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My name is Kyla D’amario. My love for crabs started about two years ago when I was at WildWood over the summer ( a tradition) and we were in the typical commercial store for crabs, I begged for one late at night when the rides were closing and I had finished getting my own henna tattoo. The next day I had begged for another but my grandfather said no so I begged my aunt and uncle who were also on the trip, I got another. When we arrived home I had known so many things about the right care of hermit crabs I insisted to get them a ten gallon. They lived in that until a shell fight happened and my one died. I then bought charlie who branched out to Cinnamon. They were all living in my ten gallon until Cinnamon and Strawberry surface molted and I thought they’d died. Then Hercules came and I moved to a 18.7 gallon (current tank) then on Fathers Day came Sticky and Num Num (R.I.P Num Num Fathers day – six days ago) then I bought Monday at WildWood and then my final crab I bought was Dubbs (crab in question)
It dawned on me one day after my hamster died.
Sat down on my bed and thought really hard ” I want a pet that I never had before and that is very uncommon and unique; even that gives me a little challenge and would teach me.I felt in my heart to give these little critters a loving chance and for me to make an impact on their lives and devote my heart to them
Ok, My name is Pam, and I just got back into hermies back in July. Many many moons ago I had hermies and boy have things changed. I saw a picture of a hermie one day on a calendar and that struck the hermie crab love once again. I had a 10 gal tank for about a month and then moved up to a 20 gal high. Maybe next year I will get a larger one, but for now I am satisfied with this setup.
Boy has hermie keeping changed over the years. There is so much info now on the internet, but I think one can get overwhelmed by it all. For me I have to do what is working for me. I have ditched my sand and EE for just straight sand it works for me. I think I try way too hard to make things perfect in things I do. I thought if every one else is doing this for their hermies it must be right for me. Well once again, I am doing things a little different with my tat and happy with the results.I have 4 PP’s right now all are happy and having antenna battles which is so cute. I have two, Tweety and Dumbledore like to be petted behind their eye area and on their legs. Tank and Crabby still are learning to be more open.
Well that is me, oh can’t for get to mention the Capster dog the master blaster. He is my buddy and he likes the hermies when I hold them, is little nib of a tail wiggles and wiggles.
Hi, Pam. I’d love to hear what it is that you are doing differently than most of us. I am always learning and interested in what others are doing.
Well Anne, Really only thing I am doing different is doing all play sand and no EE. My one month experience mixing it with the sand was not good for me. The smell and too high humidity is why I went with just sand and it works for me. Every crabitat is different and I think I found my solution.
My name is Judy, About 4 1/2 years ago while out on the motorcycle with hubby we had lunch, then went in a beach shop. Oh how I wanted one of those cute little turtles for my grandson….hubby said no, get one of these crabs, I had one when I was a kid. So that was the beginning, Herbie who rode home on motorcycle in a wire cage (changed shells on ride home) and I had the small round cage inside my vest……never in a million years did I dream of now having 5 species, 5 tanks, making crab foods and practicing drawing crabs…..just shows you what crabs will do to you (:
He changed shells ON THE MOTORCYCLE!?!?! That takes the cake! Great story Judy and we all love your drawings 🙂
Hi, I’m Emma (emmac350 on the Hermit Crab Paradise forum) and I’ve been crabbing for 8 years. I bought Rack, Shaq, and Benny (Veggietales reference) in September of 2008. Shaq died overnight, and his replacement Z died about a month later (he was never introduced to the main tank). In January of 2009 I bought 4 Es (Nibs, Curly, Slightly, and Toodles) and in the summer of 2009 I adopted Rocky and Spaz. By this time I had upgraded to a 30g high tank.
