is the humidity of his environment? -I don't know.
<Not good at all. Humidity/temperature gauges are very cheap, can be bought
right where you bought your Hermit Crab and are easy to use. Just place it
directly where you want to test the humidity and temperature and you'll have the
reading within minutes.>
> What is the temperature of the surface of the substrate?-I don't know
<Again, not good. See answer above.>
> What is the temperature of the air? -I don't know (the house temp is
generally 70 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit)
<I don't mean to sound like a broken record but, again, not good at all.>
> Do you use a heat pad under the tank or a light? -No heat pad. I have a light
but don't leave it on all the time
<Some type of heating element must be employed to keep the environment at, or at
the very least, close to, the recommended levels for your Hermit Crab. A very
small heat pad stuck to the underside of one end of a ten gallon tank works very
well. The heat pad only at one end will make that side of the tank warmer and
give the hermit crab a choice of temperature gradients. Lighting isn't exactly
necessary as ambient light from windows is plenty for them to see. If you DO use
lighting, try to use a fluorescent conversion as it won't generate too much
heat.>
> Do you provide fresh dechlorinated or spring water daily? -Dechlorinated
daily.
<Good!, some folks actually provide a dish of fresh water AND a dish of salt
water for them to soak in. The salt should never be aquarium salt or table salt
though, only oceanic salt mixes.>
> Do you provide fresh food and remove the old daily? -Every other day.
<Good! They also like fresh fruits and veggies from time to time.>
> Do you provide different size shells for him to switch if need be?-Yes.
<Good!>
> Tell me if I am doing anything wrong and what I should do differently!
<It's all up above.>
> Thanks!
> David
<Glad to help! Get started fixing up your Crabitat so that your remaining one
will remain healthy. Perhaps another crab or two would help keep him company as
well. Anyway, don't forget to read this entire page that I think will help
provide a ton of answers for you:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwcrustfaqs.htm You can also use the
WWM Search Feature on this page:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/WWMAdminSubWebIndex/question_page.htm Good Luck with
your Hermit Crab! -Twothless>
Re: My hermit crab has lost a
leg – 08/02/07
< Hi David! Twothless here>
Thanks! Two more questions:
How do you tell the difference between a male and female hermit crab?
<Good question! You'll have to place the Hermit Crab into a clear container or a
glass bowl and view it from underneath. When the Hermit Crab comes partly out of
the shell to move around, look at its second pair of legs from the claws. At the
base of these legs, a female will have a very small opening called gonopores.
There will be one on each 2nd leg. No gonopores means its a male.>
If I serve fruits and veggies, what do they like best and how do I serve
them?
<Hermit Crabs like flower petals such as Dandelions, Daisies, Hibiscus, Rose,
Sunflower and probably more (Google or WWM Hermit Crab diet). They also need
lots of protein. 50% of their diet should consist of proteins from eggs,
Spirulina, beans, nuts, seeds. Spirulina is a favorite as it is easy to keep on
hand in the form wafers. You should provide one or more of the following at
least twice a week to provide much needed zeaxanthin: Orange bell pepper,
Broccoli, Cilantro, Collards, Romaine Lettuce, Frozen Peas (served thawed and
shelled). All of these foods are best served chopped-up into morsels small
enough for the crab to handle them easily. Of course, store bought Hermit Crab
feed is a good idea to offer regularly as well. Presumably, these blends contain
much needed micronutrients and the like. Try to supplement their diets with
reptile calcium powder that contains vitamin D3. Add a light sprinkling on their
food a couple times a week. Again, try Googling Hermit Crab diet and other such
keywords and you will instantly be inundated by websites containing MUCH more
information than any one person or source could ever offer. Good Luck and Bon
Appetite to your Hermit Crab/s!>
Thanks!
David
<You're VERY welcome! I'm glad you are taking the initiative to correct your
Crabitats shortcomings. - Twothless>
Re: My hermit crab has lost a
leg – 08/02/07
I updated my Crabitat today just as you recommended, but I have one problem.
When I spray my crab, sand sticks to him.
Is that a problem?
<No. It shouldn't be a bother at all. I think you'll soon find that they really
like to bury themselves, partially, into the sand when they sleep. So, sand
sticking to them temporarily is of no consequence.>
Thanks!
David
<You're very welcome. - Twothless>
Hermit crab & Sand 7/25/07
Hi My name is CJ, I am 12 and have my first hermit crabs (3). Is it okay to
use regular beach sand for them to crawl on or do I need a special type of sand?
Also is it okay to have different types of hermit crabs living together.
For example I have a large strawberry living with 2 regular pet store hermit
crabs. I am not sure what type they are, but they are night bright red like my
strawberry, more of brownish/grey color. Presently I have them living on
aquarium gravel and marbles.
Thanks,
CJ
<Hello CJ. When keeping hermit crabs, the optimal sand is calcium carbonate
enriched sand, sold for crabs as well as reptiles. Crabs use the calcium
carbonate as a dietary supplement for their skeleton. You can buy this stuff
from any pet store. Some crab-keepers like to mix sand with coconut fibre
("coir") at a 50/50 ratio. The point to the coconut fibre is it stores moisture,
which is essential for the hermit crabs. The crabs need the humidity in the air
for their "lungs" to work properly, and when they feel the need, they will dig
into the sand/fibre mixture to cool down or sleep. So, much happier crabs!
Coconut fibre can be purchased in big blocks for a couple of dollars and after
soaking in water you end up with gallons of the stuff. It doesn't change the pH
of the substrate (unlike peat or soil) which is a major plus, and being so cheap
you can easily change it every couple of months or whenever it starts to get
dirty. Being nice and dark it also highlights the colours of the crabs, and you
get a much more natural looking environment than just using plain sand or God
forbid one of those hideous coloured gravels. Cheers, Neale>
Hermit Crab death, terr.
6/25/07
Hi Bob
While on vacation in Hilton Head Island, SC I bought two hermit crabs (on Wed.).
<"Land" hermits I take it>
One was very energetic and always out of his shell, the other one was very shy
and took a very long time to come out of her shell. We let them play in a
laundry basket for a little bit and later discovered part of her leg was
missing.
<Mmm, these can regenerate with molts/molting...>
Turns out she was already missing a whole leg on one side and a part of a leg
missing on the other side. She was always very shy except for when she came out
to play with me. I was worried she wasn't eating, but after two days i caught
her finally eating.
<These animals do have a source of moisture?>
She seemed a lot better and happy by Friday. Saturday was our day to leave and
drive home to Cleveland, OH. They seemed like they were sleeping the whole way
home... When we were home and I went to take them out to play I saw that my girl
had not only passed away, but had lost her giant pincher and her leg with the
part of it missing! What happened to her? Did she do it to herself? Was she
sick? Did the other one do it?
<Mmm, can't say... all are possibilities though>
The other one is completely fine. I know they should have friends and I should
get another one, but I'm scared he killed her. What do you think?
Thank you so much,
Lindsay
<I would do my best to provide care to the one you still have. Have you read
here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/hermitcrabfaqs.htm
and the linked files in the tray at top right? Bob Fenner>
Freshwater hermit crabs 4/22/07
I can't seem to find much info on freshwater hermits. I know they do
exist, but how would I go about finding some? Will they live in an
African Cichlid tank?
<All so-called "freshwater" hermit crabs are actually amphibious, and as
such, unsuitable for use in an aquarium. The only truly non-marine,
fully aquatic hermit crab in the trade I'm aware of is Clibanarius
tricolor, the blue-leg hermit crab. It does very well in brackish water
aquaria at SG 1.010+. It cannot be adapted to freshwater. Cheers,
Neale.>
My pet Hermit crab 1/10/07
Hi I am Lauren
<Hi Lauren!>
and I have recently taken in a saltwater hermit crab as my pet on holidays...
<How is he only a pet on holidays? Is he in a reef tank, salt water tank...
what?>
we went on 2 different websites when we got home from our holiday which was a
day after we took the hermit crab in it said to supply shells for them so we put
in one which was not for the hermit crab to change in to but for it to get to
land ..then the next day my dad told me he moved in to it but the problem is it
is to big for it and he struggles to carry it.. now what should we do we wonder
and hope you can tell us...Thank you
<He will not move into anything he cannot handle. It may have a problem with
mobility but will grow into it. No worries here. Jen S><<RMF suggests
providing more shells... for this Hermits choosing>>
Hermit crab... beh.? 12/7/06
<<Hi, Claire. Tom here.>>
I have a couple of hermit crabs that were doing very well until last night when
one of them shed it's shell and is now without one. Can
you tell me how long he can live like that. There are a lot of empty shells in
the tank for him to pick a new one. I just don't know what to do or not to
do. Can you please help me.
<<First, don't panic. (I knew you weren't going to but I thought I'd mention
it.) As long as your Hermit doesn't have anybody in the tank that might find
him/her "tasty" during the transition, he/she will be fine. As long as the empty
shells are larger than the one that was evacuated, your Crab will find a place
to reside. To put your mind at ease - hopefully - the water hasn't changed, only
the "borrowed" home. As long as there are no predators in the tank, he/she will
do what's natural and find a bigger place to climb into until it's time to move
again. Not to worry.>>
Thanks
Claire
<<You're welcome, Claire. Tom>>
Re: Hermit Crabs...sad ending 12/9/06
<<Hello, Claire.>>
Thanks for getting back to me but my crab died last night. He was ice cold this
morning and not moving at all. I have had him about 3 years don't know how long
crabs live.
<<Very sorry to hear about your pet, Claire. Land Hermit crabs can live for
quite a long time, ten years and potentially longer than that. Moulting and
"shell seeking" is part of their natural behavior so it would be unlikely that
this transition, alone, would be responsible for the death. They are, however,
most vulnerable during this time to predation which was my original concern.>>
Thanks again for your help.
Claire
<<I obviously wish I could have been a greater help to you and your Hermit,
Claire. Clearly, there was something amiss that neither of us could have
foreseen. Sorry once again. Tom>>
Land Hermit Crabs Acting Weird 11/01/06
I have five hermit crabs whom I love dearly. I have a ten gallon tank in
which is mostly sand, and a small area with saltwater. For the last month or
so, the two largest hermits stay on the bottom of the tank under the sand, and
often the smallest hermit joins them. They are all purple pinchers. I have two
Ecuadorians as well, both of which I have lately noticed odd behavior. For the
most part, they stay in a little log in the tank, but the last couple of nights,
one of them has been staying near the heater while the other comes to the front
of the tank and goes wild, trying to claw out of the tank. Tonight, I noticed
that she went into the saltwater and stayed there awhile. She was clawing there
too, and kept falling backwards. I have a lot of rocks and pebbles in the water
so they can climb back out, but I got worried and pulled her out. The first
time, she went back in immediately, the second time she went into the
log. What's going on and should I worry about any of them? Will she drown if I
leave her in the water? Thank you, Letitia
< Your hermit crabs could be getting ready to shed. They require more moisture
to shed the exoskeleton. When they shed this outer covering they are very
vulnerable to attack from the other crabs. They may need to be isolated until
they are done shedding.-Chuck>
Terr. Hermit on the loose 8/20/06
I really messed up, and need some help. Took my crab out this evening for a
bit of exercise, and I have lost him in the house. Is there any way I can coax
him out of hiding....we have been looking for almost 2 hours. I am
heartbroken...any tips would be helpful.
Thanks,
BJ
<Mmm, about the only thing to do is keep diligent re looking... will either
"hole up" in a corner, or be walking about searching for food, water... likely
for a few days. Good hunting! Bob Fenner>
Re: Terr. Hermit on the loose... less so... 8/21/06
Thank you for your reply. At midnight last night, I heard the familiar
scratching sound, and sure enough, he is hidden under my wall unit.
<Ah, good>
Naturally it weighs a ton, so I cannot move it, but I am hoping that later on,
he will emerge.
How long can they go without food/water? I put a few bowls of food outside the
wall unit, but I don't know if he knows it is there.
<Mmm, depends on how hydrated, nutrified to start with... size, species... a few
days likely, but if it were me/mine, I'd invest in those universal heavy-work
expediters, pizza and beer, and get some help to move that wall unit stat! Bob
Fenner>
Re: Singing, backward moving Crustaceans along the Euphrates?
