The Most Frequently Asked Questions About Hermit Crabs!

[@dylanhosman3761]

In my opinion natural shells look so much prettier than painted shells

[@CrabCentralStation]

We think so too!

[@susanbecker5610]

Agree 100%.

[@KELOMANGhermitcrab]

Ohh

[@reddragon7622]

Yeh even as a kid I remember being like these are ugly af.

[@glitchbuggie]

for real they’re so tacky and the fact that they’re toxic makes me hate them even more

[@lancedeguzman5294]

This channel instantly taught me how to be a responsible crabbie parent. I thank you for that. For future FAQs, I would like to ask what are the specific shell preferences of different hermit crab species? I have two violascens and two brevimanus. My two violas, Hera and Hermes seem to be the most picky with shells. My two brevis, Hercules and Herkyna immediately changed after putting a shell shop full of turbo shells. What type of shells should I get?

[@CrabCentralStation]

I love that our channel has helped you so much! Thanks for supporting us. Viola's are super picky. Most of ourselves choose D opening tulip type shells.

[@autumnbillings8056]

When I worked at petsmart I would tell people to watch your videos to get the correct information! I also wouldn’t sell them a crab until they could answer a handful of my questions!

[@CrabCentralStation]

Oh my goodness! You are the best!

[@moondog7694]

Did you get fired for that?

[@CrabCentralStation]

I hope not 😬

[@punkv6739]

Thank you so much for your videos! They’re a life saver (literally)! A few days ago I ended up adopting 2 of them from someone I know and they weren’t given the best care. The substrate is about 2-3 inches, have been living off of pellets, and had no heating pad or humidity. I’ve been slowly trying to get supplies and change their food, but I won’t be able to get all the heating stuff + gauges for a week or two, nor will I be able to get a bigger tank for a while (currently have a 10g but it’s too small and doesn’t have room for a pool). When I got the little guys, one went missing in the substrate. It’s been a few days and I can only assume that he’s molting, so I’m not able to clean out and add new substrate yet. Now my other one has been digging a lot. I got a non-mesh lid and I’ve been wrapping the tank with blankets for warmth and have placed them near but not on top of a register. Since then he’s been doing better, so idk if he’s digging for warmth still or if he’s just digging for fun. What I’m worried about is if he’s trying to molt and if there isn’t enough substrate to cover him. If anyone can, can someone tell me what I should do? If he is trying to molt, should I gently add sand or dirt on top but not pack it in, just enough to cover him? Should I help pile some dirt in case he’s trying to prepare? And if anyone has suggestions on what I should do until I get the proper heating would be extremely helpful. Thanks again for your videos! They’re extremely helpful! ☺️

[@CrabCentralStation]

Hello there! I would actually recommend the PPDS method (we have a video about it on our channel.) The idea is to actually not allow your crabs to molt, and instead force them to fill up on GOOD nutrients and water. Then, once you have completed the method, you can place them in your new tank with 6 inches of substrate! You are doing a GREAT job for these little guys! Keep up the good work! If you have any other questions please DM us on our Instagram!

[@punkv6739]

@@CrabCentralStation thank you so much! ☺️

[@josephtomlinson7186]

After hearing all about what you guys are teaching, it’s a miracle my hermit crabs are still alive!! I learn so much every time I turn you guys on! Thanks

[@CrabCentralStation]

That's great, Joseph! Thanks for tuning in and supporting our family and for helping your hermies have their best life!

[@1976mcfarlane]

You girls are rock stars. Thank you for educating people on caring for crabs

[@CrabCentralStation]

Thank you so much!

[@2high_maya]

Can you do a video about what can live with hermit crabs in the same enclosure

[@jennifermartoni4473]

Hi there! Looking for the link to where you get your shells?

[@Phelpsy28]

What is the best source for providing enough humidity?

[@agmaddie4ever562]

Hello I have a question, so I got 2 hermit crabs a little bit ago and one of the hermit crabs died and right when it died the other crab took its shell. Now I had other shells that were one size bigger and around that shell size. But my question is should I get another crab or will the crab really not want it? Ocean ( my hermit crab) has been thriving but recently I’ve been debating on what I should do.

[@CrabCentralStation]

Hermit crabs do better living with other crabs. However, look into adopting rather than purchasing. You can go to www.lhcos/adopt.org

[@kaylirose3413]

I use only eco earth in all three of my tanks and it works a lot better than it mixed with sand for me, the tunnels stay better and there's no bugs but with the sand and eco earth there was bugs in my two tanks at that time. Also, I haven't had a problem with mold, and the humidity in my tanks because with the sand and eco earth there was not enough humidity but now its perfect, so I guess it works different for others. And NO hate at all I love your channel.

[@CrabCentralStation]

No hate, we don't do that on our channel. This is all about helping each other on our journey. I am curious though, about two things: 1. When you used the eco earth/sand substrate; did you use the 5:1 ration and did you set up the tank with dry substrate? 2. Since you are using all eco earth; do you change out the substate and if so, how often do you have to do that? Thanks for sharing, we all learn from each other.

