Finally remodeled!

[llmercll]

After a few months of gathering supplies and making some decisions, I've finally received all I need and got to remodel my 10Gal crabitat! I've made a gallery here to keep track of it.

gallery/image_page.php?album_id=117&image_id=515

Not all those shells are crabs, haha. The crabs were in their hut at the time of the photo. I''ve got coco fiber climbing background on the left side, he went to that right away. Propped against that is two small cholla logs, and behind them is my coco hut with large door.

The back has environment gauges and plants for decoration/climbing. The piece of wood in the corner is grapewood and he loves it. Finally, my favorite new addition is the corner net with Hiawatha moss. Unfortunately I haven't seen him in it yet =(

Just want to know what you guys think! I've got a 10gal net from the hermit crab addiction I still haven't placed, I just don't know what to do with it. I'm open to any more suggestions as all of yours have been very helpful to me so far! I also think my substrate is a little shallow.

thanks for reading!

[CrabbyJo]

Your tank looks great! It really is so fun to make them a whole new home. That's why I love deep clean time, I can do the tank completely differently.
I love the little moss net up in the corner!

[llmercll]

thanks crabbyjo! I love the moss net too, it has a really nice look. Unfortunately I still haven't seen a crab in it!

[llmercll]

I took the moss out...It smelled really funky, I'm not sure if it was bad or not...but I didn't want to risk it.

One of my crabs has been eating the cholla logs almost nonstop! He just sits down there nibbling at it. Very funny

Nothing In there is unsafe right? I got the nets and cholla log from the addiction store. How about the coconut mat? I got that from hermit crab patch as well as the coco hut. Nothing toxic in that to anyones knowledge?

[CrabbyJo]

Sounds like everything is pretty safe. I don't know about the nets though - what are they made of, and do they have any dyes? It's still not known if those nets that have been dyed are safe for hermit crabs, as the process used to set the dye involves some heavy metals.

And yes they will munch a LOT on woods you have in the tank. If you have any maple trees nearby (I forget the other safe leaves atm) that you are sure are free of any pesticides (even blow over from neighbors) you should give them some of those as well. They tend to like them brown and crunchy.
They need the tannin and cellulose they get from plants, so it's a good idea to offer at least a couple different kinds of wood in the tank. I have cork bark, cholla, grape wood, and of course the good ol coconut climbing wall. I also offer moss. I noticed my moss smells funky when it's wet, but the smell doesn't usually come into the house except when I first moisten it with boiling salt water.

[llmercll]

Oh you use the coconut mat too? that's great! I was worried that might be a possible "unsafe", but feel better about it now =)

The net is from the addiction store, it's the handcrafted hemp net. It is dyed brown however. Hope it's not for them =(

[CrabbyJo]

Vicki stands by her nets, and says she uses them in her tanks and has never seen that they may be causing a problem, so you do have that you can go by.

I have purchased natural hemp and knitted some nets myself. You can also crochet them. That way I know that my hemp is not dyed and that there are no other additives I might not know about.

btw, when I bought the coconut mat, I remember there being some staples in it to hold... gluey stickies or something? Do take those out, they will rust. I just poked some holes in each corner at the tops and put some locking suction cups through to hold it up. I am noticing the holes getting big now and will have to cut new ones lol. The crabs do like to pull the mat apart!