Crablover Don On: Crabitats

Message 54

From: SKRIPEand DUKE <[email protected]>

Date: Sat Oct 9, 1999 11:24am

Subject: Re: Please help

Amanda:

I would normally NOT recommend doing this, but in this emergency, I would take babies out and bathe them then transfer the little ones to an iso tank or a clean box (preferably with a top) of some sort (for warmth and prevention of escape!)and resort to the following... take the sand you have in the tank and boil it in water to sterilize it from bacteria growth ...(which is probably causing the smell)... Pour the water off the sand and using newspaper and paper towels, bake it for thirty minutes or so (until COMPLETELY DRY) in a 350 degree oven. [Some folks skip the boil and just bake it, but since the smell is present I would go the whole nine yards to prevent any problems....] You will also need to clean and sterilize EVERYTHING in the tank and allow those things to dry also. Make sure all is clean and DRY before putting your fella back in the tank. A real pain but necessary to prevent any problems from bacteriaal growth which is a major cause of crab deaths. Might try to pick up some extra sand as a back-up if you ever have an emergency again. Hope all goes well... Keep us informed. The paper, etc. that you thought of using would not be a good alternative as it would 'wick' out too much needed moisture that your hermies need.

--- Amanda Degenstein gerbil222@y... wrote:

My sand that I have in the cage just got really wet and is starting to smell pretty bad. I don't have any more, and was going to get some in a few days (I have to travel 64 miles), so what can I use? I know I can't use wood chips, because it will dry them out.

Can I use shredded paper or paper towels for a couple days? Thanks so much

Message 58

From: SKRIPEand DUKE <[email protected]>

Date: Sat Oct 9, 1999 12:52pm

Subject: Re: about the wet sand

Misty:

Much depends on how wet the sand may have gotten.

When left damp or wet, that is when the problems begin.... Personally, I am a big fanatic about bacterial problems which may occur... What you did probably was okay... What you might do in the future, if an 'accident' occurs would be to get a spoon and remove the wet sand and dry it out... Even though some advocate misting INSIDE of a tank, it really is NOT a good practice. I use a sea (natural) sponge in the water dish allowing some room for the guys to bathe but also to help them crawl out but most of all to help create a little humidity that is required for their health. When 'caught' in time, bacterial growth deaths can be avoided and prevented.

--- Czmcgirl@a... wrote:

> From: Czmcgirl@a...

> Yes, I just read the email about the sand being wet and this person had no sand. Well, my question is I was moving my room around the other day including the tank with my crab and some of the water in the water dish spilled but I didn't replace the sand I just mixed t up so it wouldn't be wet. Was this a bad idea, or will they be ok? I have already lost 2 crabs I think from bacterial problems and I don't want to lose anymore.

Message 90

From: SKRIPEand DUKE <[email protected]>

Date: Fri Oct 15, 1999 2:11pm

Subject: Re: Keepin' 'em warm.....

PLEASE READ.....

VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT KEEPING YOUR HERMIES WARM!!!!!!!!!!

Please excuse the 'piecemeal' post, but I had been working on an more structured informational guide about this for our first big newsletter, but since possible information might lead to problems or accidents I decided to jump in now. I will be offering so more TIPS for the newsletter.

Happy Crabbing! Don

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The IDEAL temperature for your hermit crabs is around seventy-four degrees F. They are most content at this temperature. Remember that this is the temp that you are trying to achieve at the substrate level....after all, isn't this the level that they spend most of their time!!?? Keeping the tank between that 70 to 80 degree temp is what you are aiming for.... it has been pointed out several times that a brown liquid discharge is an 'overheat' indicator. I know the temperature has been brought up in discussion about why crabs burrow down when they are not molting.

They often 'burrow' down seeking that perfect temp of comfort!