[@jamisonoksness2067]

Hi and thank you for all of the info you offer! I notice that in many of your videos your crabs are very active during the day. I never see my crabs during the day, they always retreat to their holes and hide all day long. Do you have any suggestions to encourage more daytime activity ?

[@CrabCentralStation]

Yes! We just recorded this video! It should be out around New Years!

[@DanielleGoodall-px3ez]

I just got some hermits for the first time while in North Carolina. One of the crabs died so they gave me a new one. I found I think a mite on one crab and then separated them and started giving them salt baths. The one I saw a mite on I think might be trying to molt. He seems like he’s trying to dig. Tips appear white and eyes are facing more outward. I also have not seen any poop from this one. I also don’t notice him bathing himself or eating. The other one is active, gives itself ton of baths, eats a lot and poops a lot (which is the only reason I noticed the other one doesn’t seem to pooping.) I noticed a long hair like string coming from the poop to my hermit. Is that worms? I can’t find a hermit vet near me and don’t know what is normal. How long after seeing mites should I return them to their habitat?

[@chrissywoods8737]

Hello! We recently adopted four hermit crabs, and so far so good. We've followed your advice about how to set up the tank, what to feed them, the temperature/humidity, etc. They seem to be doing okay. However, we're not sure if one is trying to molt. We've seen her burrow just a bit into the sand, but we don't know if that was to keep warm or not. It was during the initial phase of setting up the tank when the sand/eco earth was only about 1-2 inches. It's now about 4 inches, and I plan to add more soon to get up to 6 inches. Now, she seems to be outgrowing her shell, but not horribly so. We have a few new shells placed throughout the tank. Today, though, she is face first in a new shell, but still in her old shell. Her claws are still facing the direction they always are in her current shell, so she hasn't flipped around. There is a crack on the top of her old shell. Is she just switching shells? Wouldn't she molt first? Is this dangerous for her? Should we do anything? Any help you can give is appreciated! Thanks!

[@CrabCentralStation]

It sounds like she is trying to do both - change shells and molt. How is she today?

[@beadedbyella2183]

Hey Crab Central Station! I’m a huge fan! Congrats on 11k! You guys are growing so fast. I love all your videos!

[@CrabCentralStation]

Thanks for helping us get to 11K! We couldn’t do it without all of you guys ❤️

[@KELOMANGhermitcrab]

Right

[@PrincessAbbysadventureVl]

Awesome information! Thanks ladies! So happy for a new video!

[@CrabCentralStation]

Thanks for watching!

[@xxshadowslightxx]

I never even thought about them maybe needing UV light lol I ended up just using a plant light I had around the house because it has an automatic 12 hr timer

[@CrabCentralStation]

That works too!

[@amandagregory6305]

So I am a new hermit crab owner due to my niece. Bringing my grandkids hermit crabs back from South Carolina didn't get them by choice. But because i like to take the best care possible of animals and have them in the best environment that they can be. I've been doing a lot of research and come across your video and realize that when I made. The ego dirt and the sand mixture. I didn't add enough sand well now. 3 out of my 4 crabs are molting so I can't start over without harming them so. Is it okay just to pour the sand on top and slowly mix it in? A little bit at a time or what do I do?

[@Mrshartnett96]

Hey guys! Thanks for continuing to make amazing videos for the crab community! My questions is how do you properly prepare your eco earth before mixing it into your sand? I’ve seen it said before just to follow the directions on the eco earth block, I’ve also seen that in addition to the directions given that you should be using primed water when expanding the eco earth. My main question is what should the texture of the eco earth be when you add it dry, moist, wet?

[@CrabCentralStation]

We rehydrate the brick with primed water and then let it dry completely before adding it to the substrate!

[@madalynhaselhorst9131]

What do you think about distilled water in a bottle?

[@CrabCentralStation]

It’s not the best choice for hermit crabs. They need the natural minerals that are found in tap water. Those minerals are removed in distilled water.

[@kierstennoll7193]

Best ways to avoid gain mite infestations. We have been struggling to keep them away even with complete tank clean outs.

[@CrabCentralStation]

I don’t recommend doing complete tank clean outs! They can harm molting crabs. To help this, we just wipe the glass daily with a wet paper towel and make sure to change the food ow regularly as well as feed dry food but less grain.

[@LesleyRopp]

When you purchase an item (hamster wheel, shells, plastic vines, cholla wood) for your crabitat should you rinse it off before you put it inside?

[@CrabCentralStation]

Yes, absolutely. Good question! Plastic things can be rinsed in hot prime treated water. Wood can be soaked in prime treated water and then baked on the lowest temperature you oven goes until it is dry (make sure you are home watching this... wood in the oven is a fire hazard!) Or you can freeze it for 47 hours. Shells need to be boiled in prime treated water for 5 min. Hope this helps!

[@abigailmcree6542]

I just use spring water from Wal-Mart- My tap water is awful and I'm very nervous about using it for my fish, let alone my hermits!

[@CrabCentralStation]

Spring water is ok to use!

[@fstybrat]

Regarding sand - i was told to use all purpose sand instead of play sand because its more course than play sand. Is that accurate or ok to do? Whats the difference in your opinion?

