We used to have one as a kid, was really not a lot of trouble. Only thing we weren't aware of is they she'd their shell (not the one they live in but their actual shell! And so we thought it was dead as it went all white but nope was all good. Was so long ago though so can't remember anything bad about it, as mum probably did all that looking after it stuff lol.
Didja get one? We got 2 late last year, originally for my nephews but they haven't been very interested. But now I'm crazy for crazy crabs!
I went into a pet store the other day to buy some water ager, and came across an info sheet for them. Apparently I've bought the 2 hardiest crabs IN THE WORLD, because I've been doing everything wrong. Buy minimum 3, they're supposed to have a 'bath' every week outside the tank, they're supposed to be able to bury themselves in the sand otherwise they can't moult and will die - I did everything the opposite of that.
The guy was saying that when you set them up right, their little personalities come right out. They'd just put a fake tree in the tank a week ago, and the crabs were taking turns either kicking each other off the top of the tree, or just sitting on top of whatever crab was already there - that morning they were 3 crabs high on top of the tree!
So I'm getting some beach sand tonight, and I'll give 'em a bath and set up their tank right. Hopefully they'll be more active!
We got 2. One of ours died. Well, I didn't think he was dead, I thought he was shedding but DH did so he went. We've only got 1 atm, DD seems to have lost interest. They are incredibly cute though.
Our tank has shell grit in the bottom. The pet shop lady said it was better for them than sand or sawdust because it's what they live in in the wild. Who knows. She could just have been wanting us to spend more $.
Huh, my guy talked me out of buying sand, he said to go get a bucket worth from the beach, and it would be free and better than shop stuff cos it's got all the salt and stuff that they're used to!
They've kinda turned into my own little project, I love the little guys
We just got 2 more crabs today. I've rearranged their 'crabitat' and bought some new shells in case they decided to move house. DS has already named one Bruce and the other one is yet to be named.
DD2 is going to be so excited when she gets home. '
Keike, what do you feed yours? I have put some lettuce and apple in their tank but they don't seem to like it so I've been sticking to the crab food. I put some lettuce in again just now to see if the new ones like it.
I've just got the crab food at the moment, but apparently they love tiny pieces of apple in peanut butter! They're scavengers though, so they'll eat pretty much anything. I got some beach sand recently and they've been munching on the stuff in the sand. Actually they've both disappeared at the moment, so I think they're moulting.
I had hermit crabs years ago. They were great fun. Until.............
We bought a third crab. I called her 'Princess Consuela Banana-hamock' because firstly, it's a great name, and secondly, I'm a huge fan of Friends. Anyhoo..... Princess Consuela was what I like to refer to as a 'massacre crab'. She killed every other crab she ever came into contact with. I actually watched her trying to rip the shell off another crabs back, and she would always strike when they were maulting, so would dig up her brothers/sisters from the sand when they were vulnerable and kill them. I never did buy any more crabs. She lived on her own until she eventually died, and that was it for my crabitat.
I basically fed them any fruit/veg, plus peanut butter, bits of rice etc. I had a warming pad under the tank and a pool of water for bathing/drinking. Be careful not to make the water too deep as they can drown. I had a mixture of small pebbles and sand in the tank, along with some ornaments for climbing and hiding.
As a childs pet, they're low maintenance, and no hassle when the kid loses interest in them. Reasonably inexpensive too. I say why not?
We have a heat pad under our tank but it doesn't seem to get very warm and I'm worried that it's not going to be warm enough now that the weather is getting cooler. It does make the tank humid enough though. I'm wondering whether to get a lamp as well. I don't want the little guys dying over winter.
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Hermit Crabs
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