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 #1877694


AirAttack
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 Hermit crab

Just got grand Kids 3 Hermit crabs 10 gal tank small water fall, sand, built what i thought was good living area for them 3 days now and they dont seem to eat, just dig down and hide new at this crab thing( hum about 73 to 78 temp about 72) also have sub strat on one side, also good climbing thing hard to find them

please give a liitle crab advise



10/09/08  11:24am

 #1878770


Gottee guy
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   Message To: AirAttack   In reference to Message Id: 1877694


 Hermit crab

that cage size is good for up to 4 hermit crabs.

the temperatures are also good.

i would higher the humidity to around 85.

along with sand, hermit crabs also like moist bedabeast [or ecoearth (a type of organic rich soil found in most pet stores)].
it holds their burrows well, holds a lot of humidity, and if they are hungry sometimes i see mine eating bits of it. you could mix the sand with it too.

i think it’s normal for hermit crabs to not eat right away.
what have you been feeding them?
hermit crab food from the pet store isn’t the best because of the amount of copper.
better foods are fruit,dead fish, vegetables,etc.

do you have a freshwater water bowl, and a saltwater water bowl?
when given the chance, hermit crabs will regulate the amount of saltwater in them if they have a saltwater water bowl and a freshwater water bowl.
NOT table salt though. only sea salt (also found in pet stores).

if you’re wondering, hermit crabs are very messy.
10/11/08  10:50am

 #1878814


Gottee guy
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   Message To: Gottee guy   In reference to Message Id: 1878770


 Hermit crab

also, how deep is the substrate?

it should be at least 4 inches deep.
10/11/08  12:17pm

 #1878962


Squishywater
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   Message To: Gottee guy   In reference to Message Id: 1878814


 Hermit crab

something else to keep in mind is that they are nocturnal. so you most likely wont see them eat, and when they do, it’s very slowly.

also, depending on the size of the crabs, the pelleted food from the pet store is sometimes to big for very small herms to break apart and eat.

whiles it’s good to also add feeder fish and veggies in their diet, it’s best to put those in at night, and take them out in the morning to avoid spoiling.

and one more note, my hermit crabs happily feed on dried plain oatmeal. you may want to try that along with the previous.
10/11/08  05:40pm

 #1889207


Cgns
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   Message To: AirAttack   In reference to Message Id: 1877694


 Hermit crab

Just as a side note, it’s also common for new crabs to "de-stress" for a time after coming home, as usually the conditions they have been in at the pet store are not good. When I bring a new one home, I’ll usually not see them for 2 weeks to a month, as they’ll burrow down and chill out for a while, as they acclimate to the new conditions.
10/28/08  11:31am

 #1889306


Burnin4Christ
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   Message To: AirAttack   In reference to Message Id: 1877694


 Hermit crab

one way to see if they are eating is to smooth the sand around the food bowl before bed and then check for little "footprints" in the sand in the morning. they also eat very little and very slowly so you probally will not notice a lot of food gone. your humidity is good althoug i would probally try and kepp it between 75-80. the tempeture should be the same. if you are interested in a printable care sheet then head over to www.hermitcrabassociation.com and you can find a general one as well as ones for different species. you can also visit www.epicureanhermit.com for a safe food list you can print out.
10/28/08  03:57pm


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