[@amberbordeau5284]

Have a question my hermit crab has been under sand for a month. I did look underneath and I see all legs out and antennaes moving. Could my crab be stuck under there

[@brookek.4510]

Great video! I love all of the fun graphics you added!

[@The_Bible_Girl7]

I had ALL those questions when first starting!!

[@CrabCentralStation]

Me too!

[@robyns.7446]

Silly question but we have fruit flies in our crab tank... how does one get rid of them from our tank? Do the fruit flies harm the hermit crabs? They are my cute little guys. Thank you Hugs.

[@CrabCentralStation]

Fruit flys will not harm your hermit crabs, but you also don't want them to make a home in your tank. Feed only dry foods for a couple weeks. You can smear some olive oil on a paper plate and wave it around the tank to try and catch as many as possible. If you have a lot of them, you may need to bake all the wood, they can lay eggs in the wood. If it continues and becomes an infestation, you will have to replace the substrate (definitely bake all the wood to kill the eggs if you do this).

[@taraelyse6989]

Love these videos so much! Thank you for the great information. Quick question. I'm planning a cross country move next year. Should take a few days to drive and I cant transport my crabitat as is. Any tips for transporting my crabby babies safely without stressing them out?

[@CrabCentralStation]

Great video idea 😁! But to answer your question. A couple months before you leave start moving your crabs to a storage bin (like you would use to store clothing, blankets, sports gear). You will need a small amount of substrate, not enough for them to dig under and Mt, but enough to make it comfortable for travel. Add some hides, climbing, food, and water. .... as close to their natural tank as possible. You will need to add a heat mat to the outside of the tub as well. Once you start the trip you can take the water dishes out during travel and put them in at night while you are stopped. Keep moist moss in the bin during the traveling, they can drink from that. I hope this helps!

[@viananguyen]

Great video! Loved your explanations of the open vs closed environments!

[@CrabCentralStation]

Awesome, thank you!

[@KELOMANGhermitcrab]

Ya

[@crabyshackonabudget4137]

Thank you for all the great information, we appreciate everything you all do for everyone. 🙏💕

[@CrabCentralStation]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@KELOMANGhermitcrab]

Yes

[@trouthewanderer]

Thanks for all your videos. Youve made our crabs much happier!

[@CrabCentralStation]

Glad we could help!

[@spiderhobbit]

I'm getting a tattoo tomorrow"truelove is intense and spiritual"

[@PrincessAbbysadventureVl]

Question ladies, my tank is flooded again, I've only had hermit crabs since July and I've had my tank flooded twice now, changing 7 inches of 85 gallons of wet substrate while standing on a chair is becoming very disheartening to me, last time I did the change I put it in completely bone dry, that was just like 6 weeks ago, I just don't understand, I don't spray anything ever, is it my filtered pools, because honestly I'd rather change water every couple days in non filtered pools then complete substrate changes every month or so, so I'm really thinking of switching to just non filtered non bubbler water pools

[@CrabCentralStation]

Hi Abby. I am so sorry! This is a huge job and I understand why you feel discouraged. Are you using the same pools you used with the first flood? Maybe there is a leak? Are your filters above the height of the container? Are you using wood or burlap as bridges in/out, those will both leach water from the pool into your substrate. Is there a lot of spray over from the bubblers/filters? Is it possible for your crabs to sit under the filter spill out and divert water into the substrate? It's a lot of questions but I'm trying to see what could be causing this much water leaking so quickly.

[@PrincessAbbysadventureVl]

@@CrabCentralStation They are sponge filtered and I'm only using rock and plastic inside the pool, but My extension is not flooded and that has bubbler pools, the difference in the 2 sides is the main that's flooded and I mean really flooded, I can see 2 inches of water in front of my pools that's not in the pools, It's got to be the coconut fiber I'm using for climbing along the back wall, it's got to be sucking up the water and shooting it in to my substrate, I have regulators on all my filters and bubblers to keep the splashing down because I didn't want to go through another flood, and of course I'm worried about casualties but thanks to my unlevel house it looks like all the water is collecting towards the front, I'm getting rid of all coconut fiber with this next change, only filling up pools half way, I do have alot of natural wood in my tank to, all the wood is none dry, I really don't want to get rid of my wood but what else can I do, changing this again will be an all day event for me, not to mention the stress it puts on the crabs

[@PrincessAbbysadventureVl]

@@CrabCentralStation Well it took me 9 hours to change all the substrate, had one baby still molting and she's currently in a container, hoping she's actually alive, I really really need your advice as to what I could be doing wrong, are my pools to big? Is it the coconut huts sucking up the moisture and putting it in the substrate or is it the hemp net bridge, the cork bark? The cholla wood? I put 10 inches of substrate in this time and I just can't go through another change again, I have a 5 year old a job and just really want to know how to avoid this happening, I had to miss a whole day of work to do this, I definitely do not mind the work it entails, it's the time, I woke up this morning and there is condensation on the glass already with 10 inches of bone dry substrate so it's got to be something I'm doing or I have in there that's causing the problem. Please help🙏I love my crabs but I just can't keep going through floods every 6 weeks

[@CrabCentralStation]

@@PrincessAbbysadventureVl can you email me at [e-mail] I would like to work with you one-to-one

[@PrincessAbbysadventureVl]

@@CrabCentralStation Yes!