8/16/06
Thank you very much for taking the time to respond. I thought suggesting
the hermit might snag because "crabs of the river" seems to imply freshwater and
I thought hermits were only marine. Until you mentioned the existence of some
freshwater hermits I supposed I'd have to go with brackish waters with perhaps
frogs and hermits. I'd rather have it all along the lower Euphrates (south of
Hit). Can you point me to publications or an expert on the freshwater hermit?
<Unfortunately "time is scarce" currently... a library/bibliographic search
on BIOSIS or the Zoological Record is where I would start>
The Hermit also has the advantage of looking a bit more like the earliest form
of the logogram with which "crab" is sometimes written pressed into third
millennium clay tablets during the stage of the writing known as classical
Sumerian. (See the attached sketches)
<Interesting...>
Alternate syllable combinations with which it is written can also be read as
"carpenter". There may have been a semantic association between the two. Perhaps
the hermit's house as separate from his body is a connection. Perhaps in a land
where everything was built from clay this is more indication of something that
builds a house from earth, a land crab. How remote can they be from a freshwater
source or relatively high groundwater?
<Perhaps>
I have to at least start with what is there today, and parallel with frogs I
have to suppose it was actually audible to humans.
<Mmm, would bear in mind the high likelihood that this reference is
metaphorical...>
Thank you for reminding me that the amplitude would probably be too low even if
hundreds of them were doing it simultaneously.
<Yes, assuredly>
The context is the most ancient of love stories, complete with tragedy and
powerful enough in its connection with nature and the stars of their sky
calendar to have been celebrated for thousands of years. I hope to bring to bear
an overlooked and still accessible window on the graphic elements.
Thank you again for your help,
Stephen
<Anima bona fac my friend. Bob Fenner>
Hermit Crabs, terr. 8/16/06
I recently bought a pair of land hermit crabs at a local pet store. I've had
them almost three days now, but they refuse to come out of their plastic cave,
even at night. In the morning I check to see if they've been out of the cave by
trying to find any tracks, but there aren't any. I've tried misting the tank
more often, I've given them each a bath, and I've given them different food each
night, but when I check on them in the morning, they're still in the same spot
they were when I went to bed the night before. I've taken them out myself to
check if they're still alive (they are) but when I put them near their food and
water dishes, the scuttle back into the cave. I'm worried they're not eating. I
hope you can help! Thanks -Alex
P.S.-one is missing his smaller claw, and another is missing her back walking
leg on the left side
<Insufficient information... Have you checked with your supplier re their
previous care, feeding? Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/hermitcrabfaqs.htm
and the Net in general re these animals care. This may simply be a too-cool
temperature situation. Bob Fenner>
Re: Hermit Crabs, terr. <maybe not> 8/17/06
Hello again. I was unable to find any cases related to mine.:(
I keep the temperature in my tank between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and I
mist the tank quite often. My hygrometer isn't working properly (I'm working
on fixing it) so I can't tell you the exact humidity, but there is always
condensation on the walls of the tank, and the sand is quite damp.
<Mmm... do you know the species of Hermits you have? Am wondering how
"terrestrial" these are.>
I've noticed that my crabs do burrow slightly into the substrate, but only
enough to cover less than halfway up the shell. I'm wondering if they might be
trying to molt,
<More likely trying to "get underwater">
because the sand depth at the pet store was only around a centimeter or two, but
they haven't gone near the water dish or food dish.
Might I be handling them too much?
<Definitely... should be handled the least possible>
I take them each out for a few minutes every day (mainly to check if they're
alive) and they walk along my hands like a normal crab might, but they always
retreat to the safety of the plastic cave once I return them to their tank.
Admittedly I haven't provided any saltwater. Could that have something to do
with it?
<Yes... I do believe so>
I'm EXTREMELY new to this and your assistance would be greatly appreciated.
-Alex
P.S: I have them in a ten gallon tank with a closed lid (small ventilation
holes; not enough to let heat or humidity escape) and a fluorescent light for
heating.
<Do cruise the Net, WWM:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/arthropoda/crabs/hermitcrabs.htm
for ID here... need to know the species first, so you can further seek the
habitat, diet of this/these species. Bob Fenner>
Re: Hermit Crabs, terr. 8/17/06
The species is Coenobita clypeatus. I've researched basic care and behavior
on hermit-crabs.com, but I think they might be traumatized from the pet store.
<Likely a factor here, yes>
The tank was very crowded. I'll make sure to provide salt water and remember not
to handle them as much. Thanks for all the help!
>: ) -Alex
<Glad to proffer it. BobF>
Missing in action. Hermit beh. 7/18/06
Hello. My name is Kris and I have a 5 year old son who is so taken with his
hermit crabs. He plays with them constantly and the problem I have is that the
other day he was playing with his favourite of 2 years, when he got sick. That
was okay, but when he cleaned up and came back his crab was gone. In all the
rush for the bathroom it seems Seb was left on the floor. I know you will say he
is there somewhere, but we have looked everywhere. Is there anything I can do to
tempt him out as we have floor heating in the concrete slab and I'm concerned
that he could overheat on the floor. There is also the possibility of not
finding him until he dies. Any suggestion?
<Need to make a thorough inspection... Hermits can crawl, and even climb up
fabrics... Could be quite a distance away. Need to find before he gets too
dehydrated... Bob Fenner>
Sea or land crabs? Perhaps a little of both? - 06/30/06
I just recently went to Florida, where my son bought a couple of hermit
crabs at a store. They have reddish legs, and I assume they are land crabs. We
also found hermit crabs on the beach in shallow water. We picked up some and
brought them home. Their legs are more brown and grayish. Are these sea
crabs? Do they need to be kept in salt water?
Thanks,
P. Monroe
<Not possible to state with the descriptions offered. Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/hermitcrabfaqs.htm
and the linked files on this page. Bob Fenner>
Strawberry Hermit Crab Reproduction or Parasites? - 05/03/2006
Howdy!
<Ahoy thar, matey!>
I recently purchased a Land Hermit Crab, called a Strawberry type.
<Coenobita perlatus>
It is quite lively, and seems to be a good companion for our other crab (the
gray-greenish type).
<Likely C. compressus, maybe C. rugosus.>
When I was doing my evening misting, I mist twice daily) I noticed the
Strawberry almost all the way out if its shell, and standing quite rigid. Upon
closer inspection I noticed several small white things on her back and shell.
When I turned on a brighter light, they scurried under the strawberry. Could
this be babies or mites?
<Likely mites.>
The are no larger than the head of a pin. In the mean time, I have moved my
other crab to a new tank. How do land hermit crabs, have and care for their
babies?
<Female land hermits, including strawberries, carry their eggs on their pleopods
(kind of like a shrimp's "swimming legs") under their bellies to the
ocean. They leave their eggs in or near the water where they get washed
away. When the eggs hatch, the babies are very different from the adults; they
don't look like crabs at all. These larvae spend time floating out in the ocean
until they've grown up into more crab-like crabs. When they're ready, they
crawl up on land and find a shell (or find a shell then crawl up on
land). Larval hermit crab babies can't crawl yet, so the things you saw on your
strawberry aren't baby crabs, they're something else. Whether they're mites or
not, I don't know without seeing them. I highly recommend that you visit one of
the online hermit crab forums and chat with other crab owners to discuss what
you might do to get rid of them if they are in fact mites.>
Thank you very much, Kelly, Manteca CA.
<Glad to be of service! Wishing you well, -Sabrina, Santa Cruz, CA>
Terrestrial Hermit Crabs 4/28/06
I want to say thank you for sending people with questions about land hermit
crabs to www.landhermitcrabs.com . That is an awesome site and people can really
benefit from the information there. A couple more very good ones are
www.crabstreetjournal.com, and www.hermitcrabassociation.com . All the
information you would need on hermits diet can be found at
www.epicureanhermit.com.
I also want to say thank you for giving people very good answers to their
questions. I have had hermits for about two years now, one of my crabs, a
rugosus, I have had for over a year. Its amazing how much misinformation about
these very interesting and exotic creatures there is out there. FMR company is
one of the worst there is for giving misinformation but I can see how that would
boost sales. Keep up the great work, its appreciated so very much!
Thank you
Jess
<Thank you for this input. Bob Fenner>
Terr. Hermit, Child acting like Moby Dick - 4/11/2006
Hi! My daughter had two small hermit crabs. They were fine until one of her
friends came over and stayed about 2 days during spring break. I didn't know
until after the child left that she had been putting the crabs in her mouth
and closing her mouth to make them come out of there shell.
<Yuck!>
This child had pneumonia I do believe. A couple of days later after she left
to go home, one crab began what looked like he was blowing clear viscous
bubbles out of his mouth, nose , what have you. Could he have contracted
this pneumonia germ from this child? Thanks, Tammy
<... Don't know... but do doubt this... perhaps just the stress, change in
humidity... Hopefully this Hermit will recover. Bob Fenner>
Hermit terr. crabs FAQ... NNS 4/10/06
hi , i lives in Singapore and i have a few question that i cant find on
the internet and sincerely hope you could help me with this i would like to
know that could it due to my country temperature ( its about 20+ degree
Celsius) that make my hermit crabs (species : Coenobita rugosus) inactive ?
<Possibly, yes>
when i buy them , i was given a tank with the sand lesser than 1cm in height
, could it due to this that's why my hermit crab does not moult ? do i need
to buy additional sand to add on to it?
<Shouldn't be the sand depth. Likely nutrition, moisture/humidity>
i wanted to put some of the dried leaves that i find along the road inside
the fish thank but if the leavers is poisonous to human , would it kill my
crab too ?
<Too likely, yes. There are some "aquarium safe" terrestrial leaves one can
use though>
and erm i tried extremely hard but i couldn't find out the maximum size a
Coenobita rugosus could grow up to , and to my knowledge , there are
different type of shells in terms of their design , so will they switch home
even if the shell design isn't what they use normally ?
<Yes>
lastly , i may emailed to the wrong address , sorry if i did =( but please
reply if u can help me =)
your sincerely,
jimmy =)
<Please see here re size: 67 g.:
http://www.crabstreetjournal.info/species/Crugosus/index.html
Bob Fenner>
Land Hermit, Moulting or Perished? - 04/06/2006
Hello WWM Crew!
<Hi, Starry; Sabrina with you today.>
Recently, one of my hermit crabs has stopped moving. Concerned my girlfriend
picked it up and our hermit crab did not move. We keep the tank at around 80
degrees F and make sure there is plenty of freshwater in their bowls.
<Humidity?>
The tank does not smell, and I have not checked on the hermit crab myself for
fear it is molting. I hate to disturb it if it is, but I would like to find out
if it is still alive.
<I would, in this case, pick it up and give it a good sniff. If it smells
"sour" or "fishy", you might want to use a fingernail and GENTLY try to pry his
legs.... if they are strongly/fastly in place, leave him be, and place him in a
system separate from any other crabs. If they are loose, likely you'll find
that he's passed, I fear.>
We had an infestation once from mites, but cleaned out the tank, replaced the
substrate and boiled all their toys. The only significant change is that we
went from sand to mulch (coconut fibers). We have had these crabs for over two
years now and would dearly miss our pet if it were to die.
<I understand.... and sympathize.>
What can I do to save it, if it is not dead already.
<Place him in a dedicated, smaller system (even if inside the other tank) to
protect him from the other crabs. Keep the humidity very high. If he is
moulting above ground, this is cause for concern, as a healthy crab should not
do this, and would not in nature. Lack of humidity is one of the greatest
killers of these pet crabs; please be cautious of this. I would also very, very
strongly recommend supplementing their water with iodine, and feeding foods high
in iodine (krill, human-consumption shrimp tails, etc.), as it seems to me that
one of the things that leads to "mysterious" poor health and "mysterious" bad
moults is common with crabs not fed or supplemented with iodine in any
way. This is a bit of a pet peeve of mine; these are marine or near-marine
animals who, in the wild, are used to a diet and water rich with iodine. They
usually get nearly none in captivity, and iodine is crucial for them to be able
to use calcium to make new shells....>
Sincerely, -Starry
<Best wishes to you and your leggy pals, -Sabrina>
Land Hermit, Moulting or Perished? - II - 04/10/2006
Hello again WWM Crew, and Sabrina!
<Hello again!, Starry!>
Thank you for your response and comments.
<Glad to be of service.>
Sadly, my crab has passed away leaving only one left.
