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FAQs on Terrestrial/Freshwater Hermit Crabs
Behavior
Related Articles:
Terrestrial Hermit Crabs, Freshwater
Crustaceans, Invertebrates
for Freshwater Aquariums by Neale Monks,
Related FAQs: Terrestrial
Hermit Crabs 1, Terrestrial Hermit Crabs 2,
& FAQs on Terrestrial Hermits: Terr. Hermit ID,
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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What's wrong with them?
Hermits, terr.... sys., fdg., beh.... 8/5/09
Hello, my name is Ben.
Sorry to bother you, but there is something that's really bothering me
and I'm worried about my Hermit Crabs.
<Interesting pets, and not difficult to keep, but often trickier than
the sales clerks suggest. Suggest you visit one particular site that's
all hermits, all the time:
http://hermit-crabs.com/
It's a good site, and very frank about what's needed to keep them
healthy.>
My brothers and I bought 3 hermit crabs (sorry, not so sure about the
species) at Petsmart two days ago, we also bought frog moss, sponges, 3
shells of the appropriate size and some decorations. I had everything
else ready at my house, hideys, chlorine remover, dishes, and bag of
play sand.
I didn't buy any salt, though.
<Ah, this does matter. There are at least two species equally commonly
traded in the US: Coenobita clypeatus, which needs a freshwater bathing
pool, and Coenobita compressus, which needs brackish water or seawater
in its bathing pool. Now, the critical thing to remember is that both
species are widely sold, and sales clerks will say that both species
need freshwater. That helps them make their sales quota! So do not,
repeat DO NOT, take on trust any statement that the Hermit you have is a
freshwater species. Review the link below, and confirm for yourself.
http://hermit-crabs.com/species.html
Use marine salt mix to make up the brackish water should you need it. At
the amounts you're using the cost will be trivial, but you'll regret
using cooking salt, aquarium tonic salt, or anything else that wouldn't
be used
in a marine aquarium. You're after brands such as Reef Crystals, Instant
Ocean, or whatever the cheaper generic marine aquarium salt is at your
pet store.>
The lady who helped us mentioned something about them having only
freshwater hermit crabs in store and that salt water was not necessary.
I also didn't buy any commercial food, they didn't have any in store and
I
heard they can a lot of other things instead.
<Certainly, these crabs are entirely omnivorous. An ideal diet would
include soft fruit, freeze-dried or wet-frozen krill, squashed cooked
peas, and chunks of lancefish, which you can buy frozen at pet stores.
Lancefish are small fish, a bit like whitebait, and because they contain
bones, they're a good source of calcium.>
I've fed them daily, watered the moss, misted the tank, gave them water.
(I've made sure to always use the water I setup with drops of chlorine
remover every time I use any water)
<Very good.>
Well, here's my problem, I don't think they've eaten since I got them 2
days ago. I've fed them apple, melon, carrot, with small dabs of peanut
butter or honey. I haven't really seen any change in the food from when
I put it there. So I'm worried whether they're eating or not? Why not?
How long could they go on like this?
<It is actually very common for Hermits to "go quiet" when first
introduced to their new habitat. They're also somewhat nocturnal in the
wild, and become more day-active once they settle down. So, between
these two factors, you might well not see very much for the first couple
days, even a week or so. Provided your Hermit is still alive, I wouldn't
worry unduly about a quiet specimen for at least a week or so after
purchase. Remove uneaten food to prevent fruit flies, fungus, etc. A
small piece of lancefish would, I bet, be the thing to get them eating,
so try that one night. Dead fish are a real treat in the wild, and land
crabs get very
excited when they smell one!>
I also haven't seen a lot of action from them. Of course I'm not aware of
what goes on after I fall asleep, but when I'm awake, they mostly hide
all day. At night we take them out to play and exercise them a bit since
they're nocturnal but they don't seem to trust us much.
<They won't. It takes weeks before they become "trusting".>
It takes long for them to come out and when they do they try to scurry
in the opposite direction, we always try to be as gentle as we can.
Please, could you give us some tips that could help us earn there trust?
<Time.>
Please, I'm afraid they'll die, I've had hermit crabs before, but I
wasn't well informed or prepared the first time. This time I did
research on everything before getting them and I was prepared, but I
don't understand
why they aren't eating. Thanks for taking time to read this, and I'm
sorry to have bothered you.
Thank you,
Ben
<Do read the site mentioned, identify the species you have, adjust the
salinity of the bathing pool if required, and give your Hermits time to
settle down. Remember they need warmth, and if your habitat is too cold
(air temperature less than 22 C/72 F) they're not going to be active at
all, and will probably die quite quickly. These animals live in the
Caribbean area, so if you don't live somewhere with a similar tropical
climate, you WILL need a heater. An undertank heating mat is ideal, and
doesn't cost much. Alternatively, some type of heating lamp could be
used; not a regular lamp, a proper heating lamp mind you! Visit a
reptile pet store and review the options for heating lizards, snakes and
other warmth-loving animals. All of these tropical pets need heat, and
it's a shame sales clerks often suggest they can be kept at room
temperature in
the US and Europe; they very largely can't. If you happen to live
somewhere warm like Florida where the air temperature would be adequate,
don't forget that air conditioning will cool the air in your home, and
that will also cool the air in your Hermit habitat. So do think very
carefully about heating: it's probably the single most common reason why
tropical "critters" of all kinds die in captivity. Cheers, Neale.>
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>
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
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/ >
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 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>
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>
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>
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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>
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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>
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>
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>>
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>
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