# Sticky  Hermit Crab Care



## robin416

When you get time and feel especially chatty would you do a post on the hermit crabs? I'm kind of fascinated with them and like so many others know very little about them. 

I might be the only one but who cares, it's a teachable thing.


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## Poultry Judge

The Hermit Crabs are very interesting!


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## Overmountain1

Absolutely! I'd love to! I'll get some good info and pics up this evening. I actually just lost one of my favorite little fellas, I called him Ten- after Tenford who was first to top of Mt Everest. (Yeah I'm a dork, I own it!) Not a clue what went wrong, they just don't always make it in captivity. Some do great for many many years, while others just- poof! You wanna talk about something we are just learning about... these. So much poor or misinformation out there, or lack of good info? Not lack of but not widespread. Just as you said, nobody knows a whole lot about them or their care. It's a learning process! 
This is/was Ten. His abdomen was already dessicated when I found him today, I'm drying his exoskeleton now, since it's so close to done anyway! Poor fella- I lost a leg when rinsing but I'll reattach later somehow. 









Thanks for asking- I'll load you up here soon!


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## danathome

Add me o the list of people who would like to know more.

One of our teachers had hermit crabs in her classroom, but I was always so busy I never had the time other than to glance at them. Hers were never so big and colorful as yours.


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## Overmountain1

Hermit crabs are a vastly underrated pet, and most people see them as completely replaceable, or as we say, throwaway pets. The reality is much more complicated.

EDIT: I did not say this and should have, and put here for visibility. In order to grow, a crab must shed its entire exoskeleton; they split it across the back and slide it off. Ideally. Sometimes they can get caught in their own exo and perish, sadly. When they molt they are then soft until their new exoskeleton hardens. Usually the worst part is the first 24-48 hours, but they aren't fully hardened for a few days at the least. The process from above sand to back up can take anywhere from a few days to several months, depends on a ton of factors, but mainly each crab is different. Hope this fills in a blank or ten. 
Hermit crabs can live up to and above 40 years in captivity. However, they do not readily breed in captivity, and every hermit crab you see is wild caught. We are only now finding how to get the crabs to reproduce AND be able to get those zoeae to land, in shells. Not mentioning getting through the molt after molt it takes to get beyond just pea sized is incredible! However, a lady named Mary Akers, along with some other brave souls, have started getting this down to a science- literally! We have had a few clutches of eggs (thousands of zoeae sometimes!) make it to adulthood en mass, and are now finding how to get the exotics to do the same! I can't wait to share the babies I am getting with you!! They're so incredibly delicately tiny, like a glass figurine the size of a pea. So cute. Here's her site if you're interested in knowing more about her work and attempts- really cool, and really cool pics too. She's an awesome lady.

http://maryakers.com/my-hermit-crab-breeding-attempts/

Molting. Oh joy. Pet sand, is the nickname for when they all go to molt! I don't see them between 1/4-1/3 of the year due to molt schedules. To summarize, when a crab molts, they dig down and around until they feel like they've found a good spot. Might take a few tries, too! Tank thrashers....  But once they do, they build a little molt cave for themselves so they have a little space to move freely. Then they begin the process, which takes some time, of shedding their entire exoskeleton. Once they've done this, then they briefly rest and begin eating it to recycle nutrients. This is why it is imperative to make sure they always get to eat their own exo, such as emergency situations where you might have to move them while molting. Ideally they don't get disturbed and they pop back up later on like Oh HI!!!

Conditions must be maintained around 80 degrees, and almost more importantly the humidity MUST be 70% or higher. Anything under this 70% and they die a slow death of asphyxiation. Crabs use modified gills to breathe, and when they don't have humidity they don't have 'working' air. I use a timer and lighting system for mine to simulate the 12 hours or so daylight they prefer. Let's see.... food. A large variety is best, but we have also come up with a basic crab pyramid. They need calcium and protein among other things, but they forage sooo much on regular leaves and wood and stuff too! Scavengers man. Some like it fresh, some like it a few days old and turning kinda icky, some like it in bigger pieces and some smaller. So they are picky as well! Mine all also use exercise wheels to help simulate the miles of beach they normally walk. They each have their little oddities and quirks, favorite spots, favorite buddy, etc.

I have 4 different breeds of crab. The most common is the Caribbean or Purple Pincher; this is what is mainlined to every boardwalk around the world it seems. They are NOT kept in proper conditions in most instances and they lose almost as many as they sell. It's sad. It's also why they don't usually live very long. It depends, but they go through so much abuse it's unreal. Don't even get me started on the industry. It would make you all sick too. Pulling the crabs out of their shells and literally stuffing them into new painted shells is only a fraction of it. Anyway. 
One of my favorite breed is the Ecuadorian. They're a smaller more compact breed, with expressive eyes and varying colors. I'll add them second. 
Third breed I have is Indonesian crabs, and they are cool too- they are vary brown-purple, and have an oversized big pincer, kinda cartoonish. I own 4 but only the one is with me. I'll post her third. 
Last I have a strawberry crab, who actually belongs to my friend Kelly- she has one already so Ryder will go live with her. You'll see the name in the look, they'll be last!

Anyone wanna know how to sex a hermit?! On the underside of their walking legs is a pair of pin hole sized gonopores, and if you spot these they're a female. But to further confuse things, they are sexually dimorphic, and can change sex in certain conditions. Even worse, they aren't always visible! So it's not an easy thing unless you spot them right out the gate.

I could go on and on I'm sure, but here are some of the best part- the pictures!  If you have any ?s feel free- I'll do my best to answer them. They're my other hobby, lol! I have been keeping crabs for 2 years now- there's a steep learning curve but they're not hard either. Just takes some research. Thanks for the interest!

Purple pinchers Dave, Small Sam, and mystery crab lol (can't recall!) Princess is also a PP. I am working toward her being an ambassador- I wanted to set up some hermit crab awareness tables at events this summer but Covid ruined those plans for me too. She is so attention-getting and educational, due to size/age, and so mellow about being handled she would've been perfect. Wait!! Crab #3 is my Barry girl. She's super duper dark in color, it's hard to capture correctly!

























Ecuadorian crabs (Es- another common name) They're one of the fastest- they run in literally like 4 directions at once so they can change direction at any given moment- and do! I know the 3rd one is my James, though he didn't make it thru first molt. Es are also more sensitive to captivity and do not do well sadly. Average lifespan in proper conditions is still only about 5 years, and I feel there is something to their care we are still missing. But anyway. They're adorable with their comma shaped eyes, and they are the troublemakers and instigators lol. Just generally high speed!


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## Overmountain1

Sorry, had to break up the pics. I never mentioned that they are social in some regards as well. There is ongoing research to determine if it's simply safety in numbers or a necc component of care. However, older and larger crabs do show and teach the younger ones how to behave, where to find food, and climbing spots etc etc. pretty cool to watch!

A couple more of the Es there, and then
3rd is my Indo, Misserendoh. Cept we figured she's not a 'Misser' but a Missus! So now she is simply 'ME' hahaha. 
You can see one instance where an E got themselves in a pickle- 

















Now the Indo- ME- Indos have a solid black eyestalk, you might be able to see the difference between Princess and ME in the third one. ME is a very purple toned Indo, and I have worked at that too! You can boost their colors, if not change them altogether depending on a few factors- more the PP and E but still. 

























Last is the strawberry crabs, Lessie and Ryder. Long story behind it is this. I adopted crabs from a guy which was supposed to include 2 straws, and my jumbos with ME. When I got there, they couldn't locate one of the straws after cleaning out the tank so we assumed a loss. Over a month later he contacted me bc they'd found it crawling around their basement nearly 6 weeks after I had picked up the others! I had sent the one up to live with Kelly already, and this kid lives in northern Va. I honestly didn't think I'd be able to take him, but the parents of the kid couldn't keep it either. My hubbs happened to be going to training the same weekend his parents were coming to see him at college, and so we worked it out. He's with me til he goes to her! So anyway- here is Ryder the COVID crab. Jk. I was being a dork as normal.  Can you guess how they got their name? Can you?!?


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## robin416

Thank you, OM.

I'm keeping this post up on my screen for a while. I have questions but not quite awake enough to be intelligent sounding. It did take me a long time to get through reading and looking, not because it was long but because it was so interesting.


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## robin416

Not all of us know what a zoeae is. I had to look it up. 

So besides having wheels to work off excess energy what are their habitat requirements. I'm guessing sand is important. 

Do they all live in the same tank or do they need to be in their own spaces?

Diet requirements?

Don't worry, I have no plans on starting a new hobby. I'm just naturally curious.


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## Overmountain1

robin416 said:


> Not all of us know what a zoeae is. I had to look it up.
> 
> So besides having wheels to work off excess energy what are their habitat requirements. I'm guessing sand is important.
> 
> Do they all live in the same tank or do they need to be in their own spaces?
> 
> Diet requirements?
> 
> Don't worry, I have no plans on starting a new hobby. I'm just naturally curious.


Good stuff- thanks for pointing it out! I was trying to think of everything, and it's so easy to take for granted what I do know now.

Habitat; they can live together cross species etc. Not everyone and not every crab is successful, they're like most creatures and depends on who is in there with who. Some get along and some don't. They are not cannibalistic unless they are deficient. Once they are extremely low on certain things they will sometimes take advantage of a molting or weak crab. 
Most crabbers use a mix of 5:1 sand and eco-earth (coconut husk & fibers.) this allows the sand to maintain a moisture level high enough that their tunnels and caves keep their shape. Some are slightly different, for example- the Indos are the most land based hermit and some prefer more of the coco fibers in the substrate. The straws are the most shore based hermit, and they do best with a good sized pool. More on that in a sec. they need things to climb, several extra shells apiece, they love moss and cholla wood, many of us use shower caddies to hang on the inside of the tank for more vertical space. Similar idea to chickens, but no wings!

Water requirements- can't believe I left that out! Hermit's have to have salt and fresh water (dechlorinated, and same as fish) that is deep enough to submerge in. They use this for different reasons but a big one is pre-molt; they take in water so they can separate the exo more easily. The straws like to swim and use it far more than any other type, and many keepers use a full fish tank setup with their pools. These must also have some type of grippy tamp or way to exit the pools, or they will eventually drown. A bubbler can help with this, but of course not indefinitely.

Foods; they are first and foremost scavengers. They love things like worm poop and bee pollen, lots of leaves, flowers, barks and woods, plants etc. Shrimp and fish and coconut and- hang on and I'll share the mass of items I use for them.... and I wrote out a full food guide a while back too.









Yes it's a disorganized mess, because I'm about to move all my Hermit's into one large 72 gallon tank (except for the Indos- they will stay separate.) tons of foods and food mixes from Etsy crab food stores, and eBay etc. 
here is a copy of my handwritten food guide- most info derived from the Hermit Crab Associations forum/site. If it's too hard to read I can type some/all up, but figured this was accurate and thorough. I'm nothing if not thorough! Lol- I wrote all this out in my crab care book- I keep track of molt dates for each crab, and/or any health concerns.











































Ask away! I'm happy to share about them- the more who know, the less crab deaths in the world. Can't complain about that!


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## Overmountain1

Also, I keep Isopods. I have a 'mother' colony, and I have I think precisely one billion of the little suckers in the jumbo crab tank!  They are my cleanup crew though- those big crabs have a lot of poo! They also suicide themselves in the water and foul it up often. They are cute though- they are also crustaceans, so they work well living together. Really cool- except when you get overrun. Ha.


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## robin416

I quite frankly don't know what to say. There is no doubt you want them to thrive. 

It's amazing that they can find all that you listed in the wild to maintain health and condition and as I'm reading I'm wondering, how? How do you take foods with some size to it and pair it down or mix it in small enough batches to not have tons left over. 

And I had no clue they climb.


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## Poultry Judge

Wow, that is so cool and you have put so much work in your research! I hope you are saving all your material in case you want to do a crab book someday, maybe you can could do a crab care component to your business.


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## Poultry Judge

Love the gorgeous colorful pictures too!


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## robin416

I changed the title to Hermit Crab Care and stickied it.


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## Overmountain1

Awww thanks guys! I did just add an EDIT about molting itself in the first novel I wrote there, I should have done that before so this fixes that lapse on my part.  I had no idea what a community there was for crabbing until I got into it. The people who like crabbing, LOVE crabbing. There is an annual CrabCon too! Pretty cool- lots of vendors and 2-3 days of talks from experts and experienced people.

Robin- there are plenty of middle men to get it all down to these smaller batches. I do mix some of my own where I can, the things they eat the most.


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## Poultry Judge

robin416 said:


> I changed the title to Hermit Crab Care and stickied it.


Good idea, now OM can see how many views there are.


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## robin416

From the looks of those couple of pics it looks like you do more of your own blending. 

You do realize that once they're in their new home a pic is going to be asked for. Nothing like good pics to understand what we're being taught.


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## danathome

I mentioned a teacher friend that had Hermit Crabs in her classroom. She complained that they did not thrive for her and now I know why. The teacher certainly did not do HER homework.

These posts were quite interesting as were the pictures! Thank you for sharing.


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## Overmountain1

The truly unfortunate thing is that most pet stores do not even know proper care standards themselves. As such, the information they pass along is poor at best, and people go home thinking surely the pet store told them the right way to care for a PET..... but no.

I will absolutely take some pictures- more than a few I'm sure! Once I get back I will pick up the rest of the sand for the tank- I'm estimating 350-400lbs of sand alone, then add the coco fibers, plus a bit of water to keep it moist ; they say sandcastle consistency, but that's not good enough info either- too vague. Instead, think sandcastle but only just enough to be such- they're great diggers, and don't need or want much water in it. Umm. Back to it- plus the 1.5 gallon pools (2) and it starts being significant weight to be sure!

Robin- absolutely they love to climb! Another name for them is tree crab, actually. They love it. My Barry sleeps in the shower caddy most days. The larger crabs don't dig much, it's just too much work, plus they are less of a target the bigger they are. I think anyway. 

Here are a couple examples of further back on their bodies; note the smaller legs and then the soft abdomen tucked all the way back in the shell? Most crabs aren't this brave and/or comfortable, but my Dave is special anyway!


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## robin416

How do you keep the sand and water clean? 

How much of the crab is actually in the shell? Do the small legs help hold them in their home?

Not surprising a pet store has little good information on their care. Walk into any feed store and ask them about poultry keeping. They are wrong way more often than they're right.


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## Poultry Judge

Thanks for the additional pics!


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## robin416

I quit asking questions or she won't go on vacation with any clothes packed.


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## Poultry Judge

True!


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## 444lover

I had one for a couple of months back in the 70s when I was a kid then it died. I didn't really know much about them other than what the salesman told me which was to feed and water them and to give them different sized shells to try out and see which fit it better. It was interesting to watch them switch around checking them. He wound up going back to the one he started in.


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## robin416

It needs to be Winter so OM will update us on what's going on with them these days.


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## Overmountain1

Lol- it’s fine! If I left anything else out do just ask! Short answer is yes they use the small legs to stay in their shell. The long one is that they use them for other things too! There’s even a weird alien arm- truth! Super creepy looking, not even gonna lie! Lol I’ll try to find one of my other forums videos of them- it’s got this little pincher-hand looking thing and goes around it’s little body back in there doing housekeeping. Totally weird. 

Umm- trying to recall here- oh! Sand; I also keep isopods in the tank with my crabbies! You know, Roly polys? Potato bugs? Pill bug? lol. Yeah those. They do my housekeeping for me, although I have to remove them due to overbreeding occasionally by knocking the extras into my 2.5 gallon tank dedicated solely to them.  They’re ok. I’m still waiting on a few to come back from molt, and with the née tank and everyone in there together now I have additional worries- but so far I’ve had a couple come back. So nerve wracking, it takes about 2 months for my big ones, and I am near the end of the 2 months now.


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## Overmountain1

2 in the 1st pic, 3 in the second (yes), and just my little Ecuadorian being adorable lastly.


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## robin416

I had to go back and look for the three. Found them!

I didn't know that about the pill bugs. So, they are actually a good thing to have around in other places too it sounds like.

