Post by suebee on Jul 6, 2010 9:57:24 GMT -5
After a long talk with a few people about how big the pools should be i wanted to make a post about pools.
Some on other sites have all taken to making pools that are very deep with filter systems. The filter systems are nice because you only have to do partial water changes. They make some great small filters that work on salt and fresh water.
Pools do not have to be very deep. What you are looking for is a pool that the crabs can get into and out of with ease and it deep enough for the crabs to dip the shell into in order to wash out the shell, as well as maintain the salinity of the shell water. They should be able to dip the shell edge under.
Bob of ELHC brought to my attention a member on another site that has a link to her tanks in her signature. In the utube video you see a Land hermit crab under water totaly. The crab has a bubble of air come up and some people have remarked how cute the bubble is. Bob actually cringed at this. He said the poor guy was in a strugle for air and seemed to need help to get out.
Land hermits do not usually go under water for long periods of time unless by accident. They are after all land crabs with modified gills not fish gills. You need to think about the big crabs as much as the little ones. A large crab in a large shell that gets total full of water is a heavy crab and that adds to the strugle of climbing back out of the water.
Easy material to climb on is very important. You should not see your crabs under water for long periods of time. I know when one of my smaller guys slips in he right away climbs out.
The pools i use are made by a great clay artist named phoebe her site is here www.etsy.com/shop/phoebedarby she offers hermit crab pools in different sizes. If you go and click on her sold items you will see some lovely custom pools and huts she has made for people. My crabs seem to love the tecture of the clay. Best part is they are all dish washer safe! I got two pools and a hut that looks like a sand castle with a flat roof that i keep crushed oyster shell on top of. Its become a great hang out.
Pools need not be expensive. Ive seen some great pools made from take out food and microwave or TVdinner containers. You can use some plastic canvas or aquarium sealent to put rocks on or make a easy way to get into or out of the pools..
Any bowl that you would eat out of is a crab safe pool. I like to have them above ground giving me more molting room in my tank but some like built in pools. We have some members here that have made some lovely built in pools and maybe they can do a little how to DIY the pools they made for us?
Blessings, Suebee
Some on other sites have all taken to making pools that are very deep with filter systems. The filter systems are nice because you only have to do partial water changes. They make some great small filters that work on salt and fresh water.
Pools do not have to be very deep. What you are looking for is a pool that the crabs can get into and out of with ease and it deep enough for the crabs to dip the shell into in order to wash out the shell, as well as maintain the salinity of the shell water. They should be able to dip the shell edge under.
Bob of ELHC brought to my attention a member on another site that has a link to her tanks in her signature. In the utube video you see a Land hermit crab under water totaly. The crab has a bubble of air come up and some people have remarked how cute the bubble is. Bob actually cringed at this. He said the poor guy was in a strugle for air and seemed to need help to get out.
Land hermits do not usually go under water for long periods of time unless by accident. They are after all land crabs with modified gills not fish gills. You need to think about the big crabs as much as the little ones. A large crab in a large shell that gets total full of water is a heavy crab and that adds to the strugle of climbing back out of the water.
Easy material to climb on is very important. You should not see your crabs under water for long periods of time. I know when one of my smaller guys slips in he right away climbs out.
The pools i use are made by a great clay artist named phoebe her site is here www.etsy.com/shop/phoebedarby she offers hermit crab pools in different sizes. If you go and click on her sold items you will see some lovely custom pools and huts she has made for people. My crabs seem to love the tecture of the clay. Best part is they are all dish washer safe! I got two pools and a hut that looks like a sand castle with a flat roof that i keep crushed oyster shell on top of. Its become a great hang out.
Pools need not be expensive. Ive seen some great pools made from take out food and microwave or TVdinner containers. You can use some plastic canvas or aquarium sealent to put rocks on or make a easy way to get into or out of the pools..
Any bowl that you would eat out of is a crab safe pool. I like to have them above ground giving me more molting room in my tank but some like built in pools. We have some members here that have made some lovely built in pools and maybe they can do a little how to DIY the pools they made for us?
Blessings, Suebee