HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Here are some pictures of the second level I created for my crabitat using a raspberry container.
I used the bottom of the container with some suction cups as the actual level.




Then I attached the top of the container as the ramp. So far, scotch tape seems to be holding the two pieces together just fine.


I put some bamboo sticks across so they can climb without slipping off. I used the holes a


I wrapped some twine on the end sticking out of the side of the ramp to make it prettier.


That was the finished product. But since then I've added more sand and put the water dishes on the second level because the crabs were kicking dirt into them otherwise.

Might just be for me, but i can not see your pictures.

Sorry. I fixed the pictures.

I am not able to see the pictures either in Tapatalk but I did want to caution you: if the bamboo is "lucky" bamboo or the type sold in vases at Home Depot or Wal*Mart garden centers, it is toxic to the crabs. If it is bamboo stalks from the plants that grow to be over 6 feet tall, you're fine.

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Okay now the pics are showing up. How deep is your substrate total? What is that under the tank?

Please check out our care guides here if you haven't already: viewtopic.php?f=51&t=92457

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Pictures are working. love the idea. What size is that , 10 gallon?

soilentgringa wrote:I am not able to see the pictures either in Tapatalk but I did want to caution you: if the bamboo is "lucky" bamboo or the type sold in vases at Home Depot or Wal*Mart garden centers, it is toxic to the crabs. If it is bamboo stalks from the plants that grow to be over 6 feet tall, you're fine.

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It's not lucky bamboo. It's the tall stalks. I use them in my garden to prop up vines and other plants. I just took a long piece and broke it into smaller ones.

soilentgringa wrote:Okay now the pics are showing up. How deep is your substrate total? What is that under the tank?

Please check out our care guides here if you haven't already: viewtopic.php?f=51&t=92457

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The substrate is about 6 inches on one end and roughly 4 inches at the shallowest point (I've added way more sand from when I took the pictures).

The tank is on a wood stand, if that's what you mean by "under the tank".

amart24 wrote:Pictures are working. love the idea. What size is that , 10 gallon?

Yes, it's a 10 gallon. It houses two Halloween Crabs.

purpletiger wrote: Yes, it's a 10 gallon. It houses two Halloween Crabs.

Oh cool, they are so funny.

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Very clever idea. I noticed the tape holding the 2 pcs. together could be a problem with legs getting stuck then they "DROP" the leg to escape being stuck.You know crabs will get their legs into any tiny crack or whole to hang on or maneuver.Not sure if the tape will stay sticky in the humid environment after awhile.Just something to think about.
I do like this idea for tiny or small crabs,nice job!

Sorry for the double post but I just noticed the type of crab you have,Halloween.Do you care for them similar to hermit crabs? I posted above thinking you had hermit crabs that you got as a holiday(Halloween) gift.
I would be very interested in seeing more(lots) pics of them if it does not disturb them.
Also,What type of heat do you use?

Yeah, I'm a little wary about the tape too, but I'm still moving things around until I settle on the "optimal setup". I've already had to take the tape off and restick it so I'm not ready just yet to commit to anything more permanent.

Yes, they're not hermies. The care is somewhat similar - a warm and humid environment, access to salt/fresh water, they're foragers just as hermit crabs, etc. What I did notice is that they spend about 99% of the time buried in the sand. This is normal, with them being nocturnal and spending their days making burrows and then just hiding there until night comes when they come out to look for food. But it's not necessarily a preferred feature for those of us pet-keepers that like to see and interact with our critters.

So, regarding your request for pictures, their shy nature makes this somewhat of a difficult task. I am hoping that after they get more accustomed to their environment, they'll come out more but I don't know how realistic this is. I have seen a couple of people on youtube being able to handle them, without getting pinched and without the crabs trying to skitter away. I do have a couple of videos that I took of them on the first day, before they got a chance to dig their hidy-holes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpgYu47cGNQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbNhwddM5rw

That's a cool idea and cheap $$! My purple pinchers need stuff to climb up into.

Thank you for the videos,much better than watching anything on TV.