In: Crabitat
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Written by Julia Crab (Kerie Campbell) Wednesday, 28 September 2005. Updated by Stacy Griffith 2016. Here follows a list of woods that can be used safely in a hermit crab environment. These are non-toxic woods that won’t hurt them if eaten. This list, as all the others, is not in any way complete, and will be expanded as new information is received. The list of unsafe woods follows the safe list. Fruit bearing trees are generally considered unsafe. (Not necessarily the fruit but wood, bark, leaves, seeds.) Safe Woods AshAspenBirchCholla or Choya woodCork barkCypress (swamp variety, taxodium species) **not a suitable substrate!Grape vineMangroveManzanitaMaple/Japanese MapleOakPearPecanPoplarSycamoreWillow UnsafeRead More →

In: Crabitat, General
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written by Kerie Campbell 2005 Two months ago, during deep clean, I took my largest compressus,Houdini, out of the tank, turned him over to have a look, and a red…thing fell out of his shell. I couldn’t believe it! Mites!Huge, red mites. Houdini had a few, Fifi had some, and poor Ghidra,a pre-molt rugosus, was covered with them. I was appalled. I inspect new crabs when I get them for mites, and have never seen any. The only explanation I have is that these mites, being a bright red color, must have snuck in on some of the perlatus – they are the same colorRead More →

In: Crabitat
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written by Rai Ahmes Relative humidity (RH) is measured as a percentage–absolute and specific humidity are NOT. If it reads in % it’s a relative gauge. RH gauges are fairly inexpensive and commonly available. Gauges measuring absolute or specific humidity are hard to find and expensive; they also read in either g/kg or g/cubic meter (or the non-metric equivalent) not %. “Actual humidity” and “exact humidity” are not measurements. Dial RH gauges are rarely calibrated properly by the time they reach your home. This is NOT the fault of the manufacturer. It is simply the way it is with this type of hygrometer whether it’sRead More →

In: Crabitat, General
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Written by Vanessa Pike-Russell Hermit crabs are advertised as cheap and easy to maintain, which is not necessarily true. To keep your hermit crabs happy and healthy, you will need to provide a lot more than food and water. In this article we will give you a list of essential and optional items you need. Also you will find some info on basic care and upkeep of the tank, considerations when purchasing. This is an expanded version of the shopping checklist. 1. ESSENTIALS Glass tank with lid: A glass tank is preferred over plastic tanks, which will scratch and will not be able to holdRead More →

In: Crabitat, FAQ
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The LHCOS official stance on PVC is: Use at your own risk The safety of PVC is a hotly debated topic and without research on its effect on crustaceans we are not able to make a determination.  Below are some arguments against and for PVC. CrabbyAbbey answered: PVC isn’t a safe product to be used in a closed environment or with land hermits that tend to taste sample their surroundings, or really anywhere for that matter. It’s production includes chlorine and lead and it leaches chemical gases into the air, especially in heated areas. In closed areas like crabitats these dangers are even more harmful.Read More →

In: Caresheets, Crabitat
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Originally written by Vanessa Pike-Russell Hermit crabs are advertised as cheap and easy to maintain, which is not necessarily true. To keep your hermit crabs happy and healthy, you will need to provide a lot more than food and water. The following is a list of the essential items your pet hermit crabs will need: Essential items for optimum land hermit crab care Glass tank with lid: A glass tank is preferred over plastic tanks, which will scratch and will not be able to hold the humidity within the ventilated lids. Plastic tanks are not large enough to provide the necessary space. A glass lidRead More →

Eurorep heat strip

In: Caresheets, Crabitat
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Compilation of information by Vanessa Pike-Russell and Stacy Griffith To keep your hermit crabs healthy and happy their environment should be kept in optimum temperature and humidity levels. If you are not able to keep the environment stable then your crabs will weaken and become stressed which will lead to death. Hermit crabs are ectothermic creatures and must have a warmish and cooler side to their substrate. If your temperature falls below 75F on a frequent basis you need a reliable and safe method for heating your crabitat. Whatever type of under tank heater or other heating method you use, it is STRONGLY recommended thatRead More →