Here's the new hermies-rescues

Questions about identifying the differences between species.
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CrabbyJo
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Re: Here's the new hermies-rescues

Post by CrabbyJo »

You do have some beautiful crabs there.
When I brought home my 2 little Equadorians, they drained their salt water bowl (which was huge for them) nearly three times, even though they had "salt water" at the pet store. My assumption would be that they had that hermit crab salt water, which really isn't salt water at all. :(

Mine quickly molted, as well. :)

That salt water will help the little guy molt if he's been having to put it off due to lack of salinity.

Please do read the PPS article:PPS - preventing death

You'll want to adjust them gradually. I accidentally "drowned" a brand new crab (who was not doing well anyway) when I was new to crabbing and plopped him in a nice humid atmosphere after he had been in a very very dry pet store for at least a week. His gills couldn't take the moisture in the air. :( I had no idea at the time, but now I do, and am glad for that article.
6 hermit crabs - 3 PPs and 3 Equadorians
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Gizaroo
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Re: Here's the new hermies-rescues

Post by Gizaroo »

Thanks! So what would be the best way to acclimate them to the proper temperature and humidity then? :)

When would be a good time to put Skip in with the big guys? As blaze is still in the critter carrier in the 5.5 gal...Skip is still in the other half of the tank.

Here's some pics of the setup for the 10 gal:

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae24 ... _00022.jpg

http://s976.photobucket.com/albums/ae24 ... _00012.jpg

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae24 ... _00052.jpg

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae24 ... _00052.jpg

Banjo went straight for the salt water again once I put it in a new, bigger dish. lol.

I believe they each only had fresh water in their tanks...there was only one container of water in each. Poor things.
"My chief concern is to try to be an humble, earnest Christian."- Robert E. Lee

"If you are ashamed to stand by your colors, you had better seek another flag."-author unknown

Owned by 2 Belgian malinois, 1 mixed breed, 3 parrots, 3 bettas and 6 hermies: Blu, Skip, Theo, Scuttles, Spudnut, and 3 new E's. Rip Blaze,Luka, and Banjo.
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Gizaroo
Zoea V
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Re: Here's the new hermies-rescues

Post by Gizaroo »

Banjo and blu seem to be doing well...especially banjo. He's one brave active crab :) the tank is trashed every morning lol. Will have to fix it up again tonight. He's still draining the salt water. Blu seems to be much shyer... And was hiding behind a piece of choya and vine leaves this morning. He hides when anything passes by him. Banjo very rarely hides from me unless I move really quickly. He'll let me sit and watch him goof around for hours lol.

The temp of the tank is 70 degrees right now without a heater... And the humidity is about 65-70. That's without really doing anything to the tank. No plexiglass covering the lid yet. How much longer should I let them adjust to that before starting to increase the humidity and temp? I don't want to change things too quickly.

Thanks :)
"My chief concern is to try to be an humble, earnest Christian."- Robert E. Lee

"If you are ashamed to stand by your colors, you had better seek another flag."-author unknown

Owned by 2 Belgian malinois, 1 mixed breed, 3 parrots, 3 bettas and 6 hermies: Blu, Skip, Theo, Scuttles, Spudnut, and 3 new E's. Rip Blaze,Luka, and Banjo.
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Wai
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Re: Here's the new hermies-rescues

Post by Wai »

They're adorable. I can't stand those who would want to hurt them. :(
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CrabbyJo
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Re: Here's the new hermies-rescues

Post by CrabbyJo »

Sounds like you're doing fantastic helping these new little crabs adjust to their new home. It is best to leave new arrivals alone for a couple of weeks so they can adjust to the sounds in your home as well as getting used to having no rivals for food or shells, and everything they need always there for them. After that, they can be introduced to the other crabs after a bath in the fresh water pond before you change it. It helps get the "Smell" of the other crabs on the new guys.

As for the temp, 70 is actually too low. Start them out at least at 73, even if their old home was colder.
You risk them going into dormancy with it that cold, which often can lead to death. The minimum is 73*F, with a warmer end up to 81*F.