(from a post on the LHC Board: )

http://members.fboards.com/roland/

(there is much more on heating requirements there)

"WHERE you might place a thermometer in a tank. Crablover Don advised me to put one at substrate level since that is where the little ones spend most of their time. Sounded like a good common sense reason to me. In fact, I assumed that others already knew this, especially since we all know that heat rises--and a true temp reading would be difficult to obtain with the thermometer placed in an 'upper region'. Also, turning the moonglow bulb on and off CAN create temperature changes that might cause stress to your crabs. Again, CLD leaves his bulb and heater on twenty-four hours and regulates tank temps by using a piece of cardboard to prop open his glass top, Or by increasing the depth of the substrate OVER the undertank heater(see NOTE below). Regulating the tank temps is probably most important at this time since the weather is changing in most areas."

MORE: The 25 watt bulb can get TOO HOT for the hermies ...and really isn't recommended...(you may verify this via FMR at 1-800-535-2722 M-F 5-9 Eastern time....ask for Kathy) I am the one who started the post about them... have used them from the get-go.... they are really better used IN CONJUNCTION with an undertank heater... NOT a PRIMARY source for heating the tank. I did my research on the different wattages without the guys in their tank... the higher wattage could possibly bake them and they tend to dry out the 'air' too much. And isn't it humidity that we are striving to create? Remember that natural (sea) sponge in a water dish...?? I first recommended these 'heat bulbs'(see NOTE ) as a secondary heat source and primarily for the ambiance.

First of all, using a clip on light fixture with a colored light is WHAT dries the crabs out! This is the wrong type of light that you need. These heat bulbs are: Too high of wattage could easily 'bake' and overheat your crabs!

NOTES:

Lighting: Get an incandescent nocturnal black light bulb... I found that one 15 watt is enough for what you need to achieve. These lights are manufactured by several companies...my personal choice --price and durability has been by: ENERGY SAVERS UNLIMITED... it comes in a gray, black box...with the reference of being a "Reptile NightLight"...on this particular brand, it mentions: "NOCTURNAL BLACK Heat Lamp"... "Coated with RARE EARTH BLACK PHOSPHORS... to stimulate the natural glow of the moon." And they do!

It is unbelievable how nice the atmosphere changes... I leave mine on 24/7... I enjoy watching the little fellas under the soft glow as they scamper about doing their own thing. Knowing that with the undertank heater they are comfortable!

Heaters: They are not cheap, bit an excellent investment. Look for a undertank heater that will not heat up more than 85 degrees F. FMR makes one that mets all specifications for Hermit Crabs and this 4 X 6 inch heater can be used on both a plastic 'critter keeper' and glass aquariums. Other companies manufacture them in larger sizes and temp ranges. I have used the FMR product since I began crabbing and I swear by their excellent performance. I use two on my ten gallon tanks and three on the twenty longs...etc.

The main thing is, you want to allow for some warmer and cooler areas on the tank, so it is not a good idea to buy a heater to cover the entire bottom of the tank. These 4 X 6 heaters by FMR are quite effective in keeping my several tanks within the exact temp and humidity ranges. As said before you MUST take care in making sure you DO NOT get a heater that will heat up over the eighty-five recommended degrees! Unless you go into a really high quality product, you probably will not find a heater that can be regulated via a thermostat. Adjusting substrate depth is the best way to regulate the temps.

[From Message 255

From: CRABLOVER DON <[email protected]>

Date: Mon Nov 1, 1999 6:58pm

Subject: EASY WATER...and answers for Julianne....and a note to Bruce]

What type of plants do you have in the tank with them?

Though people have placed live plants in the crabarium one needs to be warned that this can really put your crabs in jeopardy due to the attraction of mites and other critters and not to mention the possiblity of pesticides having been used on the plants....a slow and certain death for your crabs.

Crabs nurture best in a good steady 'climate' controlled atmosphere. Seventy-four degrees is the ideal temp for them. It is best to not have levels of temp from one extreme to another... 70 -80 degrees F is the best range... to keep your tank. You want to avoid turning an undertank heater on and off and avoid using a heat bulb for a primary heat source.

