Hermies!!!!!!

[Kitty Whiskers]

How do I keep it moist enough to make a sand castle? I put in Eco Earth mixed with play sand a couple days ago when i set up my crabitat and the top inch is already dried out.

A part of the other side of the tank has crushed coral in it as substrate. It is where I put the fresh water and salt water dishes and their food dishes too. Do I need to keep that moist also?

[Skyewillow]

I would take the coral out. It's not really something they'll be able to dig in, and they LOOOOOOVE to dig. It also might be what's drying out your sand since you mentioned it's not moist. Anything dry that touches something damp will wick the moisture from the sand.

Aside from that, what type of top are you using on the tank?
And the pop-bottle humidifier would help.

[Kitty Whiskers]

Originally Posted by Skyewillow

I would take the coral out. It's not really something they'll be able to dig in, and they LOOOOOOVE to dig. It also might be what's drying out your sand since you mentioned it's not moist. Anything dry that touches something damp will wick the moisture from the sand.

Aside from that, what type of top are you using on the tank?
And the pop-bottle humidifier would help.

Well in my crabitat I have the coral seperated from the Eco Earth/Sand mixture with a large pice of Mopani hardwood from the petstore. It makes like a 6 1/2 inch tall sort of wall. It has deep ridges in it to make it easy to climb over. The one side has the coral to make cleaning easier and they wont burry under the dishes knocking them over etc. The other side is bigger that is filled with the EcoEarth sand mix where they go to dig to china LOL.

The lid is a screen top lid. I bought a hard plastic sheet to cut to cover one half of the screen lid to keep moisture in. I haven't cut that yet so I keep misting 2 times a day to keep the moisture in.

[Skyewillow]

A towel over the lid will help with moisture.

Usually a wide and flat dish won't tip over. I'm trying to remember how I kept mine clean. Lol

[Jessie1990]

I have 3 hermies. One Ecuadorian and two Purple pinchers. One of my PPs went through his first molt with me recently. He was down for quite awhile and I noticed he was back up and picked him up and about had a heart attack. He was munching on, what I thought was, another crab. It turned out it was just his exo skeleton... that was the first molter I have had because my crabs are pretty large. I will post pics later :D

[Skyewillow]

It's pretty scary when you first see that! I always feel horrible when I see the petstore crabs dropping legs! :(

[Skyewillow]

Originally Posted by Skyewillow

A towel over the lid will help with moisture.

Usually a wide and flat dish won't tip over. I'm trying to remember how I kept mine clean. Lol

Oh, and either way, the crabs liked to clean their shells into the food dishes.. I'd always have poop noodles in the food! >_<

[Striker0086]

For keeping humidity in you can get a glass cover for the top of the tank, cut plexi glass, or glad press n seal or saran wrap are the most effective ways of keeping in the proper humidity. About 90% of the top should be covered to keep the proper amount of humidity in which is about 75-85%RH.


I'm confused, you guys say you saw your crabs molt? or exoskeleton? They are suppose to be able to bury in the sub for this process in their life. They molt many times during their lives. It's suppose to be done under ground given proper conditions.


I currently keep crabs I currently have four species. Strawberries, Violas, Ecuadorians, and Purple Pinchers.