24 replies to this topic

[bamboo the hamster]

hi, I've been very inactive on the forum lately.

 

yesterday i got a hermit crab. i will get more soon but they only had one. i have had them before but have a few questions.

 

do i need to condition the water? can i use fish tank conditioner?

is it okay to have 2?

can i use any fish gravel in the tank?  (just for a section, still using plenty of coconut soil and sand)

what should i ive hi to climb on?

 

i am misting the tank several times a day. he is in a ten gallon tank. I put a coconut soil in the tank and plan to get play sand as well. i am feeding him peanut butter, bananas, and oats. i sprinkled a bit of cuttle bone on top of it. i forgot to get some extra shells so i will get some in a few days when i get bird food. right now he has a little bowl of distilled water. i will get another crab as soon as possible. oh and i have a heating pad too. his name is percy jackson  i will also buy a hut foe him. any help?!?!

i will post some pictures soon.

[Tango~]

hi, I've been very inactive on the forum lately.

 

yesterday i got a hermit crab. i will get more soon but they only had one. i have had them before but have a few questions.

do i need to condition the water? can i use fish tank conditioner?

is it okay to have 2?

can i use any fish gravel in the tank?  (just for a section, still using plenty of coconut soil and sand)

what should i ive hi to climb on?

 

i am misting the tank several times a day. he is in a ten gallon tank. I put a coconut soil in the tank and plan to get play sand as well. i am feeding him peanut butter, bananas, and oats. i sprinkled a bit of cuttle bone on top of it. i forgot to get some extra shells so i will get some in a few days when i get bird food. right now he has a little bowl of distilled water. i will get another crab as soon as possible. oh and i have a heating pad too. his name is percy jackson  i will also buy a hut foe him. any help?!?!

i will post some pictures soon.

Okay I now a little about hermit crabs so I might be able to help. Remember to always research more into depth about what I am saying just so you know exactly what to do. 

 

do i need to condition the water? can i use fish tank conditioner? 

From what I know, you should stay away form water conditioners for drinking and bathing water for hermies. I hear that most people boil the water and then lit it sit and cool for a while in a clean container. And that I believe makes it safe. Are you also providing salt water? Salt water should always be provided in a hermie cage. But make sure the water is using safe salt. 

is it okay to have 2?

2 of what? If you are talking about hermit crabs. Yes, it is completely safe and much more beneficial to the individual crab to have them in pairs or more. Hermit crabs are very social.

can i use any fish gravel in the tank?  (just for a section, still using plenty of coconut soil and sand)

I would not use fish gravel in your hermit crab tank. Fish gravel can be unsafe and is very hard for the crab to burrow in. Also, aquarium gravel does not help keep the humidity high it makes it harder to mantain. It can also scrape your hermie. Overall, I would not use gravel. I would totally recommend eco earth.

what should i ive hi to climb on?

This is where you get to go crazy and have fun! Pinterest has a ton of diy ideas. But I think things like wooden ladders, driftwood, huts, plastic plants, terracotta pots, I've even seen like hermie climbing nets, and lot's more fun stuff. Hermit crabs LOVE toys and climbing. 

 

I am not a hermit crab expert but this is the knowledge I have gained in my research. 

 

~Tangothehamster

Edited by Tangothehamster, 04 August 2018 - 12:07 AM.

[bamboo the hamster]

 

Okay I now a little about hermit crabs so I might be able to help. Remember to always research more into depth about what I am saying just so you know exactly what to do. 

 

do i need to condition the water? can i use fish tank conditioner? 

From what I know, you should stay away form water conditioners for drinking and bathing water for hermies. I hear that most people boil the water and then lit it sit and cool for a while in a clean container. And that I believe makes it safe. Are you also providing salt water? Salt water should always be provided in a hermie cage. But make sure the water is using safe salt. 

is it okay to have 2?

2 of what? If you are talking about hermit crabs. Yes, it is completely safe and much more beneficial to the individual crab to have them in pairs or more. Hermit crabs are very social.

can i use any fish gravel in the tank?  (just for a section, still using plenty of coconut soil and sand)

I would not use fish gravel in your hermit crab tank. Fish gravel can be unsafe and is very hard for the crab to bury in. Also, aquarium gravel is does not help keep the humidity high it makes it harder. It can also scrape your hermie. Overall, I would not use gravel. I would totally recommend eco earth.

what should i ive hi to climb on?

This is where you get to go crazy and have fun! Pinterest has a ton of diy ideas. But I think things like wooden ladders, driftwood, huts, plastic plants, terracotta pots, I've even seen like hermie climbing nets, and lot's more fun stuff. Hermit crabs LOVE toys and climbing. 

 

I am not a hermit crab expert but this is the knowledge I have gained in my research. 

 

~Tangothehamster

 

thankyou!!! this is super helpful. I will get another hermit crab in a few days.  I am also going to get a few nice driftwood climbing toys, as percy loves climbing. thanks!

[Cinnamondahamster]

It's good to have you bad on the forum bamboo the hamster!

I know a bit about hermit crabs from watching Lori's Hartland.