Please refer to other posts about heating and keeping them warm. The heat bulb tends to dry out the 'air' in the tank but with a natural sea sponge and under tank heater you can pretty much regulate the tank temps. The lack of warmth, then trying to warm them up by turning a heat source back on is a very risky choice for their health. With winter coming on for most of us it is very important to try t to get this 'undercontrol' before the weather really sets in. My numerous tanks maintain a n average temp of seventy five degrees YEAR ROUND with undertank heater and 15 watt nocturnal bulb going twenty-four/seven. WE use glass-hinged tops and prop them open a tad for circulation. The humidity levels are checked and regulated by using a humidity gauge. We try to keep those levels over sixty percent and no higher thn 85 percent. Temps can be regulated with additional substrate. If you have additional questions you may mail me and I will try to help you further.

Happy Crabbin'.... Don

Message 557

From: CRABLOVER DON <[email protected]>

Date: Tue Nov 30, 1999 3:30am

Subject: RE: Glass Lid/Moonglow Question

Christa:

That is the exact set up that I use. Remember that the moonglow bulb enhances but is NOT intended to heat the tank. Remember the easiest way to regulate temps is to move your substrate over your heater (Always think about heat rising.....). Less for warmer.... more for lower temps. You WILL melt the plastic strip if you put the bulb over it.... The bulb needs to be over the glass area. Seventy-two degrees at the substrate level? Sounds pretty good... but if you are still concerned, try re-arranging some of the substrate and see what you come up with. I like my insulated back-ups.... it never hurts, but things sound okay to me.... I wouldn't mess around too much with it since your ultimate goal is finding CONSISTENCY in a temp. As you know, I do not turn my 'bulb' or heater off at all...24/7 for both... since testing them out almost three years ago... "Don't mess with it if it ain't broke!"

Good Luck and Happy Crabbing!

Don

--- "Malik, Christa L." christa.malik@s... wrote:

Greetings, all!

I've got a [probably easy] question...

Do any of the folks who use glass lids & moonglow bulbs have a problem with enough heat getting through the glass?

As I said in a prior post, when I upgraded to a 30-gallon tank, I bought a glass lid. It doesn't completely cover the tank, so I used the plastic strip that came with it to seal off the back part. I set my moonglow bulb on top the glass because I was worried that it might melt the plastic strip if I set it there. The temp in the crabitat is registering 72 degrees this morning. That's with both the undertank heater & moonglow on. Perhaps should make a crab-gloo???

Is there a better way I can set-up the moonglow lamp or should I get another undertank heater? Thanks for any advice!

Message 573

From: CRABLOVER DON <[email protected]>

Date: Thu Dec 2, 1999 12:59pm

Subject: Re: tanks

Jillian:

The basic 'rule of thumb' from FMR is two small to medium crabs per gallon of tank... Soooooooo there is a little room for company! Your little one would probably really enjoy having a buddy! Happy Crabbing!

CLD

--- Jilliane Marie Mc Coy mccoyjm@p... wrote:

Hi everyone!

I have a question. How many crabs can you fit into a 3 galloon tank? At school, that is what I have, because anything bigger in my itty bitty dorm room and my roommate and I wouldn't be able to move at all! I have

1 small one in there, but I'd like to get a bigger one. I just don't

know if there is enough room for it. If I can't get a bigger one, do you think 2 more small ones would be too much for the tank? Thanks for your help with my dilemma! :O) I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and a great day! Only 7 more days of the semester and 10 more days until I go home! Yeah!!:O)

*Jilliane :O)

VIVE LES CRABES!

Message 758

From: CRABLOVER DON <[email protected]>

Date: Sat Jan 1, 2000 1:23pm

Subject: Re: I lost one...

Hi Ken:

Sorry to learn of LEO's demise. Many times when you lose a little one so soon after 'adoption', you have to question the conditions he may have had at the pet store where he was purchased. Or again, it could have been the oft situation that you suggested... with the 'shell takeover'... LEO may, or may not have given up his shell voluntarily... If he was not well, he may have left his shell and then BABY came upon an 'empty' shell... You might never know the true circumstances.

Did it appear that there was a 'struggle'... i.e. possible missing leg or claw? Or was he 'just dead'?

It is possible that LEO was 'killed' for the shell take over... Luckily, I have never had that happen with my guys, but it does take place. Two guys of the same or approximate size have been known to 'fight' over a shell... It is always best to follow that old two to three extra shells PER crab 'ROT'...(Rule Of Thumb) with the extra shells available, at least the chances of a direct 'takeover' would be less likely...

