Good Hang Outs!

In a well set-up crabitat, it is important to have many things:  a freshwater pool, a saltwater pool, moist & deep substrate, extra shells, and plenty of places to climb and hide.  While the former are all things that are vital to your crabs survival, good hang outs where your crabs are able to be instinctively crabby make the crabitat fun for both you and your crabs.

Let's face it.  Sometimes, keeping land hermit crabs lacks the action that having other pets does.  They don't really do much and unlike animals like dogs or cats, they don't really prefer to play or interact with human beings.

In order to make a crabitat fun, it's important to provide your crabs with a form of exercise that is stimulating to their natural instincts.  In the wild, land hermit crabs are often referred to as "tree crabs" because they prefer to climb up in trees and other places during the day.

By installing plenty of places for your crabs to climb, you're ensuring that they're able to act out their instincts and get a good form of exercise.  It is also fun and exciting to watch them climb and hang out.  I love to sit and watch my crabs climb around in the crabitat!

There are many awesome ideas that you can use to put a little more climbing space in your tank!  Corner shower caddies (with suction cups) offer a great second level that takes up minimal space.  You can put moist moss, extra shells, or a hidey place inside.  Driftwood, cork bark, grapevine, or cholla are great pieces that are perfect for hermit crabs to climb on while adding a natural look to your crabitat.  Many online stores offer hemp nets and ropes.  Fake vines and plants sold at pet stores are another great alternative.  Finally, many aquarium pieces double as a hiding spot and a place to climb!

When it comes to decorating a crabitat, the options are unlimited!  With a bit of creativity, your crabitat can be transformed into a place that is healthy and fun for your land hermit crabs.  Finding that perfect hang out spot for your crabs might be a bit difficult, but with time and a bit of patience, you'll soon manage to craft a tank that keeps you and your crabs busy and enthralled!

Moss Pits

Land hermit crabs love to explore, hide, and dig. These are three things that make them a great pet to watch from outside of the tank. They frequently do these activities during the night, but some crabs are so active, they'll even perform such activities during the day for all to see.

What is a great way of incorporating the natural love for exploring, hiding, and digging? A moss pit! In order to build your own moss pit for your crabs, you won't need much:

-Moss (preferably a brand of reptile moss, such as Fluker's or Zilla - craft mosses do not work and can injure your crabs)
-A corner or back-wall shower caddy (found at Wal*Mart for $5.00 - $10.00)
-Saltwater

Once you have purchased these items, you're ready to prepare your own moss pit!

In order to create the moss pit, you'll want to rehydrate the dried moss that you bought. To do this, put it inside a microwave-safe bowl and fill the bowl with saltwater so the moss is drenched. Microwave for 5 minutes.

After the moss has been microwaved, take it out and allow it to cool. Once cooled, drain the moss by squeezing out the excess saltwater. You can now place the moss inside of the caddy and stick it to one of the corners of the crabitat.

You can use many different mediums for the crabs to climb up to the shower caddy. Such mediums include cholla logs, fake plants, netting, or vines. Climbing into the moss provides good exercise and a comfy, humid spot for the crabs to rest. You can add more fun and stimuli by putting some of their favorite treats in the moss pits!

I hope your crabs will enjoy the moss pits. If they're anything like mine, your moss pits will soon become mosh pits!

One of my moss pits can be seen in this picture on the far right.

Finding the Right Tank Size

Aquariums come in many different sizes. From the smallest 5 gallon aquariums to the largest 300 gallons and over aquariums, there are plenty of different sizes to choose. However, it may be hard to tell which aquarium size is good for you and your hermit crabs.

When looking for an aquarium, it is important to consider:

• Potential Upgrades
• How Many Crabs You Have (And May Acquire)
• Limitations
• Creativity

After considering these factors, finding a tank size should not be hard at all!

Potential Upgrades
It may seem unbelievable, but owning land hermit crabs is a fun hobby and can quickly become addicting. I started out with a ten gallon and quickly upgraded to a 20 gallon long, and now I own a 55 gallon which is becoming smaller every day.

Before you waste your money on purchasing a smaller tank, it is important to consider if you plan to expand your crab collection. Keep in mind that when properly kept, land hermit crabs can and will grow.

Basically, if you're planning on getting a smaller tank now, but would someday like a bigger tank, I would suggest going and buying the bigger right away.

