Hey, I've kept some hermit crabs before in the past, but they only lived for about a couple weeks. I think it is because they did not eat their food at all; I tried everything. One even took a piece of corn with it, but didn't end up eating it. I want to keep hermit crabs again, but I really don't want these to die off...if anybody who is experienced could help me, that would be nice, thanks.
I need help with hermit crabs
- Thread starter Nabbig2
- Start date
I have four that I have had for approx. 4 years. I keep them in a ten gallon tank with about three inches of regular play sand, a water dish with a sponge in it, a food dish, some "live rock" from my old salt water tank and the smallest "stick on bottom" heat pad that you can buy in one corner.
I keep fresh water in the dish at all times and I mist the tank heavily every other day. I keep a tiny amount of hermit crab food in the food dish daily but also offer other things (mine go absolutely nuts for Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal). One thing I have learned over the years is that they really like thier food wet. So soak the food as you mist the cage. Also use only distilled water from the store as hermits will perish quickly from tap water. A $.59 gallon lasts me around two weeks or so.
I also add a piece of cuttlefish bone (the kind they sell at pet stores for birds), my crabs will eat a quater sized piece every month or so. Its a great source of calcium.
Moulting.....this is the hardest time for the crabs. Mine bury themselves in the sand for as long as two weeks as they moult. I DO NOT dig them up or look for them while they do this. They will emerge when they are ready.
My kids got these from thier aunt as a gift and I though "WOW crabs.....yay" but actually they turned out to be interesting and VERY easy to care for pets. Heck now I know when its gonna rain everey time because they will chirp so loudly I can hear them from two rooms away.
I can post set-up pics if you would like. Hope this helps!
I keep fresh water in the dish at all times and I mist the tank heavily every other day. I keep a tiny amount of hermit crab food in the food dish daily but also offer other things (mine go absolutely nuts for Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal). One thing I have learned over the years is that they really like thier food wet. So soak the food as you mist the cage. Also use only distilled water from the store as hermits will perish quickly from tap water. A $.59 gallon lasts me around two weeks or so.
I also add a piece of cuttlefish bone (the kind they sell at pet stores for birds), my crabs will eat a quater sized piece every month or so. Its a great source of calcium.
Moulting.....this is the hardest time for the crabs. Mine bury themselves in the sand for as long as two weeks as they moult. I DO NOT dig them up or look for them while they do this. They will emerge when they are ready.
My kids got these from thier aunt as a gift and I though "WOW crabs.....yay" but actually they turned out to be interesting and VERY easy to care for pets. Heck now I know when its gonna rain everey time because they will chirp so loudly I can hear them from two rooms away.
I can post set-up pics if you would like. Hope this helps!
Thanks for the info walls. If you could post a set up pic, that would be real helpful. So, what kind of hermit crab food do you exactly feed to them? And do you take them out to play with them sometimes?
loconorc, I'm not sure exactly what type, but the ones I have gotten are mostly red and stay pretty small.
loconorc, I'm not sure exactly what type, but the ones I have gotten are mostly red and stay pretty small.
I will put up a pic when I get home from work.
I feed use a couple different kinds, usually whatever Wal-Mart or the pet store has. LOL! But like I said they also get small pieces of whatever we are having for dinner a few times a week as well.
I do not take them out to "play" with them, however about once a week or so I will give them a good soak in TEPID water. This really seems to perk them up and from what I have read it helps them to get unwanted particles out of thier shells.
I really couldnt tell you what species I have, sorry.
I feed use a couple different kinds, usually whatever Wal-Mart or the pet store has. LOL! But like I said they also get small pieces of whatever we are having for dinner a few times a week as well.
I do not take them out to "play" with them, however about once a week or so I will give them a good soak in TEPID water. This really seems to perk them up and from what I have read it helps them to get unwanted particles out of thier shells.
I really couldnt tell you what species I have, sorry.
Hey Nabbig, I read the title here, and had to stop in and see what you need.
I have 15 hermit crabs, (14 purple pinchers, 1 Ecuadorian) in a 75 tall AQ. Their sub is a mix of playsand, and Eco Earth. Some like to molt in the EE, some prefer the play sand, but I mixed the whole mess, since the crabs do it anyways.
A great place for hermit crab info, and around the clock, hermit crab support is www.landhermitcrabs.com, I would suggest going to the ZOEA board first, and reading the articles at the top of the forum.
Purple pinchers LIKE having 2 dishes of water, each deep enough to go to the eyestalks of the largest crab. 1 with dechlorinated fresh water, the other with dechlorinated salt water. Now use Aquarium-grade marine tank salt for this. As heavy metals will kill your hermies.
All of the other hermit crab species NEED a dish of saltwater, Strawberries need it saltier than others though.
When I started out, I had the typical petstore recommended conditions, calci-sand, commercial food, painted shells, and only fresh water. But I noticed my hermies were much happier/healthier, when I put moist playsand in there (sandcastle consistancy) and a bowl of saltwater.
I feed my crabs "Southern Greens" which is collards, mustard, and watercress, and comes pre-mixed in a bag at Meijer, for $2.50 I also put in Mango, and pirckly pear fruit, but I grate it, since the food is shared with my igs, and they're still small. My hermit crabs love their food, and I've never seen better colors on them!! I also offer freeze dried gammarus, and bloodworms, this way they won't attack any molters for much-needed Chiton.
Check out that website I posted, and I can guarentee your crabs will thank you!!
BTW, if you need anything else feel free to PM me!!
I have 15 hermit crabs, (14 purple pinchers, 1 Ecuadorian) in a 75 tall AQ. Their sub is a mix of playsand, and Eco Earth. Some like to molt in the EE, some prefer the play sand, but I mixed the whole mess, since the crabs do it anyways.
A great place for hermit crab info, and around the clock, hermit crab support is www.landhermitcrabs.com, I would suggest going to the ZOEA board first, and reading the articles at the top of the forum.
Purple pinchers LIKE having 2 dishes of water, each deep enough to go to the eyestalks of the largest crab. 1 with dechlorinated fresh water, the other with dechlorinated salt water. Now use Aquarium-grade marine tank salt for this. As heavy metals will kill your hermies.
All of the other hermit crab species NEED a dish of saltwater, Strawberries need it saltier than others though.
When I started out, I had the typical petstore recommended conditions, calci-sand, commercial food, painted shells, and only fresh water. But I noticed my hermies were much happier/healthier, when I put moist playsand in there (sandcastle consistancy) and a bowl of saltwater.
I feed my crabs "Southern Greens" which is collards, mustard, and watercress, and comes pre-mixed in a bag at Meijer, for $2.50 I also put in Mango, and pirckly pear fruit, but I grate it, since the food is shared with my igs, and they're still small. My hermit crabs love their food, and I've never seen better colors on them!! I also offer freeze dried gammarus, and bloodworms, this way they won't attack any molters for much-needed Chiton.
Check out that website I posted, and I can guarentee your crabs will thank you!!
BTW, if you need anything else feel free to PM me!!
