HCA: Hermit Crab Association

If they do it just to eat or rest for a little while and then move to another location, it's no big deal and it's just them being little weirdos. I've seen my own crabs do this occasionally, usually when something yummy catches their attention. If they're in that position and not moving for an exten...

Is he sitting like the crab in these photos?

https://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB ... 9&t=116366

The shell is undersized but that's normal for wild crabs of this size, he's a purple pincher. As far as telling if it died the only way is going to be to wait and see if there's a smell, dead and molting crabs can look and act very similar at first and waiting is always recommended just to be safe. ...

I've had Ecuadorians that stayed for years in painted shells! Purple pinchers tend to change more often once they start growing, but I still had one stay in a glazed shell for over 10 months. It's not the end of the world if they don't change, but making sure that the type and size of new shells is ...

And a thinner sheet of plexi (which is cheaper) can be used overtop the screen lid so it's still secure so the crabs don't escape!

That flurry of activity you remember from them in their wire cage was a panic response - like any wild animal, they get desperate to escape when confined. Happy crabs are slow crabs! Them settling down is a good thing, though safe climbing items are also a good idea. Natural wood from the pet store ...

It's a great mix to add into their food rotation, but it should be part of their diet and not the only thing in their diet. It's a good selection but comes up short in fruits, and having dried along with fresh/frozen items is always a good idea. You shouldn't need to do anything to it other than off...

Crabs can do some unexpected things, but a classic surface molt progression leaves them limp only for a day or two at most right around when they go to shed their old exo. They'll start to darken and harden within a few hours of shedding but they should be alert and eating their old exoskeleton befo...

I'd suggest starting off with scraping the top 1/2 inch of sand away and tossing it, and wiping the glass and lid down with vinegar which is harmless to the crabs. Mold can grow on discarded food, and mildew sometimes forms on the glass. With no other decor it'll let you know if it is the actual san...

You can try going straight to normal foods, but I'd try to stick with calcium rich options like shrimp tails, whole dried insects or plankton, cuttlebone, crushed coral, etc. Anything that can mimic a crab exoskeleton. They can still form new skin without having their old to eat, but they'll be at a...

I know it's not an emergency situation, but the help request template asks all the questions we need to get a sense of what's going on with your enclosure and your hermits. Sometimes it can be something small that can be affecting them over time. https://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php...

A mix is best, some crabs like a loose fit while others like to be tucked in tight. For shells under 1 inch opening, 1/4 inch increments in size is usually perfect. For shells over 1 inch opening, a smaller change of 1/8 or even 1/16 is often enough because the interior volume increases faster, and ...

He should be okay to leave alone where he is, but I'd suggest using something else as a temporary food dish. Constantly disturbing him can be dangerous if he's refusing to move. I'm also curious as to how deep your susbtrate is and if it's moist enough. Sometimes crabs want a hard ceiling because it...

Christopher Prieto wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 12, 2024 9:26 am

Hi,
Do you have the same chart in centimeters and liters?
Thanks.

Yes it's located here: viewtopic.php?f=26&t=92541

Unfortunately hermit crabs are poorly marketed towards, with companies treating them more like living children's toys than specialty exotic pets. They require deep and moist substrate to tunnel into to safely molt, and calcium sands cannot be kept this way because they grow bad bacteria when wet and...