Just Getting Started

dgh_1984 · 04-06-2008, 12:58 AM

Hi everyone. I am the proud owner of 5 new hermit crabs and I couldn't be happier. I didn't know the first thing about hermit crabs, but I did allot of research and I am confident that I can take care of them. I haven't named them since, without there current shells, I wouldn't be able to identify them. There is one that is very outgoing and will crawl all over the place, two more that are "coming out of there shell" and getting used to everything, one I am not sure it knows what to do, and the last hardly comes out at all and has been found several times on it's side.

I hope it is just shy and not on a path to its demise.

The temp is staying about 70 and the humidity is over 80 and this is without a heater. I am using one of those dual gauges for hermit crabs. Do these work? They are in a 10 gallon glass aquarium that is nicely decorated with many places to hide and lots of extra shells. I have one dish for fresh water and one for salt and one with food. I also have fresh water available on one of the second levels and good ways to get to these two levels. I will take in all advice.

WizKidsMom · 04-06-2008, 08:08 AM

Welcome

How long have you had them? It could be the one on his side is de-stressing or preparing for a molt.
Do you know what species you have? Your humidity maybe too high for them. Have you calibrated your gauge? Here's directions:
http://www.hermitcrabsrus.com/forum/...ygrometer.html

Are you giving them a day/night cycle?

dgh_1984 · 04-06-2008, 12:37 PM

I have only had them for 4 days and I believe they are all PPs since they all have large purple pinchers. I haven't done much research on what kind or sex. Thanks for the advice on the gauge and I will do this when I get the time to be able to check it in 4 to 6 hours.

Hildegarde · 04-06-2008, 03:30 PM

You sound like you've been crabbing for a while rather than being a newbie. Sounds like you're doing everything right. Just make sure your substrate is at least 2x the height of your largest crab.

Welcome to HCRU!!

dgh_1984 · 04-09-2008, 12:39 AM

Thanks for the comment.

By saying that I sound like I have been crabbing for a while instead of being a newbie confirms my confidence and justifies the research that I have done. I have bad news though. One of my little guys have died. It was one that wouldn't come out of its shell much. There was a leg laying beside it and it isn't moving at all. I read that if they are molting you can see them twitch. I relocated it and have watched it just in case he is alive and molting, but I believe he is dead. Also, one has dissapeard.

I can't find it anywhere. I have a plexiglass lid on the cage so it couldn't have gotten out. Can they bury themselves and me not know it? The rest of them are no longer so shy and are exploring their new home and come out of their shells when I handle them. Yea!

Moi · 04-09-2008, 05:51 AM

Yes... the hermies bury themselves and sometimes for weeks! Which leads to purchasing more friends, who in turn bury themselves... funny yet frustrating to watch when the mounds move around and you're trying to figure out who's who and where!!

**HERMEZ** · 04-09-2008, 09:51 AM

WELCOME glad to have you and your crabby friends here!

Hildegarde · 04-09-2008, 01:50 PM

dgh

It's very typical for a crab to go down. And just when you're sure that it's been down long enough that it's probably moulting, it pops back up and says "What's for dinner?' and then goes back down again.

I have several crabs that are always topside except for when they moult, and others that rarely come up at all.

Also, with the crab you're worried about, if you pick him up and he falls out of his shell, he's bit the dust.

krackersmom2 · 04-09-2008, 11:06 PM

I agree...just leave the one you believe is dead where he is for a few days...if he is dead, he will really start to smell. Is the crab tucked way up in it's shell or is it limp like it's going to fall out. A freshly molted crab tends to tuck themselevs up tightly into their shell. If you only found one limb, then it probably shed a limb instead of molting. When a crab molts, there's body parts everywhere (if it's a surface molt), not just one leg.

dgh_1984 · 04-09-2008, 11:19 PM

I have already disposed of the little guy. Poor thing. It did fall out of the shell when I picked it up and was starting to smell.

When they molt, do they completely cover themselves? I have no idea where one is and I can't find any holes.

04-06-2008, 12:58 AM	#1 (permalink)
dgh_1984 (Micro Crab) Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 69	Just Getting Started Hi everyone. I am the proud owner of 5 new hermit crabs and I couldn't be happier. I didn't know the first thing about hermit crabs, but I did allot of research and I am confident that I can take care of them. I haven't named them since, without there current shells, I wouldn't be able to identify them. There is one that is very outgoing and will crawl all over the place, two more that are "coming out of there shell" and getting used to everything, one I am not sure it knows what to do, and the last hardly comes out at all and has been found several times on it's side. I hope it is just shy and not on a path to its demise. The temp is staying about 70 and the humidity is over 80 and this is without a heater. I am using one of those dual gauges for hermit crabs. Do these work? They are in a 10 gallon glass aquarium that is nicely decorated with many places to hide and lots of extra shells. I have one dish for fresh water and one for salt and one with food. I also have fresh water available on one of the second levels and good ways to get to these two levels. I will take in all advice.

