New accidental crab owner

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Ntexasnurse71
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New accidental crab owner

Post by Ntexasnurse71 » Wed Sep 04, 2019 1:09 pm

Hi, I'm new here. I'm sure you've heard this many times. After collecting shells and traveling home from Galveston Texas I've learned that at least 2 of my shells had live crabs in them. I feel horrible and want to care for them, but have no idea how. Right now they are in a large flat bottom plastic bowl. I had sand from a previous trip that i put into it and I've added two paper cups cut down with bottled water and a couple of unsalted nuts. I am VERY short on finances and would appreciate any help. Most critical to less critical advice for their survival please. I'm not sure how to add a photo yet.

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purplepincher
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Re: New accidental crab owner

Post by purplepincher » Wed Sep 04, 2019 1:48 pm

well, they need a 10 gallon tank with 6 inches of sand. make sure to bake the sand at 360 F for 30 minutes to free it of parasites. then go to your pet store and buy saltwater bowl and freshwater bowl. they CANNOT CANNOT CANNOT have tap water, so give them bottled water. also, give them logs and things they can eisily climb. they eat a vereity of foods, just nothing prossesed. remember, NO TAP WATER! and give them salt water from the pet store.


what species is your crab? look at the species care guide. they each have spesific requirements.

if you have questions, ask me.
-Jacob
I love my little Acorn! #besthermitcrabever
I also Love Jesus! My favorite food is doughnuts, my favorite drink is orange soda,
and my favorite color is gold! (I like shiny things)

I am also a Die hard Lego fan!

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purplepincher
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Re: New accidental crab owner

Post by purplepincher » Wed Sep 04, 2019 1:48 pm

:crabbigsmile: :crabbigsmile: :crabbigsmile: :crabbigsmile: :crabbigsmile: :crabbigsmile: :crabbigsmile: :crabbigsmile: :crabbigsmile: :crabbigsmile:
I love my little Acorn! #besthermitcrabever
I also Love Jesus! My favorite food is doughnuts, my favorite drink is orange soda,
and my favorite color is gold! (I like shiny things)

I am also a Die hard Lego fan!


Topic author
Ntexasnurse71
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2019 12:56 pm
Location: McKinney

Re: New accidental crab owner

Post by Ntexasnurse71 » Wed Sep 04, 2019 1:56 pm

I had already given 2 soda cap bottles full of tap water before reading NOT to give tap water. Now I have two paper cups cut down, both with bottled water. The sand that I have is from a previous beach trip and has been sitting in a vase for 5 plus years. I'm sure it's completely dry sand. Am I supposed to also add bottled water to the sand itself to moisten it? How long will they tolerate these conditions until I can buy something appropriate? Is it ok that i put a couple broken up almonds in there?

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purplepincher
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Re: New accidental crab owner

Post by purplepincher » Wed Sep 04, 2019 2:01 pm

do NOT use almonds! use the sand, but moisten it with bottled water. get something they can hide under. also, they need humidity, so get a spray bottle. i beleive in you! :D

also, get the hideout ASAP. the tank also needs to stay warm
I love my little Acorn! #besthermitcrabever
I also Love Jesus! My favorite food is doughnuts, my favorite drink is orange soda,
and my favorite color is gold! (I like shiny things)

I am also a Die hard Lego fan!

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purplepincher
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Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2019 6:07 pm
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Re: New accidental crab owner

Post by purplepincher » Wed Sep 04, 2019 2:02 pm

youll figure it out! im only 14 and i know almost everything basic about crabs! :crabbigsmile: :crabbigsmile:
I love my little Acorn! #besthermitcrabever
I also Love Jesus! My favorite food is doughnuts, my favorite drink is orange soda,
and my favorite color is gold! (I like shiny things)

I am also a Die hard Lego fan!


Topic author
Ntexasnurse71
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2019 12:56 pm
Location: McKinney

Re: New accidental crab owner

Post by Ntexasnurse71 » Wed Sep 04, 2019 2:06 pm

14? Well you're awesome! Thanks for the advice and I took the almonds out.


