Halloween Land Crabs..

[PapaJT]

My local pet store just got some Holloween Land Crabs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween_crab) in (might be Cardisoma armatum..) and I'm thinking about picking a few up. I'm wondernig what kind of setup they need and if anyone has them, if they can post some pics of their setup.

I have a 20 Gal long to put them in. Not sure what substrate I should use. Water dish or have the land slop down into water? What is best to feed these guys when there fully grown? What should I use to heat the tank with? What kind of lighting should I be using?

Thanks a ton!

 

[reptech]

you want to use gravel and do half land half water (not deep water) keep tank in low 80s
feed crickets and small feeder fish

 

[kafiltafiisch]

are they freshwater?

 

[PapaJT]

I tend to keep my apartment..really cold. (50-60s..I'm hot blooded. lol.)

Thank you for the advice. I'm compiling all my feedback then gonna work from there.

What would you say would be a good heater for this tank? (And maybe something that will switch off once its at the correct temp?)


EDIT: Also I'm 99% sure they are Cardisoma armatum..As they seem to large for the Halloween Land Crabs I've been finding online..

 

[reptech]

yes fresh water and all you need is a red heat bulb on top of your tank

 

[PapaJT]

yes fresh water and all you need is a red heat bulb on top of your tank

Ahh, so I don't need like full UV or anything?

..Also is there any other way to heat a whole tank? (I've never done it before.)

 

[coura]

A ceramic lamp with a termostad in it and/ or a heating pad may come in handy I would recomend that you include in their diet also stuff like hermit crab food, pleco pelets and even some fruit and veggys since they apear to be mainly herbivorus in the wild. I too have my own favorite crab, the land hermits gonna try to get some one day

 

[coura]

yes fresh water and all you need is a red heat bulb on top of your tank

Are you shure they dont need at least a litle salt in the water Dont forget also to get declorinizer like the one we use for fish to treat the water and to do water changes like you would for fish

 

[reptech]

Are you shure they dont need at least a litle salt in the water Dont forget also to get declorinizer like the one we use for fish to treat the water and to do water changes like you would for fish

most of the ones you find at pet shops are fully aclamted to fresh water and yes you need to do water changes

 

[PapaJT]

Ahh my wife picked up some sand..Think they would be ok with sand and a large water dish?

How deep does the water need to be?