Peeing in the food dish???

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fyeahcrabs
Zygote
Zygote
Posts: 1
Joined: 10 Mar 2017, 13:07
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 4
Total gallons: 40
Total tanks: 1

Peeing in the food dish???

Post by fyeahcrabs »

What is the volume of your main tank?
It's a 20 long with a modified second story with the same dimensions as a 20 long.

How many hermit crabs do you currently have? How big are they?
4 and i'm thinking golf ball size or slightly larger

How long have you had the hermit crab(s) that you are concerned about?
2 years.

What substrate or combination of substrates are you using? How deep is it?
I'm using a substrate mix of coconut fibere and play sand, twice baked and sifted. At the deepest, it's about 7 inches.

What do you feed your hermit crabs?
I feed them a speciality food from the website hermitcrabpatch

Do you use distilled, bottled, tap or other types of water?
tap water that's been dechlorinated and bottled sea water

If you are using a dechlorinator, what brand is it? Does it state to remove all heavy metals, chlorine and chloramines?
It's API Tap Water Conditioner and yes.

What brand of sea salt are you using to supply your hermit crabs with salt water?
Instant Ocean

What heat source are you using and where is it positioned?
Heat pad regulated with thermostat and it's in the bottom

Have you calibrated your thermometer(s) and hygrometer so that you can interpret accurate readings?
Yep

What is the air temperature range and humidity inside the tank?
air temperature is usually 70-80 and humidity is usually 70-90

What is the highest temperature that the substrate near the heat source reaches?
85

Do you have any photos of your tank or hermit crab(s) of concern? If yes, please attach them to your post.
Nope


Okay, now that's over with. I'm new to this forum and I have a strange question for you guys. My food dishes have been mysteriously filling up with water. I've been taking careful care when spraying so it doesn't fall into the food dish. The dishes are near a salt water source but theyre higher than it. Is it possible the hermit crabs are peeing in it?
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Wai
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Posts: 2892
Joined: 01 Nov 2004, 14:12
Gender: Male
Hermit crabs: 2
Total gallons: 45
Total tanks: 1
Location: Victoria, Australia
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Re: Peeing in the food dish???

Post by Wai »

Sorry about the late reply.

Hermit crabs store water in their shells and may empty this into their food, but I personally haven't seen this to a significant extent. Moreover, it can be that your hermit crabs have been soaking themselves in the nearby water dish and then spilling water into the food dish. Do you have an air stone in the water dish? Sometimes that will contribute to the splashing too. Perhaps try moving the two dishes further apart?
Wai
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ladybug15057
Coenobita
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Posts: 3098
Joined: 03 Mar 2008, 04:12
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 82
Total gallons: 305
Total tanks: 7
Location: Southwestern Pa., U.S.

Re: Peeing in the food dish???

Post by ladybug15057 »

I agree. Hermies pee very little, and it excretes from the tip of their antennas.
Marie (aka ladybug15057)

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