The number of guys you 'keep/care for' can be as many as you please as long as it is over a single guy!

These little fellas are SO sociable that they really thrive on companionship! I might have taken the adage..."The MORE the MERRIER" too far... but I wouldn't change things at all at this point... It really fascinates me to watch the social habits of my guys... The manner in which they interact with one another... the distinct 'personalities' of individual guys who never fail to amaze me... the fun I have listening to their 'noise making banter'... that distinct croaking/barking sound of them communicating with one another! These guys keep me going with their constant antics.... from my little 'possum guys' who love to climb and 'hang' upside down on their favorite choya branch to the several "E's" who have developed the 'art' of climbing the glass corners... using the silicone 'sealant' to aid this feat... they could give 'Spiderman' a run for his money...

Those glistening eyes and fluttering antennae greeting me at the sound of my voice or the scamper of that tiny little fellow running across the tank to see where the action is...those little click-clack sounds of their shells taping along the sides of the tank become 'music' to my ears... It's sort of life NYC here.... The City that never sleeps! With the 'gang' we have, there is ALWAYS some activity!!!!

Ken, in a five gallon tank, you could easily 'house' up to ten small to medium guys. ("R.O.T"...two small/medium guys PER gallon ...) I don't know if you were aware of the fact that setting up a five gallon home often cost a great deal more than purchasing and 'going' with the 'standard' ten gallon size. I do realize that space often dictates going with a smaller set-up, but with the 'standard' size, the aquarium, a 'hinged' glass lid, light strip, etc. are often less expensive than trying to find and purchase the same equipment for a smaller size aquarium... Why? Because the ten gallon size is considered the most popular size and is more readily available...they are mass produced by most of the companies... so they can be sold at a better price... I paid twice the amount for a two-and a half gallon iso tank than I paid for a ten gallon one. We, also, have a five gallon iso and the accessories for it and the smaller one cost more than twice the cost of the whole set up for our first ten gallon tank. And just think how you can e x p a n d your little colony of buddies!

In closing may i suggest that you go out and find yourself a LEO II and an extra few (friends) ....(sorry 'bout the bad pun)... but don't forget some extra shells! Let Us Know!!

Good Luck and Happy Crabbing!!!

Message 795

From: CRABLOVER DON <[email protected]>

Date: Thu Jan 6, 2000 7:06pm

Subject: Re: Glass aquarium tops?

Hi Chuck:

Don't know how much help this will be, but I have found that the 'glass tank top' is referred to by several different names by the different aquarium makers/ manufacturers. Perfecto calls theirs a 'glass canopy' others refer to them as 'folding glass covers'...

I am not sure where you live, but I do know that PetsSuppliesPlus, PetSupermarket and Superpetz all carry these. I went through a similar thing looking for an incandescent 'strip light'... I was repeatedly told that they were not available...not made, not sold separately... but after pointing one out to the clerk, I was told she 'knew' them as 'light bars'... I was then directed to a section of 'hood covers'... Where I found my 'folding glass covers' and 'strip light', among the 'regular hood covers'... If not 'in stock',

I have had good 'luck' with these places ordering the 'glass covers' for me. You might try checking for one under a different 'name'... or e-mail me at the following address: kritterlandusa@y... and I will try to see if I can get you some more info about locating one. They are really worth it!

Good Luck and Happy Crabbing!

CLD

--- Chuck Renaud cjrenaud@s... wrote:

> Hello,

> I'm trying to find a lightless humidity-retaining (sliding glass) top for a standard 10 gallon aquarium. No luck at the local pet stores or online.

> Does anyone have a URL they can pass along?

> TIA,

> Chuck

Message 877

From: CRABLOVER DON <[email protected]>

Date: Thu Jan 27, 2000 6:38am

Subject: A Tip from Kritterland...........

Hi Folks:

Hope those of you in the eastern U.S. though buried in this blizzard of snow, are keeping "warm and toasty"... thought I wouls share a tip that I posted on another forum to which I post regularly. It was in response to a question of how to keep our little fellows warm if the heat went off... Pat suggested placing them in a critter carrier then under the covers in a warm, toasty bed... or hold them next to her body....

