I got a hermit crab and i named him joe cause we were driving by joes crab shack (a food place if you've never hears of it) and I thought it fit because hes a crab, and lives in a shack xD My dad got a starter kit with a critter keeper thingy , gravel, a sponge, food and a purdy palm tree shell wood climbing thingy. I know I have to keep the sponge wet and remove un eaten food after a few days and replace it with new food, anything else I should know? Oh, i also got him a bigger shell, just to prepare =D
EDIT: and can i hold him?
Full Version: I Have Crabs!
HERMIT crabs? Well, someone forgot to tell little Joe about that >< he isnt afraid of anyone! but atleast he dosent pinchy pinchy when i have to reach my hand in there for something. It really hurts me to walk into the stores they sell them in though to see people saying stuff like "LOOK! Thatone has /such/ a cute shell! We have to get him!" though, i admit the shells are cute, I think people should be more concerened with whats /in/ the shell.
Another pet?, you're sooo lucky that your parents let you have so much. 
I love hermit crabs but they're pretty expensive.I know hermits do enjoy cuttle bones you can find these in the bird section because birds like these too.They are healthy for the bones and sharpens the pinsirs. Do hermit crabs stink?,since everywhere i go the thing they put them in reeks!
I love hermit crabs but they're pretty expensive.I know hermits do enjoy cuttle bones you can find these in the bird section because birds like these too.They are healthy for the bones and sharpens the pinsirs. Do hermit crabs stink?,since everywhere i go the thing they put them in reeks!
Sorry to burst your bubble but a kritter keeper is not a suitable home for a hermit crab–it is the equivalent of a goldfish in a bowl. A 10 gallon with a glass lid to hold in humidity is the minimum setup for them. They need about 3-4" of sand, kept moist but not wet, and a dish of freshwater as well as a dish of sea saltwater. Here is a great site that will teach you everything you need to know about hermit crabs as well as where to start. They also have a great forum you can browse or ask questions. http://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/index.php
Hermit crabs, like goldfish, are all too often regarded as throwaway pets. I have had most of mine for over a year and they can live 10 or more years in captivity if properly cared for. They are not easy pets by any means, and the more you read the more you'll find that out. As with anything, ALWAYS research the needs of a new pet before bringing it home!
Hermit crabs, like goldfish, are all too often regarded as throwaway pets. I have had most of mine for over a year and they can live 10 or more years in captivity if properly cared for. They are not easy pets by any means, and the more you read the more you'll find that out. As with anything, ALWAYS research the needs of a new pet before bringing it home!
Oh! I /was/ thinking of getting a 10 gallon for little joe. eventually. im a wee bit low on money at the moment. Is playsand ok? or does it need to be substrate stuff? is this another to gallons per cruestation? I know i should have done research first... but it was then or never because I was with my dad (parents are divorced) at the mall and we saw the hermies and i said "AWW! thier so cute! too bad mom wont let me get one." So my dad bought me one xD He's still rather tiny, will he be ok in a critter keeper untill i save enough money to buy a 10 gallon and sand and decor and stuff or will crabs, like goldies be stunted?
Awwwww Lucky! I love hermit crabs, but my mom killed my first two (they dont need other shells!). I have always wanted more...hmm...Sparkey will be growing out of her ten gallon soon... 
for a short while, he should be alright in the kritter keeper, as long as its not tiny....maybe you could figure something out to keep humidity in....or mist them every day thats what im doing now, i had to move them out of their 10 gallon, my last 2 are in a kritter keeper..theyre going to a friends house within the week though..as soon as the one is done molting...hes got a whole colony of them in like a 55 gallon tank. theyll be happier there.
wow...i just realised that i wrote a whole novel in response to this thread last night, and its not here... 
ok, its not too tiny. hes still tiny too. That sucks about the novel of a post though 
LOL about seeing them and wanting them because theyre so cute. Most people think Im strange for thinking a crustacean is cute!! 