 

Yes you need to get your little hermit crab a friend, they are very social and need to be in groups.

 

With the water, I think that they need two kinds of water? Something like salt and fresh? Don't hold me to that though.

 

With the substrate, no I don't think you could use fish gravel, they enjoy burrowing too, keep using the coconut bedding as well as moist sand to help them molt would work for them.

 

It's great that you're giving them cuttlebone for calcium, and your diet looks good as I think they need a varied diet.

 

I hope this helps.

[bamboo the hamster]

It's good to have you bad on the forum bamboo the hamster!

I know a bit about hermit crabs from watching Lori's Hartland.

 

Yes you need to get your little hermit crab a friend, they are very social and need to be in groups.

 

With the water, I think that they need two kinds of water? Something like salt and fresh? Don't hold me to that though.

 

With the substrate, no I don't think you could use fish gravel, they enjoy burrowing too, keep using the coconut bedding as well as moist sand to help them molt would work for them.

 

It's great that you're giving them cuttlebone for calcium, and your diet looks good as I think they need a varied diet.

 

I hope this helps.

thanks! i will get another hermit crab very soon!

[UnicornAdventurer]

I suggest checking out Lori's Hartland videos on the subject, she does a great job of explaining their care along with many other YouTubers c;

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLemmnWoZntbmOxXJeJ1wwrFA6o0ug-S7R



<3

[bamboo the hamster]

I suggest checking out Lori's Hartland videos on the subject, she does a great job of explaining their care along with many other YouTubers c;

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLemmnWoZntbmOxXJeJ1wwrFA6o0ug-S7R



<3

thanks for the help:) percy is getting a buddy possibly today.

[UnicornAdventurer]

Yay, that's great c;

[hawaiihamster]

hi, I've been very inactive on the forum lately.

yesterday i got a hermit crab. i will get more soon but they only had one. i have had them before but have a few questions.

do i need to condition the water? can i use fish tank conditioner?
is it okay to have 2?
can i use any fish gravel in the tank? (just for a section, still using plenty of coconut soil and sand)
what should i ive hi to climb on?

i am misting the tank several times a day. he is in a ten gallon tank. I put a coconut soil in the tank and plan to get play sand as well. i am feeding him peanut butter, bananas, and oats. i sprinkled a bit of cuttle bone on top of it. i forgot to get some extra shells so i will get some in a few days when i get bird food. right now he has a little bowl of distilled water. i will get another crab as soon as possible. oh and i have a heating pad too. his name is percy jackson i will also buy a hut foe him. any help?!?!
i will post some pictures soon.

Seems like everyone got here before me, but I also know a bit on hermit crabs. Like mentioned don’t use gravel it does not reall have any benefits. A mixture of ecoearth and sand is great. You need salt and fresh I think you can use fish conditioner considering hermit crabs live near the same oceans fish live in. Also mentioned they do NEED salt water. I had one large bowl to soak in and one small one to drink from, to make salt water you can take any water bottle or gallon jug full of water add the normal fresh water conditioner to eliminate chemicals and then add a thing called instant ocean. I would recommend more research before getting a pet next time however because hermit crabs are a big responsibility and I find they are one of the harder pets to care for.

I had many crabs, but you want to be careful because mine attacked and tried to eat each other, but for the most part they are social and need friends. You can get thease rope net things which crabs love to climb up. Drift wood, coconut huts, plastic plants and other thing in the reptile section, and really anything that is safe and looks fun is ok for toys. In a 10 gallon I would say 2 is probably good, maybe 3 crabs.

Also you will want a warm and cool side, I would also recommend putting water and food on the cool side so it doesn’t spoil. I also really recommend a thermometer and hydrometer, thermometer will keep track of the temp ( you may want one on each side) and hydrometer will keep track of humidity which may I remind is super important because they literally have gills and can suffocate without humidity. Also if it’s not too late just a thing I recommend is having the heat pad on the side so if they dig down it will be the same temp as if they were on the surface instead of the heater under the tank in which they may dig to close to and over heat since in the wild they dig to escape heat. Also if it’s a fish tank it would be harder to keep airflow on the heater if it is under the tank and you would also need something to elevate the tank.

I would recommend going to a hermit crab fourum like: the hermitCrabAssociation.com
And there are many great youtubers one I found that is pretty good is YadoKariNation, her videos are pretty informative.

Edited by hawaiihamster, 03 August 2018 - 11:26 PM.

[bamboo the hamster]

 

thank you for the information. percy got a friend yesterday. they get along okay. but while my sister and i where watching, the new one just climbed out of her shell and into one I put in there! they didn't have anything good for climbing at the petstore, so i will order some stuff online. although i did buy a few plastic plants that my hermies just LOVE. they enjoyed some fresh strawberries, cantaloupe, and peanut butter. i have the heating pad on the side of the tank from my previous hermies. i really do know about them, i just had a few questions i needed help with.

[Tango~]

It's good to have you bad on the forum bamboo the hamster!

I know a bit about hermit crabs from watching Lori's Hartland.

 

Yes you need to get your little hermit crab a friend, they are very social and need to be in groups.