How Many Crabs You Have (And May Acquire)
There is a chart available that is general rule for how many crabs you can keep in one tank, but the science (if little) is not really behind it. One should be able to tell how many crabs can fit comfortably in a tank. I would say no more than 3 small crabs in a 10G tank and definitely no larger sizes in a 10G. Of course, if you plan to use second levels (such as shower caddies) you may have more crabs.

As aforementioned, crabs are addictive and you will be wanting more. Again, go for larger now if you find this to be a serious hobby. Consider how many crabs you want and how many will fit comfortably in a certain size tank.

Limitations
It is understandable that you may live in an apartment and can't afford or fit a 55G in your room. Because of this, limitations must be considered. Crabs are a long-lasting pet (I wish I would have known this) and kids who may be going off to college must consider how they will care for them. This is the problem I am currently facing.

Look out for your limitations and pay attention to them. Don't swim in water that you're not comfortable with.

Creativity
This may not seem like an actual factor, but if you are a creative person, you'll fit a lot of stuff in the crabitat and make the most out of it. If you're really creative, a big crabitat is like an open canvas, ready to painted.
If you're not creative, a big crabitat can still fit large decorations and make everything seem more natural. Smaller crabitats also have great possibility for looking like small ecosystems.

Summary
In the end, it's up to you to decide which tank size is best! Consider the factors, and make a decision!

Calibrating Gauges

Temperature and humidity gauges are something that all crabbers must have to ensure that their crabitat is both humid and hot enough for their land hermit crabs. However, over time, these gauges will start to get a little inaccurate, which is why it is important to periodically test them for accuracy.

There are two main types of gauges that I've seen on the petstore market: digital and analog. The analog guages usually come equipped with a small screw in the back that you can turn to set the humidity or temperature at the right level, but this doesn't work with all of them. Unless you can reprogram your digital gauge, you will have to do the math.

To test the accuracy of your temperature gauge, place it in the same spot as your thermostat in your home and see if they read even. If it is too high or low, you know you'll have to turn the dial some by using the screw in the back. You can also do the math. For instance, if it should read 75* and it's reading 65*, you know that it's off by 10 units low, so when reading the gauge in your crabitat, you should add up.

To test the humidity gauge, get an air-tight tupperware container with the lid. Place a small amount of damp salt (using a bottle cap works great) in the container and then the humidity gauge. After eight hours (or less if you have a faster-working digital gauge) check the gauge. It should read at exactly 75%. Once again, if yours is off, adjust the screw in the back or do the math.

I think everyone should check their gauges at least once every three months to make sure they are working. I don't recommend buying the ones that you have to permanently adhere to the back of your 'tat. Those ones get water logged and then there's nothing you can do about it. Instead, you can hang them from the top of your 'tat or buy ones that stick to Velcro strips.

Keeping A Tropical Environment

Keeping a tropical environment for your land hermit crabs is a vital part in keeping these animals alive for longer than one month, as they are usually thought to live (of course, educated crabbers know that land hermit crabs can live for 30 years or more in captivity).

When I speak of a tropical environment, the temperature should be 80* Fahrenheit or higher and also above 80% relative humidity. These conditions can be difficult for some crabbers to achieved, and the equilibria of 80/80 is sometimes a difficult task. Luckily, heat and humidity work well together. When you have a good source of heat and moisture in the tank, your humidity will go up.

The first step in succeeding in obtaining optimum tropical conditions is to invest in a good humidity and temperature gauge. The one pictured to the right is Fluker's digital brand and I find that it works perfectly.

You can find cheaper analog (dialed gauges) that are cheaper than the one pictures to the right ($20), but these are often a bit inaccurate and worsen as time goes on.

Secondly, you'll want to have a moist substrate like sandcastle-constistency sand or moistened Eco-Earth. These substrates will aid in humidity. A heat source (such as an under tank heater) will work perfectly to give your tank the heat it needs. The larger the tank, the more expensive it will cost to heat it adequately. I am currently using three UTHs that are side-mounted to keep the 'tat warm.

With adequate heat sources, it shouldn't be hard to maintain a warm environment, but some crabbers have trouble with humidity.

You should have moist substrate, two large pools (one of freshwater and one of saltwater), and then another or more sources of moisture to help with the humidity.

Those sources can be moss pits, sponges (which I don't recommend because they can harbor bacteria), a bubbler to go inside of the pools, or a humidifer (like TropicAire brand).