What would happen if you put live plants in the tank?


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## Poultry Judge

Wow, spectacular pictures!


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## Overmountain1

Thanks!  I have added one super tiny one to the tank- that last little crab I got in Jan molted successfully so I moved her on over from the isolation tank. 

Yep- those little guys are a wonderful addition, they keep the sand turned and aerated, and clean up the waste. I have orange, white, and grey ones, whatever they are, it said ‘Lottery’ but I am unsure if that is a breed name or just a term for these mixed ones. They thrive either way. It’s all good. 

Occasionally, every 2-3 years, IF all the crabs are up, I will do a partial or full sand dig and reset. It’s a headache and a half. And not even 100% necc if you aren’t having any issues.


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## Overmountain1

This is Lizzie! She is hanging upside down, and that is ‘standard size’ burlap. She itty bitty.


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## robin416

Overmountain1 said:


> This is Lizzie! She is hanging upside down, and that is ‘standard size’ burlap. She itty bitty.


Glad you confirmed that she was hanging upside down because it did look like to me. 

Do they ever get hung up in the yarn?


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## Overmountain1

So far, no! I have thought they might be hung up a couple times and have considered removing it but the littles especially seem to enjoy messing with it. that is more ‘their’ end of the tank anyway, and the jumbos like the end with the big wheel better, although they can all go most anywhere in the tank- if that makes any sense! They all fit in most all spaces but one end has more tight corners and the strings etc to contend with.


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## Overmountain1

444lover said:


> I had one for a couple of months back in the 70s when I was a kid then it died. I didn't really know much about them other than what the salesman told me which was to feed and water them and to give them different sized shells to try out and see which fit it better. It was interesting to watch them switch around checking them. He wound up going back to the one he started in.


That’s better care advice than many places give people still today. It’s really quite appalling how little so many who sell them know.


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## robin416

Overmountain1 said:


> So far, no! I have thought they might be hung up a couple times and have considered removing it but the littles especially seem to enjoy messing with it. that is more ‘their’ end of the tank anyway, and the jumbos like the end with the big wheel better, although they can all go most anywhere in the tank- if that makes any sense! They all fit in most all spaces but one end has more tight corners and the strings etc to contend with.


It makes perfect sense. If you watch the birds they do something very similar.


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## robin416

OM, you just mentioned keeping a journal for the crabs and chickens. Do you keep track of when the crabs dive in to molt and when they make their appearance again?


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## Overmountain1

I used to try to, yes. But I’d end up writing down 2-3 fake out dig dates before they eve finally went under. So now, if I can nail it down and remember after a couple weeks I will write it down, but otherwise I’ve started only recording when they come back up and an estimate of length of time gone. Being exact just doesn’t work well with these critters! 
But times like now are when I’m wishing I had those exact dates. It is so nerve wracking here at the end. The thing is, if I did lose one I honestly wouldn’t be surprised. As much as that is awful. They’ve been in captivity quite a while, most of them. The longer they live, the more likely to lose them we get. It is awful. But they’ve also been moved a couple of times, once before last molt and once before this one- that’s over a year apart but still, it is a bit harder on them, even if they are happy w it.


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## robin416

I was thinking if they had an average of how long they were down under it could relieve some stress for when they should reappear. 

But you just said something new, being in captivity for a long time could aid in their earlier demise?

How long is the average lifespan?


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## Overmountain1

In ideal conditions they can live in captivity for at least 49 years. For more info read up on Jonathan Livingston Crab. Or just Jonathan Crab- he’s a mascot for many of us keepers, and the standard! She had him for 43? Years I think. 

However. We have also learned that coming from the wild to captivity is a stressed, and there are some who just don’t make the adjustment, many who are injured in some way during transport, etc- so we can’t tell for certain. But we do incur losses, semi-regularly. In May 2 years ago, my friend got us 10 of the Ecuadorian crabs. They had all molter etc by the time I took them. In August I met her and I took 5; we only have 2 apiece left, and they passed pretty early on. For no reason we could see. So- it does happen. But if you care for them properly they are a long term commitment for sure! 

And LOOK LOOK LOOK!! She’s back!! This is Missusendoh (ME for short) and she is one of my exotics- she has 3 buddies my friend got me when Covid started and they’ve been stuck for over a year now! Ugh. Soon. 
I found her under the water bowl this morning, against the glass. I decided I wanted to help her the rest of the way out! 

























**Just noticed her little orange pal in the second pic- she has an isopod along for the ride! Lol


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## robin416

Clear something up for me, she was molting and just came up? How did she get stuck under the water bowl?

OK stuck, as in she couldn't come to live with you for a year because of the virus?


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## Overmountain1

The 3 I’m still waiting on we’re delayed by virus, yep. They’re still in NY with my friend, but we’ve been trying to find a date soon now that things are less crazy. And I think she got her vaccine too now come to think of it. Anyway- yeah Covid. Ugh. 

She wasn’t REALLY stuck... she would’ve dug out and around eventually, I just saved her the trouble and the potential pile of sand that could get shoved into the fresh water bowls I changed last night!


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## robin416

Where did she pick up her new shell at? I'm so confused about the molt.


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## Overmountain1

No new shell yet- they take whatever they’re wearing with them- and sometimes when they get back up will choose a new one that fits better, but she’s still in her same one so far. 
The strawberry has swapped back and forth a couple of times, he seems to like two equally.  
ME here is going slow, I haven’t seen her out yet, she probably didn’t expect to be popped out of there like that yesterday either!


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## robin416

I'm thinking, they're bodies are so soft, how do they come up through the sand without eroding their skin. Never gave a thought that they would climb back into their old shell to resurface. 

Does this also mean the little crawlies take care of the exoskin that they shed?


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## Overmountain1

Nope- they eat their exoskeleton themselves to regain the nutrients while they stay there and get their little bodies hardened again; they do stay in their shell to do all of this; because it splits in front of that soft abdomen, that part can stay back in there while they shed the rest- it’s really pretty neat. Lemme see here- that is not a dead crab in front of the crab- that’s a freshly shed exo. This poor crabby is surface molting for whatever reason, and appears soft still. Moving them like this CAN cause damage so we try not to disturb them, as a rule. But this is basically how it works- they keep the shell, shed that out in front and then eat it. Kinda gross but hey, so are chickens!  Just different. Hope that helps a little! Crabs should never be without a shell unless there is some kind of issue. 










As for the little isopods- they WOULD eat the softer parts, but they don’t go down to the bottom where these guys should be when molting, and they do not eat the hardened exoskeleton. Just clean it basically! It is what makes them work well together- and the isopods function similarly- they also molt and eat their exo! But theirs splits in the middle, roughly, and it is the entire body.


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## robin416

OK, got it. Now that mystery is cleared up I'll bet I'll come up with more.


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## Overmountain1

Bring it on! It’s good to keep my knowledge fresh.


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## Overmountain1

Here’s the thread again Robin! I’ve been slacking on my crabbies photography. I need to look back and see what all I have shared. 

For now- let’s see… Mating habits! Why not? 

I’m not sure how the male crab chooses the female, I assume some type of hormone or pheromone is released so they know it’s time for them, or similar. So anyway. The male flips the female crab over on its back and holds it down, and passes his goods to her. 
The female then fertilizes the eggs which she carries around inside the shell on the outside of her body (on her pleopods) while they develop. There are thousands at a time. 
Not all clutches make it to the spawning, many times (in captivity) they will just drop them on the sand and the other crabs get a super nutritious and tasty snack. But, if conditions continue to be optimal, the female will spawn those eggs into the salt water pool; they hatch when they come into contact with the salt water! Really cool- these are called zoea and are almost like a plankton in size and function both! 

We can discuss development more next time if anyone wants. 

This is my Corn. She was my only survivor out of one of the totes I had them living in at the time- there was a small flood I didn’t catch til too late- and honestly she wasn’t my favorite one of them at the time… my very favorite crab was in there too, Named Ten. Pop was another I lost then. But Corn really came around once I moved her in with everyone last year, and has been a lot of fun to watch.


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## robin416

I had trouble finding Corn because she blended in with her surroundings. 