Topic author
Ntexasnurse71
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2019 12:56 pm
Location: McKinney

Re: New accidental crab owner

Post by Ntexasnurse71 » Wed Sep 04, 2019 2:08 pm

Also, I have no idea what species they are. I got them from the beach at Galveston Island. I "thought" I had inspected them thoroughly for inhabitants. I thought they were empty shells. 😥 Poor things. They were mixed in a pouch with other "treasures" I'd found on the beach. When I got home I cleaned my treasures by filling the pouch with tap water shaking and dumping it out multiple times! I did not know at that timethat there were live crabs in my treasure! Are they going to die now? I did this last night.

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purplepincher
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Re: New accidental crab owner

Post by purplepincher » Wed Sep 04, 2019 2:13 pm

maybe. make sure there are a bunch of extra shells in the tank, because they may switch. did you get the hideout? a plastic cup with a hole in it is sufficient. :anon:
I love my little Acorn! #besthermitcrabever
I also Love Jesus! My favorite food is doughnuts, my favorite drink is orange soda,
and my favorite color is gold! (I like shiny things)

I am also a Die hard Lego fan!


Topic author
Ntexasnurse71
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2019 12:56 pm
Location: McKinney

Re: New accidental crab owner

Post by Ntexasnurse71 » Wed Sep 04, 2019 2:24 pm

No but I'll find something right now. There just isn't much room for anything else.

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purplepincher
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Re: New accidental crab owner

Post by purplepincher » Wed Sep 04, 2019 2:26 pm

hmmmm do you have anything bigger to keep it in? also remember to spray the cage with a spray bottle to keep the humidity or they WILL die.
you need to get a 10 gallon + substrate ASAP or they will also die. do you have a pet store near you?
I love my little Acorn! #besthermitcrabever
I also Love Jesus! My favorite food is doughnuts, my favorite drink is orange soda,
and my favorite color is gold! (I like shiny things)

I am also a Die hard Lego fan!

User avatar

purplepincher
Posts: 783
Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2019 6:07 pm
Location: Topeka, Kansas

Re: New accidental crab owner

Post by purplepincher » Wed Sep 04, 2019 2:27 pm

if you can, grab a plastic cup and put it in there.
:banana:
I love my little Acorn! #besthermitcrabever
I also Love Jesus! My favorite food is doughnuts, my favorite drink is orange soda,
and my favorite color is gold! (I like shiny things)

I am also a Die hard Lego fan!


Topic author
Ntexasnurse71
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2019 12:56 pm
Location: McKinney

Re: New accidental crab owner

Post by Ntexasnurse71 » Wed Sep 04, 2019 2:58 pm

Ok. I found a plastic container 14"x8"and about 5" deep. I put an other plastic bowl upside down with a "door" cut into it inside the first. It that takes up about 1/2 the space in the larger container. I got all the sand i could find and mixed it with bottled water until the sand is moist then filled both containers with it. I have two small cups that are set down into the sand filled with bottled water. I added some shells that i already had 1 big enough for them to get into. There are a total of 5 shells now. 1 I KNOW is empty, 1 that was moving not long ago, 1 that was moving last night and the other 2 I'm unsure on since I originally thought they were ALL empty. They are all in the new container...no one has moved.

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Hermiesguardian
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Re: New accidental crab owner

Post by Hermiesguardian » Wed Sep 04, 2019 4:56 pm

Read through the basic care sheets. You can post pics on the app tapatalk and maybe someone can identify them. That way you can give the best care possible. The substrate needs to be sandcastle consistancy. Any water should be dechlorinated with Prime and Instant Ocean added for their salt water. They can eat pretty much what we eat. No seasonings. They need protein and calcium daily. Read the safe/unsafe food lists. If the bury themselves never dig them up unless it's an emergency. So if they have enough sand to dig down, they may start molting before you change them over to a bigger tank. Although it's not like they have been captive for awhile so they may not need to molt right away.
raising son's dog, Dante. Husky/hound.
Raising daughter's hermit crabs, Shelder, Paras and Derek. Added 2 more of my own (of course) Pete and Stryper. Former mommy to 2 guinea pigs and beloved cat, Nissi

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purplepincher
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Location: Topeka, Kansas

Re: New accidental crab owner

Post by purplepincher » Thu Sep 05, 2019 8:40 am

make sure to spray them so they have humidity.
I love my little Acorn! #besthermitcrabever
I also Love Jesus! My favorite food is doughnuts, my favorite drink is orange soda,
and my favorite color is gold! (I like shiny things)

I am also a Die hard Lego fan!

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