Nocturnal Crabs = No Viewing

Questions about unexpected problems.
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powerfulpup
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Nocturnal Crabs = No Viewing

Post by powerfulpup »

I've had my four crabs for about a month now. They are only active at night it seems. I've spied on them in the wee hours of the morning and I can see them hanging out, eating, inspecting shells, etc but come morning, they are always buried. I only see 3 of the 4 at any time. Since there is no smell, I assume I might have a moulter so I'm careful not to root around in the crabitat.

I guess I kinda figured after awhile they'd adjust to my schedule and this would allow me to observe them during my afternoons and evenings, and they'd sleep at night, when I turn off their light. So basically I get to see an empty aquarium by day, and wake up to a disaster area with evidence of crab landscaping. My temp and humidity are both in the acceptable range.

Will I have to become a night owl to watch my roommates go about their lives?
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ladybug15057
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Re: Nocturnal Crabs = No Viewing

Post by ladybug15057 »

No not exactly. But until a hermie gets accustomed to the vibrations and noises they will usually come out while it is quiet as opposed to a bit of noise. Do you talk softly to your hermies when you go into the room where the tank is or when you're around the tank so they get use to the vibrations of your voice?
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powerfulpup
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Re: Nocturnal Crabs = No Viewing

Post by powerfulpup »

They are in our living room, so any normal conversation they hear. We're fairly quiet, not screaming kids or anything like that. Before they went into hiding I could open up the lid to mist them or change their food/water and they'd scurry away, but only to move, never going directly into hiding.
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ladybug15057
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Re: Nocturnal Crabs = No Viewing

Post by ladybug15057 »

Your hermies are still considered new, and any sounds/vibrations within your home is going to be new to them. They cannot distinguish between TV, road noise, human noise, etc. They would all be different than the typical ‘beach sounds’ they are use to.
There maybe something a midst too, but to give us a better idea of what may or may not be happening please answer the questions from:
viewtopic.php?f=45&t=4

What is the volume of your main tank?


How many hermit crabs do you currently have? How big are they?


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


What substrate or combination of substrates are you using? How deep is it?


What do you feed your hermit crabs?


Do you use distilled, bottled, tap or other types of water?


If you are using a dechlorinator, what brand is it? Does it state to remove all heavy metals, chlorine and chloramines?


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


What heat source are you using and where is it positioned?


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


What is the air temperature range and humidity inside the tank?


If you are using an under tank heater, what is the highest temperature that the substrate reaches?


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

Being from the U.S. is your area experiencing any form of weather fronts?
Marie (aka ladybug15057)

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powerfulpup
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Gender: Male
Hermit crabs: 4
Total gallons: 20
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Re: Nocturnal Crabs = No Viewing

Post by powerfulpup »

Thanks for your assistance. Here is the info you requested:

- My tank is 20G. It has four crabs, all fairly small, shell openings are less than 1".
- I've had them for about a month now. I have straight Eco-Earth, varying from 3-4" in depth.
- I feed the crabs a variety of foods, all natural, nothing premade and nothing with preservatives.
- I feed them fresh lettuce/cabbage, carrots, banana, raisins, cuttle bone, applesauce (homemade), dried crumbs of bread.
- I use tap water treated with Zoo Med Hermit Crab water conditioner, and I use Zoo Med Hermit Crab salt water conditioner for the other bowl.
- For heat, I have overhead lights. The crabitat's temperature is consistently 74-78 degrees down at substrate level. The humidity ranges from 65-75%. I checked both the thermometer and hygrometer next to a digital unit within my house, even moving it around to different rooms, and they were always within 5% of one another. I have no UTH.

I have no photos of the actual crabs, they are now ALL buried out of site and I haven't seen any of them for a week or so now. It was my girlfriend's spring break, so she was around during the day, when we're usually both gone, so I wonder if her presence has stressed them and made them hide out for the last week.

Here are three pictures of my tank. Sorry, for some reason I couldn't embed these as HTML photos.

http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/uu18 ... /Crab2.jpg
http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/uu18 ... /Crab1.jpg
http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/uu18 ... /Crab3.jpg

There is a butter container turned upside down with two holes cut in it for them to hide out in. There are some pillar-style "ruins" that they do seem to enjoy climbing on when they are out. I keep food in there for no more than 48 hrs before removing it to prevent mold, and I keep the water clean when I've noticed they've been in it and have brought in some substrate. I have the aquarium gravel by their water so they clean off some of the substrate as they crawl over the gravel to the water.
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ladybug15057
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Re: Nocturnal Crabs = No Viewing

Post by ladybug15057 »

Thank you for taking the time to answer the questions.
This does give an idea of the crabitat and it does appear a little tweaking of conditions may help.
- I've had them for about a month now. I have straight Eco-Earth, varying from 3-4" in depth.

