Introducing myself, AND a substate question
Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 4:59 am
Hello. My well-intentioned parents brought 2 hermit crabs home to my son from a vacation to the gulf coast (purchased in a shop). He is only 4, so they have certainly become mine, though he really loves watching them in their tank. We have had them a month now, and moved them right away into a 10 gallon tank, they are small sized (prob ping-pong size and slightly smaller). We have researched (totally have lurked many many nights all over this forum!) and have things all right, but have been wanting to add more sand to have deeper substrate for them, is currently only 4 inches or so, I know it needs a few more inches. Also hoping to add more moisture to the sand when we add more, and get it more tunnel-able without panicking about collapse. It is all play sand, though we have coconut fiber to add when we add the additional needed amount. They have seemed great so far, don't seem stressed and I don't let my son do things that will cause them any more stress than a cross-country trip to their arrival already had. They don't seem to eat or drink much (have both fresh and salt water, and feed fresh foods daily, whatever fruit and veggie, plus the fish or poultry we are having for dinner, minus seasonings, we are also beekeepers and give them honey and bee pollen.
Anyhow, my question that finally caused me to register rather than continue to lurk... One crab finally dug down on Thursday or last week for the first time of digging, surfaced Friday, and then went back down Friday evening (so that was 4 or so days ago now) and hasn't been seen since, no biggie, hoping he is happily de-stressing or perhaps molting. Other one (the smaller) started making a tunnel from under his castle today, and seems to have also gone down now They were both trying other shells on for the first time (that we noticed) in the couple days before digging, though didn't wear any new shells for longer than an hour or so before returning to the originals, quite a variety of sizes and species offered. Since I didn't get the additional substrate added, do I now wait until they eventually emerge and then do it, while worrying the whole time about them not having sturdy tunnels or enough room? Or do I dig them up, and disturb them in order to provide a better place in the long run for destressing and molting? Totally torn about this. The new bag of sand and the ee is just sitting there waiting, I wish I did it before they decided to dig!
Sorry for the long post, just hoping to get some opinions on what is the lessor evil, to dig and disturb after one down 4 days, or to risk them not having the best conditions. (I'm afraid the sand has dried out more than I would like, and really want to add the coconut fiber and re-moisten it, in addition to the additional depth). THANKS A MILLION!!
Anyhow, my question that finally caused me to register rather than continue to lurk... One crab finally dug down on Thursday or last week for the first time of digging, surfaced Friday, and then went back down Friday evening (so that was 4 or so days ago now) and hasn't been seen since, no biggie, hoping he is happily de-stressing or perhaps molting. Other one (the smaller) started making a tunnel from under his castle today, and seems to have also gone down now They were both trying other shells on for the first time (that we noticed) in the couple days before digging, though didn't wear any new shells for longer than an hour or so before returning to the originals, quite a variety of sizes and species offered. Since I didn't get the additional substrate added, do I now wait until they eventually emerge and then do it, while worrying the whole time about them not having sturdy tunnels or enough room? Or do I dig them up, and disturb them in order to provide a better place in the long run for destressing and molting? Totally torn about this. The new bag of sand and the ee is just sitting there waiting, I wish I did it before they decided to dig!
Sorry for the long post, just hoping to get some opinions on what is the lessor evil, to dig and disturb after one down 4 days, or to risk them not having the best conditions. (I'm afraid the sand has dried out more than I would like, and really want to add the coconut fiber and re-moisten it, in addition to the additional depth). THANKS A MILLION!!