<.... I am very sorry to hear this.>
Fearful, it may be because she could not dig herself well into the substrate
which may have allowed her to dehydrate?
<Possibly.... Though the coconut fiber, if slightly moist, is usually a very
decent substrate. Also keep in mind that any substrate should be deep enough
for the crabs to go completely underground.>
I plan on going back to the calcium rich sand as the substrate instead of the
coconut. He has been shell hopping for the past few nights. I have learned
something new from you guys, I have never found in any of the crab care forums
that my crabs needed iodine; I will be providing him with it from now on in
their water bowls. Also, I was not aware that salt was necessary as part of
their diet.
<Use an iodine supplement intended for use in a marine aquarium. If you don't
use an iodine supplement, please at least use a quality synthetic sea salt
intended for reef aquaria when you make their saltwater (remember, most/all land
hermits need both saltwater and freshwater). I know a lot of the hermit crab
forums suggest to only use the "Doc Wellfish"/Aquarium Pharmaceuticals salt -
but let me reiterate, land hermits are more marine animals than anything when it
comes to water. I tend to go by a rule of thumb: "If I wouldn't use it for
recreating an environment for my saltwater fish/crabs/corals, I won't use it for
my land hermits." The Aquarium Pharmaceuticals salt is intended as a freshwater
supplement only and can't be used as an adequate salt for a reef tank. It will
not recreate the water conditions of natural seawater. Synthetic sea salts,
like Instant Ocean, Oceanic, etc., are MUCH better than using the AP
stuff. Now, I'm not trying to put down the AP salt - I DO use it in freshwater
applications when necessary, as it does not have all the various minerals and
supplements that a reef tank needs (and that I don't want when I need to use
salt in a freshwater tank). But I won't use it for my crabs. Its intended
purpose is NOT to recreate ocean conditions, but for use in freshwater, and it
is very useful for its intended purpose; it's just not what I'd want to use for
an animal that should have marine water. Sorry to ramble on here; again, this
is a big pet peeve of mine.... It is "common knowledge" for folks keeping
aquatic saltwater animals that they have certain needs (calcium, iodine, etc.),
but it seems this knowledge hasn't yet transferred to folks who keep land
hermits, much though I've tried to offer this information in various forums,
message boards, etc.... Sigh.>
We bought a bag of plain salted tortilla chips, and he has been munching on it
every night. Should the chips only be given as a treat?
<A very seldom treat.... try to make sure they are as low-fat as possible, with
very very basic ingredients (corn, salt)....>
And, do I only provide iodine at a certain frequency or can he have it all the
time?
<Either offer foods rich in iodine (shrimp with the shell on, krill, etc.) very
very often, or supplement their saltwater with iodine supplements intended for
saltwater tanks. Or both.>
Also, are two crabs enough to keep each other company? How many should I get,
if not? He
looks awfully lonely.
<They are actually very social animals, though they don't really "get attached"
to each other.... I would advise no less than two, but as many as your tank can
realistically sustain is just fine.>
Thanks for all the help again.
<Any time.>
Sincerely, Starry
<Wishing you well, -Sabrina>
Something about terr. hermits 3/21/06
I have a question do you know what those white bugs are that are in a hermit
crabs cage or is that a problem
<<I do not understand your question. Please provide details of your set-up,
species of crabs, and perhaps a picture of what you would like us to identify
for you. Thanks. Lisa.>>
Naked Hermit/Renee hasn't gone to bed yet 3/19/06
Hi. <Hello Renee', tired?> About an hour ago, my son came running to me and
said our crab is out of it's shell!! I went running into the room and sure
enough it was! It had molted and is sitting in the aquarium with out its shell.
I left the exoskeleton in the tank. I removed the other two crabs from the tank
and made sure that several shells were close and ready for it to choose from. I
just went back in to look and it is still sitting next to the water bowl without
a shell. I don't want to go to bed and leave it like that. That is...unless I am
suppose to. Should I try to encourage it to go into a shell or leave it
alone? <You've done all you can, let nature take it's course Renee'.>
Thanks, <You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Renee'
Link Request and placement re Hermit Crabs - 1/30/2006
Hi,
<Hello>
I have a hermit crab care and photo site that I was hoping you would consider
linking to on your page
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/hermitcrabfaqs.htm
My site is
http://www.crabbytalk.com
Of course I would provide a reciprocal link to your site from mine
Thank you!
Robin Wood
<Will gladly do. Thank you for your note and efforts. Bob Fenner>
Land hermit crab spends time out of his shell? - 01/24/06
We believe our land hermit crab, Purple Haze, is an Ecuadorian. He seems
to be spending a lot of time outside of his shell. We first thought he wanted
to change shells but that was not the case because he went back into his old
shell. He still spends most of the time out of it though. We washed his shell
in hot water, like I read on this site said to do. Sometimes he sits in the
water dish. This dish is freshwater but we also have a smaller dish of
saltwater, which doesn't really seem to do anything for him. We tried to give
him a bath when he was in the shell, but of course, then he wouldn't come
out. We have 2 other Strawberry crabs and one Caribbean and they seem to be
doing perfectly fine. I can't seem to find any reason as to why he would be
coming out of his shell except that he's not moist enough, but he sits in the
water and we spray them as much as we can. Can you help us?
Thanks so much! Sincerely, Theresa
<Mmm, you do provide an assortment of shells to change into? Bob Fenner>
Hermit Crab Molting 1/17/06
Thank you so much for your wonderful website. My 9-year old son and I are
new to the hermit crab world. We have two little ones. We found an empty shell
this afternoon, and the crabby is no where to be found. It looks like there is
a mound of sand though, so I'm thinking he buried himself. My question is, do
crabs leave their shells before molting?
<Mmm, generally not, but can>
If not, what else could be happening? I did notice a strong fishy smell the
last few days,
and he did seem more lethargic than usual. Do you think he is dead?
<The smell is a bad sign>
(I hope not!!). What do you suggest we do? Thanks again!
<I would gently dig up this Hermit, set on a damp clean sponge that is wetted...
see if it revives... offer an assortment of shell sizes. Bob Fenner>
Re: Hermit Crab Molting 1/19/06
Thanks for your help and quick reply. Crabby seems to have been in his
shell all along. He must have gone in so deep we couldn't see him (either that
or he got out and went back in). He has moved only a few millimeters in the
last 4 days though. Still strong fishy smell,
<I would have two batches of substrate... one to wash, let air dry, the other to
have in use...>
but he is alive and moves his claw if you touch it. We have misted him every
day like we always
do and offered new foods. Could he be molting without having buried himself?
<Possibly>
The other crabby seems to be fine. Should we still try the sponge idea (didn't
want to handle him if he is molting)?
<Yes, I would... this is the best way of providing moisture>
Thanks again so much!!
Susie
<Welcome. Bob Fenner>
Hermit Crab Needs A Home 12/22/05
Hello! We have a small tank of hermit crabs - 3 in a 10 gal. We are
experiencing our first molt - we noticed yesterday he is entirely out of his
shell and quiet - the exoskeleton just next to him. He has a few choices for
new shells. This morning he is eating his exoskeleton - still with no shell
on!! I've misted the tank, but worry about why he isn't using a shell. Can you
help? Rebecca
< Give him a little time for his exoskeleton to harden up. Give him an
assortment of larger shells to pick from. In the wild they may go through
hundreds to find the right one. It is good that you are misting him. He may dry
out without his shell.-Chuck>
White legs and claw??? Terrestrial hermit care 12/17/05
Hi:
<Hello there>
My daughter has 2 hermit crabs for about 6 months now and 1 week ago I noted
that one came out of his shell suddenly and was running around the tank
"naked". I assumed he was molting and quickly set up an isolation tank. Since
he was out of his shell, I was afraid to move him, so I just removed the other
crab so my naked crab could be alone. I have provided fresh water and have a
heater. First the large claw fell off, but it looked like he had already
sprouted another one.
<Perhaps a partial molt...>
He continued to be active for the next 12 hours or so and lost some legs and
part of his exoskeleton. he then curled up in a corner of the tank (not buried
though). he has not moved AT ALL in about 6 days and from what I can see, his
legs look like they are white and calcified. His body is still orange. His
eyes and tentacles are curled under so i cannot see them. I am assuming he's is
dead, but there is NO fishy smell. He looks very dried up and has been out of
the shell for almost 7 days now.
<Doesn't sound good...>
Am I right to think he is dead, even though there is NO smell?
<Possibly>
My daughter is so upset, but I don't want to get rid of him if this is
normal. He has not moved in almost a week. The completely white legs are
what's making me think he's dead. How long can they last out of their
shell? Should I throw him out??
<Mmm, I would "soak" this hermit crab in a bit of water for a minute or so...
see if this revives it>
Please help! My 5 year old is so upset about "Bob"!
Chelsea
<I'd be too! "Bob" Fenner>
Hermit Crab, Change of Clothes - Good Land Hermit Owner/Information! -
10/15/2005
Hi,
<Hello.>
I recently got a small hermit crab as a birthday present. Well, truth be told,
his shell is really small, but Gerald himself is actually quite a bit bigger
than his shell should be.
<This is actually not uncommon with newly purchased hermits.... Hopefully in
your care he will find something larger/more suitable.>
So, after reading in several places that they need to switch shells, I've
offered him a variety of new shells in different sizes, with different openings,
painted, and natural.
<Painted shells are extremely rarely accepted, unless there is nothing of the
right shape/size otherwise. Just a heads-up.>
From what I've read, hermit crabs seem to change shells whenever they come upon
a new one,
<Mm, not that often - not by a long shot.>
but this little guy just wont leave the one he has. I'm a little worried,
because I've read that if they don't change into a shell large enough it could
be really harmful for them, and I'm not quite sure what I can do to help the
situation.
<A bit of information regarding this - there are a number of different species
of hermit crabs.... all of genus Coenobita. Of those most commonly offered for
sale in the US, a couple of them (C. compressus and C. rugosus) are a touch more
hesitant to switch shells than others. C. compressus will hold out a very long
time before changing shells, if there is nothing that they really like around.
The only shells that my own C. compressus will use are Natica/"moon snail"
shells.... some are called "shark's eye" or "whale's eye" shells. I would urge
you to try to find out what species your hermit is, and if you believe him to be
C. compressus, try to seek out these moon snail shells. C. rugosus will take
moon snail shells sometimes, as well. Other hermits will usually take readily to
Turbo snail shells.>
Also, I was wondering if his present living situation is as it should be. He is
in a 1.5-2 gallon plastic aquarium,
<Mm, I would increase this to a 10-gallon tank, minimum.... especially if it is
a C. compressus, which is a very active animal.>
with Calci-sand, fake plants, dishes,
<A comment here, regarding water/water dishes - contrary to what some might say,
all hermits are at least *somewhat* marine in nature (some more so than others)
and require saltwater in addition to freshwater. I would urge you to use a
quality synthetic sea salt like Instant Ocean for making up saltwater.... you
can store a container of it and use as necessary.>
a sponge, and a coconut to hide under. I've been keeping the temperature between
70-75 degrees and humidity between 70-80%. I was wondering what % of humidity is
too high, and what will happen if it does get high?
<Actually, the humidity is fine where you've got it. If it gets too high
occasionally, it should not be a major problem. Just don't let it drop below 70%
for an extended period of time, lest he suffocate from his gills drying up.>
Thanks! Kat
<One last comment - hermit crabs are quite social animals. I really urge you to
move up to a larger container and provide a couple of friends (preferably of the
same species, but that's not terribly important). Also, as far as foods and
feeding, be sure to include some foods high in iodine and calcium content - you
can use a calcium supplement manufactured for reptiles to add to their food.
Thawed frozen human-consumption shrimp tails with the shells still on are an
excellent food high in iodine. Wishing you and your new pal well, -Sabrina>
Land Hermit In Distress - 09/17/2005
Hi
<Hello, Jenni.>
I hope it's not too late for him. I have a large hermit crab about the
size of a 10 year olds fist. Had him for a round a year. The habitat has a
heat pad (small) and salt, fresh water and usual food.
<Good.>
Humidity is fine.
<Very humid, then, yes?>
I have just had a smaller crab molt then die. Now the big guy is really
limp almost hanging out of his shell and not retreating when I change water etc.
