The Crab Pen Convention

Questions about designing a terrarium.
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MaxPlastic
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The Crab Pen Convention

Post by MaxPlastic »

A few weeks ago at around 7pm, I set up a fairly large area in the middle of the second bedroom floor (which incidentally is where all my stuff plus the crabs are). I set my biggest piece of driftwood in the middle, put a little shell of food in there, and a bunch of shells scattered about inside and then just turned my crabs loose in there for about two hours. They seemed to love it. They were super active, they experimented with and examined a lot of the shells, climbed on the wood, slept, ate... They seemed to just appreciate the change of scenery and extra exercise. I was wondering though if I should continue doing this, or if maybe doing this too often would stress them out... ?
"Most guys your age are trying to get rid of crabs, not collect them!"
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CrabbyJo
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Re: The Crab Pen Convention

Post by CrabbyJo »

Good for you!
Actually it's excellent exercise for them. Crabs that get regular exercise live longer, so I understand.
Carol of Crabworks, who owns the two longest living crabs that I've heard of, has had her crabs for 33 years. She lets them out daily to roam her house. She does live alone, has a sunken living room, and I'm sure keeps the place spotless.

If you do it regularly, just make sure the room temp is comfortable for them, and that you mist their gills (can someone tell me how you do this without spraying the poor crab in the face?).
What I like to do is put a pot of boiling water on the stove to raise the humidity in the house a bit before I take them out. If my new hygrometer is correct, the house humidity was only about 35% the other day. I make sure the house is at least 74*F, which is a little warm for us. :)
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ladybug15057
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Re: The Crab Pen Convention

Post by ladybug15057 »

It is good to let hermies exercise after they have adjusted from the PPS period.
CrabWorks now lives in Florida, the sucken living room was while she lived in Maryland... about 5 years ago? :) Make sure where ever they exercise at there have not been any cleaners used.
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CrabbyJo
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Re: The Crab Pen Convention

Post by CrabbyJo »

That's right, you don't want to put them on carpet where you've used fresheners, for example, or probably don't want to put them on blankets where fabric softeners have been used (just to be safe).

I have a little "train table" I have converted into a hermie playpen, it's on wheels so I can slide it under the table their tank is on and it's out of the way, and I don't have to get the toys out and put them away each time. :)

Now I have to get my hermies used to it. Last time I took them out they freaked out (not used to me picking them up :( ) and they've been hiding for two days since their exercise excursion. May not be related but I'll be watching. I'll get them out again tonight. It's time they (and I) got into a routine of exercise. :)
6 hermit crabs - 3 PPs and 3 Equadorians
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please feel free to share information from this website, but please be sure to give credit and a link back to the information. Failure to give credit is plagiarism. Don't take credit for someone else's information.
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MaxPlastic
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Re: The Crab Pen Convention

Post by MaxPlastic »

Yeah, I did it again last night and they loved it. I try to handle my hermits every night. Although I know some of you guys have elaborate crabitats that would make finding them difficult. I would make them a jungle too if I could afford it ^ _ ^
"Most guys your age are trying to get rid of crabs, not collect them!"
---
- My Crabs -
Hygea - Female PP
Thanatos - Male PP
Hephaestus - Male PP
Poseidon - Male PP
Tethys - Female PP
Tisiphone - Female EC
Megaera - Female EC
Alecto - Female PP
Ion - Male PP
Pallas Athena -Female PP
Cronus - Male PP
Rhea - Female PP
Gaia - Female PP

---
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Re: The Crab Pen Convention

Post by Jedi_Sena »

Daily exercise is wonderful. Just don't dig anyone up for exercise! Just take the ones out who are already topside.
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want to get out and play?

Post by Jadexox »

i took my crab out for a bit and soon as i put him back he was scratching at the glass and trying to escape is it cause he wants to go out again to play? or doesn't he like it? :( :)
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Re: want to get out and play?

Post by emmac350 »

My crabs try to climb the walls too, and when I've taken them out for some outside time in the exerciser, they do it much less. So getting your crab adequate exercise will minimize the amount of wall-climbing they try to do, but it isn't a full solution...they will still at times try to climb the glass.
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Taking your crab outside!

Post by rjp_1986 »

I have been curious and searching an answer to this. This is what I found. What are your thoughts?

"Hermit crab should only go outside if the temperature and humidity are above 70, you need to keep them in a relatively shaded area. Letting them roam the grass is okay as long as it hasn't been treated with pesticides or herbicides. Be careful though, it is very easy for a hermit crab to sneak away when you're not looking."

I was wondering also about bugs and if I sprayed my yard last year with fertilizer but not this year, has it all washed away?
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ladybug15057
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Re: The Crab Pen Convention

Post by ladybug15057 »

No I would say it is not safe to put the hermies right on the ground outside. It has been known to take years for some pesticides to wash away. (even if you may see an ant or two crawling about) Being it is getting towards the end of summer the hard baby plastic pools are being marked down. Good safe exercise area, and can store under the bed too for space reasons. :)
http://s187.photobucket.com/albums/x276 ... gleGym.jpg

One can even make home made safe climbing toys for exercising too.
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