If you have all of these moisture sources set-up, you should have no trouble keeping a humid and warm environment. It's important to remember to keep the top of the 'tat covered with something that will hold in the moisture. Plastic wrap, a plexi-glass sheet, or an aquarium hood with lighting (I recommend this) will keep the moisture in.

With added humidity, you'll find that crabs are more active. Unfortunately, the more humid it gets, the more prone you are to mold and the glass fogging up. Normal conditions should stay within the 80*/80% range, but having it higher or a little lower for a short amount of time is not only safe, but recommended.

Temperature and humidity variations will make your crabs hardier and healthier, plus it resembles the wild where nothing is stable.

Filtering Pools

Nowadays, it seems like a nice luxury for your land hermit crabs to have filtered pools. Many crabbers are discovering that this option may be easier and the crabs seem to enjoy swimming, too.

Using built-in pools in your crabitat does not require a lot of skill, but it does require a lot of space. I have a 55G and I think my pools are a little too big, but I do like them (and the crabs seem to like them, too).

There are two methods of doing built-in pools, which I call the easy and the hard method. The hard method is to get cut plexi-glass or glass and use aquarium silicone to glue the pieces into the tank. This is not only permanent, it also makes for possible leaks. This is the hard way.

The easy way is to use glass or plastic tupperware dishes and have them filtered. This way, you can take them out if the crabs shove substrate or if they need cleaned. You can easily do this without disturbing the crabs.

As far as filtering media goes, I like to use the Hagen Elite Mini. I browsed other filters online, but this one seemed the best. It's not too big and is quiet and it makes a lot of bubbles so it helps the humidity.

Best of all, it comes with a mesh filter and you can add a little bit of activated carbon, too.

Built-in pools do require some maintenance. I like to change at least 1/4 of my water every week to ensure that the pools are clean and not high in nitrates and stuff. Every month, I do a filter clean-up and where I clean off the filter, and every two months the filter is replaced and everything is cleaned.

The biggest set back to built-in pools is when the crabs push in substrate. To avoid this problem, have gravel around your pools or raise them up higher, with access into the pools. Crabs will be crabs and sadly, it's inevitable.

Good Substrates

New crabbers are often tricked by pet stores and kiosks that gravel is a good substrate to use with your land hermit crab. Sadly, that is not the case. There are many problems with gravel. It doesn't hold humidity, the crabs can't bury in it when they need to, and it isn't a great substrate to have crabs walk on 24/7. All of the pictures to the left are not suitable tanks!

More suitable substrates include:

-Eco-Earth: this product is made from 100% coconut fiber and is great for holding humidity. The brick may look small, but it will expand into a nice amount of substrate. The crabs love this product as they are able to dig into it. It's very suitable for crabitats and I'd recommend it to anyone.












-Bed-A-Beast: this product is just like Eco-Earth, only a different brand. This is the current substrate my land hermit crabs are on and they like it. I've had numerous successful molts and it works just the same as Eco-Earth. There used to be a problem with the product regarding peat moss, but it has since been fixed.




-Playsand: playsand is a great substrate to use, too, but you must be sure to moisten it to sandcastle consistency. This makes a great substrate to molt and dig in, so land hermit crabs will definitely love it. You can also mix some play sand with the coconut fiber to make a suitable mixture.

-Beach sand: not always recommended because of beach pollution, but beach sand is always an option if you live next to or near a beach that doesn't get too much human traffic. It will work just the same as playsand and also will include small bits of calcium, decayed organisms, and some other things that crabs may find tasty.

I hope this has helped any beginning crabbers to make a wise choice about which substrate they would like to choose!

Possible Effects of UV Lighting

UV light sources (such as UVA and UVB) have potential to be beneficial in the world of land hermit crabs. UV Lighting can even go as far as helping molts, creating a stronger color, helping land hermit crabs digest food, and also increasing activity level. Throughout this article, I will examine the effects that UV has had on my crabs since being introduced.






As far as molting goes, my crabs have always molted well. After introducing UV light, I have noticed no true different in my hermit crab's molting behaviors. However, I do believe that introducing UV has helped my land hermit crab's color and activity level.

Getting a UV light source for land hermit crabs seems to help them in one way or another. Having an active day and night cycle mimics what you would find in nature, and having the most natural settings reduces stress and creates the most comfortable environment for your land hermit crabs, which results, in the end, for a long, healthy life.