[@cynthiawall7073]

Thanks for the information

[@Marieplace101]

Thankyou girls so much for this info xx

[@CrabCentralStation]

Our pleasure!

[@junglerescues8462]

Hey ladies where can we find those shell links you talked about in this video? I'd love to add some companies to my list of suggestions for others too!

[@CrabCentralStation]

Sorry about that we had some trouble with our information uploading....so strange. It didn't even load our title!? www.theshellstore.org

[@annettekelley7180]

I love this channel!! I have a 15yr old pet store hermit crab (Hermann). He's living his best life now based on your videos!! He loves his hamster saucer, leaf litter and moss. He also adores his fresh shrimp and veggies. Thank you for the awesome info!!

[@CrabCentralStation]

AWE! This is great news! 15 years, that is amazing!

[@brittanyrossman9748]

new subscriber here! I am learning that I am doing everything wrong. My crabs are burrowing I believe..... so is it safe to start the habitat over now? I'm realizing from your videos that I don't have enough or the right mixture of substrate. I would love to make a better home for my crab buddies. So how should I go about this?

[@CrabCentralStation]

Hello and welcome to CCS! We are so glad our videos are helping you on your hermie hour! If you hermit crabs are above the substrate, you can work on the tank and replace substrate. If the crabs are buried, it’s better to wait for them to surface.

[@BiltmoreGhost]

I have another question: its been mentioned to run an airpump into the water bowl to create a humid atmosphere inside of a tank. I don't have a problem with the humidity when I do this, but I was wondering if a rechargeable mini humidifier was an acceptable alternative? Or does it create too moist of an environment?

[@CrabCentralStation]

Hi! Humidifiers add too much moisture to the tank and can cause a flood and mold.

[@BiltmoreGhost]

@@CrabCentralStation oh goodness, I figured as much. (I didn't even think about the molding aspect.) YIKERS! Thank you for getting back with me about that.~♡

[@ngee4925]

Hi! I recently subscribed to your channel...now I'm binge watching and liking all of your videos lol. I'm in the process of setting up my own crabitat, but I had few quick questions...Is there a way to calculate how much eco-earth you need for a 40 gallon tank (36 in wide by 18 in deep). I ask because I'm trying to buy the eco-earth bags and I can't seem to figure out how many bags I would need (instead of the bricks). Also, I tried getting play sand from Home Depot, but on the label there were all sorts of cancer warnings. I wish I wrote down the name, but is there a specific kind of play sand you use? Odd that there would be cancer warning signs when it's meant for children's sandboxes! I read that white play sand is safe, but wondering if that would still be suitable for hermit crabs? Sorry, last question, do you sterilize everything you buy? I ask because I bought a reptile wood piece, but it's cumbersome and bulky so it would be hard to fit into a pot to boil. Anyway, thanks again for such great content, I'm so glad I found your channel!

[@CrabCentralStation]

Hi! As long as it’s sanitized children’s play sand it should be fine. You may be able to try to find one that doesn’t have those warnings. You should need 4 50 lbs bags of sand for your tank, and so you’ll want 4 liters of eco earth per bag of sand you use. Hope this helps!

[@ngee4925]

@@CrabCentralStation thank you so much! This is very helpful! Thanks again for such a great channel!

[@noemimata6774]

Can I use the thrive hermit crab saltwater solution? That’d what I’ve been using?

[@CrabCentralStation]

We are unfamiliar with that product. We suggest prime and instant ocean

[@dawnpino2689]

Thank you. Getting ready to upgrade to a 55 gallon tank. One question. Can I use 100% silicone caulk to glue a background to my tank?

[@CrabCentralStation]

Yes you can. Just make sure it is 100% silicone without any mold inhibitors added.

[@angelayanni9106]

How do you heat their habitat ?

[@CrabCentralStation]

We use bean farm (UTH) under the tank heaters. The heaters go on the back of the tank above the substrate. Here's a video all about heat and humidity. kzbin.info/www/bejne/o6nLl6xtYs96mpo

[@silvannamk8339]

Do I need to provide salt and fresh water? I’ve noticed the salt water going down but the freshwater stays the same.

[@CrabCentralStation]

Hi! Yes you do! Please watch our video on hermit crab water for more information

[@Just.Violet123]

Hi I got a question my 2 hermit carbs where ok and then like some of there claws and body was just laying there but then they still had some skin and claws though and then I saw my other one was doing the same thing.So I’m not sure if there dieing or if it’s something normal or if it’s like something with the cage or shells.Please respond!💖😰✌🏼

[@CrabCentralStation]

It sounds like they are surface molting bit I can't say for sure without seeing them. Can you email pictures so we can better help you? [e-mail]

[@Just.Violet123]

I can’t email you but do you know what I should do?

[@ArianaK5]

I was wondering why my hermit crab is spending all her time underground, she still has her shell on and is moving around (i can see through the glass). Could she be molting? I thought they molted by taking off their shells and not moving around

[@CrabCentralStation]

Hermit crabs love to dig! This is normal behavior!

