The Crab Street Journal :: Forum

Re: Terrarium suggestion? [by cupcake]

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 07:17:52 +0000

In the crabitat:: Terrarium suggestion?
Your crabs must be small and I don't know what type you have but I will share that 18 months ago we acquired 6 small purple pinchers. They kept growing bigger, much faster than I thought. I kept getting bigger tanks. First we had a ten gallon, then a 20, then 35 and now a 40 tall. I am happy with the 40 gallon tall for now, at least for a few years...I hope, lol. My crabs will eventually (with good luck and care) be baseball/softball size and I cannot imagine the six of them cohabitating peacefully in only a 40 gallon enclosure ... Also as they grow they need bigger/deeper water dishes in addition to deeper substrate. You will need an adequate collection of larger shells for them to grow into. You lose room really fast. Moss baskets help humidity. Shell baskets are cool and keep shells cleaner. A few hide areas and things to climb are musts...You may like to consider a larger tank instead of a smaller one if at all possible.

Re: 135 gal Crabitat, any suggestions? [by cupcake]

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 06:06:59 +0000

In the crabitat:: 135 gal Crabitat, any suggestions?
I've not used cork bark (yet) but I see users at hermitcrabpatch.com love it because their crabs like to nibble on it and it does not mold from the humidity. I have a 40 gallon tall on a stand and use a step stool occasionally. My favorite tool is a pair of 12" tweezers to aid in picking up and replacing shell dishes of foods. I got mine from ebay and I see there are also 24" tweezers listed also. I think a sturdy pair of tongs or long nose pliers could also be an aid even for heavier dishes as long as they have a good grip. You really want to make sure feeding and changing water is not going to be difficult. How exciting to put together a huge crabitat!

Re: Building my crabitat [by Andee]

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:51:55 +0000

In the crabitat:: Building my crabitat
Ok I'm going to try and make my own hemp net got a crochet hook and natural hemp rope, just learning right now. I know the pattern I need,I used to crochet when I was younger so some of this is review. I am excited. I am only doing this because mom won't let me make a paypal account .___. ... On a happier note I gave the crabs some steamed shrimp today with the shells on, it was all gone within two hours XD I think they liked it.

Re: Substrate [by nathanAcs]

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:59:44 +0000

In the crabitat:: Substrate
thanks so much. i have a pond in my crabitat so the humidity is perfect! its a great alternative to misting the crabitat! the bubbler in the pond keeps the humidity very high. if it gets to high i open the lid which is a plastic wrap and let it level and i leave it partially open so the humidity doesent go too high! its a great idea heres a picture of my pond. it now has black river rocks becsue the other ones had dye in it! but thanks again!

January 2012 Calendar Crab Vote [by Daethian]

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:57:02 +0000

Monthly Contest:: January 2012 Calendar Crab Vote
Vote for your favorite!

New Year, New Friends

Rod after his December molt.

Re: Partial Molt Occurred-2 legs not molted [by ladybug15057]

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:37:09 +0000

Moulting:: Partial Molt Occurred-2 legs not molted
This is hard to say? When a hermit crab does molt it is not like a couple days before they decide it is time to molt, but a longer process...more like a couple weeks up to a couple months for some. Any stress during this time can cause any body/body parts to begin to become stuck.
When a hermit crab begins to molt, they start 'slowly' to release parts of their new body from the old exo for shedding. They need the proper fresh and ocean waters to help too, as well as a proper diet for weeks/months up until this process begins. At any point if disrupted that part of the body can become stuck within the old exo. With an uninterrupted premolt, a hermit crab should remove their old exo as easily as a woman removes a dress... one piece.
Being he molted so soon after you bringing him home, his best chance at survival was with you especially since his premolt time was severely interrupted. (by this I mean being captured from the wild, being shipped to a warehouse, to then being shipped to a pet store, to then being kept there until being sold)
Please do not be hard on yourself, chances are there would of not been much you could of done. All one can do is provide them with what we know they need and hope for the best from there.

Re: Introduce yourself [by misscranky1]

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 04:18:20 +0000

Chewin the Choya::[request] Introduce yourself
Welcome to the group Nathan and Ms Jane. It's great that you made it to the group! You should find loads of information here.

Re: Am I dreaming? [by ladybug15057]

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:11:40 +0000

Chewin the Choya:: Am I dreaming?
An update about this site, seems they still take money and do not ship orders:

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/hermies/message/76456

Sun Jan 29, 2012 2:43 am
Has anyone ever ordered hermies from livehermitcrabs.com? I placed an order
about 3 weeks ago & received only 1 email from them (in response to the MANY
I've sent to them). My credit card has been charged, but it I haven't received
as much as an estimated shipping date. The one email they sent me said that the
person's son was sick & apologized for the poor customer service. I would
totally understand(poor little guy), but that was a over week ago and I have
sent a couple of emails in response & heard nothing in return. I really, really
hope I didn't just drop $100 on hermies I'll never get. : (

Jeni

Re: A site to stay away from [by ladybug15057]

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:09:30 +0000

Complaints:: A site to stay away from
An update about this site, seems they still take money and do not ship orders:

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/hermies/message/76456

Sun Jan 29, 2012 2:43 am
Has anyone ever ordered hermies from livehermitcrabs.com? I placed an order
about 3 weeks ago & received only 1 email from them (in response to the MANY
I've sent to them). My credit card has been charged, but it I haven't received
as much as an estimated shipping date. The one email they sent me said that the
person's son was sick & apologized for the poor customer service. I would
totally understand(poor little guy), but that was a over week ago and I have
sent a couple of emails in response & heard nothing in return. I really, really
hope I didn't just drop $100 on hermies I'll never get. : (

Jeni

Re: Serious molting issue - shell fight now crab eyes look weird - wont go into any shell! [by ladybug15057]

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 19:50:33 +0000

Moulting:: Serious molting issue - shell fight now crab eyes look weird - wont go into any shell!
I am sorry to hear of your loss. It seems the picture did not come through?
A couple things came to mind while reading your post. You mentioned you have numerous shells, but what 'style' of shells are they and what size? Any idea as to what size his large pincher is?
What diet (foods) are you feeding your hermit crabs? What species of hermit crab is the offender?