<Not a good sign....>
He has a shell to move to if he needs,
<Perhaps offer others as well; hermits can be picky as to what type/size
of shell they prefer.>
and generally he is really happy. He sat in his salt water dish for 24
hours -
<Also a very bad sign.... Do you know what species this crab is?>
the middle size crab did this just prior to changing his shell a week or
two ago.
<I would increase the amount of iodine in his food (human consumption
shrimp with shells still on, krill, seaweed, other foods high in iodine content)
and calcium as well (there are supplements you can use that are designed for
reptiles). If he is gearing up for a moult, this is important stuff for him. I
add iodine to my land crabs' water. I use Kent marine iodine, and add a couple
drops in their gallon pool of freshwater and a few drops in their 2 gallon
saltwater pool in addition to feeding foods listed above. This is a water
supplement designed for saltwater reef tanks to keep iodine levels safe for
those animals that not only drink but actually live in the water. As yet, I
have not seen any bad moults in my hermits, and it's been a little over a year
and a half.... I really think that, like with freshwater shrimp, many
moult-related deaths can be avoided by seeing to it that these animals are not
deficient in iodine. Be sure his substrate is moist and deep enough to dig in,
so he can head underground if he does end up moulting.>
Please help I'm really worried we may loose him.
<I've got my fingers crossed for him.>
Jenni Lawson
<Wishing you and your crabsters well, -Sabrina>
Land Hermit In Distress - II - 09/19/2005
Hey Sabrina
<Hi again, Jenni>
Thanks for the advice. I have isolated him and am keeping a close eye. He is
just hanging out of his shell and staying under his log tunnel. Guess I will
know what the result is in the next 24hrs.
<Crabs are resilient animals; I'm keeping my fingers crossed....>
He hasn't touched his water or food overnight, not looking so good.
<I do agree with you; time will tell.>
Just bought 3 lively little critters (just in case), I don't want the remaining
guys to get lonely, but they are not nearly his size, just medium size. Not
sure about the type of crabs we have in Australia.
They look like Eq's and require salt and fresh water.
<Could be the "calico" or "crazy" crab folks speak of; seems they are common
there and may actually be a sort of a color morph of Ecuadorian hermits
(Coenobita compressus - incidentally, my favorite). I do recommend that you try
to be sure these guys do get enough iodine-rich foods in their diet.>
Thanks for the kind wishes.
<Any time.>
Jenni
<Hoping for the best, -Sabrina>
Hermit Crab Nudist - Land Hermit In Distress, III - 10/09/2005
Oh hi, it's me again.
<Hi, Jenni! Sabrina with you this evening.>
I hope you don't mind but regardless of the website I just can't seem to get the
answer I need and you were so helpful last time.
<I don't mind in the least, and I'm glad I was able to be of service to you!>
Our favorite and longest resident crab has just molted and is hanging about
naked.
<Mm. Not a good sign. Keep that humidity *high* - 'round 80%. Offer him many
sizes and types of shells. If possible, have him separated from any other crabs
in the tank; perhaps in a completely separate tank.>
He has eaten most of his exoskeleton and was in his old shell until this morning
should I wash him and place him isolation just with his shell or what? I have
misted him so he says wet.
<I wouldn't actually wash him; misting is okay. Allow him saltwater and
freshwater deep enough that he can submerge himself, and a structure for
climbing out of the water.>
Any suggestions?
<Just as above.>
Jenni Lawson
<Wishing you and your nudist hermit well, -Sabrina>
Hermit Crab Nudist - Land Hermit In Distress, IV - 10/13/2005
Hi, thanks for your response.
<Any time, my friend.>
He seems to be doing well I separated him from the other crabs and left him with
a cleaned out shell beside him in the dark for a couple of days. He has returned
to his shell
<Oh, *very* good news.>
doesn't seem to be moving around the tank much but I've have seen him moving his
legs in and out of the shell. His skin has now started to pink up so I guess it
is a just a matter of time until he starts to walk about again.
<Likely so. Do not handle him during this time.... let him recuperate.>
Just out of curiosity can I clean up the rest of his exoskeleton he ate what he
needed and the others seem to have had a nibble but I'm concerned about how
smelly it can get!
<Indeed! If it is smelly, go ahead and remove it.... Give 'em some krill or
shrimp tails, hopefully supplemented with calcium.... They should be fine with
that.>
Jenni
<Wishing you well, -Sabrina>
Hermit Crab Needs a Home 9/7/05
Hi, My kids have four hermit crabs in a 10 gallon tank. About 5 days ago,
we noticed that one had abandoned it's shell (it also lost it's large claw). We
"offered" it about 5 or six different shells of varying sizes. However, it's
still without a shell. It's recently lost the other smaller claw but is still
moving. It's actually amazing how much it gets around. The other crabs don't
seem to be bothering it. Any suggestions or ideas about what's going on?
Thanks for any help. Teresa Collier
< I suspect that sometime during the night his shell was taken away by another
crab. He lost his claw defending himself. I think that he lost his other claw
trying to get a new shell. He obviously doesn't like any that you have offered.
I would separate him and try offering the new shells again. These little guys
can dehydrate very quickly without their shells. If he is not separated I would
not be surprised if the others go after him when they get hungry.-Chuck>
Never Too Young To Get Crabs! - 08/20/2005
I'm twelve years old and recently went to the beach.
<Let me first open with a couple of statements.... I am TREMENDOUSLY impressed,
and pleased, with your grasp of basic grammar and spelling. Let this be a
lesson to all those older, more experienced folks out there - make proper
sentences, use proper punctuation and capitalization. Nicole, we truly
appreciate this! Thank you! (Hey Bob, I got the "truly" right!)> <<Heeeee!
RMF>>
I found a shop that sold land hermit crabs, (they seemed happy and well-treated)
and they sold some really tiny carrying cages. The lids are plastic, with slits.
Mine is probably one gallon, and I have two crabs.
<This is quite a bit too small for land hermits.... though it will serve as an
adequate temporary home, if you can keep the humidity very high.>
They have purple claws, though I'm not sure what the type is.
<Many possibilities. All have the same or similar care requirements, and all
make excellent pets. You will enjoy caring for these guys, I'm sure!>
They seem to get along well, I have:
Sand made of calcium, completely edible
Hermie Food
Water dish, two inches deep but has stones below (No possible drowning, sand
inside means they go in)
Climbing surface
Fake plant
<I would strongly recommend that you look into a larger enclosure (10 gallon
tank, if possible) with a lid that covers the tank quite well, to retain
humidity. Another requirement, eventually, will be a container of saltwater -
contrary to some literature, ALL land hermits available for sale in the US do,
in fact, come from marine environments and do require saltwater in addition to
freshwater. I'll give you some links to some good resources at the end of this
message.>
Okay. I don't have a spritzer, but I live in Austin and it's pretty humid, plus
I bathe them every day.
<I strongly urge you not to bathe them daily - or at all, for that fact. Once
they're in a larger space, make one of their water pools deep enough that they
can go completely underwater if they desire - they'll keep themselves
clean. They do not have people bathing them daily in the wild.... This can
actually cause them harm in the long run, mostly stress-related, I fear.>
Do they definitely need a spritzer?
<Unless you're dripping condensation off the end of your nose right now, you'll
need to get that humidity up. Covering the lid with some plastic wrap (leave
enough uncovered for air exchange) will help, and "misting" their container
daily will help, as well.>>
I also don't have a humidifier or thermometer, but our house is always on 78 or
80.
<This temp. is fine.>
And can you use a spritzer from a body spray if it is empty, soaked, and
dishwashed?
<I would not.... You can probably get a cheap spritzer in the plant section in
your local discount store, or maybe even a grocer's or drugstore.>
They are a big hot pink shelled one (Sebastian) and a small pale pink shelled
one (Ariel).
<Make sure to offer them more shells of varying sizes.>
Sebastian is always willing to walk on my hands, and never pinches. He is
especially active after bath. Ariel I can see walking but if I am loud she
hides, and I cannot hold her, because she always retreats. She does flip over
and walk around in bath, though. Anyway, they are always together, and seem to
cooperate. But, today at about 9:30 tonight, they were away in their shells
hiding (usual during the day) but one of Sebastian's left legs was lying on the
sand.
<Possible result of stress.... This may be no problem at all, as the leg will
re-grow - but do please let him have some time to rest.>
I removed it, and held him and he still seemed fine, although he was a little
off balance. I bathed them and they were fine.
<Again, this may be a major source of stress for them.... let them keep
themselves clean, it is better for them.>
Now, the two are together, not fighting, just away in their shells. What should
I do? Sorry that I have so many questions! Oh, and tonight I'm going to separate
them. Please respond as soon as possible!
<Mostly, I would recommend, as above, try to get a larger enclosure for them,
provide fresh and saltwater, get that humidity up (pronto! very important!),
and let them chill out a bit to recover from the great ordeal of moving into a
new (and obviously loving) home. Try the following for more information:
http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com , and
http://www.hermit-crabs.com . Wishing you, Sebastian, and Ariel
well, -Sabrina>
Frogs with Crabs? 8/6/05
I have hermit crabs. I'm wondering if I can put frogs in the same
terrarium?
Sharon
< The first chance they get, the crabs will attack and probably kill the
frogs.-Chuck>
Land Hermits 7.24.05
Good Morning Guys!
I would like to start a small Crabitat with a few land hermits. I have scoured
your site. Very informative. What a sense of humor you all have! My questions,
then are : what type should I look for, what to avoid? I'd like some "friendly"
types (although I understand they all have personalities) which are more likely
to be peaceful? Also, what should I look for when choosing a crab at a store?
I'd like to have maybe 3 or 4...(in a 50 gal tank). Aside: I once had two as a
child. one died after a year and the other carried the corpse around until I
could pry it away for a proper burial. The remaining lasted a few more months.
Is the corpse carrying behavior normal? I was always curious. Thanks, b.
<Hmm. . . well as far as what type to get, I have to admit I do not know Land
Hermits that well, I would go with the standard pet store variety. From I
understand they are very social animals, in a 50 gallon tank I would go for a
least 6 or so. Provide a lot of areas for climbing and a deep moist sand bed
for burrowing. These animals are peaceful toward each other until they leave
their shell, once they leave their shell to mold it is fair game and they become
cannibalistic. The corpse carrying behavior was probably related to the
cannibalism. For more detailed information on hermit crabs I like
www.hermit-crab.com. Best Regards, Gage>
Hermit crab change to smaller shell - then prefer not to have shell
7/12/05
Hi,
<Hello>
I'm very afraid of losing my hermit crab. One of my friend told me that
her hermit crab came off from its shell and commit suicide. Now here's
my problem.
I bought some shell for my large hermit crab (Nemo), big n small... Nemo decided
to move into a smaller shell than the one that he used to have. Now, he
came off his shell and not moving into any shell....what does that mean?
<Mmm, not good...>
Is he going to die soon? Should i buy more shells since he's not
happy with what he has now?
<More shells, assortment is a good idea... Do you have a source of humidity for
your Hermit? I would place (and re-wet) a sponge in its home daily>
Please help me.. I'm very scared now
thank
Chengyee
<Please scan here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/hermitcrabfaqs.htm
Bob Fenner>
Transporting a hermit crab 7/10/05
My 7 year old daughter who is currently in Wyoming visiting her dad has
purchased a hermit crab. I am in Idaho and the plan was to drive to Rock
Springs Wyoming to pick her up and then on to Bismark, North Dakota for a 3 day
family reunion. At that point we would all return to Caldwell, Idaho where we
live.
Is it possible to transport this crab with us the entire way?
<Yes, certainly>
If so, what do I need to do to guarantee its safe and healthy arrival?
<Keep it and its food, gravel in its container... along with a damp sponge (for
moisture, humidity), and set all this down on the floor, level, in the shade.
Bob Fenner>
I'm worried about my Hermie 7/7/05
Hi! Approximately 2 weeks ago, I purchased 2 Ecuadorian hermit crabs. One is
about 2-3 inches big and the other one is tiny and about 2-2.5centimeters. Their
container is 12 x 7 inches and kept at around 78°F. I use Calci-sand as a
substrate and make sure they always have adequate food & water (stress coat
treated). I also have a Hermie hut and a few shells in there. (I don't know if
this is relative or necessary, but I thought I'd provide the information just in
case it is).