[@cindymaziol1170]

How many inches of sand should be in the crab it at?

[@agentaj8142]

Thank u this is going to be so helpful

[@CrabCentralStation]

Your're welcome!

[@KELOMANGhermitcrab]

Thanks

[@AmyBurns-v8u]

Do you know how long hermit crabs usually live in captivity?

[@twinkleaj9793]

Hi! I have a quick question, how do you measure out the 5 parts sand and 1 part eco earth for the substrate? I'm about to get a crab, and I don't want to measure it wrong.

[@CrabCentralStation]

You can use any container you’d like! For our big tanks, we use huge 5 gallon buckets and measure out 5 to one buckets. On a smaller scale, you can use a cup or a large bowl. Whatever you use, just keep it consistent!

[@moorealisa]

I have all Eco Earth…after watching this I have playsand ready to mix in but my two crabs are in the substrate. One has been actively coming out at night but the other littler one hasn’t been seen in over a week. Should I wait another week or so to see if he comes out before redoing the tank?Im worried I will disturb him if he’s molting. Thank you for all the awesome help! This is our first experience with hermit crabs. We have had them for a month and have our tank set up to most all of your specs! We even bought shells from The Shell Store on Etsy per your recommendation 😍

[@CrabCentralStation]

Hi Alisa! Welcome to CCS! You are correct in waiting for the crabs to all be up on the surface before replacing the substrate. It may take more than a couple weeks though. Sometimes crabs can take months to molt.

[@moorealisa]

@@CrabCentralStation Thank you for your reply! I’m going to be watching out every night. They are mysterious little things!

[@CrabCentralStation]

They sure are! Some of the coolest creatures I've had the pleasure to raise!

[@LeekyXIV]

Yay! I just subscribed a couple days ago! Happy to see a new vid

[@CrabCentralStation]

Yay! Thanks for subscribing 😊

[@KELOMANGhermitcrab]

Agree

[@jesswatt5824]

Could y'all provide some more info on molting? There are bits and pieces throughout all your videos but I can't really find what to expect or how often, how long it lasts, things to do differently in the tank, etc. One of mine is looking a little waxy like she might molt soon so I went looking and didn't find much. Also, how to ID species... we have 2 hermies that the grandparents brought back from the beach (surprise!) and they are clearly different from each other. Thanks!

[@CrabCentralStation]

Hi JessWatt, we have plans to film a molting video for sure, as well as specie identification. Stay tuned!

[@jules2437]

Can you link the information for the website you get your shells please!? I have been searching for natural shells. I haven’t been able to find anything big enough that isn’t to heavy.

[@CrabCentralStation]

www.theshellstore.com

[@doctordeath.5716]

It is so good to see you all again on hear, I have missed you all. How are things going for all of you? I was wondering if I could give my hermit crabs salted peanuts in the shell to my hermit crabs, because I do not remember at all

[@CrabCentralStation]

We are doing well, staying busy. You want to stay away from anything that has added salt in it. Plain peanuts are a great option tough!

[@doctordeath.5716]

@@CrabCentralStation That is good to hear you all are doing well and all. Thank you for helping me with the peanut question 😊 that means alout to me.

[@madelinestone9879]

What is the relationship between you two? Just wondering?

[@CrabCentralStation]

We are a mother daughter channel ❤ Darcy is the mother of Faith and Brooke.

[@mr.wolfxd8711]

There’s mold on the glass. Should I change out all the sand in my tank?

[@CrabCentralStation]

You can just clean off the glass. If the substrate is also moldy, you will need to remove the molded sub.

[@rhyanruiz8344]

My hermit crab hasn’t been eating or coming out of his cork log for almost two weeks. He’s been in this tank for almost two Lo this now- I’ve moved some things around, added a shell shop, etc but nothing else. He was won at a fair and was kept I. A smaller tank for a month until this tank was ready. There were originally two crabs but we believe the one we still have pulled the other from its shell and sadly it did not survive- this happened on first day in being home container. Do tou think something is wrong with the surviving crab? He was fine - eating , drinking, making a mess and then nothing…any suggestions?

[@rhyanruiz8344]

Two months*

[@CrabCentralStation]

It sounds like this crab is getting ready to molt. Hopefully he/she will dig down to molt, but sometimes they will molt on the surface. If he/she is in a cork round for a couple weeks, chances are he/she has already molted and is working on eating the old exoskeleton and hardening up the new exoskeleton. Just leave them alone, keep changing the food and water. If you smell a bad dead fish smell, he/she has passed.

[@jennifermartoni4473]

Apparently we have a Philippine hermit crabs and were told that salt will kill it?? Do you happen to have any information on that kind of crab?

[@haleymak.7608]

Hello again! So I have a little dilemma that I would like some advice about. I just got two hermies from a family friend back in October, and the transport container that they were in had a fair amount of substrate in it. Long story short, I was able to move one of them into their new tank, but the other has been buried in the transport for about 5 months now and obviously I was told not to dig him up but the transport is not temperature regulated or anything so I’m getting worried. I haven’t encountered any bad smells either so I really don’t know what to do, but I’d like to get him out of there soon without hurting him. Any advice would be well appreciated, thank you!!!