Rocky died within a year and Spaz by two years; I believe the two years they were living on calci-sand without the ability to molt in a 10g tank with “hermit crab” food/salt/etc. finally took their toll. Toodles died summer of 2010 as well from what I believe to be a failed molt. She looked like she desperately needed to molt but she refused to dig down; I isolated her but she dropped her shell and died with a large molt sack on her abdomen. My sister took care of the crabs for 3 years while I was living overseas and when I got them back in 2013 I still had Rack, Benny, and Nibs. Early in the spring of 2014 I again moved overseas and my sister-in-law took care of the crabs for me. I picked them up last weekend and just finished deep cleaning yesterday. Unfortunately, it appears that Nibs escaped at some point while the crabs were with my in-laws; I didn’t find her body (I have EE as my substrate so it’s not terribly surprising) but I also didn’t find her shell. Nibs escaped several times in my care, and the plexiglass lid was off the tank when I arrived to pick the crabs up so I’m fairly certain that’s what happened. It’s at least a lot more fun to think about her having escaped and continuing to get into mischief (seriously, she was always getting into something, including getting chewed on by a dog once) than that she’s died.
I have decided that I’m not going to buy any more hermit crabs, though I’m open to adopting if any near me need homes. Rack and Benny have grown immensely in the last 8 years, from shells with less than 1/4″ openings when I bought them to 1.5″ openings now. Part of my decision not to continue to buy crabs is that I have a baby now who takes up a majority of my time and brain cells, but also that I really don’t like the way crabs are treated in the pet industry. I don’t want to support that.
I’ve been running The Daily Hermit, a hermit crab photoblog and occasional source of hermit crab advice, on tumblr (thedailyhermit.tumblr.com) off and on since 2009. I restarted it in 2013 when I picked up the crabs from my sister and have posted at least once daily since then. I registered on the site so I could list myself as an adopter. I’ll be in my current home for the next two years while my hubby goes to grad school, then we’ll most likely be moving to New York. However, we make regular trips to visit family all over, so I’ll be checking to see if any adoptees are listed in areas we have family.
Welcome, Emma. It sounds as if you and your hermits have had an interesting life. I’ll check out your blog sometime soon!
I’m Greg. New member here, but not new to crab keeping. I have kept hermits since my teenage years (many many decades ago). LOL. I am an entomologist and have always been fascinated by the world of creatures with more than 4 legs. Was a very active member here, but have taken off a few years.
Greg!! OMG did you somehow know I tried emailing you just two weeks ago?? Welcome back! Your bug knowledge is much needed!
Too funny Stacy, must be a crabby connection. lol. Anne, I currently have 6 C. clypeatus (PP’s). that are still with me after many years and a move half way across the country. Currently working (3 years now) on a book about land crabs in captivity. Hoping to start putting together a crabitat in the spring for a small herd of E’s.
Stacy has said what a great “bug” guy you are and I have to say I am excited to have you back with us. If that’s proper usage, since I wasn’t part of this group when you were last here, LOL. At any rate it seems that we have had a lot of questions about insects of one kind or another this last year and having your knowledge would have been wonderful! My funny ant story, from this week, is not crab related, but something of a mystery to me. My husband, who is in his 70’s and no longer able to dress standing up, leaves his clothes on the floor next to our bed. In the morning, in the dark, he gets his jeans on before standing. A couple of mornings ago he dressed as usual, headed to the bathroom and before he could complete his business was afire with ants in his pants. There were something like 100 smaller ants on his jeans. His shirt was ant free. When I got up later he told me and of course I set about investigating the source. I could not find another single ant in the area or along the windows or walls in that bedroom. I did spray a bit of ant spray along the window and the baseboards, more to make him feel safe, has ant terrors LOL. Yesterday, no ants anywhere until 3am this morning when about a dozen or so appeared on his pillow and of course one bit him and woke him. I removed the ants I could see, couldn’t find any more anywhere. I slept the night in the bed without incident, although he refused to return to bed. Today I again searched high and low and can’t find even one ant anywhere. I have completely torn apart the bed, washed everything and am hoping that he sleeps all night without being attacked. Do you have any ideas?
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