Dry substrate and buried hermit! New & don’t know what to do!

[Wolfmother]

Hey everyone! We are new to hermits and I’m a bit concerned since switching their tank and substrate!

We have 2 hermits, purple pinchers. We went from a 10 gal to 20 gal, cocofiber to play sand. In our 10 gal I kept getting white mold looking blooms so we went to a 5:1 ratio of the sand and cocofiber. I haven’t seen 1 of our hermits in about 7 days, we switched the tank 7/22. I’m now reading things of tunnel collapses and it being a danger. Is it possible for the hermits to die?

I see a couple of hole low tunnels where I’d assume he went down, our other one has set up camp above ground between 2 logs.

The humidity stays around 70-75. We do have small “pitting” like holes along the top like someone took a chopstick and poked around. I know no one did that, I’m the only one that tends to them.

What is actually sandcastle like consistency? What’s the best way to keep moisture up? Is our substrate deep enough? I treated with salt water as I added and spray with conditioned water. I’m about to order a whole bunch of new things including sea sponges, and maybe a humidifier but want to make sure I am getting the right things first. I also want to clean the tank but now I’m nervous about doing anything without making sure I don’t effect Zombie (mia hermit).

2 more things! Is there any way to get our other one out of a painted shell?? We bought him like that about 2 months ago now and he won’t switch.

The most active I saw them was when they were put in the new tank with all the climbing stuff. They aren’t active at all. Is that normal?

[Wolfmother]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it? play sand - around 3”


2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read? middle top of tank, around 77-80 degrees 70-75% humidity, drops to about 68%


3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? have a heat mat but not currently on


4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)? fresh and salt, fresh - Seachem Prime; Salt is purchase from local fish store.


5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced? Variety of fresh fruit, veggies, oats, herbs, natural peanut butter, boiled chicken, black soldier fly larvae, custom blends purchase on Etsy. Changed daily or every other day depending on is fresh foods were offered.


6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known? Roughly 2 months, purple pinchers


7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen? I am unsure, 1 has changed shells and the other hasn’t.


8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
Glass terrarium, 20gal, mesh screen covered with plastic and 2” uncovered.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they? 2 - 1” and 1.5”


10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any? 8-10


11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently? No


12. How often do you clean the tank and how? Every other day, rinse decor with their premixed fresh water, remove waste. Daily change of water and cleaning of water dishes, daily or every other day cleaning of food bowls.


13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned? Not currently used - will be buying


14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently? Yes, change substrate from cocofiber to sand and cocofiber mix, added real food pieces, larger water dishes.


15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)? No, we are new and still figuring things out beyond the basics.


16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
We changed our substrate from cocofiber to sand and cocofiber (5:1). Our most active hermit went under and I don’t see any tunnel/space where he went down. The substrate is definitely not moist throughout and I’m worried he’s molting and is going to die. I haven’t seen him in 6 or 7 days but found him at the very bottom. It does look like there is a small space around him and I can only see a small part of his shell. I don’t know how to get the substrate moist all the way through without getting him up which I obviously don’t want to do and haven’t.

I read another post on here where it was suggested to poke small holes in the corner and pour a little water down, you can see I tried in one of the photos but got worried. The buried hermit is in the middle back of the tank all the way at the bottom.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/3mugzvbaq61h ... dduCa?dl=0

[curlysister]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it? play sand - around 3”
Curly - Your sub looks deeper than 3 inches, but maybe it's just the angle of the photos. It is recommended that it be at least 2 to 3 times as deep as your largest crab.

2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read? middle top of tank, around 77-80 degrees 70-75% humidity, drops to about 68%
Curly - 68 is getting a bit low for the humidity.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? have a heat mat but not currently on
Curly - Your tank is a good temp, so it's appropriate that you don't use it at present.

4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)? fresh and salt, fresh - Seachem Prime; Salt is purchase from local fish store.
Curly - Be sure it is marine salt (Instant Ocean is a popular brand).

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced? Variety of fresh fruit, veggies, oats, herbs, natural peanut butter, boiled chicken, black soldier fly larvae, custom blends purchase on Etsy. Changed daily or every other day depending on is fresh foods were offered.


6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known? Roughly 2 months, purple pinchers


7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen? I am unsure, 1 has changed shells and the other hasn’t.
Curly - Changing shells isn't directly related to molting, they will often change without a molt.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
Glass terrarium, 20gal, mesh screen covered with plastic and 2” uncovered.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they? 2 - 1” and 1.5”


10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any? 8-10


11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently? No


12. How often do you clean the tank and how? Every other day, rinse decor with their premixed fresh water, remove waste. Daily change of water and cleaning of water dishes, daily or every other day cleaning of food bowls.
Curly - I'm a lazy crabber, LOL, but you don't need to be doing all that much cleaning unless you want to. I don't think I have washed or rinsed decor since it went in the tank years and years ago! I only change water once a week (altho HCA recommends a couple times a week). I change out food and clean the dishes when the leftovers get moldy.

