Category: Caresheets | The Crab Street Journal

A Guide to Land Hermit Crab Pools

Tagged: bubbler, crabitat, drink, filter, hermit crab, pool, swim, tank, tap water, treatment, water

Welcome to Hermit Crab Pool Boy Training 101! We hope the following information will cover hermit crab water pools from a-z. If we didn’t cover something here please feel free to comment or contact us. Let’s dive right in, the water is fine! Your tank should have two types of water bowls or pools: ocean water made from marine-grade salt and freshwater. Tap water contains beneficial minerals and metals so we discourage the use of distilled or otherwise purified water. Tap water must be treated with a product like Seachem Prime to make it safe for use. Prime also binds ammonia. In our testing, ammoniaRead More →

Hermit crab's gills are sensitive to airborne irritants

Airborne Irritants and Hermit Crabs

In: Caresheets, Crabitat

Tagged: air, air freshener, breathing, candles, crabitat, essential oils, gills, hermit crab, hermit crab care, insecticides, irritants, perfume

Land hermit crabs breathe through a modified gill. It is important to protect the gills from strong fragrances, essential oils, candles, household cleaners, chemicals, smoke insecticides and other airborne irritants. Be mindful of what you spray or use near the crabitat even if your tank is fully sealed. Residual product may still be in the air when you open your tank. If you are forced to have your home sprayed for insects ensure your tank is fully sealed with saran wrap or something similar. Allow the house to air out at least 24 hours before unsealing your tank.Read More →

Humane euthanasia for hermit crabs

In: Biology, Caresheets

Tagged: dying, Euthanasia, hermit crab, humane, ill, sick

There may come a time when you find it necessary to euthanize your hermit crab to end it’s suffering. I’m providing the information that I found to be reliable. Please ensure that you are not confusing a surface molt with death. https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_is_the_least_drastic_method_to_kill_decapod_crustaceans_for_subsequent_preservation http://kb.rspca.org.au/What-is-the-most-humane-way-to-kill-crustaceans-for-human-consumption_625.htmlRead More →

Updated method for treating water with Prime

In: Caresheets, Crabitat

Tagged: ammonia, hermit crab, prime, treatment, water

A member of HCO on FB (not affiliated with LHCOS/CSJ) raised an issue regarding the use of Prime. After doing some research of our own we are in agreement with their conclusion regarding Prime treated water and pre-mixing. Please note: As we do not have the necessary information to determine how land hermit crabs are affected by ammonia build up in the water and to what degree we err on the side of caution and treat our water as we would for fish. All information regarding Prime is based on the assumption it is being used in a stable fish tank. Our use is muchRead More →

Gel limb big pincher regenerating by Lamont Darren Medley

Caring for hermit crabs with limb loss or other deformities

In: Caresheets

Tagged: crippled, dropped, dying, falling apart, hermit crab, injured, leg, limb, lost, missing, pincer, pincher, sick

This guide will help you care for a hermit crab that has been attacked, lost several limbs or is suffering from molt complications. General care instructions will be outlined and special exceptions for molting crabs will be included at the end of the guide. If this a newly purchased hermit crab that is dropping limbs you should check out our information on Post Purchase Death Syndrome. PPDS is a common cause of dropped limbs. Dropping multiple limbs indicates extreme stress. Not all hermit crabs can recover from this type of limb loss. Isolate The victim hermit crab needs to be isolated. Use a secure containerRead More →

Setting up a proper crabitat

In: Caresheets, Crabitat, FAQ, General

Tagged: crabitat, habitat, hermit crab care, home, house, how to, mandatory, needed, proper, requirements, right way, tank

Let’s look at how to set up a proper hermit crab habitat, which we refer to as a crabitat. Basing your tank set up on what you saw at the petstore or mall cart where you may have purchased your hermit crabs is a recipe for disaster. Kritter Keepers and wire cages are death boxes and should never be used. Listed below are the primary components of a proper set up and we will discuss them in detail. If you are not willing to equip the tank properly you should return your hermit crabs or rehome them, they will not thrive without a properly set upRead More →

Hermit Crab Surface Molt

In: Caresheets, FAQ

Tagged: above, ground, hermit crab, hermit crab care, molt, molting, not buried, shed, surface

Hermit crabs typically go about their molting business below ground away from your prying eyes and nosey tank mates but this isn’t always the case. Sometimes you will find yourself with a surface molter on your hands. Surface molts can be very cool for you but additionally stressful for the crab. Let’s look at the best way to handle a surface molter. First do not touch or move the crab! (unless you feel you must to ensure it’s safety) Second find a way to securely isolate the crab. It is extremely important that your tank temperature and humidity are in the proper ranges at thisRead More →

Coenobita compressus enjoying fish, peanut butter and veggies - Photo by Amber Miner

The Newbies Guide to Hermit Crabs

In: Caresheets, FAQ

Tagged: beginner, essentials, food, getting, guide, hermit crab, hermit crab care, humidity, lights, molt, molting, newbie, shells, started, substrate, temperature, water

First and foremost use the SEARCH BOX and SEARCH, SEARCH, SEARCH! Our site has a ton of information and nearly every question that a new crabber is trying to answer, has been asked here before. We work hard to maintain a current and extensive library of articles to help you. Have you found yourself an unprepared parent of a hermit crab or two? Are you prepared to give them the proper habitat in which they can survive long term? If so, here’s a very basic list of supplies to get you started. A glass tank go as big as you can afford it doesn’tRead More →

Hermit Crab Emergency Help

In: Caresheets, Services

Tagged: emergency, form, help, hermit crab, hermit crab care

We are sorry that you are experiencing a hermit crab care emergency. Below are some links and information to our most commonly experienced emergency situations. Be aware that the site is not monitored and you may not receive an immediate response from someone if you post on the forums. It is in your hermit crab’s best interest that you read the articles linked below.. Aggressive hermit crab I purchased new hermit crabs: PPS (Post Purchase Stress) Calibrating Humidity/hydrometer Limb loss Mites or pests within crabitat Hypoaspis Mites are beneficial What is Molting? Is my Hermit crab dead or molting? Preventing overheating in the crabitat MyRead More →

PPDS (Post Purchase Death Syndrome) Minimizing the Impact

In: Biology, Caresheets, General

Tagged: death, hermit crab, hermit crab care, impact, minimizing, new, ppds, pps, sue latell

Please note: We’ve updated our language and PPS is now called PPDS – Post Purchase Death Syndrome as this is a more accurate name. written by Sue Latell March 8, 2006 I have belonged to the on-line crabbing community for a little over 3 years now. From day one there was discussion about the number of deaths immediately occurring after purchase. It evolved into a named syndrome: PPDS. Many “unexplainable” deaths that occurred in the time-frame from newly acquired to first post molt death were labeled PPS. Time lines wavered (anywhere from one week-up to one year), and alarmingly glossed over (in my opinion) tooRead More →