Land Hermit Crab's Environment

As a land hermit crab owner, I know that the most novice mistake people make when purchasing land hermit crabs is not having an adequate set-up. Most of the time, a hermit crab's home consists of a plastic kritter keeper and a dry lining of gravel. Any expert crabber knows that this is a death trap to a land hermit crab.

The average temperature where Coenobita clypeatus inhabits is around 77°F. However, the temperature changes with the season. The average humidity level is around 75%, but it can vary from as low as 65% to highs above 90%.

Today, in Key Largo, it is 86°F and 70% relative humidity. It is safe to say that this is a good crabitat temperature.

There are fluctuations within seasons. Fluctuation in the crabitat is not a bad thing and is actually recommended so the crabs grow to adapt more and are not dependent on a single temperature and humidity level. Because of this, I always recommend that the temperature range from 75°F - 85°F and the relative humidity to range from 65% - 85%. Be sure to have the humidity level on the higher end during the hottest part of the day (between 10 am and 3 pm).

With this humid environment in mind, it is imperative that both a humid and warm crabitat should exist where your land hermit crab lives. Kritter keepers are not good homes and a glass aquarium is much more suitable for the lives of these animals.

Saturday's Deep Clean

I did a deep clean on Saturday and it was quite a big experience, but also simple. I started off by soaking three blocks of Eco-Earth in their own buckets and marveled at how one block can get so big. This stuff is really cool. :)

I cleaned out the tank, put the crabs in a bin with some wet sand and a cover and then started emptying out 50 pounds or more of sand and coconut fiber. It wasn't too hard, but after I was done I had to wipe out the remaining sand particles.

Finishing up with that, I washed and boiled everything that was ever in the crabitat (including the crabs--except they weren't boiled). I placed everything back in and set it up to my liking. It looks much better now with only Eco-Earth. I realized how much I dislike sand.

The crabs all seem to be enjoying it and Mako has even switched into a bursa crumena. Kilimanjaro, my recently molted Ecuadorian, is also going through shells, but I doubt he will change. He is picky.

There are no pictures of the cleaned tank yet because my camera died. :(

Anyway, I went out later to get a new addition for my crabitat, but my Pet Supplies Plus had no new guys! I was a bit ticked off at the lack of any new exotics, but I figure I can take my time. I have lots of time to get new tank mates.

And I am very excited about March 16--my birthday. I am planning on getting $150 worth of crab stuff. It will be very cool and a birthday worthwhile.

The Deep Cleaning Process

Guess what, guys? It is time for another deep clean! This Saturday I will be emptying out all of the smelly substrate and introducing an entirely new crabitat set-up composed entirely of Eco-Earth. It is a new substance to them because I currently have coconut bark chunks on one side.

The deep cleaning process is never fun to do. Luckily, I only have a 20G and it won't be too hard. First I gotta empty out all of the substrate and then clean out the tank with a solution of vinegar and water. Then I gotta boil all of their shells and wash everything they have in there.

The entire process takes about an hour to complete. How fun!

The good thing is that with this deep clean comes another surprise at the pet store--exotics! I heard that the Pet Supplies Plus where I live is getting a new shipment in on Saturday and they will be carrying some exotics most likely.

The only problem is that I am going to need to constrain myself from buying too many hermits. I already have 6 crabs in a 20G tank, I only have room for two or three more and then I am pushing the limit a bit. Luckily I have two second levels (and one more coming soon) so the crabs normally are not too crowded.

I am really hoping to get a Ruggie and another Viola. If they have any more exotics, I will definately want to pick them up, too. Well, I guess that's all for now. Deep clean pictures will be posted whenever the new crabitat is completed (with which the idea I am going for is not going to be until spring or something).

The Forbidden Jungle

Imagine a tropical place where there is vine throughout the jungle. There is no beach in sight; just miles and miles of tropical rainforest. There are different bugs and live plants living throughout this exotic ecosystem. Now, imagine putting this into your crabitat.

While reading through this blog, I decided to adopt some ideas and concepts from it. While I cannot do a full-sized vivarium, I am going to try a few things when it comes down to February (deep clean time).

I am planning on using all Eco-Earth substrate with a mix of organic wormcastings. It will make the substrate fertile and good for growing a plant. The plant I am planning on using is a spider plant, since they are safe and have a tropical appearance.