Make sure they still have a warm end they can move to if they so choose, and they probably will, as the temp changing isn't quite as touchy as the humidity. You could even start them out at 75*F, but every couple of days do something to help the humidity bump up 1 or 2%. Cover the top a little more, or add moist moss, add more moisture to the substrate (spray it down good, or pour a little water into the corners).
Make sure the crabs also have water dishes they can submerge their shells in - at least half as deep as your biggest crab. Make sure they have an easy way to get out.
6 hermit crabs - 3 PPs and 3 Equadorians
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please feel free to share information from this website, but please be sure to give credit and a link back to the information. Failure to give credit is plagiarism. Don't take credit for someone else's information.
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Gizaroo
Zoea V
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Re: Here's the new hermies-rescues

Post by Gizaroo »

I have one dish in there( for salt water) that is deep enough for them to submerge halfway in. Once I can deepen the substrate I was going to get a deeper dish for that and use the current one for fresh water (after it's cleaned of course).

I have been looking around at uth's. They're expensive little buggers lol. Will be buying one this week hopefully as well as another piece of plexiglass.

Checked the temp when I got home last night and the end they've been staying on the most was about 75 degrees. Humidity was up to 72. Once I get some plexiglass I think I'll be good to go.

Should I do a side mount with this new heater? Seems to work pretty well in the 5.5 gal at keeping a high and low temp. Should I have it on the side of the tank that the water I on? Or the other side? Or where do you guy recommend putting it?

Also, do you guys know where I can find any cheaply priced rheostats?

Thanks!
"My chief concern is to try to be an humble, earnest Christian."- Robert E. Lee

"If you are ashamed to stand by your colors, you had better seek another flag."-author unknown

Owned by 2 Belgian malinois, 1 mixed breed, 3 parrots, 3 bettas and 6 hermies: Blu, Skip, Theo, Scuttles, Spudnut, and 3 new E's. Rip Blaze,Luka, and Banjo.
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ladybug15057
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Re: Here's the new hermies-rescues

Post by ladybug15057 »

It is not a rheostat that one would want to purchase, but a thermostat. Rheostats only have settings of lo, med, hi and will not turn off the heat when it gets too warm. A thermostat one sets the temp and if it dips below that it will turn the heat source on, if it gets above that it will turn the heat source off much like your thermostat for the furnace in your home.
http://crabbywiki.com/tiki-index.php?pa ... controller

A UTH on the side wall actually doesn't do much for warming the substrate. It may warm 1-maybe 2 inches in from that wall but this would mean the hermies would practically need to pile on top of each other to benefit from the warm substrate. But the tank should be raised about an inch so the tank does not lay on the UTH causing it to overheat.
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Gizaroo
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Re: Here's the new hermies-rescues

Post by Gizaroo »

Oh ok. Know anywhere I can get one for a good price?

We have plenty of scraps of wood at the house so elevating it shouldn't be a problem.
Back to my other question, where would be the best place to put it? On the side of the water? Or where most of the hideys are? Thanks :)
"My chief concern is to try to be an humble, earnest Christian."- Robert E. Lee

"If you are ashamed to stand by your colors, you had better seek another flag."-author unknown

Owned by 2 Belgian malinois, 1 mixed breed, 3 parrots, 3 bettas and 6 hermies: Blu, Skip, Theo, Scuttles, Spudnut, and 3 new E's. Rip Blaze,Luka, and Banjo.
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ladybug15057
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Re: Here's the new hermies-rescues

Post by ladybug15057 »

It is up to you and where the electrical outlet is easiest to reach. In the winter (possibly summer too if you have air conditioning) if one places a water dish/container over it, it helps to boost the humidity percentage too.
Around here, Pets Supplies Plus carry the Electronic temp controllers for less. One could order it online too, but does need to take into s/h charges to see if it would be less that way too. Little note, some have 1 outlet and can have 500 watts plugged into it, some have 3 (more expensive) but have 3 plugs and can have 1000 watts plugged into it. Here is what a Google search brought up:

http://www.google.com/search?client=fir ... gle+Search
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Gizaroo
Zoea V
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Re: Here's the new hermies-rescues

Post by Gizaroo »

Oh sweet. We have a pet supplies plus here too. I'll pick one up tomorrow and a heater on my way home from class.
"My chief concern is to try to be an humble, earnest Christian."- Robert E. Lee

"If you are ashamed to stand by your colors, you had better seek another flag."-author unknown

Owned by 2 Belgian malinois, 1 mixed breed, 3 parrots, 3 bettas and 6 hermies: Blu, Skip, Theo, Scuttles, Spudnut, and 3 new E's. Rip Blaze,Luka, and Banjo.
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