Well, at the start of this week I found one of the legs of the larger hermit
crab lying in the tank. Prior to this they both seemed very happy and healthy,
and the small one is still active as ever. I've read through your website and
I'm aware of the factors that may cause them to lose a limb.
There aren't any mites or anything so I figured it was stress. He hasn't lost
anymore legs since and I know that it's possible for them to grow them back when
they molt, so I figured he would be okay. But this entire week he's only come
out of his shell once. And that was after I misted him. But now he's not coming
out at all or eating at all. Even at night or when I mist him. He doesn't dig or
move or anything. I know he's still alive because he twitches when I touch his
legs, and if I take him out and hold him for a while, he'll come out just enough
so I could see his antenna twitching around, but he always just retreats back
after a while and other than that I haven't seen him all week. I'm worried about
him and I'm wondering if possibly you have any explanation for this?
Thanks a lot!
Jessica
<Please read:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com <<? RMF>>
More On The Worrying Hermit - 07/13/2005
Hey Bob
<Actually, Sabrina here.... Bob's pretty taxed from so many incoming
questions.... Pretty busy season we've got right now! Plus, I'm also a hermit
crab geek ;) >
Sorry to bug you again, but I wrote you the following message last week. Well,
today the crab who lost a leg died. =(
<I'm so sorry to hear it....>
I think he died at least, I smelled him and he has a peculiar fishy smell, but a
faint one.
<A strong sign of a hermit's passing. Again, so sorry.>
I'm kind of a newbie at this and don't know exactly if this is the shed of the
exoskeleton after a molt or if he's dead.
<I'm assuming the "dead" hermit/shed exo is outside the shell at this point? If
so and there's no hermit in the shell, yeah, I fear the little guy's gone to the
great ocean in the sky.>
I've read through the page you sent in your reply as well as throughout the
website, but I just can't seem to find any information that matches up exactly.
I saw people writing about limbs coming off, but not strange behavior or
anything afterwards such as I described to you in my previous email.
<Your previous email does, in fact, sound like the little dude may have been
doomed from before you got him - lethargy is a very strong sign of
problems. Invertebrate disease isn't a widely studied or discussed topic, so it
is very, very hard to say what specifically may have caused his decline.>
I'm especially concerned since now, my other hermit crab isn't acting himself
and I think there's a strange liquid at the opening of his shell.
<Can you describe this strange liquid?>
I'm not entirely sure, as his shell is a dark color and it's hard to tell since
it emits glare. I know I've read about this somewhere, too. But I can't seem to
find information now when I'm most desperate for it.
<If he's just starting to look a little gray or "washed out", I would wager that
he's just gearing up for a molt. If he takes off and digs underground, leave
him alone, and let him do his thing. I recommend that you slightly moisten at
least one area of the sand that is at least deep enough to completely cover him
if he digs in.>
I just can't figure out what the problem is!! I thought my bigger one would be
okay, they have all the necessary supplies as far as I know, I described them to
you in my last email.
<Yes.... The only things you haven't mentioned are humidity and
saltwater. High humidity is crucial - life-and-death important - for hermit
crabs. Do you have a humidity gauge? Also, Ecuadorian hermits (Coenobita
compressus) require saltwater in addition to freshwater.... This means two
separate water bowls. I *strongly* recommend using a salt designed for marine
aquariums INSTEAD of the oh-so-popular Doc Wellfish or other salts designed for
freshwater aquariums.... Basically, if saltwater fish can't live in it, I
wouldn't give it to my hermits and assume it is anything like sea water. Marine
salt will help give him the calcium and iodine that he needs to complete a
successful molt.>
I'm desperate for your help and I really don't want to lose another one. I've
grown rather fond of them, actually.
<C. compressus are my favorites.... I have several of my own. Erm, come to
think of it, I did find that larger Ecuadorians tend to be a little more prone
to being stressed after purchase.... possibly more likely to have disease - I
dunno. My littler ones were a great deal more lively just after purchase, and
continue to be as lively and healthy as they've grown.>
Please, any response would be appreciated. I'm sorry for the trouble, thank you
so much for your time.
<No trouble.... and glad to be of service. The most crucial thing here is HIGH
HUMIDITY. If it doesn't smell like a freakin' rain forest in there, it's
probably not humid enough. Get yourself a humidity gauge, and get the humidity
up to at least 70%, preferably a bit more. Also, please take a look at
http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com and
http://www.hermit-crabs.com . You'll find oodles of information there. I
hope it helps you out some.>
Jessica
<Wishing you and your hermit(s) well, -Sabrina>
Hermit crab longevity 7/7/05
I've had my land hermit crab for about a week now and it has already died.
I was wandering of how long a land crab can live for?
Sincerely,
Chelsea Coleman
<Can live for years. Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/hermitcrabfaqs.htm
For ideas on what may have gone wrong with yours.
Bob Fenner>
Help for my new hermit crab 7/7/05
Like another reader, my sons accidentally bought back a live hermit crab
from Dauphin Island in Mobile AL. I saw that the answers were supposed to
be listed in the archives but I cannot find them!
<Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/hermitcrabfaqs.htm
particularly the links>
Please help me take care of this little guy. I bought a small tank,
pebbles, sand, Oceanic Sea Salt Mix and a sponge for water, and HBH brand
Crab and Lobster Bites. Can you tell me more about this little
guy? From they Dauphin Island Estuary site I believe he is a Striped
Hermit Crab (Clibanarius vittatus) He is in a Tupperware container right
now because I don't know quite how to set up the tank for him. Thanks in
advance for any help you can give me!
Deborah
<Also, search on the Net with the scientific name and the words "care",
"husbandry". Bob Fenner>
Hermit out of his shell 07.04.05
One of my hermits is out of the shell and crawling around the tank
unprotected, what can I do????
<Keep the humidity up, offer him a variety of shells with different size
openings, and if possible put other crabs in a different enclosure until
this guy figures out what he is trying to do, they are very vulnerable when
out of their shell. Oh, also provide some damp sand a few inches deep, he
may be feeling the need to molt, and will need to bury himself. Gage>
Caring for Hermit Crabs 6/31/05
So Chuck am I doing everything else correctly. Also, do hermit crabs move
their antennas around if they are healthy if so mine don't do much of that.
< The antennas are really sensory organs as they encounter new or different
objects. I think in an established habitat there would be little for them to
investigate after awhile.>
Their container is (13 1/2 by 7 inch) is that enough for two and a half
hermit crabs [the 1/2=the very small one]. Sorry that might be confusing.
< During the day it seems like they're asleep and don't need much room at
all, but at night they are all over the place investigating everything. You
might want to give them some rocks or twigs to climb on to give them a
little exercise.>
So please can you tell me anything else I need to know about taking care of
my marine hermit crabs because I want them to be as happy as they can be.!
Thanks.
< I would recommend that you get a book on hermit crabs to give you a "check
list" of what you can do. ZooMed puts out an inexpensive little booklet on
hermit crabs that is very informative.-Chuck>
Hermit Crabs
I have a question about taking good care of my salt water hermit crabs. I
have a picture of them to help you out. I got them in Florida about three
weeks ago and they have done just fine, they have tried out new shells and
got back in there old ones then back in the new ones. Right now I am feeding
them dog food cut into little pieces. Can you also tell what to feed them?
< There are commercial hermit crab foods available at pet shops that sell
hermit crabs.>
There water has been changed like every other day and is supplied with
oxygen. There sand cleaned out too. I forgot to mention that I have three of
them. They are not being kept in an aquarium because I don't have the money
or room for that and it's not medal anywhere. The crabs are in saltwater and
the water is almost room temperature. So tell me what else needs to be done
in order for them to have a happy life and environment?
< Don't let the humidity get too low or too cool. A cool dry environment is
just the opposite of what they need and they will not last too long unless
the are kept warm and humid.-Chuck>
Shrinking Crab Problem?
This afternoon, I looked into my crabs container to see his front
end sitting out on the open. When I peeped into his shell, I saw an unusual
sight.
My crab was light, light brown colour with none of the original markings
and he was a way, way, way, super way, smaller size. Instead of just barely
fitting in the shell, this different crab it was nicely buried inside.
This couldn't have been a crab attacking another crab because there was
only one in the tank.
Could he have molted and became smaller or just had baby that ate it?
<Perhaps the original animal did perish... but they can/do shrink down in
size, molting at times... due to a lack of nutrition, poor water quality.
Bob Fenner>
Hermit Crab Problems
I am sorry to bother you with this, but I didn't find my answer in
the different web pages that I browsed. I have had a hermit crab, Crusty,
for almost 2 years now. He has molted several times, quite
normally. Last summer we added another crab, Crispy, to the cage. They
have both been acting quite normally, and Crispy recently molted. However,
Crusty, the older one, doesn't look very good. He's hanging out of his
shell looking very floppy--a bit different than when he molts. I confess
that I didn't smell him--I'll do that tomorrow. I will also confess that
my son has not watered them for a day or 2.
Can you help? Thank you for your time! LMG
< The biggest killer of land hermit crabs is the lack of humidity. During
the summer the elevated air temps reduces the humidity and these little guys
dry out and die. Older crabs may be more susceptible than smaller younger
crabs.-Chuck>
Hermit Crab Substrate
I could not find anything on your web site but I would like to ask you a
question. Is used fish tank gravel OK to put in my hermit crab cage with
half sand and half used fish tank gravel?
< As long as the materials are well washed then there shouldn't be a
problem.-Chuck>
Land Hermit Crab Compatibility (They Aren't!)
HI I am at a total lost about this,
I have 3 land hermit crabs that have been together for little over a year, two
of them are small in size, and one is mid size. I have just cleans and restocked
them with various sized shells for there enjoyment. Which they have been
investigating. One of the smaller ones has taken up resting inside a large shell
while he is still in his own shell. like a
double coat of armor.
Now for my problem, for the past 2 days the mid size crab has moved on top of
one of the smaller one. It holds onto the others shell, completely engulfing it
with its body. I have tried separating them and have had the larger one try to
pinch me with his claws, and he holds it so tight that they will not separate
easily.
At times during the day he will raise up and extend his legs in a canopy style
hold on the others shell and raise his claws above his head. The little one will
come out of the shell only enough to move around within this hold, always
staying on the back of the shell.
I have found small shavings of carrots laying on the rim of the smaller ones
shell. They are in bite size for this smaller crab, and have seen its claw
capture these bites to take into the shell. I have also hear them communicating
when ever I come near to them. I have tried to separate them only to have them
run,, to each other from the opposite side of the tank, which is really very
funny looking for them to do.
Is every thing alright and if not what should I do ? If they are mating what do
I need to do to keep any of the offspring healthy. These crabs are the focal
point in our office, and some of the clients will come in just to watch and
laugh at there antis. All during this time they have never acted in this manner
before.
Thank you, Natalie Carmichael
< If you have had them for a year then they may be getting ready to shed their
exoskeleton. When they do this they turn a lighter color just before they shed.
After they shed they are very soft and pliable and this makes them vulnerable to
be eaten by larger crabs. This may be a mating behaviour too but I haven't read
anything on hermit crab breeding though. Another possibility is the larger crab
may be after eating the little crab when it switches shells revealing its softer
body parts. I would separate them for awhile until they have all switched
shells.-Chuck>
Mating Terrestrial Hermit Crabs?
Chuck, Add another day to the encasement of the little crab.
I just now tried to release the smaller one from the larger one's hold, that is
covering it and Red knees (the larger one has brighten in color to a
complete strong red body) refuses to let go. The hold it has on the shell is
very strong, and when I tried to remove him from his hold he tightened his grip
around it. I don't want to hurt either one of them by forcing him to let go, but
I can not find a way to do it.
One of them has also added more fine carrot pieces to the little shell crab's
home. The little crab seems to be safe for he is able to sink deeply into the
new shell. I do know that the crab in the encasement has moved into this new
shell just recently. It has a great deal more room that I can tell. It color is
not the off white as when it has molted before, but is a very dark gray in
color.
They all have gone thru the bury in the sand stage just a short time ago and
that is how I know they will be molting soon. They all have done this and , so I
know molting is on the way.
