I picked up these from the bay side In Destin Fla. and brought them home for my grandchildren-- I got some sand and just a bit of water-- what do I feed them ? and will they live outside the ocen?
Answers:
You have to have one water dish for them to bathe in with some salt added and also another for them to drink from (fresh)
you also have to have something for them to borrow in, and have the temperature at around 70-72.
and you have to feed them food every coupld days. Also you might want to mist them with water a couple times a week!
You also have to put larger shells in the tank for them to swich shells when they out grow the old one!
go to an aquarium stores
many sell hermit crabs
for tanks
they eat dead things..
I, too had hermit crabs for my children. I fed them fish food and they seemed to survive nicely. I also would go back to the bay occasionally and get some salt water for them.
House in a minimum 10 gallon aquarium with 3-4 inches of sand at the bottom. Alternative substrates include coconut or other fibre bedding made for reptiles (where the fiber is ground quite fine so it is nearly like soil). Crushed coral is also a nice choice, but you may want to provide an area with sand or ground fiber bedding for molting.
Get two shallow dishes for water. The crabs must be able to get in and out of the dishes easily. Use one for dechlorinated fresh water (you can place a piece of natural sponge in the water, which will aid humidity levels). Use the second water bowl for salt water made with a marine aquarium saltwater mix (follow package directions, using dechlorinated water). Even inland hermit crabs will drink some sea water.
Add wood (choya wood is ideal; driftwood, grapevine, and other woods work well too - a good source is the reptile section), coral, aquarium decorations, silk plants, and other items for climbing. Half coconut shells make good hiding huts. Land hermit crabs love to climb!
Invest in a thermometer and a humidity guage (see the reptile section at the pet store). Ensure the tank remains at 72-80 F (22-27 C). You can use an an under tank heater and / or low wattage lighting to provide heat (higher wattages are too drying). The humidity must remain at 70-80 percent.
Feed a commercial hermit crab food daily, supplemented with assorted fresh fruits and vegetables, cereal and whole grain bread items, and small pieces of fish and meat. Also offer some pieces of cuttlebone or ground oyster shell (or even boiled egg shells) for an added calcium source.
Clean food dishes daily, and remove uneaten bits of food from the tank. Check for food away from the dish as crabs sometimes drag food off to eat away from the others.
Rinse water dishes daily and refill.
Provide a variety of empty shells that are slightly larger than the one your crab is currently in. Get shells of slightly different shapes and styles and opening size, though rounder openings are usually preferable over slit-like openings. Crabs can be surprisingly fussy about the kind of shell they like, and if a good variety is not available fighing may break out over the "best" shells.
Spot clean substrate as necessary (you can scoop their little poops, though mine tend to defecate in their water dishes). Oncea month or so do a thorough cleaning, changing the substrate. Clean the tank with hot water but avoid detergents and chemicals. The sand can be washed and boiled or baked to sterilize it for re-use if desired.
Watch for signs of molting, and consider isolated molting crabs.
Tips:
Use a commercial dechlorinating treatment from the pet store on the water.
The tank should have a lid which is able to retain moisture (and keep the crabs inside).
Don't overestimate the size of shells your crab may want to move into. I find their shells seem mcuh larger with a crab in them than they actually are when empty.
1) fish food
2) a sponge for water
3) a small plasitc cage found @ any pet store
PLease bring them back to their home!
It depends on if they are marine hermit crabs are terrestrial hermit crabs. Someone who has no clue shloud never take hermit crabs off of the beach that is just cruel and irresponsible. One must fully research and learn about proper care and keeping before purchasing hermit crabs. More than likly it is a marine hermit and without a proper salt water aquarium with all of the proper things they will die, bring them back to the beach!!
Land hermit crabs need a lot of care and proper set up. They are not cheap, not toys and not starter pets at all and not appropriate for young children.
I have been to Destin and I am sure they are marine hermit crabs.. bring them back!! You need a full salt water set up with plankton (live) coral, fish would also help, and you must have the proper filtration pumps, protein skimmer etc etc also the water must be heated to gulf/ocean temps. The salinity must be monitored in the water or they will die. It must be exactly like the acean. THey are not pets and not meant to be played with etc.
Even if they are terrestrial, they are not meant to be played with. they must have sustained and near perfect tank conditions, one must learn about moulting, foods behavior, and NOT over handle the crabs if they are land crabs. Humidty and temps must be monitored 24/7 they must have a glass aquarium with solid lid and lights, salt water source and fresh water sources must be dechlorinated and the salt must be natural oceanic or tropic marine salt.. they must have fresh fruits veggies meats fish and whole grains.NOT FISH FOOD! THEY ARE NOT FISH! FISH FOOD HAS CHEMICALS IN IT THAT WILL KILL THEM AND IS NOT SAFE FOR HERMIT CRABS!
they must have at least 4 inches of play sand that is dry and clean. the water dishes must be deep enough that they can be covered with the water. THey must have things to climb on and hide under.
They tend to stay burried for long periods and must NEVER be dug up, so the children will become frustrated and bored since they are nocturnal and like to stay hidden during the day. They can stay burried for 2 weeks to 5 months at a time and must never ever be dug up.
They are very sensitive to stress, one must learn about moulting signs and know that the crabs are to not be touched or disturbed once those signs are seen.. they must have proper temps and humidity 76-82 degrees F and 75%-85% relative humidity and both must be monitored 24/7 and sustained (constant)
You must spot clean the tank daily for droppings, food and check for any signs of mites, gnats, mold or mildew. One must learn about how to take care of a sick, naked, or otherwise unhealthy crabs. therfore you must have an isolation tank fully setup ready to go at all times.
Also did you take one or two because they do not live alone, they live in colonies of 100 and more. Alone they will die.
Please please do this poor creature a favor and bring it back to it's home. THis is such a heartbreaking thing to read this morning. I have worked over 16 years to help people to be responsible and do the right thing, yet it never ceases to amaze me how cruel people can be.
Bring them back and release them! How irresponsible and what a thing to teach your grandchildren!
They are marine hermit crabs and are not children's pets! They are creatures we use to help maintain salt water aquariums and their water quality! What were you thinking??
To the other who gave answers here. (excpept for the rescue's) YOU ALL should be ashamed of yourselves to promote and encourage people who have no clue what they have taken or how to take care of it to keep a wild creautre that they stole off of a beach! And then give it to children who will not enjoy it for longer than a few days or weeks. and then it will die.
NO marine hermit crabs do not live outside of the ocean they have gills!
OH my LORD! THis is sickening and you should be ashamed!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment