HCA: Hermit Crab Association

So after 6 months of no signs of life, we still have 2 living crabs. They're huge, I'm guessing about 3x the size they were when we got them. Gauging size using shell size, as they will not stand still, I'd say they are a small large, or a large medium. We thought for sure they had passed, after 6 months, so this is quite the lovely surprise. Since they are my "daughter's" crabs, we all worked together last night to update the crabitat and give them bigger pools. We removed all the too tiny shells and added all the ginormous shells we have, which is regrettably not enough in my opinion.

So for the first question, should I be looking to upgrade them to a larger tank? What size? They are currently in a 20 tall and I feel like the larger pools take up too much space, so they don't have all the roaming area they could. Or maybe I just want someone here to say, "Yeah, they really need a 50 gallon now" so I can show my husband and tell him he needs to suck it up and go along with it. A bigger tank means needing to move them to a new location (which would honestly be soo much better for them) so I might just be looking for excuses. With finances, it might be awhile before we could upgrade, but if I really should, I want to get my list prepared.

Along those lines, I've noticed quite a bit of the local places carrying sand that says "not for use in reptile habitats" - does that mean they are not safe for the crabbies?

My second question, which is more urgent, but I may need to post in the shells forum, is where is the best place to get new shells? One of them changed shells from one with an opening just under 1 1/4" to one with an opening just over 1 1/4" - so I'll need shells around that size and bigger? They seem to like the really heavy shells vs the lighter shells, and most of the shells we have in that size are fairly light.

casssch wrote:So after 6 months of no signs of life, we still have 2 living crabs. They're huge, I'm guessing about 3x the size they were when we got them. Gauging size using shell size, as they will not stand still, I'd say they are a small large, or a large medium. We thought for sure they had passed, after 6 months, so this is quite the lovely surprise. Since they are my "daughter's" crabs, we all worked together last night to update the crabitat and give them bigger pools. We removed all the too tiny shells and added all the ginormous shells we have, which is regrettably not enough in my opinion.

So for the first question, should I be looking to upgrade them to a larger tank? What size? They are currently in a 20 tall and I feel like the larger pools take up too much space, so they don't have all the roaming area they could. Or maybe I just want someone here to say, "Yeah, they really need a 50 gallon now" so I can show my husband and tell him he needs to suck it up and go along with it. A bigger tank means needing to move them to a new location (which would honestly be soo much better for them) so I might just be looking for excuses. With finances, it might be awhile before we could upgrade, but if I really should, I want to get my list prepared.

Along those lines, I've noticed quite a bit of the local places carrying sand that says "not for use in reptile habitats" - does that mean they are not safe for the crabbies?

My second question, which is more urgent, but I may need to post in the shells forum, is where is the best place to get new shells? One of them changed shells from one with an opening just under 1 1/4" to one with an opening just over 1 1/4" - so I'll need shells around that size and bigger? They seem to like the really heavy shells vs the lighter shells, and most of the shells we have in that size are fairly light.

Yay! I think bigger is always better. You may be able to find a really good deal on a couple of apps. Letgo and offerup. I found a 90 gal tank with stand for $250 but bought it for $200. A 40 gal breeder is nice and wide. Most of us use playsand that is really cheap for a 50lb bag. It's called quikrete. There are links to the left of this page with places to buy shells.

I can speak for buying tanks, but getting them second hand is usually a good method to save - craigslist or ebay are other good options IMO - or potentually going down the route of using totes. They a lot cheaper, and do the job well!

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Congrats!
I have upgraded twice since I started crabbing.

10 gallon - 26 gallon - 55 gallon.

aussieJJDude wrote:I can speak for buying tanks, but getting them second hand is usually a good method to save - craigslist or ebay are other good options IMO - or potentually going down the route of using totes. They a lot cheaper, and do the job well!

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Do the totes allow enough light in? I feel like they would allow for easier customization.

It would be easier with a 3 to 4 foot enclosure. With them getting larger they need bigger pools and open space to walk around. I agree used is the best price if you wanted glass, and since you aren't in a rush you can take your time and look for good deals. 55s come up super cheap used on a regular basis! Even new during sales they will be around $65 which isn't rediculous.

Looks like I've got hubby on board with a clear tote, and moving it into the living room. Now I have to put together a shopping list.