Just Inherited Two Hermit Crabs

[bandaidstealer]

Yesterday, we inherited two hermit crabs. A guy my husband works with brought them with him because his daughter grew bored of them and he was sick of taking care of them. Another coworker was going to take them but changed his mind at the last minute. To avoid having the poor things tossed in the dumpster behind the building my husband took them home.

Our 4 year old is super excited.

We, on the other hand, decided to do some research.

They were in a critter carrier with a sand substrate, a food dish, two water dishes, a sponge that falls somewhere between gray and black in color, and a coco hut. One of the crabs is in a shell that is way too small and the other is in a shell that is way too big. Both are painted with bright flower like designs.

We stopped at petco and bought a crabitat, a few fake plants, some kind of climbing background, a hidey hut, a heated mat, and a bag of shells from the craft store that my son helped me sort through, wash, and put in the tank for them.

Now, as we continue to learn more we find that the crabitat is a poor design as the mesh top allows all the humidity to escape. I found a 10g aquarium lid (20") for about $42.00. My Question: Will the crabs be okay for a week with a plastic tote lid on top of the tank until payday?

[Hermiesguardian]

That's awesome your husband rescued these little guys and you're reasearching their care. Yes, a plastic lid is fine but if you already have a mesh lid you can cover it with saran wrap and tape it down. Works wonders! You do need 6" of substrate (playsand and ecoearth) or 3x the height of your largest crab, whichever is deeper. Don't use hermit crab sand or calcium sand. And it has to be sandcastle consistancy. Mix it with dechlorinated water. They eat pretty much what you eat. Veggies, eggs, fish, meat...check out the safe food list under care guide to the left. This should get you started. And keep asking questions.

[JoeHermits]

A plastic tote lid will do. You don’t have to have the perfect setup right away, you can build it up little by little as you’re able.

Heat and humidity are important. Please feel free to let us know if you have any questions!


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[bandaidstealer]

thanks, ive been spraying the tank!

good news, one of the crabs has switched out of its painted shell.

[Hermiesguardian]

thanks, ive been spraying the tank!

good news, one of the crabs has switched out of its painted shell.

Yay for the shell switch. Just be careful about spraying the tank too much. It can lead to flooding. The saran wrap should work really well for keeping in the humidity. Is your substrate sandcastle consistancy?

[bandaidstealer]

the second has moved shells too. both in green turbos. guess i have to get some more turbos. they wouldnt touch any of the other shells i offered.