Classroom Carb Habitat ???

Ask any hermit crab care questions in the appropriate section.
Post Reply
TabiCat
Zygote
Zygote
Posts: 1
Joined: 21 Aug 2016, 01:28
Gender: Female

Classroom Carb Habitat ???

Post by TabiCat »

Hello, I am a 6th grade science teacher in Texas. I am a firm believer of living habitats in the classroom for students to interact with and observe. These are not used for experimentation. Do to logistics I have to be very selective of what we introduce. We currently have a thriving aquarium in the classroom and a land/garden snail terrarium in the lab.

I am currently researching the possibility of introducing hermit crabs. I have never kept hermit crabs so have been doing some research into their needs. What I need to know from people who know hermit crabs is would a classroom environment be at suitable for carbs. I have 6 classes that range form 20 to 25 students coming and going in a day. Students are not allowed to handle the animals but do learn to help in their care and meeting their needs. I would have to be able to transport the animals home with me over long breaks as well so need to know if carbs can tolerate these conditions safely and healthily if they are provided a properly maintained habitat.
User avatar
emmac350
Coenobita
Coenobita
Posts: 1949
Joined: 22 Sep 2008, 08:08
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 6
Total gallons: 40
Total tanks: 2
Contact:

Re: Classroom Carb Habitat ???

Post by emmac350 »

What will happen to the crabs over breaks? That would be my biggest concern. Crabs shouldn't be too bothered by kids being in the room, as long as the kids aren't constantly poking at them and the crabs have somewhere to hide.

Assuming you or someone will be taking the crabs home when school isn't in session, you'll want to stick to a small tank, probably no more than about 20 gallons and no smaller than a 10g. Those are pretty cheap, and you can use either sand or eco earth coconut fiber for the substrate. You can use all kinds of things as enrichment for your crabs and hideys - my tank has had PVC pipe T sections on their ends as hideys for years, you can use shower caddy upper levels, and cholla wood is safe for getting crabs to their upper levels. Just do yourself a favor...don't get any of the "hermit crab" products you see in pet stores. They are all crap. Ask here and we can help you find the right things to buy instead!
Follow the daily lives of my crabs at thedailyhermit.tumblr.com

Mommy to:
Rack, 23 Sep 08; Benny, 23 Sep 08; Slightly, 3 Jan 09; Nibs, 3 Jan 09; Curly, 3 Jan 09; Spaz, 5 Jul 09

If you are contacted privately and enticed to join another forum, please inform a moderator. This is an unethical practice.
User avatar
aussieJJDude
Zoea V
Zoea V
Posts: 432
Joined: 02 Mar 2012, 19:30
Gender: Male
Hermit crabs: 8
Total gallons: 65
Total tanks: 2
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:

Re: Classroom Carb Habitat ???

Post by aussieJJDude »