So, if it happens what are you gonna do? Are you going to try for plankton babies?


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## Overmountain1

Goodness no! Not trying. However- the country’s leading breeder now lives just an hour and a half from me. No kidding! I’m super stoked- I’ll be able to get some of the exotic captive bred babies hopefully in the future. But I am not one to do it myself- it is INTENSE. 
Feedings every few hours, several water changes a day with Pipettes to move them from one to the next- exact water temperatures, pHs- it’s really really a ton of work. I have a TON of respect for Mary Akers and what she has done with her program. Very cool- she just moved down here from upper NY state so I really am lucky. Before, it was my other hermit crab friend who lived about the same distance from her, funny enough.


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## robin416

I totally understand. It isn't like that's the only thing you have to deal with in your day. And having someone like her nearby could be really educational for all that you do with your funny looking pets.


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## danathome

Sara-I'm busy learning/having fun on how to take a decent picture. I've always been impressed with your pictures and your skill in doing so. Just fantastic pictures! What are you using to get such beauty captured in a picture?


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## Overmountain1

Dan, you are simply too kind! 
I honestly use my iPhone, usually point and shoot, but play w settings sometimes. That’s it! 
Mostly it’s about lighting. If you’ve got decent lighting you’ve got 60% of it down. Once you have decent light, getting your subject to cooperate is another 30%- and I’ll leave the last 10% up to user framing the shot and that sort of thing. As I’ve said before, my other trick is taking several from a few angles; I try to see it outside of the camera frame first and how it might look if you only had a portion framed out. Then see if I can make the angle of the shot match what I think I want to see or share- it doesn’t always work out. I have 5 junk pictures for every decent one, and 25 for every one I might share! So for me it’s also about quantity. And, the more you take the easier it gets overall- and if you stay on top of erasing the ‘junk’ photos bc trust me half you’ll think you want to keep anyway but later wonder why you did, it doesn’t get too bad. 
Ummmm…. My iPhone has 3 cameras taking every shot. The newer version does a couple additional things mine doesn’t, but having all 3 has changed the game for me- they come out so much clearer and just focuses more easily than before too. 
Last piece of advice is to not be afraid to get down on their level when you can- it does help for angles and framing I’ve learned! 
Errrr…. I am flattered that you asked me, and I hope some of that helps you! Hubby took photography classes in college and can use film like nobody’s business. These were the main things he taught me about taking decent pictures. Lighting is the key. Sounds nuts but if there isn’t enough, it just complicated things and makes it harder to get a crisp shot. So there’s that, plus trying not to have anything be too backlit bc it almost always will wash out the foreground. Unless that’s what you’re going for. 
You are getting there- I’ve seen some great stuff from you lately. Practice and lots of it. That’s all I’ve got.


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## robin416

There is a noticeable difference in his pics from the camera to the phone. And from when he first got his phone.


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## danathome

*OM-Thank you. I've copied you post to be saved on my desk top. This morning at first light of dawn I took this picture just to see if my phone could do it. The picture shows more light in the sky than there really was.
I do wish it could get a crisper image; it doesn't work to blow up an image after the picture was taken. Tomorrow morning I'll try the same shot blown up before I click the shutter.









*


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## Overmountain1

And always be sure the lenses are clean. It will ruin a shot almost every time- and happens to me often with my phone- even if it gets it, it just isn’t clear when you zoom in- which is why I mentioned it! And, you’re welcome! It may not be much for advice or teaching, but it’s honestly the only truths I do know about it!


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## danathome

Overmountain1 said:


> And always be sure the lenses are clean. It will ruin a shot almost every time- and happens to me often with my phone- even if it gets it, it just isn’t clear when you zoom in- which is why I mentioned it! And, you’re welcome! It may not be much for advice or teaching, but it’s honestly the only truths I do know about it!


*Cleaning the lens is something I do forget to do.*


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## Animals45

Yes cleaning the lens are important, make sure to do that before you start taking pictures. What kind of phone do you use?


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## danathome

Animals45 said:


> Yes cleaning the lens are important, make sure to do that before you start taking pictures. What kind of phone do you use?


*A T & T Calypso*.