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned? Not currently used - will be buying
Curly - You don't actually need sponges - all they do it harbor bacteria anyways. If your pools are deep, you can use rocks or shells or craft mesh as a ladder to climb in and out.

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently? Yes, change substrate from cocofiber to sand and cocofiber mix, added real food pieces, larger water dishes.


15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)? No, we are new and still figuring things out beyond the basics.
Curly - Basic is good! I've had my crabs for almost 13 years, and my care and tank are basic!

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
We changed our substrate from cocofiber to sand and cocofiber (5:1). Our most active hermit went under and I don’t see any tunnel/space where he went down. The substrate is definitely not moist throughout and I’m worried he’s molting and is going to die. I haven’t seen him in 6 or 7 days but found him at the very bottom. It does look like there is a small space around him and I can only see a small part of his shell. I don’t know how to get the substrate moist all the way through without getting him up which I obviously don’t want to do and haven’t.

I read another post on here where it was suggested to poke small holes in the corner and pour a little water down, you can see I tried in one of the photos but got worried. The buried hermit is in the middle back of the tank all the way at the bottom.
Curly - To clarify, when you say you 'found him at the very bottom' - did you dig for him? or see him through the bottom of the tank?
What makes you think it isn't moist all the way through?
A crab will back fill it's tunnel, so it is normal not to see a tunnel or hole where he went under.
If you take something like a chopstick, and push it down along the glass to the bottom then pull it out- does the hole collapse in on itself? Does water pool in the bottom of the hole?

[curlysister]

Hey everyone! We are new to hermits and I’m a bit concerned since switching their tank and substrate!

We have 2 hermits, purple pinchers. We went from a 10 gal to 20 gal, cocofiber to play sand. In our 10 gal I kept getting white mold looking blooms so we went to a 5:1 ratio of the sand and cocofiber. I haven’t seen 1 of our hermits in about 7 days, we switched the tank 7/22. I’m now reading things of tunnel collapses and it being a danger. Is it possible for the hermits to die?

I see a couple of hole low tunnels where I’d assume he went down, our other one has set up camp above ground between 2 logs.

The humidity stays around 70-75. We do have small “pitting” like holes along the top like someone took a chopstick and poked around. I know no one did that, I’m the only one that tends to them.

What is actually sandcastle like consistency? What’s the best way to keep moisture up? Is our substrate deep enough? I treated with salt water as I added and spray with conditioned water. I’m about to order a whole bunch of new things including sea sponges, and maybe a humidifier but want to make sure I am getting the right things first. I also want to clean the tank but now I’m nervous about doing anything without making sure I don’t effect Zombie (mia hermit).

2 more things! Is there any way to get our other one out of a painted shell?? We bought him like that about 2 months ago now and he won’t switch.

The most active I saw them was when they were put in the new tank with all the climbing stuff. They aren’t active at all. Is that normal?

I hope you don't mind that I merged your two posts together!
I think I answered most of this in your other post.
There is no way to make a crab change shells, just offer the appropriate types and sizes of new shells.
Sand castle means that it holds it's shape when you take a handful of it, but water does not drip out of it.
Happy crabs aren't really that active, so no worries that they don't seem to be as active in the new tank.

[Wolfmother]

No worries at all! Thank you!! I try to not let the humidity drop below 75, we just moved the tank to a new spot since making it larger and figuring out that area. I put up a heavier curtain and taped the plastic wrap to the top (no access to tape for the hermits), the humidity has been staying around 83% for the past 40 minutes.

I have to have that cleaning schedule or I’ll fall off and it will go to the way side my toddler wanted hermit crabs so also trying to teach him proper care.

I saw him through the bottom of the glass.

When I poke the chop stick into the sides it caves in most areas. I did dig with my hand a little bit at the front to see if it was like that and it did the same there. Water doesn’t pool to the bottom, it’s absorbed about half way down and has very slowly been moistening in the areas I poured. - I added a new photo

So far I removed all the decor and heavily sprayed the entire top layer and it was seeping a little bit. I will continue doing this unless there’s a better way.

It sounded scary if the tunnel collapses like he won’t be able to get out and will die. I don’t need to worry about that? I’ve never been so stressed keeping an animal alive haha I will say I am happily surprised at how much I love them and think they are super fun and cool! I’m glad to hear a happy hermit isn’t very active. I thought it would be the opposite.

Hermit I’ve been worried about is out! Found him in the green water bowl - normally in the cocofiber I would spray and mix until the correct consistency. Should I use this same method with the sand now they both are out? If he goes back down before I am able to get to it (sons bedtime) would I be ok to dig him out?

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/3mugzvbaq61h ... dduCa?dl=0

[curlysister]

Oh right on! Yes, if they are both above ground, you can dig and mix up the sub and add the water needed so the whole thing is the right consistency. And yes, if he goes back down before you get to it tonight, you can dig him up because he won't have started into molting in that short of time.
LOL I hear you about the schedule. I'm just lazy! hahaha!

[Wolfmother]

Thank you so much for all your help! He’s been out regularly again, I think he was just stressed from the changes.

[curlysister]

That's great to hear!