This action is entirely unknown to me. The dumb question is what if they are
mating and the babies that come from it ? What do I look for? and how will I
protect any offspring? Do they need a water home ? or dry soil? Thank you for
your suggestion and as soon as I am able to, I'll separate them into smaller
enclosures. The other litter crab is fine and moving freely around in the
aquarium, exploring all the new shells. Natalie
<It seems that you do indeed have a pair of hermit grabs. The male thinks that
the female has eggs. Once she lays the eggs then he wants to place his sperm
packet in their shell so he can father the next batch. Hermit crabs actually
mate in saltwater. Both of them retract from their shells and the eggs are
scattered in the water. When the larvae reach adulthood the climb out of the
water and begin their terrestrial life. I would place a shallow dish of
saltwater in the tank with a pump or airstone to provide some water movement and
see if the male will carry the female over to the water and will mate. It may
not work but its worth a try to see what happens. If you do get eggs and they
hatch then you will need to set up a saltwater tank and get some suggestions
from the saltwater WWM crew on what to feed the larvae.-Good Luck.-Chuck>
SHEDDING HERMIT CRAB PROBLEMS
I hope you can help us, I searched for an answer to this puzzling situation
on your site but could not find one. My son has 2 land hermit crabs that we
bought about a year ago. One is a larger dark red hermit crab and the other is
what we consider a "baby", he is in a small shell about the size of the flat
part of your thumb and he is lighter in color, more of a reddish white. We have
never had problems with them in the past and we follow all the instructions we
were given on caring for them.
They are in a medium sized tank with colored rocks on the bottom (we sometimes
use Calci- sand but the upkeep is harder so we switched back to rocks about 2
months ago), we have 3 small sponges placed throughout the tank and a small bath
with water, we have small shell dish to hold the food and a little house for
them to sleep in, we also have a piece of cholla wood which we added about 2
months ago (which they never gained interest in).
Basically they keep to themselves and don't do much except when we give them a
quick bath every week or so and clean the cage, then they seem to be pretty
active for about 24 hours and then they retreat back to doing nothing most of
the time. My son is supposed to keep their sponges wet and give fresh water
daily, however he sometimes slacks off a bit and a day or so passes before he
does it but for the most part they usually always have fresh water and they
always have fresh food (FMR hermit crab food and treats). We have not changed
anything recently and I have never seen them shed like I have read about.
A few days ago I looked in the tank and saw the little guy with half of his
body hanging out of his shell which is VERY unusual for him) and he was
EXTREMELY white and dried up looking. I didn't know if he was dead or just
shedding but since his color was SO WHITE, I thought the worst, he looked DRIED
UP, so I checked and they had fresh water and sponges and my son said he changed
it the day before and both crabs were fine. I started to pick the crab up and it
looked like his body was going to break in half and fall out of the shell so I
left it alone, in case he was shedding, I didn't want to disrupt him. I figured
we would wait and see what happens.
The next day he was in the same spot, not moved at all, however a leg had
fallen off of his body, which gave me hope that he was shedding and not dead.
Then today I checked again (3rd day) and now the entire front half of his body
is out of the shell and looks like it moved ( I don't know if the other crab
moved him or if it was like a spontaneous eruption) but he appears dead as can
be since I think I can see his eye in the broken part of the body.
I plan to remove it from the tank, but I first want to be sure that he is in
fact dead and this is not some sort of shedding process, please give me advice
on what to do. I don't want to just give up hope, but I'm pretty sure he's dead
and my son is heartbroken.
Can you please tell me what could have caused this so suddenly? I mean one day
he was fine and the next day his body changed color and broke in half and came
out of the shell, I don't get it.
< An arthropod is never so vulnerable as it is when it molts its old skin. This
shedding process is very tough on them and they really need to be misted to stay
moist through the entire process. If they dry out and can't shed then the new
softer skin is restricted. This soften skin also leaves them vulnerable to
predators like other larger crabs. I suspect that the humidity was not high
enough in the tank or the larger crab killed the smaller one when it turned
white and tried to shed. Next time I would remove the smaller crab when they
turned white and increase the humidity until the old skin is shed and the new
one has hardened.-Chuck>
GOT CRABS?
We recently got a hermit crab from Texas and we do not know what it eats and
where we should have it
Tara Brooks
< Go to ZooMed.com and get their new book on hermit crabs. They even have a
couple of hermit crab kits with everything you need including a beginners book
to get you started. In the meantime, hermit crabs are tropical and require a
heating device to keep their terrarium between 78 and 83 degrees. The Zoomed
ReptiTherm UTH works well as a heating device. They do require a relative
humidity of 70%+, so a water dish with a sponge in it is really needed. For
lighting the daylight blue and nighttime red bulbs really show them off. Hermit
crabs are very active at night and the red bulb allows you to observe the crabs
without really frightening them. The bottom of the terrarium should have some
clean fine sand and a branch or two for them to crawl on. They do best on a
commercial hermit crab food. The big problem with these crabs is that they dry
out and need to be misted often. -Chuck>
Land Hermit Crab
I need help please!
I bought a land hermit crab for my son from Key West, Fla.
It was doing fine until this morning, first we one of its legs broken, then it
came out of its shell. Its tail part soft skin, now it is drying up. It wont
move, it does not eat or drink, we don't know what to do. It looks like it is
now dead. Please help us help this little guy. Thank you.
>>>Hello,
More info please. Describe your husbandry. AND, it could just be molting
(shedding skin) they do this now and then.
Cheers
Jim<<<
Terrestrial Hermit Crabs
Hi, I am having trouble finding Herman Haven Food products> The store that
used to sell it closed and my hermits won't eat anything else I've tried. I
tried to slowly introduce these products into there diet but they won't eat
anything else.
<Try contacting them directly:
http://shop.store.yahoo.com/insectlore/hershavlivhe.html
>
Also, they haven't grown since I got them last summer, 2004. There are three
of them and non of them has molted yet.
<... odd...>
I have extra shells too. They move around the tank, I keep the temp. as the
books and written info say too and keep the humidity about 40%. I tried to
increase the humidity but for some reason it stays up a few days then go to 40%
again.
<Uhh, evaporation? Try keeping a moist sponge in their enclosure>
They are in a 5 gallon glass tank. Please let me know if you have any idea where
I can get this food. I live in N.J. Thanks
<Write on my young friend. Bob Fenner>
Painting hermit crab shells 1/4/05
My kids want to paint their Hermit's next shell. What kind of paint should
we use? thanks
<use non-toxic "baby-safe" acrylic paint like you'd find at Home Depot for
painting children's furniture... or better still, perhaps find smaller portions
and more colors at the craft/fabric stores. If it says "baby safe" then you are
in business :) Anthony>
Land Hermit Crab Question?
>>I am going ahead and retyping much of this as it is so short.
>Yes I have two hermit crabs and I've never seen one molt so my biggest one lost
its legs. I thought that it was molting but after three days I smelled
something and he smelled bad. Would it be [he] died or is this something that
they go through when they molt? If you can, please write me back and let me
know. Thanks, Tanya
>>Well, Tanya, I'm going to assume that you mean to say you have land
hermits. There are two commonly kept species that I know of, the Caribbean and
the Ecuadorian. Both require sand deep enough to molt in, as it seems you may
know (?). However, it seems the nose knows, if it smells bad my guess is it did
indeed die. I will link you to a site where I've learned not only what kind of
land hermit my oldest son "blessed" us with (which has been buried in the sand
for about three weeks, we assume to molt as he stays tight in his shell and
doesn't smell), but how to care for him. The sites are
http://www.hermit-crabs.com/ and http://www4.tpg.com.au/users/vanessap/hermit/cs/ Best
of luck! Marina
A Real Stumper - Ideas, Anyone??
I have found that there is a freshwater hermit crab (not a land crab) that
lives on of the Islands of Vanuatu. Do you know if this hermit crab is
available to the aquarium trade? I am also interested in a freshwater spider
crab, Amarinus lacustris native to Australia and New Zealand. Can you tell me if
either on is available? Moon
<Please forgive the lateness with which I am responding. You've given us quite
a toughie, with this one. I'm afraid information on these animals is extremely
elusive. In fact, I could find nothing on a freshwater hermit from
Vanuatu. The other, however, Amarinus lacustris, I was able to find some
(vague) information, but not much. Mostly only squibs on captions. I am
unclear whether this animal is a true freshwater crab, or whether it is a
brackish/marine crab that sometimes finds its way into freshwater. The only
really solid bit of info I've found is that it seems to be found in association
with the plant Cotula coronopifolia. I, personally, have never seen nor heard
of either of these two crabs being offered in the trade in the US. This will be
posted on the Daily FAQs page, so hopefully somebody out there will see, know,
and respond with further info. Anybody? Our fingers are crossed. Wishing you
well, -Sabrina>
A Real Stumper - II Re: Freshwater hermit crabs
Here is a site with a little bit of info about Amarinus lacustris http://www.nzfreshwater.org/crustacea.html
<I did see this in my searches, and unfortunately, that was the largest chunk of
info I found, and I couldn't find anything to verify it with.>
and another with mention of the freshwater hermit crab from Vanuatu http://www.crustacea.net/crustace/anomura/
<I saw this, as well - I'm sure you agree the mention of it is vague, at best,
eh? Upon further inspection, you'll see a reference marked at the end of the
sentence mentioning this crab. Go to the references page linked at the left,
scroll down, and you'll find the following reference: "McLaughlin, P.A. & T.
Murray, 1990. Clibanarius fonticola, new species (Anomura: Paguridea:
Diogenidae), from a fresh-water pool on Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu. Journal of
Crustacean Biology 10: 695-702." A Google search on Clibanarius fonticola
yielded a PDF file with only a passing mention of this species under a
description of another Clibanarius species, but I was unable to find any further
information on C. fonticola at all. If you have an interest in finding more,
I'd suggest to seek out the McLaughlin and Murray reference, and see where that
takes you. Good luck in your search for knowledge, and I'll be sure to let you
know if anyone brings more info to light for us. Wishing you well, -Sabrina>
Michael
Land Hermit Crab Molting
Hello!
I was wondering how long a hermit crab will take to molt. Also, what should I do
to it (if anything) when its molting. The last thing I was wondering was where I
could get a good online source about land hermit crabs.
<Honestly I am really not sure, I would check out the links below to see if you
can find this information. Best Regards, Gage
http://landhermitcrabs.com/
http://www.hermit-crabs.com/ >
Dead Hermit
Hello, I am so sad! I have had my two land hermit crabs in the same exact
environment for over 1 year, with fresh food, fresh water on a sponge, toys,
sleeping cave, etc. Five days ago, one of them died. I was concerned about the
other one being lonely, then all of a sudden, he too died yesterday.
<Wow, I'm sorry for your losses. that's very surprising.>
I am baffled at what might have killed them? I have to admit when I got them,
the book I got never mentioned that daily spraying is necessary, and I bathed
them but hardly sprayed them. I also have a water softening system, and did not
know that could cause harm. My question is, if I was so utterly irresponsible
with their care, how is it that they both died within 5 days of each other?
<these animals are extremely hardy, most likely something might have been
sprayed into the tank like a cleaning chemical or perhaps you had changed around
their location in the room, for instance a woman last week lost her land hermit
crabs due to the fact she had moved the tank closer to a heat register without
realizing it. The heat was to much for the crabs.>
After reading your website, I feel so super guilty for not caring for them
properly. Could the sponge have acquired a bacteria that might have killed them?
I cannot think of anything else.
<it might have been, but I've known many people that have kept the same sponge
in their tanks for many years with no problems.>
We buried them in their own boxes, side by side, and I truly miss them. Is it
stupid that I am crying right now as I write this?
<It's not stupid, it shows that you actually cared for the animals you brought
into your home. I would much rather have people like you in the world then the
idiots I see walking into the pet stores every two weeks to purchase
"replacement" animals.>
Thanks for any help.
<I suggest you check out the land hermit crabs forum. it's a fun place, lots of
people their know their stuff about these weird little critters.
http://www.landhermitcrabs.com/
Check the place out I imagine you will fit in quite well with LHC owners. Good
luck. Magnus>
Hermit Crabs - The Land-Dwelling Type 05/07/2004
I had paid for 2 hermit crabs. A month later the first one I found out of
his shell dead, and the 2nd hermit crab was in his shell and then next day, 2nd
hermit crab had moved back in his own shell. Then 2 week later 2nd hermit crab
died out side his shell.
<I'm sorry to hear that :( >
I am new at this and don't understand why they died.
