Please help I have bugs

[aussieJJDude]

At the same time, I did forget to mention, it may be worth deep cleaning this time and then ensuring that the tat stays bug free... For example, placing cheese cloth or some type of material over will help keep most bugs away, which may help and give you some peace of mind.

[Kermie16]

At the same time, I did forget to mention, it may be worth deep cleaning this time and then ensuring that the tat stays bug free... For example, placing cheese cloth or some type of material over will help keep most bugs away, which may help and give you some peace of mind.

What exactly do you do with the cheesecloth and how does it help keep bugs away?


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[GotButterflies]

I don't know what AussieJJDude means by the cheese cloth, sorry.

I did want to mention this...I personally believe that everything happens for a reason. Maybe this is a way that you can work on your fear. Yes, it is always really difficult at first, but over time it helps you in the long run ~ for your mental health. Try diaphragmatic breathing ~ it is a great way to relax. These bugs will not hurt you. They will not hurt the crabs. Try not to catastrophize the situation as hard as it may be. You will be very proud of yourself in the long run.


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[kieagcarm]

I don't know what AussieJJDude means by the cheese cloth, sorry.

I did want to mention this...I personally believe that everything happens for a reason. Maybe this is a way that you can work on your fear. Yes, it is always really difficult at first, but over time it helps you in the long run ~ for your mental health. Try diaphragmatic breathing ~ it is a great way to relax. These bugs will not hurt you. They will not hurt the crabs. Try not to catastrophize the situation as hard as it may be. You will be very proud of yourself in the long run.


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I am 33yrs old, I have been through more therapy than most people. I don't know if you guys are familiar with the therapy involved with a diagnosed phobia, it's a life altering condition that affects my everyday life. I know all the anxiety reducing breathing techniques, the visualization techniques, the many different mediation and every day practices that can help in minor, short incidents that happen all the time. Like when a fly lands on me, or a bee is around. But none of these techniques are helping with a major situation where bugs live in my room. Yes in the general sense I guess this would be a minor situation to people without a mental condition, but to me it's major. I literally got 0 sleep and cannot go back into my room. I'm going to have to sterilize the whole room.

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[kieagcarm]

At the same time, I did forget to mention, it may be worth deep cleaning this time and then ensuring that the tat stays bug free... For example, placing cheese cloth or some type of material over will help keep most bugs away, which may help and give you some peace of mind.

If I do this deep clean, other than changing food daily rather than every other day, what can I do to prevent them? How does the cheese cloth help?

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[mool]

Hermit crabs are prone to having mites of various types in their crabitat. It's a fact. Sterilizing the tank every time a mite appears is going to be a lesson in futility because they are going to keep coming back. They are part of the eco system. Sterilizing the tank is going to be extremely stressful and perhaps even fatal to your crabs.

Don't push your phobias onto your crabs. I can nearly 100% guarantee you that the crabs are not fearful of the bugs.

Pets are supposed to be fun and relaxing. If you can't make peace with the bugs that live in your crabs' tanks, it might be time to re-home them. I'm not intending to be harsh, but you have done nothing but worry and obsess over these crabs since you got them. That does not seem very enjoyable.

Rehome the crabs and focus your newfound time, energy, creativity and money on your children. I'm sure they would benefit from the attention that you may have inadvertently diverted from them when you dived head-long into crabbing.

[GotButterflies]

Well said Mool!

Man, I honestly had to do some diaphragmatic breathing before I responded to your post. Several of us have health issues. I'm not going to go tit-for-tat on your health issues, because one should not compare their health experiences to another. (I learned that at The Mayo Clinic). My post was heartfelt and sincere. I felt like you shot it down and tried to make it sound like I didn't know what I was talking about. You are catastrophizing. (making this a worst case scenario) The food mites are normal. They are not the reason that you lost your baby. They are part of crabbing. I agree, don't stress yourself or your crabs out. You should try to deal with it and work on your phobia. Facing the problem instead of avoiding it works. Medications make issues worse - If you are interested, I highly recommend The Mayo Clinic's Pain Management Program (They deal with more than just pain). It's a three week course teaching you how to live - it honestly changed my life. I've been through several programs throughout my life and this was the best! Good luck...I'll get off of my soap box now!

[kieagcarm]

I've decided to rehome the crabs.
Mool- you made a great point, one I hadn't thought of. They have been more of a job, less a hobby. I didn't know what I was getting into when my parents got them for my daughters, Had I known I wouldn't have agreed. I still have cared about them and wanted them to survive and be happy and healthy. This makes me sad but you're right, I shouldn't stress them and myself out doing deep cleans, and if I want to do what's best for them then I need to give them a new home.

