Crabby rescue

[blujp]

I was browsing craigslist yesterday and saw an ad for a hermit crab in a teeny kritter keeper with a painted shell. I had always wanted to get hermits again (the first time was when I was very young and unfortunately they did not last long but I'm all grown up now (23) and now research any animal I get extensively) but wasn't planning on it until I saw the picture. I texted them and they said the crab was still available so I picked it up after work today and swung by the petstore after (it would have been so much easier to have the tank set up beforehand! But I figure a few extra hours in the same KK wouldn't make a difference). They said that he liked pizza (!) and sometimes ate pasta, but I got Gardner's Hermit Crab Diet and am currently looking at some of the shops in the shopping resource for other foods. I also picked up two other crabby friends for at the petstore - though I did look for others on craigslist. I threw together a 20L tank tonight so I'm sure there's lots of things I can improve on it! I have no idea namewise at the moment and I might give them a bit to see who settles how.

I have an ultratherm on the way for heat but they're at about 75 right now - though it's getting a bit cooler (for Florida anyway). I wasn't sure what size they were or what shells to order, I got a few from the petstore but not enough for them all to have 3-5 choices. Any other suggestions for decor (I was thinking maybe one of those rope ladders?) or ideas for other hides would be awesome!


The crabitat! There's a lid with plastic wrap, although I might order some plastic or something to put over it.


How I got the craigslist crab.


Craigslist crab


Little crab - it looks like they're missing a limb and it hasn't moved since I put it in the tank (it's claw moved very slightly when I picked it up) so I'm not sure if it'll make it.


This one really likes the coconut hide and pushed craigslist crab out of the way to get into it xP

So there they are! Any suggestions for more decor etc are great

[landlubber]

Congrats on the new crabs and the adoption! Yes, this is the time of year there are lots of adoptions out there once people figure out how much care these guys require that the pet store didn't tell them about. Pizza??? :roll:

[megmaholm]

Congrats on the new guys! Your setup looks great. The only thing I would suggest is adding more climbing stuff - cholla, cork, a shower caddy as a moss pit, maybe? More fake plants will give them other hiding areas, too

[blujp]

I went on a buying spree and bought a lot of climbing stuff! A bridge, hammock and a few other things. I also got some food from Hermies Kitchen which I'm excited about. So hopefully everything will get here soon. Still haven't come up with any names and it look like two of them have buried themselves. The one who is missing limbs is still up but it actually was wandering around last night. It's just REALLY shy.

[blujp]

Sort of sad update The first two crabs passed away - one a few days after I got them and the second after they tried to do a surface molt. The third dug under shortly after I got them though and they just came out, freshly molted today! I do want to find them a friend, but so far there's none on craigslist and I don't want to go the petstore route.

[Crabinski]

Sort of sad update The first two crabs passed away - one a few days after I got them and the second after they tried to do a surface molt. The third dug under shortly after I got them though and they just came out, freshly molted today! I do want to find them a friend, but so far there's none on craigslist and I don't want to go the petstore route.

Sometimes it's just too hard for them to adjust after surviving hard conditions for so long. We can't begin to understand the trauma suffered by pet store crabs in their long arduous journey from the wild so, even though we offer the best conditions we can when we get them home, it's simply too late. Do you know if the survivor is from the craigslist adoption or from the pet store? If it's the craigslist guy, it's great that he was just waiting for the right place and time to feel free to molt.

Glad to hear that you're still looking on craigslist but also take advantage of HCA's Adoption feature. You can go to the Adoption section for your state and make a posting as to what city/town you're in, what your set-up is like and how far you'd be willing to travel to pick up adoptees. I know that there are potential adoptees out there so also consider posting your willingness to adopt on craiglist; several HCAers have gone that route and were surprised by the number of responses they received. Good luck!

[blujp]

The one who passed was the craigslist rescue, sadly. Although I think the petstore conditions were actually better than what the poor craigslist crabby was being kept in so I'm not exactly surprised. But I'm glad he got to spend the rest of his time in a nice comfy place than a kritter keeper with a dusting of sand.

I have been looking there! I'll be keeping an eye out - I can't take more than 1 or two crabs however because I only have a 20L and won't be able to upgrade for a couple years (until I move into my own place).