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## Animals45

danathome said:


> *A T & T Calypso*.


Oh wow! Your photography is great, keep snapping and posting if you can!


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## danathome

Animals45 said:


> Oh wow! Your photography is great, keep snapping and posting if you can!


*I've learned all the various functions on the cell, so it's likely I'll be posting less pictures again.*


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## Overmountain1

Here’s a feeding frenzy! They were quite excited about last nights menu! 6 crabs in the frame there lol


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## robin416

Dang, what did you give them? That almost looks like someone could get hurt. 

And why just them? Where's the rest of the crew? In their own feeding frenzy?


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## Overmountain1

These are the biggest of them, I don’t think anyone else could have fit! The bigs get first choice, just natural selection. They’ll shove the others over backwards and stuff if they don’t want them there. It’s funny.


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## danathome

What do you feed them and how often?


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## Animals45

Overmountain1 said:


> Here’s a feeding frenzy! They were quite excited about last nights menu! 6 crabs in the frame there lol


Wow, such nice coloring!


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## Overmountain1

Hermit crabs are scavengers so they require a wide range of foods. I order a lot of mine as a pre-mixed ‘meal’ from hermit crab stores online so I can easily make sure I’m meeting their needs and supplying a wide variety. The food pyramid explains some of it. 
Another huge part of their diet we just call forage- leaves and bark and moss and dirts and poops and that sort of stuff. The hardest part is avoiding any pesticides or chemicals that could harm them. So I can’t just grab it from wherever. There is a list of things they cannot eat but mostly they are good to avoid what they cannot have. 
Hope that helps! They even eat chicken feathers lol. 

I feed mine roughly twice a week, sometimes a little more sometimes a bit less. Looks like it’ll be a bit more this week! They decimated the food. They never do that! No idea what prompted all that excitement. 

I also have to consider the isopods as the secondary tank species, and make sure there is enough left overs for them to eat on too. This time there isn’t! Lol


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## Overmountain1

Also, I do feed them specific foods to help boost their colors. For example the strawberry crab requires higher levels of ‘red’ and astaxanthin (sp?) to maintain their red coloration. The others it is somewhat more optional but I feed them items like blue spirulina, blackberry powder, and others high in various colors. It does make a difference- mine have gained so much more vibrance since I’ve had them and had them on a good diet like this.


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## chickenpersoon

Hi everyone! I am looking to get 3 hermit crabs in a 10 gallon tank with a coconut hut, floor substance, food, water, 9 extra shells, grapes bananas, or spinach at night; is there anything else I need to get or do?

(I need responses quickly because I am only at the beach a few more days and that's where they have them.) Thank you!!!!!


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## Overmountain1

I would honestly try not to get them at the beach; they are not known for being the healthiest. That said, I do still have one of my original two crabs from the beach and it is 3 years later! 

So- yes to all of the above except no ‘hermit crab food’ that is pelletized- it is actually harmful to them in the long run. Short term in a pinch is fine. But once home start swapping it to fresh and dried (less mold in tanks lol) fruits, vegetables meats and nuts etc. I’d be happy to point you to a couple of resources later on if you’d like! 

If you go ahead, try to look for those without missing limbs, have some color to them, and avoid painted shells at all costs. Definitely give them comparable sized and slightly larger turbo shells as options to change into- they will often do this immediately. 
Fresh and salt water both are musts. Good luck! Pm me if you have any ?s.


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## Overmountain1

Ps- there are a ton of homemade crab food stores on Etsy and similar sites- they are wonderful. Allow you to offer a large variety easily, and as most are dehydrated they last longer in the tank. Check here to start getting more ideas of what you can feed. Also check out some new YouTube videos from the HCA about feeding your crabbies. Pretty fun stuff.


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## chickenpersoon

Overmountain1 said:


> Ps- there are a ton of homemade crab food stores on Etsy and similar sites- they are wonderful. Allow you to offer a large variety easily, and as most are dehydrated they last longer in the tank. Check here to start getting more ideas of what you can feed. Also check out some new YouTube videos from the HCA about feeding your crabbies. Pretty fun stuff.


Thank you, @Overmountain1!!!! This is great!


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