[@CrabCentralStation]

oh wow! That is a long time for him to not have proper heat/humidity. Is the container small enough to place it in your main tank?

[@haleymak.7608]

@@CrabCentralStation it is not, it’s actaully much bigger than than the actual tank. It’s like a plastic storage bin

[@CrabCentralStation]

Oh, okay. Hmmmm.... I think at this point I would go ahead and carefully dig for him. That's a long time to be in a temporary container without the correct heat/humidity. When you find the crab, if there is any exoskeleton left near him, you will been to isolate him in a small container with the exoskeleton until he eats it. If there is no exoskeleton around him, he can be added to the main tank.

[@haleymak.7608]

@@CrabCentralStation Okay thank you so much!

[@daniellemerker3168]

I made the mistake of setting up my daughter's hermit crabitat using advice from another youtuber that keeps hermit crabs. Unfortunately I did not see your channel until after I had our crabs in the tank. My question is: how do I switch them over to the proper tank set up? We have four crabs in our 40 gallon tank which has only eco earth. I have bought a 125 gallon tank and have it set up with the sand/Ecoearth substrate (5/1 ratio). I want to use the 40 gallon as a topper. However my four crabs are burrowed down under the Ecoearth and I know that I cannot dig them up. I need help knowing how to make the tank change with as little stress to the crabs as possible. Please help!

[@CrabCentralStation]

Yay for tank upgrades! Welcome to CCS, we are so glad you have joined us on your journey! I have a couple questions before I can best answer your question. 1. Are you attaching anything to the walls of the 40 gallon topper using silicone? 2. Do you have a lid for your 125 tank?

[@SuperPokefan15]

Great info thank you!

[@CrabCentralStation]

Thanks for watching!

[@KELOMANGhermitcrab]

Ya

[@KELOMANGhermitcrab]

Great info

[@tabithadelp3630]

Thank you so much for all the information. I thought I was buying a $5 "throw away pet" and now I have 3 happy healthy crabbos that I adore thanks to your videos. I haven't seen this answered anywhere before...Do you know if Reverse Osmosis water is okay to use for their fresh and salt water?

[@CrabCentralStation]

How wonderful! I'm so happy to hear this! Thanks for joining our #CCSCrabCrew RO water is missing some of the nutritional minerals that tap water has. It's best to use the tap water and Prime it.

[@sphillips7958]

I have a pretty good size hermit crab (Coconut) in a shell that has about a 3/4 inch opening, overall the shell is about 2 inches around. He just came up from a 7 week molt. I had planned on changing out the substrate and adding some more "toys" once he came back up. Problem is that he only came back for 1 day, the next morning, he was missing again. I know smaller crabs molt often but Is it normal for a hermit crab to molt twice in a row when they are the size he is or could he just be hanging out under the substrate? I really want to change some things in my crabitat but I don't want to stress Coconut out if he really is molting again. What should I do?

[@CrabCentralStation]

I wouldn't think after a 7 month molt that he/she would only be top side for 1 day. Try putting out some stinky foods and check late at nigh to see if he is just good at hiding.

[@six9946]

what sand would you recommend? in a video you said play sand, like kinetic or magic sand?❤️☺️

[@CrabCentralStation]

Sandbox play sand. It comes in 50 pound bags from home improvement stores.

[@SahrethLovesAnimals]

I have a few questions: As a rodent/reptile parent, I prefer NOT to buy these species from pet stores or chain stores. As a private rat breeder, I've had so many people who felt the same come to me willing to pay double the pet store prices just so they are not buying from a store and supporting bad care, bad information, and possibly buying sick or mal-tempered pets. What are your opinions and advice on this when it comes to hermit crabs? Are there alternatives to buying them at large stores? Is there such a thing as a private hermit crab breeder (and if so, where do I find them) or are they all plucked from the wild? Thanks!!

[@CrabCentralStation]

I seriously can not LOVE this comment enough!!! Yes! Just within the last 3 years captive hermit crabs are available for adoption. So far, there is only one breeder in the world successful enough to sell her CB crabs. Mary Akers is the "mother of crabs" and you can find her babies at www.lhcos/adoption.org or NOW... for the first time ever, through a retailer Josh's Frogs!

[@SahrethLovesAnimals]

@@CrabCentralStation ❤️❤️❤️ Thank you so much for answering! Oh wow that is so cool! That is quite an accomplishment! I can only imagine how difficult they are to breed. I have visited Josh's Frogs a few time. Thanks for the info :) I always wondered about breeders bc I have never seen a crab at a store that seemed to be properly taken care of, but I'd also never heard of a crab breeder. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge ^^ I hope it leads to more and more protection of these sweet creatures ^_^

[@bigblade15]

looks like I have white fluffy mold in my brand new substrate any ideas on how to get rid of it without having to redo the entire tank....again. 5:1 ratio, used dry play sand and dry eco earth, humidity and temp both at 80.

