New and proud owner of new Hermit Crab :D

Hi all

I just very recently bought a hermit crab, I am in college and thought I needed a new pet to go along with my fish. I have always wanted a hermit crab, but never had the chance. I called up a friend who had hermit crabs, and he recommended the tank I know own.

I realized that I have no idea what I am doing, I know to mist the tank every day to keep the humidity up. I have only had my crab for two days and I think that I might of already hurt my crab. So I joined this forumn any tips?

Thanks!

 

Well how do you think you hurt the crab?
:madhouse:

 

Well I had to transfer it to the real tank this morning, because it was in a temporary one, and he kinda slowely crawled a little bit and then stopped moving and his claws are sticking out of the shell. Maybe I am just over-reacting, but I don't want to hurt the little guy.

 

well I don't know what your tank is like so I'll just ask a few basic ?'s. Got your eco earth or play sand in there and it moistened with conditioned declorinated approved salt water? Not using that dreaded cali sand that most pet places try and sell to people it's usually colored and comes in smaller bags and is very $.

2 types of water declorinated for drinking and declorinted/salt water in dishes deep enough for them for them to get in & out of

lid on tank to keep the humidity in? * if your substrate { e.e. or sand is the right consistancy like sand castle, you shouldn't have to mist every day & it can stress your crab more}

do you have a heat source? A uth mounted on the side of your tank?

good food sources, raw honey, organic peanut butter { these you'll want to put in a bottle cap so they don't get it all over them and the tank} cuttle bone from bird isle, millet plain type from bird isle, check the food list on here for human foods they can eat.

hands off method, crabs can become very stressed some more so than others they need a hiding place to. Do you have anything in the tank he can hide in? A cave, hut or even if you have a clay flower pot you can scrub and soak in diluted bleach water & rinse really well, then don't handle the crab at all for a month just feed, water, clean the poo.

My son went to college and left his crabs to his mother! ME! I have 1 of his original crabs, the other 2 are mine I bought, darn things are addictive, I don't play with mine I just like watching them.

read read read is the most helpful advice.

 

Yes. Most of us dont handle our crabs except to do a deep clean or if one is in the way of us doing something to the tank.
Let your crab be for a month like scoobdoo said. It is a very critical time right now and it is when most of the crabs die from PPS (post purchase syndrome). They are taken right out of the wild and the poor thing goes through so much before ending up in your tank and by the time it does it might be too late for them. Their chances could be as low as 50/50.Water,food, hideing places( get a silk vine and lay it in the tankand not a little piece. Rinse it with declorinated water. Make sure the substrate is deep enough to bury themselves. depth should be at least 2x their size.Make sure it has a heat source. And plenty of humidity.
:madhouse: glad to have you :rainbow:

 

Thanks
I have all of that stuff, except a heat source, the tank with my crabs is in a room that always have a heater keeping the temperature constant. Because I have a very temperture needy bird. So I didn't think I needed more heat sources.

 

That is awsome! you might have an easier time with your humidity cause you wont have to put a light over the tank.