New Hermit Crab and setup

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06-01-2009, 08:51 PM
ramanth

New Hermit Crab and setup

*EDIT* More pics Post #12
Got another hermit crab yesterday. I like even numbers. ;)

No pictures of him (he's currently in isolation for a couple of weeks) but here are some shots of the current 7 and their new tank set up.

Seven crabs
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...s/IMG_8836.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...s/IMG_8839.jpg

Aang
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...s/IMG_8842.jpg

Purple 1 & Roscoe
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...s/IMG_8843.jpg

Momo
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...s/IMG_8845.jpg

Purple 2 and tiny Bear
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...s/IMG_8846.jpg

Bear
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...s/IMG_8886.jpg

The hang out
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...s/IMG_8901.jpg

left-Aang; top-Purple 1; right-Purple 2; bottom-Momo
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...s/IMG_8904.jpg
06-01-2009, 08:51 PM
ramanth

Sokka
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...s/IMG_8903.jpg

New tank setup
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...s/IMG_9003.jpg

Left
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...s/IMG_9006.jpg

Right
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...s/IMG_9007.jpg

I love crabs. :D
06-01-2009, 10:24 PM
Cinder & Smoke

Quote:

Originally Posted by ramanth

Seven crabs

I love crabs. :D

:eek:
Lemmie rephrase that ... >>>EEK<<<
06-01-2009, 10:52 PM
blue

What size is the crabotat? How often do you have to upgrade their shells? Are they very active?

Cool pics.
06-01-2009, 11:12 PM
ramanth

Phred, we have eight crabs now. ;)

Blue,
It's a 20 gallon long tank. I haven't bought any new shells lately. I have a large variety of shell sizes so they have a collection to play with and sometimes they swap shells just for the heck of it vs. needing to move into a larger shell.

They are mostly active at night but they are more active than usual since it's a new setup to explore. :)
06-01-2009, 11:22 PM
blue

Are they like nocturnal fish with a red light so you can watch them? I miss watching my catfish and rays with the red lamps.
06-01-2009, 11:35 PM
ramanth

I know you can use heat lamps with them (I don't). So I'm sure a red light would be fine.

I just use what light is in the room or a flash light to watch them periodically.
06-01-2009, 11:50 PM
blue

When I had my tanks I had red lights for all of them so I could see the cats and the rays when they where the most active. Allmost all of my fish where nocturnal.

How active are hermit crabs, are they good entertainment?
06-02-2009, 01:41 AM
ramanth

I personally think they are pretty entertaining. :D
06-02-2009, 05:00 AM
chocolatepuppy

Those little guys are just so adorable! :D I noticed one climbing up the 'plant' side of the tank. Can he get out?:confused:
06-02-2009, 10:23 AM
Fett

If there was no lid on top, yes they'd try and get out. LOL! There is a metal screen lid on the top of the tank. We just removed it to take those pictures. Just like the gecko tanks, we have a towel over most of it, with just a little open space on one end for airflow. This keeps their humidity up more than a full open air top.
06-02-2009, 05:31 PM
ramanth

The new gal Katara was out last night getting a drink, so I snapped a quick pic:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...s/IMG_9011.jpg

Playing with the plant wall
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...s/IMG_9017.jpg

My smallest and largest...Bear on the left, Sokka on the right
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...s/IMG_9020.jpg

Momo 'spidermanning' on the lid
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...s/IMG_9025.jpg

Little Bear
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...s/IMG_9026.jpg

Can you spot all six hermits?
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...s/IMG_9028.jpg

:D
06-02-2009, 10:45 PM
captain

Wow - I would have never thought about keeping them ......... but what a great setup you have .....

So, they SWOP shells? I know NOTHING about them ........ so excuse my ignorance ... :p
06-02-2009, 11:27 PM
ramanth

:DThat's okay Captain! Happy to answer questions. :D

As they grow, they have to move into larger shells. But occasionally they will "shell shop" just for the heck of it. You'll see them pop into a new shell, try it out and often move back into the original shell.

It's funny when a crab moves into a shell that is either too big or too small for them. No idea what is going on in those little minds of theirs. :rolleyes: :D
06-03-2009, 01:13 AM
Cinder & Smoke

:confused:

Quote:

Originally Posted by ramanth

As they grow, they have to move into larger shells.
But occasionally they will "shell shop" just for the heck of it.

You'll see them pop into a new shell, try it out and
often move back into the original shell.

It's funny when a crab moves into a shell that is either too big or too small for them. :rolleyes: :D

:confused:
OK ... so the Crab isn't 'part' of the shell --- the shell is just a 'rented room' ??

The one doing the Spidermman *roof walk* on the tank cover ...
He's draggging his HOUSE along with him??
Just HOW does a Crab "hold onto" his House whilst he's wandering around the abode -
I see no suspenders??

Now the really DUMM one:
Are they UNDER water, like a Phish; or stopmin around on dry sand?

Dawgs look more *cuddlesome*.

:p
06-03-2009, 01:36 AM
ramanth

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cinder & Smoke

OK ... so the Crab isn't 'part' of the shell --- the shell is just a 'rented room' ??

The one doing the Spidermman *roof walk* on the tank cover ...
He's draggging his HOUSE along with him??
Just HOW does a Crab "hold onto" his House whilst he's wandering around the abode -
I see no suspenders??

Correct! :D Here is a page that explains their anatomy:

http://www.thecrabbagepatch.com/crabanatomy.html

They use an appendage called a uropod to hold onto the shell. If you see a hermit without a shell, it's either stressed, sick, or already dead. :(

Quote:

Now the really DUMM one:
Are they UNDER water, like a Phish; or stopmin around on dry sand?

These crabs are the dry land variety, but they need both salt water and fresh water offered to thrive, hence the two water bowls. :)
06-03-2009, 01:50 AM
Fett

They look kinda gross without their shells. With their shells they are cool. :cool:
06-03-2009, 02:38 AM
Cinder & Smoke

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fett

They look kinda gross without their shells.
With their shells they are cool. :cool:

:eek:

>gasp<

http://www.thecrabbagepatch.com/imag..._profile+1.jpg

I feel a Bad Dream comin on ...

:p
06-03-2009, 04:19 AM
captain

That is amazing ........ are they hard to care for, or are they pretty resilient??
06-03-2009, 02:30 PM
Fett

Easy to care for. In nature, they are scavengers so they get by quite well. :)
06-03-2009, 04:47 PM
ramanth

I'd say they are pretty resilient. :D

So long as you have at least 2 crabs, deep enough substrate so they can molt (the bigger the crab, the deeper the substrate), and fresh and salt water.

They prefer temps between 70 and 80 degrees F and humidity between 60% and 80%. But my temps have dropped to around 60 (in the winter) and humidity as low as 50% and my crew are fine. They will most likely dig down and hibernate if temps are kept that low for awhile.
06-03-2009, 10:06 PM
chocolatepuppy

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fett

If there was no lid on top, yes they'd try and get out. LOL! There is a metal screen lid on the top of the tank. We just removed it to take those pictures.

oops! :o