<I'm afraid I don't, either. I have, though, found a decent care sheet online,
and I do hope that this will help get you re-started. Furthermore, on this link
is also a forum, where you can detail your situation to the other forum users,
and see if they can help you discern what happened, and whether it is
preventable should you try hermits again.
http://www.landhermitcrabs.com/
I would guess that the crabs were either in poor shape to begin with, or lacking
something crucial to survival, like water. Without more detail on their
housing, temperature, humidity, etc., it will be difficult to determine exactly
the cause of death. I do recommend that you get on that forum, read that care
sheet, and try again, implementing everything that you learn.>
My 6yr old cried and cried. I want to get another but scared to.
<Understandable - but I think that, once you have a good understanding of these
animals' needs, you could be confidant to try again.>
I read a clipping saying they might not be dead so I still have 2nd
hermit crab and hoping comes alive but I don't know if that article is right or
I misunderstand the article.
<My only best guess is that it was referring to the empty shell of the crab's
exoskeleton after molting.... but I don't know.>
Can you please help me and tell me what I am doing wrong.
<I wish I could, Melody. I'm sorry I don't have any more to tell you - but I do
think you'll find that link useful. A simple Google search of "land hermit
crab" will probably yield lots of information, as well. Wishing you, your
kiddo, and your future pet crabs well, -Sabrina>
Melody Linton
Destructive Terrestrial Hermit Crabs
<Hi, Mike D here>
I have two Land hermit crabs I have had them for about ten months they started
out with a decent sized sponge that they would drink out of. It always had
fresh water (chlorine free) but lately I have noticed that they are tearing it
apart.<OK>
For the past couple of days I have been hermit crab sitting and all the hermit
crabs are getting along but the sponge that the visiting hermit crabs had
brought with them was in perfect condition and now it is a little torn apart.
I am pretty sure that it is my hermit crabs doing all of the destroying of the
sponge.
Is there any reason that they are doing this?<It could be any number of things,
such as algae beginning to grow in the sponge tissue, or, if it's a natural
sponge vs. an artificial sponge, it could contain a vitamin or mineral that they
require, or at least enjoy>
Is there anything that I could do to make them stop it?<Why would you want to?
They are doing it for a reason known only to them, and be it a vitamin
deficiency or just sheer boredom, they seem to be getting some enjoyment from
it. Sponges are so inexpensive that it would seem like a worthwhile and minor
investment if it makes their life a little better>
Sincerely,
Neva
Did my land hermit crabs lay eggs?
Hey, my sister and I bought two hermit crabs, together, a few months ago.
Today, we came home, and my sister went to feed them and mist and everything
else, well she picked up their food container, and found two semi-clear, with
what looked like pink "claws" on each side? We are freaking out, mainly
because, this is the first time, this has happened to us? We've been
researching ever since, we discovered what was in their food container, and
cannot find any answers. We would greatly appreciate your help!!
< Your hermit crab has an exo-skeleton so the only they can grow is to shed this
skeleton every once in a while as they grow. I think what you found is the left
over external skeleton of each of the claws.-Chuck>
Land Hermit Reproduction or Shed/Molt? 10/23/04
I came home, and was going to feed my hermit crabs, I found in their food
bowl, one little pink ball, I left it in there, gave them some fresh food, I
woke up the next day, and went to check on them, on the other side of their food
bowl, was another ball. The one that I found the day before had been buried.
This was a couple of days ago, what is it?
<tough to say without a picture or better description. The burying of eggs for
terrestrial varieties would not be a surprise though. A picture is worth a
thousand words here in the absence of a description more detailed then "little
pink ball", my friend. Anthony>
Hey guys, great site.
Help For Land Hermits? - 10/11/2004
Bob:
HELP
<OKAY! Well, actually, Sabrina here with you, this fine, rainy afternoon. Hope
to help you with your hermits!>
We have adopted 4 hermit crabs. The crabs are from a "mall hut". we live in a
small town and the pet stores have the shells, but not the animals.
<I actually recommend purchasing online from a reputable dealer and having them
shipped, before purchasing from the carts in the mall, which promote deleterious
conditions for these otherwise long-lived, fun pets.>
Any way... we are excited with our new family members.
<Glad to hear it - these *are* a very exciting animal!>
However, the "mall" group provides little info and we have been on line for
many days...we need good sound advice before we lose all four of our new
friends!!!
<I'm so happy you're eager to learn about your new animals. Hopefully we can
point you in the right direction!>
one of our new friends has dropped 3 legs, one being his big pincher. I am sure
I should worry, but I am trying to learn all about this as my little girls find
the body parts. HELP!!!!!!!!!
<I would indeed be worried. First off, are you positive that the crab has
dropped legs, or is it possibly just molting? Meaning, have you looked at the
crab, and he is shy three legs, or did you just find leg shells laying
around? Next, what sort of setup are they in? How large is the tank? What
kind of substrate are you using? What are you feeding them? Are you offering
them both freshwater *and* saltwater, in separate dishes? How warm is the
tank? Is the tank covered, and is it retaining humidity? Humidity is the most
important factor, here; hermit crabs, though they live on land, still breathe
with gills - and their gills need to be wet, or they will suffocate. If the
tank is too dry, it will promote poor health in the crabs. Also, this is also
the biggest reason to boycott those mall kiosks - I have never seen a mall cart
that had their crabs in any sort of a proper setup. Who knows how long your
crabs were at that place, with little to no humidity, etc., etc. The crab with
the missing legs was probably in ill health long before you acquired him.>
We want them to be part of our life, the girls love them and sincerely want to
take care of them (god knows this is more than they want to take care of their
room!!)
<Well, how about this - let me give you an idea of a good setup for the crabs,
and you can compare this to your current crab house and tweak your setup as
necessary. This is going to get lengthy, but don't be daunted! It's a very fun
experience! For three crabs, I would have at least a ten gallon tank. These
are very inexpensive; you may be able to find one for cheap or free through the
classifieds in your newspaper, even - new, they cost about ten dollars. Next,
the tank needs to be covered to hold in humidity. You could either use a glass
cover, or a lid/light combo, like those sold for fish tanks. If you need to do
this on the cheap, you could use just a piece of glass, Plexiglas, or even
simply saran wrap! Just needs to hold in the humidity. Speaking of humidity,
it would be a good idea to try to get temperature and humidity gauges. These
can be found at most pet stores that carry reptile supplies. As for heating the
tank, this may not be necessary, depending upon the temperature in your house.
You can keep them in a warm location, or you can get a device for heating the
tank. Many folks use under-tank heaters for hermit crabs. As for substrate,
the crabs will need to be able to dig to remain feeling secure, and so that they
can bury themselves when they need to molt. My own personal preference is
silica play sand, which can be found at home depot type stores for just a few
dollars per 50 pound bag. I keep mine just barely moist enough for the crabs to
dig and tunnel in. Commercial substrates like "Eco-Earth", "Forest Bedding",
and "Calci-Sand" (or any other sugar-fine aragonite) are other good
options. Next up, water. Despite common belief, it is now thought that *all*
species of hermit crabs absolutely require both fresh and salt water. This is
not a rough task, though it might sound like it. All you need is salt designed
for marine aquaria, NOT salt sold for freshwater fish (there is some debate
about this, but I stand VERY firmly by the idea that, if it's not good enough
for ocean animals, it's not good enough for my hermits, which ARE ocean
animals!). Just follow the directions on the container to mix up a gallon of
saltwater; you can use a gallon of drinking water from the store for this, and
then just have it on hand any time you need to change the saltwater
dish. Dishes for the water (and food) can be done on the cheap, too - plastic
lids from peanut butter jars will do nicely, or you can get fancy dishes from
the pet store. As for food, there are many commercial foods available
(including some good fish foods, which can be used). You can also feed them
non-citrus fruits (apples are a BIG hit with mine!), coconut, unsalted nuts, and
aquatic meats like shrimp and crab. Now for the best part - decoration! Hermit
crabs LOVE to climb! Driftwood, cholla, or any deciduous tree limbs (no pine or
other conifers) will provide fun climbing and hiding places. Half a coconut
shell can be cut to make a neat-o hideaway. Decoration can be done on the
cheap, and still look great, so no worries there, either. Just avoid anything
metal in the tank. So. A recap:
-10g or larger tank
-Lid/cover to hold in humidity
-Heat (or warm location)
-Temperature and humidity gauges
-Substrate
-Fresh water
-Salt water (gallon of water, marine salt mix)
-Dishes/lids for food and water
-Food
-Climbing/hiding spaces
And you'll be all set. Now, back to the injured/sick fellah, I would try to
keep him separate from the other two. I would not handle this crab, and try to
give him time to rest and recover from the likely poor conditions he was in at
the mall. Hopefully, with a bit of R&R, he'll come around. Definitely offer
him enough sand (or whatever substrate you choose) to bury himself in, in case
he is ill or stressed. Sometimes, just being able to hide from the rest of the
world is enough to make them feel better. I know I can relate to that!>
Besides, I would not want to take on a pet with out knowing how to take care of
it properly.....and I have just done that....
<But your willingness and eagerness to learn is a major boon.... Thank you for
seeking answers.>
I enjoy the little guys... A LOT...
<Me, too! Wonderful little critters, aren't they?!>
help me, help him, I think he may be leaving us, can I help him...please???
<Just as above, give him some space separate from the other crabs for a
while. Offer him enough substrate to bury in, and both salt and fresh
water. Offer him treat foods like apple, coconut, and uncooked human
consumption shrimp. Give him some time to recuperate, and hope for the
best. That's perhaps the best you can do.>
my e-mail would be XXXX please send me advice!!
<Also, please check out
http://www.hermit-crabs.com ,
http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com , and
http://www.landhermitcrabs.com for more information and also hermit crab
forums. There are many opinions out there on the forums, though, so please dive
in and research if you find something that you deem questionable. The salt
issue is one such topic that is, for some odd reason, hotly debated - and again,
hermit crabs are, in a sense, *marine* animals; I think it very important that
they have water intended for marine use, to provide them the nutrients and
minerals (like calcium!) that they need. Salt marketed for freshwater aquaria
does not provide this. Just my opinion, though!>
I like them as much as my girls, and want them to be fine and healthy.
<With your passion to learn, I am certain you are doing your best, and will
continue to do so. I daresay you will give your hermits the best chance at a
good, long life.>
help!
<I hope I have indeed helped, and not just confused the matter.... But either
way, good luck and long life to you, your daughters, and your hermits. Wishing
you well, -Sabrina>
Some kind of worms in the hermit crab tank!!
I have two small hermit crabs I keep in a small tank with pea gravel, a
water dish and a feeding dish. They also have some decoration and a small branch
to climb on. (although I have not seen them climb). I recently started misting
the whole tank when I've been taking them out for food/water changing and their
own misting. A day or two after this first tank misting I found a colony of
little white worms living in the gravel, just beneath where the food dish had
been. I gave the tank a scrub, threw out all the wormy gravel and cleaned the
rest. Now about a week later, I took a closer look under the food dish and found
more! Is this something in the food? I feed them dry Hermit food. Or
contaminated gravel? Or just normal for Hermits. It's really pretty gross. Any
help would be great! Thanks
>>>I really have no idea Amy, some kind of fly larvae/maggots perhaps.
Jim<<<
Hermit Concerns - 09/26/2004
<First off, Lisa, please forgive me for the delay in response. Sabrina with
you, tonight.>
I came home tonight and found one of my hermit crabs alive and in his shell but
his pinchers and legs were beside him not attached anymore. What happened??
<First off, are you 100% positive the legs themselves are off, or has he simply
molted? It can certainly appear that they've lost legs if you find bits of
exoskeleton laying around, but then later see the crab walking around perfectly
intact.>
What do I do? He is still alive but has only one leg.
<So you've seen the whole crab, then? Not just the bits of legs? If he really
has lost all his legs but one, there's not a whole lot you *can* do, but hope
that he can still feed himself. If he cannot feed himself, I have heard of
success with hand-feeding them, but it's not very likely to do the trick,
unfortunately. Be certain to keep his tank very humid (75-80% humidity - might
consider getting a hygrometer) and be sure to offer him both freshwater *and*
saltwater (use a marine aquarium salt to mix the saltwater). Keep the tank's
temperature warm, too, 70-80 degrees.>
Will he survive?