I am also planning on adding a few bugs to the crabitat. I want a few worms to help aerate the substrate and I am also planning on having a small cricket and woodlice colony so there is a cleaning crew.

The new crabitat will never have to really have a deep clean--only semi-deep cleans with some substrate being removed. This small ecosystem will be delicate to balance, but I think I will be able to manage.

On a different note, it seems that Kilimanjaro's Kibble is actually promoted by purple pinchers. I have spotted two purple pinchers in the dish containing the kibble (one for over many hours). This kibble was now effectively named PPP: Purple Pincher Powder: A Diet Supplement for Coenobita Clypeatus and Other Land Hermit Crab Species.

The product *may* go on sale in the summer.

20 Gallon Just Not Enough?

Alright, I have been sizing my twenty gallon for the past few days to calculate how much space I will have in it after my deep clean. It is a standard twenty gallon, with a lot of floor space. Currently it is half playsand and half coconut fiber, but in April, I am planning to switch that out to just coconut fiber because I like it better.

The objects in the crabitat are all small and not really taking up floor space. The hideys provided don't really take up much floorspace and after my moss pit addition there will be plenty of new places to hide. The crabitat can easily fit more than 5 crabs.

The small crabs I am planning on getting are all quite small, around the size of a golf ball or smaller. They only take up about 4 gallons each in my opinion, but I figure that more than five crabs could live in here. I decided that eight or nine can probably manage.

The current crabs are one purple pincher (Mako), two Ecuadorians (Pompeii and Kilimanjaro), and one ruggie (Hokkaido). I am planning on buying one or more Ruggies this weekend plus a purple pincher. With three more crabs, my tank will almost be complete.

Then, I think to myself, is that all I want? And the answer is no. What if my crabs continue to grow large...will I need more tankspace? Yes...the problem is...I currently have no room for any more crabitats.

So, it is a bit of a dilemma...but I am just excited to get the new crabs this Saturday!

Making a Coconut Into a Cocohut

Wow...today was well-spent. I went out to the grocery store and picked up a nice-sized coconut. It had plenty of milk inside and I knew the crabs would love it (me, I'm not too big of a fan of coconut).

This time, I decided not to waste all of the shell. Instead, I decided to make this coconut into a cocohut. The steps for this are quite simple, yet time consuming, and you must be VERY careful as even though the shell is hard, it is also delicate.

To begin my cocohutting process, I stabbed the dark eyes at the bottom and drained the juice. Then, gently, I took a hammer and created two equal halves. Finally, I had what I wanted. To scoop the meat out, just use a butterknife and pry!

Now, to make the door, it was rather a long process. Instead of having a nice little saw, I had to drill holes into the shell to make a nice doorway. Then, using a handsaw, I managed to jigsaw out an okay looking door. Next step: boiling in saltwater for ten minutes and baking at 200 until dry.

Once it was all nice and finished, I placed it in the tat and Pompeii immediately climbed on it! She's hiding in it now so I think it must be a nice addition. Here is a picture of it:

Cocohut

Not bad, eh? For further information, give me an email at redfoxinc[at]hotmail[dot]com.

And off topic, I found out that my crabs LOVE EARTHWORM CASTINGS, especially Mako.

The White Worms Are Destroyed! A Huge Deep Clean!

In the past days, I have been finding tiny white worms in the water and substrate in the tank. The sand was beginning to grow old, and I knew a deep clean would be a good idea. After having two hermit crabs die in the conditions, I have decided to replace the substrate and cleanse everything.
Yesterday the entire deep clean process began. I took everything out of the crabitat and threw the old sand out. Needless to say, I kept a small bag of sand and cleansed it to use in one of my kibbles.
I had bought two bags of playsand and one brick of T-Rex Forest Bed. After soaking the forest bed for thirty minutes, it still wasn't digging consistency so I just decided to only have a small portion of the tank with the Forest Bed.
3/4 of the new crabitat is play sand, which is new to my crabs. The entire crabitat is looking nice, but I am still ordering a few new additions that need to be added. I'm looking forward to having a moss pit and shell station using corner shower caddies.
Additionally, I am hoping to get my ten gallon set up with three tiny Ecuadorians (Shark, Tsunami, and Shinto) by Christmas. I'm still unsure of how to convince my mom I need more crabs.
*Pics will be added soon*