New Hermit Crab and setup

[ramanth]

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! 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.

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.

[Fett]

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

[Cinder & Smoke]

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

>gasp<



I feel a Bad Dream comin on ...

[captain]

That is amazing ........ are they hard to care for, or are they pretty resilient??

[Fett]

Easy to care for. In nature, they are scavengers so they get by quite well.

[ramanth]

I'd say they are pretty resilient.

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.

[chocolatepuppy]

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!