Playsand is just fine for them. I keep mine in a mixture of sand from the hardware store ($4 for 50 lbs!) and coconut fiber. Its sold compressed in bricks for reptiles and it goes a long way. It goes by the brand name of Eco Earth. Originally I had mostly sand in the tank and just a section for that, but the crabbies eventually spread it out everywhere.
For now in the KK try to add some more sand so he can at least burrow down. They will feel safer underground and it lets them destress for a day or two after being moved. To keep the humidity in, you can cover the KK with saran wrap. I did this when I moved my crabs last month (humidity is about 0 here in the summer) and it worked well. You can mist the sand (NOT the crab–it stresses them out) to keep it moist but you dont want it wet. Only use dechlorinated water. Just like fish, chlorine will kill them.
Crabs will eat just about anything. At the moment mine are munching on fish, dried shrimp, seaweed and carrots. They just love apple slices and any fruit or veggie. I try to give them something different every night. A lot of the commercial crab food is not the best for them, and not all of them will eat it. Mine also love fish flakes and pellets (if the crab is small crush the pellets).
Do you have any extra shells for him? They always need extra shells because they like to change into one thats more comfy and larger as they grow. I try to always have a few shells per crab. Choose some that are similar to the one hes in now, but slightly larger. On the site I gave you there are pics of different shells that crabs prefer.
He shouldnt be stunted like a goldfish. Just try to get a larger tank as soon as you can, and also get him some friends. Despite the name they really are social creatures.
In the wild they live in groups of hundreds of crabs.
Playsand is just fine for them. I keep mine in a mixture of sand from the hardware store ($4 for 50 lbs!) and coconut fiber. Its sold compressed in bricks for reptiles and it goes a long way. It goes by the brand name of Eco Earth. Originally I had mostly sand in the tank and just a section for that, but the crabbies eventually spread it out everywhere.
For now in the KK try to add some more sand so he can at least burrow down. They will feel safer underground and it lets them destress for a day or two after being moved. To keep the humidity in, you can cover the KK with saran wrap. I did this when I moved my crabs last month (humidity is about 0 here in the summer) and it worked well. You can mist the sand (NOT the crab–it stresses them out) to keep it moist but you dont want it wet. Only use dechlorinated water. Just like fish, chlorine will kill them.
Crabs will eat just about anything. At the moment mine are munching on fish, dried shrimp, seaweed and carrots. They just love apple slices and any fruit or veggie. I try to give them something different every night. A lot of the commercial crab food is not the best for them, and not all of them will eat it. Mine also love fish flakes and pellets (if the crab is small crush the pellets).
Do you have any extra shells for him? They always need extra shells because they like to change into one thats more comfy and larger as they grow. I try to always have a few shells per crab. Choose some that are similar to the one hes in now, but slightly larger. On the site I gave you there are pics of different shells that crabs prefer.
He shouldnt be stunted like a goldfish. Just try to get a larger tank as soon as you can, and also get him some friends. Despite the name they really are social creatures.
In the wild they live in groups of hundreds of crabs.
Im saving up for a 10 gallon as we speak. I guess I should have learned more about crabs because joe died. I dont know when, I went to pick him up this morning (cage cleaning) and his legs fell off and he fell out of his shell (completely) I dont think it was a molt because he wasnt the normal crab color. (he was like... blackish brown) Poor Joe. I killed the poor soul =C I did have an extra shell in there with him. I dont think ill get another one untill I have everything I need. ok so heres my list...
10 gallon tank with a glass lid (or a peice of glass or something!)
Playsand
shells
crabs
2 bowls for water and salt water
a bowl for food (sandy food? EUGH!)
fake plants
a thing for climbing on
is that it? Also, a question about saran wrap... what about oxygen?
10 gallon tank with a glass lid (or a peice of glass or something!)
Playsand
shells
crabs
2 bowls for water and salt water
a bowl for food (sandy food? EUGH!)
fake plants
a thing for climbing on
is that it? Also, a question about saran wrap... what about oxygen?
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