New Crab from Petsmart

[Maddie]

I recently got a new crab and I have a few questions. Is Petsmart a safe place to get crabs?? They all looked healthy and the habitat was nice and clean and well kept. The crabs looked happy too. Another one of my questions is I only have one crab right now in a 2.5 gallon habitat does he need a friend? Or is the tank not big enough to support two? If i do need more space about what size habitat should I buy? I have lots of fish too which means lots of extra tanks. I have an extra ten gallon that we use as a hospital tank but nobodys ever in there because my mom takes such good care of them but I might be able to convince her to trade with me if i need more room than the 2.5. But i really only want to move up in space if Myloe (crab) needs a little buddy. Sorry I know part of this is in the wrong topic area but i didnt know where to put it. Any help is greatly appreciated this is my first crab that i've owned but if taken care of many for my friends. Thank you.

[Wai]

Hermit crab tanks should never be smaller than 10 gallons. 2.5 gallons is by far too small. Hermit crabs do need friends, so always keep at least two together.

Even if you decide not to get Myloe a buddy, she should still be kept in a tank that is at least 10 gallons big. They should be offerred lots of room to run around and exercise.

[Maddie]

Thanks for the help. I was reading up on hermit crabs mostly from papers at petsmart and petco and they said that a 2.5 gallon tank would be fine for 1 crab and a 10 gallon tank is best for 2-5 crabs. I'll discuss this with my mom. Thanks again!! -Maddie(:

[emmac350]

Maddie - Petsmart and most websites don't know what they're talking about. Petsmart tells people that crabs are shortlived pets - in reality, crabs can live over 30 years in captivity. Petsmart tells people that 2.5 gallons is enough room for one crab - in reality, wild crabs travel over 2 miles in a night and love climbing...which is impossible to do in a 2.5 gallon cage. Petsmart doesn't mention the need for heat or humidity, which is a death sentence for a crab...they'll suffocate slowly if they don't have enough humidity. Petsmart tells people that gravel is a great substrate for crabs - in reality, it doesn't support molting (a necessary event in the life of a crab) and they can't dig in it if they're stressed. Petsmart says that commercial crab foods are all your crab needs to eat - in reality, the preservatives in those foods will poison your crabs.

I'd advise you to take the pet store advice with a grain of salt and look through the crab care section here - http://hermitcrabparadise.com/crabcare/. None of the members here has seen a store that actually knows what crabs needs to live longer than a few weeks...but we've all got some fairly long-lived crabs following our own advice. One of the moderators has had some of her crabs for 10 years now, and she's friends with a lady who has had her crabs for 33 years now. The same two crabs for those whole 33 years.

Welcome to HCP, and please do look around. The Crab Care section is recently updated with the most up-to-date information and should help you out a lot with what your crab needs!

[Wai]

Many pet stores in my area admit that many of their hermit crabs die before they are sold, yet they are still convinced that they are keeping their hermit crabs in proper conditions.

[ladybug15057]

One of the moderators has had some of her crabs for 10 years now, and she's friends with a lady who has had her crabs for 33 years now. The same two crabs for those whole 33 years.

As of June 17th this year will be our 10 year anniversary. We too had a fatality due to pet store advice unfortunately during our first year of crabbing. As of August, will be my internet friends 34th anniversary with her 2 hermies, and NOT due to the thanks of pet stores either.
It is rare if a pet store employee (even manager or owner) knows what all a hermie needs to remain alive and healthy. And the few employees of the large chain stores that do have an idea as to what hermies need, their hands are tied by cooperate as to what they can or cannot put within the stores tank display.

[Ameretat]

I had purchased a few crabs from Petsmart. While most of them are good be very careful when you get them. I had to give my most recent crab, Rocky a serious bath because he has a lot of mites on him. I was in love when him from first sight. He didn't have any funny smell and his eyes were very bright. And he wasn't afraid of my hand.

If you or your mom are short on cash, you can always try asking on freecycle.com if there is anyone giving away an unused tank. Generally all you have to pay for is gas to go and pick up . Just make sure you go with an adult to pick up anything.