The thing is that, crabs really don't make good classroom pets. The problem is the breaks, like you mentioned the crabs will be transported home with you. To move a tank, it often requires removing all substrate, decor & whatever else to transport since a heavy tank can stress the seams or even the bottom glass panel itself, cracking it. The problem with this is that crabs can moult regularly. Te smaller crabs, which go down for a few weeks but more frequently however larger crabs will go down every few months but stay down much longer.
What do you plan to do if you have a buried, possibly moulting crab? Digging up a moulting crab should only be done in emergencies, otherwise its possible to stress out the crab and do "more harm" (death) thank good.
If your looking for an animal thats easier to transport, have you though of doing mice, rats or even a gecko? Often these species are a bit more forgiving than hermit crabs when it comes to transportation.

~~~~~
Does your school turn off the electrcity during weekends? I assume not, since you have fish.. but good to ask just in case...
246L/65G - 'Tidal Jungle' (Crabs) | 246L/65g - 'Backwater Pool' (Fish/Snails) | 96L/25G - ''Twisted Minds" (Fish/Snails/Shrimp) | 300L/90G Fancy Pond (Goldfish)

I've never had any problems with 'Impulse Buying'. They're just animals that I forgot I had planned to get.
User avatar
emmac350
Coenobita
Coenobita
Posts: 1949
Joined: 22 Sep 2008, 08:08
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 6
Total gallons: 40
Total tanks: 2
Contact:

Re: Classroom Carb Habitat ???

Post by emmac350 »

To move a tank, it often requires removing all substrate, decor & whatever else to transport since a heavy tank can stress the seams or even the bottom glass panel itself, cracking it.
Actually...no, you don't. I mean, if you have a tank that is too heavy to carry you might need to take some stuff out of it to make it lighter. But I've moved my crabs from Alabama to Wisconsin and back again, then from Alabama to Texas, and lastly 6 hours across Texas without doing any of that. I have a 30g tall tank with 6 inches+ of eco earth. I do take out a lot of the tank ornamentation (extra shells, etc.) but I definitely don't break the tank down and remove crabs when I move them.
Follow the daily lives of my crabs at thedailyhermit.tumblr.com

Mommy to:
Rack, 23 Sep 08; Benny, 23 Sep 08; Slightly, 3 Jan 09; Nibs, 3 Jan 09; Curly, 3 Jan 09; Spaz, 5 Jul 09

If you are contacted privately and enticed to join another forum, please inform a moderator. This is an unethical practice.
User avatar
aussieJJDude
Zoea V
Zoea V
Posts: 432
Joined: 02 Mar 2012, 19:30
Gender: Male
Hermit crabs: 8
Total gallons: 65
Total tanks: 2
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:

Re: Classroom Carb Habitat ???

Post by aussieJJDude »

Won't recommend it. The silicone and the glass itself isn't indestructible! :) Of course, it can be done - heard many "successful stories" but also heard many stories of a tank slipping, cracking, cutting/slicing the hand ect... IMO, its not worth the risk.

~~~~~
(I did say often... so yeah, it can be done in some cases but not all. ;) )
246L/65G - 'Tidal Jungle' (Crabs) | 246L/65g - 'Backwater Pool' (Fish/Snails) | 96L/25G - ''Twisted Minds" (Fish/Snails/Shrimp) | 300L/90G Fancy Pond (Goldfish)

I've never had any problems with 'Impulse Buying'. They're just animals that I forgot I had planned to get.
User avatar
emmac350
Coenobita
Coenobita
Posts: 1949
Joined: 22 Sep 2008, 08:08
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 6
Total gallons: 40
Total tanks: 2
Contact:

Re: Classroom Carb Habitat ???

Post by emmac350 »

I'd definitely agree that slips can happen, but I think it probably depends on the weight of what's in your tank. Sand is much heavier than Eco Earth for the same volume. Having only EE in my tank probably is what helps keep my tank from breaking. Even with the EE, my tank is at the limits of what we can carry on our own.
Follow the daily lives of my crabs at thedailyhermit.tumblr.com

Mommy to:
Rack, 23 Sep 08; Benny, 23 Sep 08; Slightly, 3 Jan 09; Nibs, 3 Jan 09; Curly, 3 Jan 09; Spaz, 5 Jul 09

If you are contacted privately and enticed to join another forum, please inform a moderator. This is an unethical practice.
User avatar
ladybug15057
Coenobita
Coenobita
Posts: 3098
Joined: 03 Mar 2008, 04:12
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 82
Total gallons: 305
Total tanks: 7
Location: Southwestern Pa., U.S.

Re: Classroom Carb Habitat ???

Post by ladybug15057 »

I agree with Emma, and I know of a person who moved from New Mexico to northern Ohio. No casualties but she did have her route planned as well as her food & water prepared. If one has a regular fish tank here in the U.S. they are made of tempered glass and able to withstand quite a bit of weight as opposed to the glass critter aquariums they sell. But hopefully the children will not be tapping on the glass either to try to find a hermie.
Marie (aka ladybug15057)

If you are contacted privately (via pm or e-mail) and enticed to join another forum, please contact a Crab Crew member. This is an unethical practice.
Post Reply