04-06-2008, 08:08 AM	#2 (permalink)
WizKidsMom "Second Molt In Progress" Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 482	Re: Just Getting Started Welcome How long have you had them? It could be the one on his side is de-stressing or preparing for a molt. Do you know what species you have? Your humidity maybe too high for them. Have you calibrated your gauge? Here's directions: http://www.hermitcrabsrus.com/forum/...ygrometer.html Are you giving them a day/night cycle? __________________ WizKidsMom (Cheryl) WizKidsPics 9 PPs & 3 E's

04-06-2008, 12:37 PM	#3 (permalink)
dgh_1984 (Micro Crab) Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 69	Re: Just Getting Started I have only had them for 4 days and I believe they are all PPs since they all have large purple pinchers. I haven't done much research on what kind or sex. Thanks for the advice on the gauge and I will do this when I get the time to be able to check it in 4 to 6 hours.

04-06-2008, 03:30 PM	#4 (permalink)
Hildegarde "Preparing For Third Molt" Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Gainesville, Florida Posts: 791	Re: Just Getting Started You sound like you've been crabbing for a while rather than being a newbie. Sounds like you're doing everything right. Just make sure your substrate is at least 2x the height of your largest crab. Welcome to HCRU!! __________________ The Kids: Big Momma, Bwana, BiBi, Honey, Aggie, Stretch, Sparky, Houdini, Tang, Zeke & Izzie; The Big Guys: Kaiser, Mo-de-law', Belle & SuzyQ; and our 15 new Little Ones; all PPs and our baby Es: Killer, Ol' Yeller, Scooter, Mr. Greenjeans, Orange and our tiny Smidgen.

04-09-2008, 12:39 AM	#5 (permalink)
dgh_1984 (Micro Crab) Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 69	Re: Just Getting Started Thanks for the comment. By saying that I sound like I have been crabbing for a while instead of being a newbie confirms my confidence and justifies the research that I have done. I have bad news though. One of my little guys have died. It was one that wouldn't come out of its shell much. There was a leg laying beside it and it isn't moving at all. I read that if they are molting you can see them twitch. I relocated it and have watched it just in case he is alive and molting, but I believe he is dead. Also, one has dissapeard. I can't find it anywhere. I have a plexiglass lid on the cage so it couldn't have gotten out. Can they bury themselves and me not know it? The rest of them are no longer so shy and are exploring their new home and come out of their shells when I handle them. Yea!

04-09-2008, 05:51 AM	#6 (permalink)
Moi Hi, I'm New Here! Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Louisiana Posts: 19	Re: Just Getting Started Yes... the hermies bury themselves and sometimes for weeks! Which leads to purchasing more friends, who in turn bury themselves... funny yet frustrating to watch when the mounds move around and you're trying to figure out who's who and where!! __________________ Classroom Hermies: Big Bubba (biggest), Thing One & Thing Two, Reggie Bush (fastest), T. Pierre (smallest) PeeWee and Sherman (he's swapped shells most often!) They're Home!: 16 Adopted PP's R.I.P. Freckles, Captain America, Scooby, Un-named Hermie

04-09-2008, 09:51 AM	#7 (permalink)
HERMEZ Moderator Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: NC Posts: 1,294	Re: Just Getting Started WELCOME glad to have you and your crabby friends here! __________________ 22 PP's~8 Rugs~9 E's~ 4 Straws~2 Indo's~4 Violas~ http://photobucket.com/albums/a96/Herm-EZ/

04-09-2008, 01:50 PM	#8 (permalink)
Hildegarde "Preparing For Third Molt" Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Gainesville, Florida Posts: 791	Re: Just Getting Started dgh It's very typical for a crab to go down. And just when you're sure that it's been down long enough that it's probably moulting, it pops back up and says "What's for dinner?' and then goes back down again. I have several crabs that are always topside except for when they moult, and others that rarely come up at all. Also, with the crab you're worried about, if you pick him up and he falls out of his shell, he's bit the dust. __________________ The Kids: Big Momma, Bwana, BiBi, Honey, Aggie, Stretch, Sparky, Houdini, Tang, Zeke & Izzie; The Big Guys: Kaiser, Mo-de-law', Belle & SuzyQ; and our 15 new Little Ones; all PPs and our baby Es: Killer, Ol' Yeller, Scooter, Mr. Greenjeans, Orange and our tiny Smidgen.

04-09-2008, 11:06 PM	#9 (permalink)
krackersmom2 (Large Crab) Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: South TX (near the beach) Posts: 1,128	Re: Just Getting Started I agree...just leave the one you believe is dead where he is for a few days...if he is dead, he will really start to smell. Is the crab tucked way up in it's shell or is it limp like it's going to fall out. A freshly molted crab tends to tuck themselevs up tightly into their shell. If you only found one limb, then it probably shed a limb instead of molting. When a crab molts, there's body parts everywhere (if it's a surface molt), not just one leg. __________________ 12 PP's: Spooky, Baby, Flash, Rocky, Herbie, Violet, Fester, Zeus, Neptune, Mars, Luna and Misterie R.I.P:Hercules and Apollo

04-09-2008, 11:19 PM	#10 (permalink)
dgh_1984 (Micro Crab) Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 69	Re: Just Getting Started I have already disposed of the little guy. Poor thing. It did fall out of the shell when I picked it up and was starting to smell. When they molt, do they completely cover themselves? I have no idea where one is and I can't find any holes.

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