[@CrabCentralStation]

hmmmmm... that is strange! Are you seeing any condensation on the walls of the tank? Maybe at night when the temperature in the room drops? Is could be running down the walls of the tank causing the mold. If it is just white fuzzy mold, remove using a spoon. Keep food up off the sub.

[@bigblade15]

@@CrabCentralStation it's not On the sub it's In the sub. I cleaned it up to the best of my abilities today. Friday is clean day if it comes back I'll have to do something. No, ever since the sub and tank update I no longer have to fight foggy and drippy glass. I did spill some water in that area I guess it could have traveled through the sand and caused the EE in the sub to mold, still don't know if I should worry about it.

[@Nothingtoya]

I've noticed some mites and was wondering what's the best way to get rid of them without handling the crabs. I see all this stuff about giving them a bath, but I'm afraid I'll just make them even more stressed.

[@CrabCentralStation]

Hello! The best way to remove mites is to remove all food and remove and replace the top half inch of your sub. Wash ALL things in the tank in prime treated water. Change your water tanks. Wipe down the rims of the tank three times a day with water and a paper towel.

[@doctordeath.5716]

How did that last Bach of baby's workout with the unexpected baby hermit crabs after you tore down the breeding tank and then set it back up

[@CrabCentralStation]

Hi Doctor Death! Things are going great. We should have an update on the breeding program soon.

[@doctordeath.5716]

@@CrabCentralStation that is good to hear, I can not wate to see the next video on them.

[@vinnylo9418]

I noticed there are bubbles coming out from your water containers. Do I need to put air stones in mine? I'm getting a new tank for my crabbies, but I'm currently housing ones in my tank without lid. Can I just use Clingwrap as a makeshift lid for now?

[@CrabCentralStation]

You don't have to use air stones, but they will help lengthen the time between water changes as well as help with humidity. You can use seran wrap temporarily, however, hermit crabs can climb the silicone corners and escape.

[@vinnylo9418]

@@CrabCentralStation Okay, thank you.

[@vinnylo9418]

@@CrabCentralStation Oh also, how often should I change the water? Every website said I should do it daily, but I feel bad because I often freak out my hermit crabs when I do so.

[@cynthiawall7073]

I've had mine for 1 1/2 years and never used lights

[@CrabCentralStation]

Hermit crabs have light in the wild so we definitely recommend you get a light 😊

[@joleenebroyles9498]

Do windows help for lighting

[@CrabCentralStation]

We just put this video out last night! It will answer all of your lighting questions... kzbin.info/www/bejne/oqjEln-vo550Y7c

[@spiderhobbit]

If I want to buy an angel a spirit croccodille her a sweet gator.... stuffed or live?

[@arieswalter-hughes5912]

Not sure if this is to much to ask but I’m looking into getting a hermit crab and I’m worried I won’t be feeding them enough stuff as it’s a lot and your food video said a variety of every food group they need I was wondering if you had or could make like a doc or list of some sort with the food groups and things that they like and are safe so I can go threw it each week and pick a different diet, would it be ok for them if I had like a different handful of food for them each week of the month and just rotated it?

[@CrabCentralStation]

We are actually working on something like that right now! Hopefully we will have it available to you guys soon! A handful of different foods that you rotate throughout the month is perfect!

[@arieswalter-hughes5912]

@@CrabCentralStation awesome! Thank you sm! Also do you guy have a glass lid? I’m looking into tanks to keep humidity just wondering about them breathing?

[@CrabCentralStation]

@@arieswalter-hughes5912 yes, we use glass lids. Don't worry about them having enough air to breathe. They have modified gills. They breathe the water in the air more than the air itself. That's why it is so important to have the correct humidity. It's like a fish out of water if they don't have enough humidity, they slowly suffocate. When you open the tank to replace food, water, or do basic maintenance, enough oxygen exchange takes place at that time.

[@viananguyen]

I personally like a 3:1 ratio, so I’m curious what other ratios does everyone like?

[@Olivia-mh8wq]

Personally, I've had great success with the 5:1 ratio they suggested. My crabs just finished their first molt with no issues.

[@CrabCentralStation]

Olivia, that's awesome! So glad to hear this. Thanks for sharing 😁

[@CrabCentralStation]

We like the 5:1 ratio because it has been proven to be the best mix by crab keepers who have kept their crabs successfully for 20+ years.

[@Olivia-mh8wq]

@@CrabCentralStation Hey, thank you! This channel is where I learned all about hermit crab care. You guys rock!

[@viananguyen]

@@CrabCentralStation I’ve heard a lot of people like it! I want to try it when the chance arises, but I was young when I got my first batch of hermits, not very mature, and I couldn’t stand how 5:1 doesn’t make into a neat percentage haha. I found the 3:1 to work for the couple of years I had my crabs so I didn’t try experimenting after but with my next batch of crabs I’ll definitely give 5:1 a go! Maybe try to see what differences I can spot :D Also can I just say it’s so cool how responsive you are! It’s so touching to know you actually read and reply to all these comments. Really shows your amazing dedication to hermit crabs!!

