Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hello! If it isn't obvious already new to these forums as well as owning hermit crabs. My brother just got me one for my birthday, and I must say I find the little fellow enormously charming. I think I've fallen in love with hermies in a really short time! I have some really pressing questions though:

1. I am on vacation, and will not be back home for a week. Will he be ok in a critter carrier for the next 6 days? I have a 10 gallon aquarium at home. I am also letting him run around on the floor for a few hours a day so he won't be stir crazy.

2. I have read about how social hermit crabs are, but I am very concerned about mixing him with other crabs as he is missing a claw. I feel he would be unable to defend himself. I have also read horror stories about crabs fighting and severing eachother's eyestalks. Im very caring when it comes to animals and I dont think I could stomach fighting.

3. Could yall tell me a little about what I will need when setting up my crabitat to best suit the needs of my crab.

4. The people at the pet store called him a tree climber does anyone know anything about that species?

Thanks in advance!

First off, welcome to the board! It's great to have new faces around. Hermit Crabs are definatly interesting pets, and I hope that you enjoy yours

1. Will he be ok in a critter carrier for the next 6 days?

As long as the crab has some exercise, s/he should be fine in a critter keeper temporarily.

2. Hermit crabs are definatly very social animals.. Is your crab missing the small claw, or the large claw? If it's missing the small claw, adding another crab should be okay. If he's missing the large claw, as social as they are, I personally would wait until the crab molts and the claw regrows.

3. Could yall tell me a little about what I will need when setting up my crabitat to best suit the needs of my crab.

You're going to need some kind of substrate that can be burrowed into. I've always used playsand or calci-sand. They sell sand specifically "for hermit crabs" but honestly, those aren't necessary. It's a marketing ploy basically.

You're going to need:
*hermit crab food
*water dishes/food bowls,
*chlorine remover that you'd use for a fishtank, to remove chlorine from the water your hermit drinks,
*a product called Instant Ocean is highly reccomended. Hermit crabs need access to fresh water, and salt water.
*sea sponges to help keep humidity in the tank, and it also helps them get in and out of the water bowls if they're too deep.
*extra shells for the crab to change into,
*a humidity gague/thermostat to monitor your heat/humidity levels (should be approx 70-75 degrees, and 70-80% humidity)
*possibly an undertank heater, if your temperature doesn't get warm enough
*toys for climbing - cholla wood, driftwood, coral, plasic plants etc.

4. The people at the pet store called him a tree climber does anyone know anything about that species?

I believe that some people consider the purple pincher crabs to be "tree climbers". Hope this helps
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PHStorme