<I'm sorry; I do not know. Stranger things have happened, but we can only do
our best.... Definitely try to keep his tank warm and humid, and just care for
him as best you can. They can and do regrow legs, but this might be just too
much to recover from. My fingers are crossed.>
We had been out of town and their sponge was dry. Does that have something to
do with it??
<It is possible. Humidity is *extremely* important to hermit crabs.>
Should I leave the legs in there or remove them or what do I do?
<*If* the crab has only molted, and really still has his legs, he should eat the
old shells. If they are actually his legs, remove them, as they will rot and
stink.>
Sorry if this is a stupid question.
<The only stupid question is the one that goes unasked. Thanks for writing in.>
Lisa :)
<Wishing you and your hermit well, -Sabrina>
Hermit Concerns - II - 10/05/2004
Hi Sabrina.
<Hi again, Lisa.>
Thanks for replying. My hermit crab did die. We had a little funeral for him.
<I'm so sorry to hear of your loss.>
What do you supposed caused this? I read somewhere that he was possibly
stressed out for many different reasons.
<Stress is likely a big factor; other things, like bacterial infections, may
have been at play, as well. I'm afraid that not much is known - or at least
easy to find - about the illnesses of hermits.>
I did go purchase a heater and all of my other crabs seems to be ok.
<Glad to hear that. Make sure the tank stays nice and humid, too.>
By the way I was 100% sure his legs were off. I mean all he had in the shell
was his body and one leg.
<Poor feller!>
That one finally fell off and the next morning he was dead. His little body fell
right out of his shell when I picked him up. It was depressing. Oh well.
<Again, my condolences for your loss.>
Thanks again. Lisa
<Take care, Lisa, and thanks for writing in. Wishing you and your other hermits
well, -Sabrina>
Hermit questions
How much are hermit crabs and there cages? Do they make good pets? What do
they eat
< Hermit crabs seem to be all over the place now. I have seen them in malls and
pet shops. The cost of the hermit crab depends on the size of the crab and how
attractive the shell is. Usually under ten dollars with 5 dollars being the cost
for an average sized crab. They really don't require too large a cage so a ten
to twenty gallon aquarium would be plenty of room. They need humidity of at
least 70% so they need a good source of water to keep them moist. The only real
drawback is that they are most active at night. If they in a bed room then they
are often heard walking around with their shells tapping the glass every once in
a while. There are commercially available hermit crab foods available at the
shops where you buy the crabs. ZooMed has a lot of products for hermit crabs so
you may want to check out their web site at Zoomed.com.-Chuck>
Hermit crab babies 11/7/04
Hi Bob
<Anthony Calf in his stead>
I had a question on saltwater hermit crabs, my hermit crabs had babies and I
read some of the articles on your website (great by the way). But I have heard
that you must mimic a beach coastline, if not the baby hermit crabs will drown
and die. If this is true than why can there parents be in an aquarium, wouldn't
they drown also. Thank you! Sincerely, Jenny
<there are many possibilities here... hermit crabs are known to be terrestrial,
intertidal and of course - fully aquatic. Some spend their entire lives in a
given niche while others spend certain life cycles in different niches. The
"land" hermit crabs must be get moist and humid but not submerged or they will
drown. Anthony>
Re: (land) hermit crab
I'm not sure if land crabs are your area, but if so I would very much
appreciate a reply. I have had a land hermit crab for over a year now. He's to
all appearances happy and healthy, except he has lost quite a bit of color. In
fact, the last time he molted he was just about translucent. He has a choice of
many foods: Hikari "Crab cuisine", Tetra/Terrafauna "hermit crab cakes",
Aquadyne mix of goldfish food and vegetables, and Hermit Haven hermit crab
food. He has a large water dish with sponges, shells, and Cholla wood. He also
gets salad or other veggies from my meals. His water is distilled, and I change
the shells when it appears that the calcium has come off of them. Do you have
any ideas as to what could be happening to my crab? Thank you very much for
your time.
~Melissa
<Hi Melissa, it sounds like you take excellent care of your hermit crab. Varied
diet, good water, clean living, the only thing that I can think of that may be
missing is sunlight. A full spectrum daylight fluorescent bulb may help him/her
out. My experience with land hermits is limited, but it sounds like you are
doing everything correctly, I would try adding some daylight.>
Land hermit crabs
hi,
I brought 10 little land hermit crabs back from Mexico for my son for Christmas.
they are in a large Plexiglas tank with little stones and some awesome climbing
sticks. I have hermit food and a sponge that I keep quite wet. I mist them daily
and I have provided lots of shells. (they are changing them like crazy) two of
them are connected right now and they are making
"clicking noises" are they fighting? how do they mate? can you give me any
advice? when I took them, I vowed to keep them alive and I want all the info I
can get.
thanks, Julie Swann
<Hi Julie, I am not familiar with the actual mating ritual of the land hermit
crab. I would be willing to bet they are fighting, most likely over a
shell. While searching on google.com I stumbled upon the link below, it appears
to have a lot of information on land hermits
http://www4.tpg.com.au/users/vanessap/hermit/cs/cs_gender.html
Hope this helps, Gage>
Hitch Hiking Hermit Crab
Hello I have a problem that maybe you could help out with. Over Easter
break I vacationed to Aruba. Along the shore Collected shells. When I arrived
home I realized that the only thing I brought home from Aruba wasn't just
shells. A hermit crab no bigger than 1 inch tagged along.
<Whoops>
It has small blue legs and a huge abdomen. I gave it a shell to go it and it
did. So now what? I have this little hermit crab that I don't want to kill or
let die and I have no clue how to care for it or what to feed it. Please help.
Thank you for your time and please respond,
Tom Schaner
<There is a ton of information on keeping land hermits on the web. You should be
able to find info on housing and feeding requirements, most pet stores will have
hermit crab food. I would start with a search using google.com, and a browse
through our FAQs on Crustaceans. -Gage
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwcrustfaqs.htm >
Hermit Crab Reproduction? Nope - Just Molting - 8/21/03
We apparently had a male ("Jupiter") and a female ("Crustaceous") hermit
crab. They were reasonably active (when it was safe I let them out to walk
around an open space on the floor). They enjoyed their food and drank from
their sponge. They always slept cuddled closely together.
<Hmmm... no mention of daily spraying of them/the tank for humidity... helps
them to breath easier - literally. Too many hobbyists are not informed of this
and the crabs suffer slowly over time (evidenced by inactivity, incomplete
molts, etc)>
Then Crustaceous seemed to be getting antisocial and was off to herself most of
the time. I realized she was in the same spot through the day and then also
through the night. When I picked her up, she just about fell out of her shell -
and of course she was dead. But her body looked really weird - as if there was
almost nothing inside the skin.
<this was simply the molt my friend>
I planned to bury her with the rest of our long last hermit crabs, <yikes... how
many bodies? I'm wondering if they just haven't been petering out slowly from
lack of spraying/humidity?> but I thought I would clean the shell and keep it. I
was shocked when I looked into the shell and saw what looked like a very tiny
fully formed hermit crab claw. It was orange/red in color. I determined there
was no life in whatever it was and tried to pry it gently from the shell. It
was a tiny formed crab. The legs broke off as it just fell out once it was
loosened. That also seemed as if there was not much (if anything) inside the
shell. There was an odor so my husband quickly wrapped it up and disposed of
it. I am sorry to say we didn't just bury the whole thing in the yard. But, I
was afraid of disease and the whole thing was so weird I wasn't sure it really
happened. Jupiter is not looking too well right now either. I totally scrubbed
their home, changed everything and am trying to keep him safe if there were any
germs. But, I am afraid we are going to lose him. I have been obsessed with
that baby crab - because that's what I'm sure it was - and regret I hadn't seen
your web site before I disposed of it. I would appreciate your comments.
Ann
<please do buy a handbook online or at your local pet store on keeping hermit
crabs properly... much data online too. That was no baby as you might guess by
now, but the shrunk molted living crab. It sounds like you need a spray bottle
in use by the tank ;) Best of luck. Anthony>
Hermit Crab Reproduction? Molting - 8/24/03
Thank you so much for your prompt response. I feel terrible to know I
caused its death.
<no worries, mate... their natural lifespan is not so long... and the crabs we
collect are generally adults of an unknown age>
I do spray the crabs (obviously not enough) and make sure they always have
plenty of clean water in their dish and sponge.
<excellent to hear... and do check out the following links mentioned to us by a
daily reader after seeing yours and other recent posts:
http://www.landhermitcrabs.com
http://www.hermit-crabs.com >
I have kept them successfully for years at a time. And I have read up some -
again obviously not enough. I only learned from your site about their need for
salt, though I should certainly have figured that out considering they come from
the shore. I never, never heard anything about the crab molting - not from
any of my friends who have many more hermit crabs than I have.
<my goodness... tis a common, albeit secretive occurrence. The molts are
generally eaten>
And believe it or not, I did even buy a hermit crab book at the pet store when
my granddaughter brought the first hermit crab here.
<excellent... you really are quite on par my friend. Keeping them for a couple
of years is quite good too>
But she took the book, and I had the crab. Not a very good combination. Please
be sure no other hermit crab will suffer in my hands. Thank you again.
<always welcome... best of luck! Anthony>
Land Hermit Crabs and Softened Water? - 8/14/03
HI,
<howdy>
can I give my land hermit crabs water from my tap if we have a water
conditioning system that uses salt? Kara
<not recommended, my friend. The salt exchangers impart excess chloride that has
been demonstrated to be a problem with some animals. Please do bypass the
softener and/or keep a jug of spring water handy (not distilled... too pure).
Kindly, Anthony>
Land Hermit crabs 7/13/03
Hi there I was wondering if you can help us. We have 3 land hermit crabs.
The larger one of them (Sherman) was just purchased a few days ago, he was
active and happy. This morning I found him in the middle of the tank almost all
the way out of his shell and limp, but, when I touched his legs, he very slowly
moved back into the shell and has not moved since, (when you do touch the legs
it will have very slow movements).
<have you been misting these creatures daily or nearly so with fresh water? They
need the moisture to respire properly>
I have moved him into another tank. Once I moved him out and had a closer look
at him, I noted a lot of dried up and peeling skin? Its eyes are droopy with no
colour.
<the lack of water if a common error/mistake>
I found him in the middle of the tank on top of some food, taken from the dish.
The day before I didn't notice anything wrong, He did spend a lot of time in the
water dish and food dish though. The temperature of the tank is between 78 and
82 and the humidity is around 70%-80%.
<hmmm... my apologies. It sounds as though you are quite aware of the need for
hydration. If a rinse or spritz of the creature does not help... we are looking
at another issue indeed>
The other 2 crabs are fine and active. Is this guy dying. Please help me I am
the mother of 3 children who will be very upset when they wake today. Thank you
Sherman's mom
<hmmm... I suppose there are many possibilities... stress-induced trauma from
recent import not the least of them. I regret that I know little more about this
hardy creature than you/we could find with skilled keyword searches on the Net
and in books. Anthony>
Hermit Crab Mites?
I have had hermit crabs for 4 months. I noticed really small, tan/clear
bugs in the cage, crabs, and food dish. I cleaned the cage, but they are still
there. Where are they coming from? How do I get rid of them? Do they hurt the
crabs? I have lost two crabs.
<Hmm, sounds like mites to me, nasty little buggers. Check out the site below
for more info.
http://www4.tpg.com.au/users/vanessap/hermit/cs/cs_mites.html#grainmite Best
Regards, Gage>
Land Hermit Disease
Hi WetWebMedia crew,
<Hello, Gage here.>
About two months ago I have purchased two land hermit crabs. They seem healthy
to me but recently there is some talk about a hermit disease that kills whole
tank full crabs. They don't seem to shown any significant symptoms. Do you know
anything about this? Are there any known diseases that hermit crabs can
carry and that are dangerous to humans (like salmonella, cyst causing parasites,
etc)?
I have a 2.5 year old son who loves his crabs. I make him wash his hands every
time he handles the crabs but that is pretty tough for a 2 year old and I am
worried.
<I am not sure if they are as dangerous as say, a turtle, but I would definitely
keep up on the hand washing, better safe than sorry. http://www.hermit-crabs.com
has a section for popular myths, they mention Hermit Crabs spreading disease. I
would start searching there. Best Regards, Gage >
Thanks in advance, Iklil Palanduz
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