please reassure me i just got crabs

[Tiffany]

hey im from sydney and just got 2 crabs a week ago. I cant find anywhere to get shells except of the net and the guy inthe petshop told me to put tap water with table salt in for them to drink, n after checking on the net I am going to disregard everything he has told me. I think they need to change shells cos their big claws hang out. THe crabs are about 1inch across.

But im freaking out that my crabs are going to die.

I only had gravel in their tank for a week before I could go to Bondi Beach n steal sand. Is it ok for them to be in this sand? I got it from the waters edge at night to try make sure its clean n fresh.
Also One of my crabs has buried down n i think maybe he is moulting cos he did it as soon as i got the sand they could bury in. What do I do?

I dont have any crab salt yet or heating device but the room their in stays at about 20 degrees celcius all day n night.

How long can I leave my crabs without a salt bath (they have tap water thats been boiled n cooled n some crab food) and how can i tell if my crab is moulting or just cold?
ANd how long can I leave them without shells until i can order some off the net?

Im so scared they will die, but one of them is heaps active the other one not so much. What are the signs of a happy hermit crab? I've read heaps of stuff on net and it only makes me worried im not doing enough for them.

Please help me.

From Tiffany

p.s. sorry for this being a confusing im meant to be writing an essay but stressing about my crabs and Ive never used a forum before.

[Wai]

Welcome, Tiffany! I will do my best to assist you and your hermit crabs.

I cant find anywhere to get shells

In Sydney, are there any Gardenworld stores? I get most of my shells from there in Melbourne.

the guy inthe petshop told me to put tap water with table salt in for them to drink, n after checking on the net I am going to disregard everything he has told me.

At least you looked online for credible care information. Unfortunately, there are probably many people who have taken his advice to heart, and now their hermit crabs are suffering.

I think they need to change shells cos their big claws hang out. THe crabs are about 1inch across.

That is fairly big. You should be able to find larger shells more easily than the smaller ones. Pet shops tend to just sell painted ones, which is no good. However, if you are desperate, buy the painted shells, take them home, and then dump them in hot dechlorinised/bottled/spring water (it doesn't have to be boiled). Be careful not to burn yourself. Take the painted shell out of the hot water, and try to peel the paint off with your fingernails (I'm sure girls won't have trouble with this). The paint should come off easily in layers. Once all the paint is gone, you can offer it to your hermit crabs. They should be more willing to change, but don't be disappointed if they don't.

But im freaking out that my crabs are going to die.

Calm down. You've only had them for a short time, so there's time to get your crab care knowledge up to scratch. Please ask any more questions you have; I'm sure your hermit crabs will really appreciate it.

I only had gravel in their tank for a week before I could go to Bondi Beach n steal sand. Is it ok for them to be in this sand? I got it from the waters edge at night to try make sure its clean n fresh.

If you haven't cleaned the sand, then it's VERY likely to contain harmful micro-organisms such as bacteria. Remove your all hermit crabs (be very gentle) from the sand and into a container where they can wait (put some food and water in just in case they need it). Bake the sand in the oven. If your parents freak out, you can clean it using chlorine-free hot water. You may need to wash it a couple of times until the water doesn't seem to contain any more yucky impurities. Let the sand dry, then filter it (I forgot the technical name of those, but use something like a bowl with very fine holes in it). If that's too troublesome, buy some dry sand from a pet store.

Also One of my crabs has buried down n i think maybe he is moulting cos he did it as soon as i got the sand they could bury in. What do I do?

Hermit crabs dig for fun a lot, not just for moulting. In the future, refrain from digging them up unless you need to clean the sand.

I dont have any crab salt yet or heating device but the room their in stays at about 20 degrees celcius all day n night.

Use an undertank heater, or a moon glow globe. You haven't mentioned humidity - this is just as important as temperature. Hermit crabs will suffocate if the air is too dry. Do you use a glass aquarium? They are good for keeping humidity in. If the humidity drops below 70%, use a water spray bottle to spray some chlorine-free water into the air inside the tank (don't spray at the crabs or the bedding directly).

How long can I leave my crabs without a salt bath (they have tap water thats been boiled n cooled n some crab food)

I'm not sure, but I urge you to get them the saline bath as soon as possible. DO NOT USE TABLE SALT (also known as sodium chloride). Use sea salt. Lately we've had reports from members that some brands of sea salt are to be avoided. They'll let you know through their replies to this thread.

how can i tell if my crab is moulting or just cold?

Hard to tell. There are pre-moult signs, such as inactivity, suddenly eating a lot, drinking a lot of water etc. Most hermit crabs dig into the bedding and stay under for days, weeks or even longer. If they've been down for quite a while, there are three possible outcomes: nothing happened, they moulted, or have passed away. Don't dig them up, unless you notice a fishy odour, which often indicates death. Let us know if you notice such an odour.

ANd how long can I leave them without shells until i can order some off the net?

Just try to get them larger shells as soon as possible. Try a variety of sizes (not just shells that are a tiny bit bigger). Some hermit crabs like wearing oversized shells.

Im so scared they will die, but one of them is heaps active the other one not so much. What are the signs of a happy hermit crab? I've read heaps of stuff on net and it only makes me worried im not doing enough for them.

We all get a bit paranoid here and there. We won't be able to tell much from a hermit crab's face, but you can get indications that they're healthy if they're very active, love climbing on toys and eat a lot. Have you got anything in the tank for them to climb on? Make sure the toys won't allow them to climb out of the tank.

Good luck. Keep us updated with how you're going.

[iluvhermies]

First of all welcome to paradise. The crab may be destressing so it may be less active. Stay calm. Wai has given you some good advice.

[Jaci]

welcome to our hermit crab family! yes, definitely pay attention to wai's advice. feel free to ask any question you have, we're happy to help you in your learning process.

[Tiffany]

haha been ages since I came on here. dont worry My crabs r still goin good, i got a newjumbo one 2 months ago too and they got this big crabitat with heater n sand n stuff and shells and baths.
right now my jumbo (Trotsky) is eatin a carrot next to the computer.

It was my bday a week after i got the crabs n my friends think my crabs rule n did research n got me heat mat, shells, salt bath etc (my friends rule).

i ha\/e (my \/ key doesnt work) been trying to make a second le\/el in my tank (cos its about 60cm tall) for ages but unsure what is safe to use other then just wood, but i want my bf to glue it/ nail it tgether but dont want to use metal nails. I heard silicon is safe to use round crabbies. is that true?

also one other thing is that I dont ha\/e a humidty guage, (it is in the post as we speak) but i dont think its e\/er been 70% humid in the tank, but my crabs r \/ery actie n friendly but for last week i been sprayin tank with dechlorinated water but nothing has changed they r still as good as they always are not much acti\/ity in the day but from about 8pm they come ali\/e e\/en when my light is on... i was wonderin if australian hermit crabs r different because I read that aussie crabs (musuem of \/ic website) can li\/e in temperate areas with less humidty. Do u reckon thats true at all cos my crabs r fine and my bedroom is definaetly not 70% humdity. although i will be makin sure the tank is once i get my humidty guage.