 

With the water, I think that they need two kinds of water? Something like salt and fresh? Don't hold me to that though.

 

With the substrate, no I don't think you could use fish gravel, they enjoy burrowing too, keep using the coconut bedding as well as moist sand to help them molt would work for them.

 

It's great that you're giving them cuttlebone for calcium, and your diet looks good as I think they need a varied diet.

 

I hope this helps.

I watch Loris Hartland too!That is one of the reasons I know some information on hermit crabs! ;)

[hawaiihamster]

thank you for the information. percy got a friend yesterday. they get along okay. but while my sister and i where watching, the new one just climbed out of her shell and into one I put in there! they didn't have anything good for climbing at the petstore, so i will order some stuff online. although i did buy a few plastic plants that my hermies just LOVE. they enjoyed some fresh strawberries, cantaloupe, and peanut butter. i have the heating pad on the side of the tank from my previous hermies. i really do know about them, i just had a few questions i needed help with.

Ok that’s good! Yea I remember my hermit crab switched shells, but then switched back. Another important thing I forgot to mention is buy natural shells as the paint is not safe long term on those painted shells.

When I was young I also had hermit crabs (which I wish I did not because I did not know the correct care) but one time I found a crab on the kitchen floor thank goodness it was alive, but to get there it had to have a pretty big fall so I feel sorry for him, and another time I left the cage door open and they were on the floor and one escaped and we found it the next morning under my parents speakers.

[bamboo the hamster]

Seems like everyone got here before me, but I also know a bit on hermit crabs. Like mentioned don’t use gravel it does not reall have any benefits. A mixture of ecoearth and sand is great. You need salt and fresh I think you can use fish conditioner considering hermit crabs live near the same oceans fish live in. Also mentioned they do NEED salt water. I had one large bowl to soak in and one small one to drink from, to make salt water you can take any water bottle or gallon jug full of water add the normal fresh water conditioner to eliminate chemicals and then add a thing called instant ocean. I would recommend more research before getting a pet next time however because hermit crabs are a big responsibility and I find they are one of the harder pets to care for.

I had many crabs, but you want to be careful because mine attacked and tried to eat each other, but for the most part they are social and need friends. You can get thease rope net things which crabs love to climb up. Drift wood, coconut huts, plastic plants and other thing in the reptile section, and really anything that is safe and looks fun is ok for toys. In a 10 gallon I would say 2 is probably good, maybe 3 crabs.

Also you will want a warm and cool side, I would also recommend putting water and food on the cool side so it doesn’t spoil. I also really recommend a thermometer and hydrometer, thermometer will keep track of the temp ( you may want one on each side) and hydrometer will keep track of humidity which may I remind is super important because they literally have gills and can suffocate without humidity. Also if it’s not too late just a thing I recommend is having the heat pad on the side so if they dig down it will be the same temp as if they were on the surface instead of the heater under the tank in which they may dig to close to and over heat since in the wild they dig to escape heat. Also if it’s a fish tank it would be harder to keep airflow on the heater if it is under the tank and you would also need something to elevate the tank.

I would recommend going to a hermit crab fourum like: the hermitCrabAssociation.com
And there are many great youtubers one I found that is pretty good is YadoKariNation, her videos are pretty informative.

one crab had a larger shell, and he moved into a shell intended for the small one. he actually looks good in it, i just think his original shell was too large. is this normal???

 

oh btw all my shells are natural, no paint. i have a few about the same size as each, and a few that are larger as well.

Edited by bamboo the hamster, 04 August 2018 - 12:55 AM.

[hawaiihamster]

one crab had a larger shell, and he moved into a shell intended for the small one. he actually looks good in it, i just think his original shell was too large. is this normal???
 
oh btw all my shells are natural, no paint. i have a few about the same size as each, and a few that are larger as well.

Hmm that’s interesting hermit crabs are pretty weird in that sense. I mean as long as you have enough shells of different sizes then it does not really matter what they pick, although I would hope it’s still big enough for the crab to hide in. Also a tip try to find shells that are the same shape as the one they came in as their body is used to that shape. If you look at hermit crab shells you will see there is mainly 2 kinds, one that kind of spirals sideways and it’s a pretty short shell and it’s circular and there are other longer and taller shells that spiral upwards and spiral out and look more like triangles.

[bamboo the hamster]

Hmm that’s interesting hermit crabs are pretty weird in that sense. I mean as long as you have enough shells of different sizes then it does not really matter what they pick, although I would hope it’s still big enough for the crab to hide in. Also a tip try to find shells that are the same shape as the one they came in as their body is used to that shape. If you look at hermit crab shells you will see there is mainly 2 kinds, one that kind of spirals sideways and it’s a pretty short shell and it’s circular and there are other longer and taller shells that spiral upwards and spiral out and look more like triangles.

he just moved into one that is more in the middle of the 2 sizes, and i think it is great for him. it is like the shape of his original shell. we are joking around, calling him spy crab, because we keep getting confused which shell he's in! :rotfl:oh and do i have to have like 8 inches of substrate, or can I have more like 3-5 inches? I use eco earth, and i am thinking of getting sand to mix.