GotButterflies-I'm very sorry if my post came off as rude or mean our as I was in any way disregarding your concern. That was totally not what I meant. It's sometimes hard to express the right emotion or message when typing. So I am very sorry that I made you feel that way.

Please understand everyone that this is hard for me, to give away living beings I have grown to love. I never wanted to do this but they are right. Until I can overcome my phobia this is what's best for the crabs

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[Kermie16]

Wow, Kieagcarm! I'm so sorry you're going through all of this. I have a similar phobia of bugs but not to that extent. You have done sooooo much to do everything for your hermies and also have helped so many others having problems. There will be no judgment here if you decide to re-home your crabs. You have to be a healthy, happy person and take care of yourself before you can do the same for others. If you do decide to keep ur hermies, I think you have a couple of good options. Reconsider Isopods. I know - more bugs. But look at it from a different perspective. They will help keep your tank clean. Esp of mites. We had 2 different kinds of mite infestations in our tat last summer. Since we added our zebra Isopods, they have done wonders! No mites since then. And believe me when I say this, none of them have crawled out of the tat. Zero. They are unable to climb glass. So unless u give them a way to climb the glass, they will not escape the tank. They are also fresh source of protein for your crabs, especially if they feel like hunting If u would like, I would be more than happy to see about posting a video of our Isopods. They are tiny - maybe about 1-2 mm in length ? They help to eat leftover foods, eat crab poop, and eat mites.
If that still isn't an option, doing a deep clean as mentioned above would be an alternative. Dip all wood things in Msw then bake at low temps to dry. When we had mites and before Isopods, I would scrape about the first 1/2 inch of sub and toss it out. I boiled all shells and food dishes. Daily fresh food clean out is key and looking for where they may have hidden some foods also helps. I purposefully make my crab food chunks big so it is easier for me to find. Good luck and hope that helps!


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[mool]

((Hugs to you kieagcarm)) I know you are emotionally invested in these creatures and that you are not making a "knee jerk" decision. Take your time rehoming them.

I've admired your enthusiasm and dedication since you first came on board, but I also worried about your happiness since you posted so many time saying that the crabs have made you feel like, "a total failure."

IF you go through with the rehoming; accept that the bugs caused you to exceed your emotional threshold and move on. You're not a failure. You are a kind an loving person who is doing the hardest and kindest thing you can: rehoming your crabs.

Peace.

[GotButterflies]

@Kieagcarm - I am sorry too! You are right~ it is hard to decipher messages. I commend you for making a tough decision - whether it be working through your phobia, or rehoming your babies. Just think about it, and don't do something you will regret! I would at least give yourself 48 hours...that's my 2 cents!


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[kieagcarm]

I'm not going to just give them up to anyone, I need to go back and edit my listing so it states to an experienced crabber, these poor crabs have been thru a lot, the pet store then here to a small tank then to the big tank. I want wherever they go to be their forever home. I also don't want to dig up the two that are under. For the time being, I am going to sleep in the living room, I am going to put a rush order for a small clan of isopods, put food out once every day instead of every other day and just kind of stay away from the tank. I used to just sit in front of it for hours everyday or night but I can't now. So I'll just feed and water them. You guys have reassured me the bugs won't hurt them. So I'll let them be until I find a home for them and hope isopods will eat them out. I know they don't kill them(and I'm seriously going when you say drive them out you don't mean they will drive the bugs out of the tank into my room) but maybe they will eat the food and the bugs will just die off. I really have spent a lot of money, time, thought on these crabs. I just want then to live what remains of their lives stress free and happy

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[Kermie16]

Ur such a wonderful, caring person, Kieagcarm I'm sending u a virtual (((HUG)))! Ur hermies are very lucky to have such a loving mama! Even under such stress and frustration, u have kept an even keel and have made responsible decisions through and through. I purchased our isopods through Stacey at Isopod Connections online and I emailed her tons and tons of questions before actually purchasing any (again, going back to my bug issues! Lol).
She responded very quickly and answered every one of my questions and the isopods were shipped in great condition and in a timely manner. To whomever u re-home ur crab babies to, I hope they are also members of the HCA and we will all still be able to follow them and continue to see pictures of them grow and thrive


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[aussieJJDude]

I don't know how late I am, but lining the lid with cheesecloth would of helped keep most of the bugs out of the crabitat... A bit of duct tape and some cheese cloth, it might of worked well.

[Kermie16]

I don't know how late I am, but lining the lid with cheesecloth would of helped keep most of the bugs out of the crabitat... A bit of duct tape and some cheese cloth, it might of worked well.

Interesting! Thanks, aussieJJDude!


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