Post by Sach-Crabministrator on Apr 2, 2010 1:39:33 GMT -5
Land hermit crabs breathe through modified gills, so it is IMPERATIVE that they have a humid environment. They need NO LESS THAN 70% humidity at all times, or they will essentially suffer a slow painful death by suffocation. Until I came up with a better lid for my crabitat, I helped remedy this by misting the crabitat with a spray bottle several times a day. (remember to only use de-chlorinated water when it comes to your crabs.) I have come to discover that there other ways to help keep it humid such as making a "moss pit" (a bowl or container with wet moss in it), putting a warm damp towel over the top of your tank (be sure to leave an air hole or space), having (crab-safe, of course) plants in the tank and also, the substrate you use can help too. For example, I have heard that the EE helps retain moisture very well. I have also noticed with mine, that a glass lid makes a huge difference! (I was using wood to start with)
Hermies also need their environment to be warm. When you look on the internet, you will find a HUGE variation in what the temperatures recommended are. I have heard that the temperature should never be lower than 72*F and that consistent low temperatures can be fatal. It makes sense to me, as they do live on or near the beaches when in the wild; in very tropical climates. Just try to keep that in mind. No, that doesn't mean you put their tank in a sunny window so that the magnified through glass sunlight bakes them. It just means you want their tank to feel like a Florida afternoon in August! ;D
There are as many opinions out there on how to keep your tank warm as there are crab owners, but the important thing (I think) is to keep them warm, not hot and to keep them out of danger. Some people will recommend an UTH (under-tank heater) while others will tell you that UTHs are very ineffective considering the depth of substrate on top of them, while still others will tell you that they are dangerous because a crab can dig down and fall asleep on one and die. Myself, I used an in-tank reptile rock heater for a little while (though some people told me not to). But I used it intermittently (by plugging and unplugging it) and only because my tank wasn't getting or staying warm enough with the wooden lid. For a while, I was using a lamp with the bulb dangling down into the tank! I don't recommend this method though, as it dries out the substrate severely and it's a tricky operation to do this in a way that your crabs can't touch the bulb. I also had the advantage of being home all the time, too-so I was able to constantly check and make sure I wasn't setting anything on fire. I am currently using a clamp-lamp (with an ordinary bulb) on the top of my glass lid for their day light (I will explain that more in the crabitat section) and a black-light bulb for night time, so we can observe without disturbing.
Hermies also need their environment to be warm. When you look on the internet, you will find a HUGE variation in what the temperatures recommended are. I have heard that the temperature should never be lower than 72*F and that consistent low temperatures can be fatal. It makes sense to me, as they do live on or near the beaches when in the wild; in very tropical climates. Just try to keep that in mind. No, that doesn't mean you put their tank in a sunny window so that the magnified through glass sunlight bakes them. It just means you want their tank to feel like a Florida afternoon in August! ;D
There are as many opinions out there on how to keep your tank warm as there are crab owners, but the important thing (I think) is to keep them warm, not hot and to keep them out of danger. Some people will recommend an UTH (under-tank heater) while others will tell you that UTHs are very ineffective considering the depth of substrate on top of them, while still others will tell you that they are dangerous because a crab can dig down and fall asleep on one and die. Myself, I used an in-tank reptile rock heater for a little while (though some people told me not to). But I used it intermittently (by plugging and unplugging it) and only because my tank wasn't getting or staying warm enough with the wooden lid. For a while, I was using a lamp with the bulb dangling down into the tank! I don't recommend this method though, as it dries out the substrate severely and it's a tricky operation to do this in a way that your crabs can't touch the bulb. I also had the advantage of being home all the time, too-so I was able to constantly check and make sure I wasn't setting anything on fire. I am currently using a clamp-lamp (with an ordinary bulb) on the top of my glass lid for their day light (I will explain that more in the crabitat section) and a black-light bulb for night time, so we can observe without disturbing.