So much information, what is correct?

[jmartin]

Hello All and thank you for accepting us.
My daughter and I have gotten back into having some hermit crabs. We got 4 from our local petsmart which we have in a 10 gal tank with a wire mesh lid/cover.
I have read so many different articles about heat / lighting for hermit crabs that I am frustrated and need to know what is correct for our tank.
The tank is in my daughters room which gets indirect sunlight light and I tend to keep the house cooler (approx 70-73 during the winter) so I want to make sure her "guys" are warm and have what they need to stay healthy.

I have a hiding log, food / water dish (yes we are adding another dish for salt water), some fake shrubs and she has this in a sand / coconut shaving mixture.

I've read that they should have a 25w bulb for day / night, I've read that those tank pads are a waste, but everywhere I go local wants to sell me those tank pads or 60w bulbs....What is the correct information

Thank you everyone for your feedback and insight. (yes we have read lots of the articles here also)

[JoeHermits]

What’s important is that the crabs get heat and a daylight cycle.

For heat, you’ll want to keep the temps above 72F. The Ultratherms work really well but they’re only available online. If the house stays warm enough you may be able to make do with a pad from a local store. Get as large as will fit on the tank, ignoring label recommendations, which are based on under the tank, not to the side as we use them.

As for lighting, most anything will do so long as the crabs get both day and night. If they get indirect sunlight from a window you can go without a bulb entirely.


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[wodesorel]

Flukers are often sold in local stores and work really well. They can also be insulated overtop like the Ultratherms if you need a boost to the heat.

I was a heat lamp user for years, and the good quality pads really are much easier and safer, especially if there are kids or other loose pets in the house. Cheaper too, because you never have to worry about a broken bulb.

[crabbycasey]

I personally prefer the uths (under tank heaters) as the heat lamp I had zapped my humidity (humidity is crucial for their well being), plus it got super hot! I actually have a couple of the uths...one that covers the back of the tank (above sub line) and a smaller one that covers one side, so they have a warm corner (it’s their go-to spot). Even though they get indirect light as well and I didn’t need anything for lighting, we still wanted it so that we could see in the tank at night when they’re out and about. Found a LED light strip fixture that safely sits on the lid and has different settings for light, including the moonlight option. It also has a timer, which is nice.

UTHs are nice too bc they allow you to cover the mesh lid to hold in the warmth and humidity. You can use Saran Wrap to do this...which is why you wouldn’t want to set the heat lamp on it...lol, obviously.

Different things work for different people, this is just what worked best for us! Have fun with it all...and welcome!

Edit: Forgot to mention, got my UTHs from Bean Farm (online) and the LED lighting from Amazon!

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[curlysister]

Not specific to lighting, but when I got my crabs, I decided that I would only use one resource for crab care information. I joined HCA within a couple of days of getting my two crabs, and have followed that advice here ever since. My tank still looks a lot like the set up in the basic care sheet. I don't have any fancy extras like bubblers or lights. I still have the same two crabs I got in September 2010.

[mool]

My crabs light bar went kaput about 6-7 years ago and I haven't replaced it. They get ambient light from the window and overhead lighting. I'm talking about lighting used for light, not heat. For heat I use UTHs. I recently upgraded from ZooMed to Ultratherm. It's too soon for me to make a recommendation as to which on I like best.

Edited to add: when I first started crab-keeping (circa 2007-ish), I went with the consensus and what made sense to me. I still have my original crab, so I think I'm doing alright.

Also, don't be afraid to change your mind if you find something isn't working for you or if you get newer information. Recommendations are way different from when I first stumbled across a hermit crab in an "empty" tank I picked up from a friend and I'm trying to change my "hard wired" thought process on how to best keep crabs healthy, safe, and happy.