When you first got the hermies, did you assist them in adjusting to captive living and their environment per the PPS article?

http://crabstreetjournal.com/xoops/modu ... toryid=165

- I feed the crabs a variety of foods, all natural, nothing premade and nothing with preservatives.
- I feed them fresh lettuce/cabbage, carrots, banana, raisins, cuttle bone, applesauce (homemade), dried crumbs of bread.

Sounds like you’re off to a decent start with their diet but appear to be lacking protein, chitin, and a couple other vitamins and minerals,
http://hermitcrabcuisine.com/

- I use tap water treated with Zoo Med Hermit Crab water conditioner, and I use Zoo Med Hermit Crab salt water conditioner for the other bowl.

Zoomed part 1 does not remove heavy metals from tap water, and Zoomed part 2 contains yellow dye and does not contain the ‘elements’ a hermie needs to remain healthy. Please do see the Crab care section for suggestions.

- For heat, I have overhead lights. The crabitat's temperature is consistently 74-78 degrees down at substrate level.

A cooler 71-73*F and warmer 78-80*F is needed for substrate temps so they can regulate their body temp.
Do you provide a night cycle to their lives too?

The humidity ranges from 65-75%. I checked both the thermometer and hygrometer next to a digital unit within my house, even moving it around to different rooms, and they were always within 5% of one another. I have no UTH.

Please see the crab care section how to properly test/calibrate a humidity gauge.
Marie (aka ladybug15057)

If you are contacted privately (via pm or e-mail) and enticed to join another forum, please contact a Crab Crew member. This is an unethical practice.
powerfulpup
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Posts: 12
Joined: 11 Feb 2011, 15:06
Gender: Male
Hermit crabs: 4
Total gallons: 20
Total tanks: 1

Re: Nocturnal Crabs = No Viewing

Post by powerfulpup »

I do provide a day/night cycle, same as mine. When I go to bed, their light goes off, in the morning when I leave for work I open the windows so they get light, but not direct sun, and when I get home I turn the light on. The ambient day temp of the apartment is 72-74.

I think I'll switch to distilled water, it's not really THAT expensive. I've heard so much different info about sea salts I'm a bit overwhelmed.
CrabbyJo
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Re: Nocturnal Crabs = No Viewing

Post by CrabbyJo »

Powerfulpup,

Just purchase a marine salt and you'll be good. One meant for salt water aquariums. The mixing directions are on the package, and you can mix up a half gallon at a time and let it sit. That's what I do. :)
6 hermit crabs - 3 PPs and 3 Equadorians
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powerfulpup
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Gender: Male
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Re: Nocturnal Crabs = No Viewing

Post by powerfulpup »

Well, I had been worrying that a couple of the crabs had died from PPS as I had only seen the same two on the rare occasions they came up from the substrate while I was awake. Otherwise I'd see them if I woke up at 3:00am and snuck out with a flashlight to spy on them.

Last night during Deadliest Catch three of four were up running wildly around! Well, "wild" is a relative term. And the fourth who wasn't seen has positively been seen within the past couple of days, so they are all alive right now, and likely not molting. I think I might take this opportunity to dig out some of their Eco-Earth and swap in some fresh stuff, and perhaps mix in a bit of sand, and perhaps do some rearranging to give them something new to do.

I'm convinced they got wild because they saw some of their cousins on TV :D
powerfulpup
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Don't watch me eating!!

Post by powerfulpup »

My crabs had been hiding for a very long time and I was afraid a couple had died. Last night during Deadliest Catch they must have decided to stage a viewing party, because 3 of my 4 were up running around, chasing all over the crabitat. Having not seen them in a long time, I crawled over to observe the goings on.

Marshall was running around like a crab possessed, while Sprinter and Charlie were dining together on some dry food and asparagus. Apparently Sprinter is a shy eater, because as soon as I got over there he grabbed a claw full of food and scampered away behind some Greek-styled ruins I have in the aquarium and finished his meal over there. He did turn around once and awhile and see me and then turn away :o Anyone else have shy eaters?
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