switching the cycle
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Topic author - Posts: 1171
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- Location: Louisiana
switching the cycle
Hey yall!
My boyfriend and i work graveyard shift at the casino. We get up for work about 8:30 pm, and we get home and go to bed around 8 am.
I've read that any light we can see, the crabs can see. Bear with me, i'm going to explain this out and eventually get to my question. haha
During the day, the sunlight shines through the curtain. All the house lights are off, but with the little bit of sun getting through, it would count as day for them. But the sun goes down around 7pm, and we start turning lights on and getting ready around 8:30pm. It's only about an hour and a half tops that we have lights on, but is it throwing off their cycle? I notice that they're out trying to eat while we are getting ready and everytime we walk past the tank they move back away from the food.... How could i maybe avoid this? Moving the tank isn't really an option right now because my boyfriend has a brace on his wrist, but it could be if absolutely needed.
My boyfriend and i work graveyard shift at the casino. We get up for work about 8:30 pm, and we get home and go to bed around 8 am.
I've read that any light we can see, the crabs can see. Bear with me, i'm going to explain this out and eventually get to my question. haha
During the day, the sunlight shines through the curtain. All the house lights are off, but with the little bit of sun getting through, it would count as day for them. But the sun goes down around 7pm, and we start turning lights on and getting ready around 8:30pm. It's only about an hour and a half tops that we have lights on, but is it throwing off their cycle? I notice that they're out trying to eat while we are getting ready and everytime we walk past the tank they move back away from the food.... How could i maybe avoid this? Moving the tank isn't really an option right now because my boyfriend has a brace on his wrist, but it could be if absolutely needed.
4 purple pinchers & 2 ecuadorians living a life of luxury in south west Louisiana.
Follow my hermit crab learning journey on instagram! @hermitcrabs_in_the_boot
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Re: switching the cycle
You could try and cover the tanknwoth a blanket of you are worried. But they most Lilly go back to eatomg after things have calmed down
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I have owned Hermit Crabs for 2 Years
I have 1 E named Monkey and 2 PP named Shy Guy and Little P
I also own 1 PP named Dory who stays in my classroom
I have 1 E named Monkey and 2 PP named Shy Guy and Little P
I also own 1 PP named Dory who stays in my classroom
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Topic author - Posts: 1171
- Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2018 3:33 am
- Location: Louisiana
Re: switching the cycle
I used to cover with a blanket at night to keep them unbothered, but i don't have a blanket big enough to cover the 55! #upgradeproblems
Tonight Sebastian seemed totally unbothered by me while he was up front digging a hole. And Rajah was on the lid looking for a getaway spot. So i guess they're okay with my wierd work schedule as long as i can afford to keep spoiling them.


Tonight Sebastian seemed totally unbothered by me while he was up front digging a hole. And Rajah was on the lid looking for a getaway spot. So i guess they're okay with my wierd work schedule as long as i can afford to keep spoiling them.

4 purple pinchers & 2 ecuadorians living a life of luxury in south west Louisiana.
Follow my hermit crab learning journey on instagram! @hermitcrabs_in_the_boot
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Re: switching the cycle
Hmm, My personal experience with my crabs and nighttime lights showed me that while a few do react a bit to the light and scurry, others continued on with their active nighttime adventures. I guess it is on the individual crab
I agree with the post on covering the tat. You could use a blanket on each side of the tank.
5 PPs: Koa, Moja, Siam, Chella, and Ozark.

5 PPs: Koa, Moja, Siam, Chella, and Ozark.
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Re: switching the cycle
You also shouldn't turn on the tank lights when there are no other lights on in the room.
I wait for the sun to rise before turning the lights on
I wait for the sun to rise before turning the lights on

Crabber Since 2016
7 Caribbeans & 2 Ecuadorians
I am the proud owner of my hermit crabs, aquarium fish, and isopod totes!
7 Caribbeans & 2 Ecuadorians
I am the proud owner of my hermit crabs, aquarium fish, and isopod totes!
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- Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2018 6:20 pm
- Location: Texas
Re: switching the cycle
Me to. And I cover mine at night for two reasons. One its in my bedroom and I dont always go straight to bed when the lights are out. And two because I sleep with a ceiling fan and drop my ac at nigjt so it helps keep the temperature more stable.
Sent from my LGL157BL using Tapatalk
Sent from my LGL157BL using Tapatalk
I have owned Hermit Crabs for 2 Years
I have 1 E named Monkey and 2 PP named Shy Guy and Little P
I also own 1 PP named Dory who stays in my classroom
I have 1 E named Monkey and 2 PP named Shy Guy and Little P
I also own 1 PP named Dory who stays in my classroom
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Re: switching the cycle
Our 75 is in the living room. I turn the tank light off around 8 pm. I will generally start to hear clunking from the tank around 10pm. The TV and room light does not seem to bother them as long as it is not shining directly in the tank. If I get up to look in the tank some will all duck and hide while others could care less. I think a lot of is up to the crabs. By the time I'm ready to leave for work around 7:30 am they are all hiding as in there are no crabs in the tank.
In our 30 gallon tank there are usually a few crabs out at any point during the day. They are the same way when the see outside tank movement, duck and hide, duck and hide.
In our 30 gallon tank there are usually a few crabs out at any point during the day. They are the same way when the see outside tank movement, duck and hide, duck and hide.
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Re: switching the cycle
I like to turn their lights on anywhere in the 8:00 hour, and leave it on all day.
Up until about 9:00 will I leave it on, only because I like watching late at night
They are on a twelve hour on/off cycle.
Up until about 9:00 will I leave it on, only because I like watching late at night

They are on a twelve hour on/off cycle.
Crabber Since 2016
7 Caribbeans & 2 Ecuadorians
I am the proud owner of my hermit crabs, aquarium fish, and isopod totes!
7 Caribbeans & 2 Ecuadorians
I am the proud owner of my hermit crabs, aquarium fish, and isopod totes!
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Re: switching the cycle
I personally wouldn't worry, they come from areas that the day and night cycles is pretty close the 12hr each, and for a lot of us that don't live near the tropics...
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Infrequently on due to studies, on a little more on in FB group
Re: switching the cycle
I wouldn't worry that much about light cycles. My crabs have no set schedule, my tank light is a simple bendy clip on desk lamp and they're active as ever. For example I was sick and literally slept for the past two days so my light hasn't been on at all. Now tonight I've had it on all night so far and my crabs are going about their normal business.
Overall I haven't noticed really any change with the non set day/night schedule. I hear the same about activity on normal nights when I'm trying to sleep as I noticed when I'm up watching with the lights on.
Them flinching back as y'all walk by or approach the tank is simply them not being used to talk yet. When I first moved my tank to the foot of my bed, it took several weeks for my crabs to not hide everytime I moved. These days they don't care what I'm doing, to the point that throwing things at the tank or tapping on the glass won't reliably break up a fight now.
Overall I haven't noticed really any change with the non set day/night schedule. I hear the same about activity on normal nights when I'm trying to sleep as I noticed when I'm up watching with the lights on.
Them flinching back as y'all walk by or approach the tank is simply them not being used to talk yet. When I first moved my tank to the foot of my bed, it took several weeks for my crabs to not hide everytime I moved. These days they don't care what I'm doing, to the point that throwing things at the tank or tapping on the glass won't reliably break up a fight now.