Category: FAQ | The Crab Street Journal

Managing grain mites in the crabitat

Tagged: crabitat, food, grain, hermit crabs, mites, tank

Written by Anne Grady Food mites, more properly called grain mites are something that can be found in any tank at any time. The first thing to understand is that they did not come from the crabs, having hermit crabs does not cause you to have food mites. Food mites come into your home through the everyday things you buy at the grocery store. Anything that contains grain can have food mites. Oatmeal, grits, breakfast cereal, noodles, flour and rice are a few examples. In general you won’t see them and they are harmless, but that box of corn meal or pancake mix that getsRead More →

Land Hermit Crab Shell Guide

In: FAQ

Tagged: bad, fit, good, hermit crab, measure, sea shell, shells, size, type, what to buy, where to order

A hermit crab’s shell is his home and his protection from predators and desiccation. Hermit crabs take up residence in discarded shells and can not make their own shell. When kept as pets it is important that you choose suitable shells for your hermit crab. Provide 3-5 suitable shells per hermit crab. Shells can be placed directly on the substrate or in a designated bin that we call a Shell Shop. This helps keep the shells clean and reduces the chances of them being buried. In semi-terrestrial hermit crabs a well-fitting shell is essential for maintaining low evaporation rates and carrying ample water. An appropriatelyRead More →

Hermit crab size chart- circular Ukurang Kelomang by Andy Muliana

How big is that hermie in the window?

In: FAQ

Tagged: big, hermit crab, jumbo, kelomang, measure, micro, size, ukurang

What’s a micro hermit crab? What’s a jumbo hermit crab? Size can be subjective and hard to define but we are trying anyway! Our friends in Indonesia have developed two more realistic size charts based on leg length or leg span. Indonesia is home to many of different species including the large C. brevimanus. With much more data to work with the group created these new sizing charts which are more accurate. Why does size matter? When determining how much space is needed per hermit crab we need to know how large the crabs are. Small crabs can be happy in a smaller habitat whileRead 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 →

Despite these hermit crabs being forced into these shells, they are NOT acceptable. These are not only covered in clear varnish but I've never seen a hermit crab voluntarily wear this type of shell.

Unsuitable shells for hermit crabs

In: FAQ, General

Tagged: avoid, bad, hermit crab, hermit crab care, shells, unsuitable, wrong

There are a lot of shells being sold as hermit crab shells which are, in reality, not suitable at all. The obvious painted shells should be avoided at all costs but here are some other shells, painted or not, that you should not buy for your hermit crabs. Our video on choosing the right shells Suitable shells for hermit crabs How do I choose suitable shells for my hermit crab Angaria delphinus – these shells are too narrow and the spiral is wrong. These hermit crabs I found at Earthbound Trading have definitely been forced into these shells and were likely trapped. There were tooRead More →

Deep cleaning your crabitat

In: Crabitat, FAQ, General

Tagged: annual, clean, crabitat, deep, hermit crab, hermit crab care, home, tank, terrarium, thorough

The information in this article is somewhat outdated in that we generally no longer do scheduled deep cleanings. If your tank is set up properly it can be self cleaning, self sustaining. However if you have a flood or a bacteria outbreak or some other emergency situation you may find this information beneficial. written by Michele Stephens You’ve set up the perfect crabitat, the hermit crabs have been roaming happily about the place for weeks, even months. You change the water and the food but now, the substrate just isn’t looking as fresh as it use to and you suspect that it might be timeRead More →

FAQ Can I put ladybugs in my crabitat?

In: Crabitat, FAQ

Tagged: hermit crab, hermit crab care, ladybugs

Question: Craboza asked: I want them to eat the bad things. Will they eat aphids and other bad bugs in there? Or anything that is not the crabs? I want them to keep all possible parasites out. If I can use ladybugs, how many can I put in? Where do I get them? Thank you. Answer: Bugboy (aka King Arthur-Pod) answered: Don’t…..lady bugs are toxic, that’s the reason for the orange and black coloring. If one should die and the crabs eat it, could be harmful. Put one on the tip of your tongue, you’ll no how nasty they really are(OK so I’m anRead More →

Which types of moss are safe for my hermit crabs?

In: Crabitat, FAQ

Tagged: beaked, cypress, hermit crab, hermit crab care, hiawatha, moss, safe, sphaghnum, terrarium

Hermit crabs love moss! Not only is it a great way to create and maintain humidity but your crabs will burrow in it and even eat it. They key is to select safe moss. This page should give you a starting pointing for determining which types of moss are safe for your hermit crabs. There are over 1200 types of moss so it would be impossible to address all of them. Listed below are the most commonly encountered types. In all instances you are looking for 100% natural, chemical free, dye free moss. When collecting your own live moss, know what you are collecting andRead 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 →