Fresh Market + more questions

[Moonlightdreams]

Hi, everyone. Just a few more questions.

1. Have you ever shopped at The Fresh Market for you or your crabbies? If so, do they have a nice bulk section? I just found out I don't have a Whole Foods anywhere near me, and the Fresh Market seems like a good alternative. (If so, have you ever seen chia seeds? The crabbies want to know. )

2. I'm looking for chia seeds, both to feed and to plant in the tank. Will food-grade chia seeds sprout? (I think they will, I just don't remember.) I'm also looking for a small(er) package, as I don't want to spring for the 2-pound containers quite yet. Something small and inexpensive is what I'm going for.

3. It's getting colder here, and temperatures are dropping in the tank to about 73-74 at night. It's at about 80-81 in the daytime, and I've plugged their heat mat in, so it'll be a little warmer in the daytime, and hopefully about 75-76 at night. My crabs are underground right now, presumably molting. Will the temperature drops affect them more than they would if they were aboveground? (Also, do you recommend a temperature drop? I have a nighttime bulb I could use, but it tends to get a little warmer than the daytime bulb does.)

4. Humidity! I'm having a very hard time keeping the humidity over 70%. It's staying at about 65% on one side and 70% on the other. (I can get it up to 80% on this end, since it isn't the side with the light.) Again, my crabs are underground - how much will this harm them? The light is my best option for heating, so I'd like to stick with it.

5. Can I poke a straw/pencil/etc in the sand to make sure it's sandcastle-consistency even though my guys are under? I was thinking of doing it right next to the glass. I'd be able to see them if they were pressing up against it, correct? Or should I wait until they come up?

Okay, maybe more than a few. I'm doing my best to keep my crabbies happy and healthy, though, and you've all been very helpful!

[leah610]

Regarding your first question- have you heard of Lucky's Market? There's a Fresh Market close to where I live, but I've never been. I have been to Lucky's though, I go there all the time. While their bulk selection isn't extensive like Whole Foods, I like it, and so do the crabs. They have organic options too, including chia! I got a very small amount of organic chia (that's been lasting me a few months now) from Lucky's for just a few cents. I get a lot of other organic items there too, like figs and coconut flakes. Also, I think food-grade chia will still sprout . As for your other questions- I think it's best for more experience crabbers to give advice I hope everything works out!


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[Moonlightdreams]

Regarding your first question- have you heard of Lucky's Market? There's a Fresh Market close to where I live, but I've never been. I have been to Lucky's though, I go there all the time. While their bulk selection isn't extensive like Whole Foods, I like it, and so do the crabs. They have organic options too, including chia! I got a very small amount of organic chia (that's been lasting me a few months now) from Lucky's for just a few cents. I get a lot of other organic items there too, like figs and coconut flakes. Also, I think food-grade chia will still sprout . As for your other questions- I think it's best for more experience crabbers to give advice I hope everything works out!


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Thank you! I haven't heard of it, but I'll definitely look into it!

[leah610]

Regarding your first question- have you heard of Lucky's Market? There's a Fresh Market close to where I live, but I've never been. I have been to Lucky's though, I go there all the time. While their bulk selection isn't extensive like Whole Foods, I like it, and so do the crabs. They have organic options too, including chia! I got a very small amount of organic chia (that's been lasting me a few months now) from Lucky's for just a few cents. I get a lot of other organic items there too, like figs and coconut flakes. Also, I think food-grade chia will still sprout . As for your other questions- I think it's best for more experience crabbers to give advice I hope everything works out!


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Thank you! I haven't heard of it, but I'll definitely look into it!

Yw!


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[gunstreet.girl]

Hi, everyone. Just a few more questions.

2. I'm looking for chia seeds, both to feed and to plant in the tank. Will food-grade chia seeds sprout? (I think they will, I just don't remember.) I'm also looking for a small(er) package, as I don't want to spring for the 2-pound containers quite yet. Something small and inexpensive is what I'm going for.

Yep, it'll sprout. Chia has an unrivalled will to live.

[Moonlightdreams]

Hi, everyone. Just a few more questions.

2. I'm looking for chia seeds, both to feed and to plant in the tank. Will food-grade chia seeds sprout? (I think they will, I just don't remember.) I'm also looking for a small(er) package, as I don't want to spring for the 2-pound containers quite yet. Something small and inexpensive is what I'm going for.

Yep, it'll sprout. Chia has an unrivalled will to live.

Good to know. I'm glad it's so hardy, as I'm notoriously bad at keeping plants alive.

[wodesorel]

Walmart carries organic chia in the flour aisle if you can't find it anywhere else.

[Moonlightdreams]

Walmart carries organic chia in the flour aisle if you can't find it anywhere else.

Oooh, I hadn't thought to look there. I'll check it out. Thanks, Wode!

[PinchersAndShells]

I would personally say the fluctuation in temperatures would be fine. In the wild the temperature drops down at night, and as you said the heat mat should help a bit. 75+ is a good place to be. I don’t particularly believe that it will affect them underground.
As for humidity, low humidity is an issue with heat lamps. I would recommend trying things such as adding air stones to their pools (a small air pump, tubing, and air stones can be found at Walmart), and adding moss pits. Doing the pencil/chopstick test up against the glass wont harm them, and it would be good to make sure that the lamp isn’t drying out the sub.


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[Moonlightdreams]

I would personally say the fluctuation in temperatures would be fine. In the wild the temperature drops down at night, and as you said the heat mat should help a bit. 75+ is a good place to be. I don’t particularly believe that it will affect them underground.
As for humidity, low humidity is an issue with heat lamps. I would recommend trying things such as adding air stones to their pools (a small air pump, tubing, and air stones can be found at Walmart), and adding moss pits. Doing the pencil/chopstick test up against the glass wont harm them, and it would be good to make sure that the lamp isn’t drying out the sub.


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Great, thank you so much. I have a small moss pit, and it helps a bit, but not much. I'm looking into installing a bubbler, hopefully that'll help.

[PinchersAndShells]

Great, thank you so much. I have a small moss pit, and it helps a bit, but not much. I'm looking into installing a bubbler, hopefully that'll help.

Good luck!


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[Moonlightdreams]

Great, thank you so much. I have a small moss pit, and it helps a bit, but not much. I'm looking into installing a bubbler, hopefully that'll help.

Good luck!


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The pencil test went well. . . . until about halfway down. I was told I could add little bits of water at a time with molters, so I did that around the edges. When they come back up, I'm definitely soaking the substrate when we clean. I hope their caves are holding up.