[@PrincessAbbysadventureVl]

I have an FAQ what do you do if you have mites in your cage? How do you tell if your crabs have mites? What mites are good and wich ones should you be alarmed over? I've read people saying bathe your crabs twice a day in stress coat and salt water, I Imagine the constant bathing would be more stressful to a crab then the mites themselves. So my FAQ is all about mites lol. I noticed a little brown on my food level but I'm thinking it was probably a fungus gnat baby.

[@CrabCentralStation]

Thanks for the question! Is this for a future video or do you need an answer now?

[@six9946]

@@CrabCentralStation i would like an answer if you have one, even though it isnt my question😅

[@eggshaq8486]

I introduced a new hermit crab three weeks ago to my two crabs I had for a year he seems to be keeping to himself do you know why? Thank you.

[@CrabCentralStation]

There could be several reasons. 1- he might just be stressed! New environments are scary for these prey animals. 2- he might be a different species than your other crabs. If this is the case, he cannot fully communicate with the other crabs. 3- there is a natural pecking order in all crab clusters! He is just finding his spot

[@eggshaq8486]

@@CrabCentralStation Yes I know for sure he is a purple pincher like the rest of them. But thank you and I’ll keep an eye out

[@CrabCentralStation]

Definitely just give him time. He is still de-stressing and healing from the capture-to-purchase cycle.

[@christaschmierer]

Oh my god!! I had no idea they did that to hermit crabs!! Poor naked lil crabs, people just ripping their houses right off of them!!

[@CrabCentralStation]

I know! Right!!! So sad!!!

[@lisamalley1295]

Love you guys

[@prhaze7]

What does it mean if your hermit crab is foaming/bubbling?

[@CrabCentralStation]

Usually that is a sign of distress.

[@DracoTheDragon]

One of my hermit crabs ate the other one. I had deep substrate and thy were fed. 😥

[@CrabCentralStation]

They are ultimately wild caught animals. Usually too little space, low protein diet, shallow substrate, or lack of shell resources will lead to aggressive behavior.

[@DracoTheDragon]

@@CrabCentralStation thanks

[@lm5585sysmatrix]

Awesome!

[@ashleegardner2980]

Can you put fish in the tanks

[@zookeepersam888]

I wouldn't

[@CrabCentralStation]

We actually ran this experiment. It didn't turn out well for the fish. Turns out the hermit crabs are pretty good at fishing. IF they actually ate the fish, I might say it is okay to have them, as a food source and enrichment. However, the hermit crabs didn't eat them, they just "played" with them. Therefore, at this time, I can not advise live fish to be housed in your hermit crab pools.

[@K_aelyn]

Does anybody know where I can get large shells?

[@CrabCentralStation]

www.theshellstore.org

[@게부자-h9x]

It’s so odd for the pet store industry… I have other animals as well, so I go to various chain stores and they all agree, painted shells are bad for them! They still sell them… I find your videos so helpful. What about sea salt? Is that ok? I read in a blog somewhere that sea salt is ok. I always see your hermit crabs moving actively behind you on your other videos. Can you play with your hermit crabs? How do you get them to be so active?

[@CrabCentralStation]

You want to stick to marine grade salt - no table salt or sea salt. We have filmed a video on how to have an active hermit crab, stay tuned for that!

[@spiderhobbit]

Well I'm not marine biologist but I do have some crab videos on my page

[@markwallin4708]

What do I do if my crabs legs start filling of

[@CrabCentralStation]

Hi! I’m not sure what you mean. Can you elaborate?

[@caydencouchman2867]

That Faith girl is so funny! What a cutie!

[@CrabCentralStation]

I think so too! 😉

[@ChandraOrr]

Link to shells?

[@CrabCentralStation]

www.theshellstore.org

[@spiderhobbit]

I love my hermit crabs😢

[@michellemiesen4390]

My hermit crab got done in the ops but now it would eat at all

[@CrabCentralStation]

It might take a little while to settle into the new tank.

[@michellemiesen4390]

Ok thank you update they came out of the coconut and went into the moss

[@Marieplace101]

You didn't cover if the Marine Salt water for hermit crabs can sustain fish and other wild life.

[@CrabCentralStation]

The marine salt can sustain fish! It is ocean grade salt so all salt life can live in it.

[@lawyer99cw]

Most have Amazon, you can set Alexa up for the 12 hour shifts.

[@CrabCentralStation]

Cool idea! That could be done remotely as well! Nice!

[@karenfalder1817]

my hermit crab is chirping to himself all day. he has 3 others in the tank but they are all sleeping. what up with the little dude?

[@CrabCentralStation]

This is totally normal! Sometimes they just make noises 😊

[@elsieurban6721]

how many crabs do you guys have in total

[@CrabCentralStation]

Right now we have 45 crabs. Our numbers change a lot though because we are regional facilitators for captive bred babies as well as central Texas foster:adopt:rescue location.

[@CancerGameplay]

My crab is out of my shell I need to know what’s going on

[@CrabCentralStation]

Here is a video to help you with your emergency... kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6PHqYuDd6emmJo

[@wadems62]

plz sand video

[@spiderhobbit]

Maybe some new plants instead of a tat ink.

[@colezawacki3392]

Big crabs

[@CrabCentralStation]

huge!