I know it is a repeat for those of you from LHC, but I thought I would share the contingency plan here at Kritterland. It's just another little Tip from Kritterland... May be it will work for some of you out there! Enjoy and Happy Crabbing!!! Keep Warm!!!!

Don

--------------------------------------------------------------

W&T...A Tip from KRITTERLAND....

--------------------------------------------------------------

Hi All:

Might let everyone in on a little secret! This fits somewhat into Pat's question of "what if".... Well, here is the plan we have in place at Kritterland... Never had to use it yet... *knock wood*... really hope we won't have to... We refer to the plan as "Project Warm and Toasty"...

Here goes:

You know those little "heat warmer' things that you can 'crush' and they can keep your hands warm? (Most sporting goods stores carry them... we bought some at an Army Surplus store.)

Well... we keep some around just incase... We have used them in the past to transport guys on very cold days... Place a 'critter carrier' inside of a larger styrofoam or soft-sided insulated cooler... put one of these 'heaters' inside the 'cooler' and your little guys will do pretty well... You can get the heaters in different ranges... (the length of time they will stay active) Read the instructions and note that oxygen is needed for them to work correctly. You can punch a few holes in the styrofoam cooler or leave the zipper unzipped for the air flow...

Do NOT try putting one of these into their regular tank as the concentrated heat they give off could harm your guys. Especially, if a little crabbie decided investigate and sit on it... Direct contact might be dangerous if one of the little guys would decide to investigate and break the bag open... You really wouldn't want to present any danger to the little ones...

Basically, this is what FMR does in shipping out orders of crabs during the cooler periods. I have actually been at the pet stores when an order of crabs has come in from FMR... I noticed how active the little guys seemed to be in that shipping box... The guys were safe in their 'gunny' sack with one of those 'heaters' packed inside of the insulated shipping box.

Have discussed the situation with Kathy... I figured that if this would work for shipping crabs that I could apply it to keeping my guys warm as a short time solution incase we lost power... INCASE (hopefully, not!)*knock wood* I don't really want to have to go through this, but if it does happen, we are prepared...!!!!

So for all you past G.S. and B.S., Brownies and Cubs, out there...do your thing! You might want to be prepared and think about this... Just INCASE!

...just another 'tip' from the guys at Kritterland...

Let's hope no one has to do any EMERGENCY housing... but just incase, there is an alternative! I love Pat's suggestion, but don't think my bed is big enough for all my guys and me! We might be getting some of the 'white stuff' later in the week! Hope all can keep warm and toasty without loss of heat!

Happy Crabbing and Warm Fuzzies from the Guys at Kritterland... to all of our "Frozen Friends" out there...

Don

Message 894

From: CRABLOVER DON <[email protected]>

Date: Tue Feb 1, 2000 7:25pm

Subject: Re: Hi all - new to list / Heating/Humidity attn.: TOM

Tom:

Welcome to Hermies! Hope I can help answer your questions... first of all, you mentioned cracking the bottom of the aquarium because of your under the tank heater. What are you using for substrate? You mentioned the humidity level, but what was the tank temperature? What kind of heater were you using? What were the temperature ranges for this heater for hermit crabs, you should not use a heater that heats up to more than 85 degrees F. FMR makes a fantastic under the tank heater made especially for the use with Hermit Crabs. The basic 'rule of thumb' for substrate depth is twice as deep as the height of your largest crab. (ie. if the shell is two inches high, you would need four inches of substrate)

Tom, a seventy percent level of humidity is rather high. A preferred level is between fifty and sixty percent humidity. As you noted bacterial growth is a problem of too much moisture. Your main goal is to MAINTAIN a constant temperature and humidity level.

You mentioned using two fifteen watt bulbs and the fact that you turn them off and on... Neither of these practices is recommended. A maximum of ONE fifteen watt 'heat' (moonglow) bulb is recommended for the use in a ten gallon tank... otherwise you run the chances of drying out and baking your crabs... with the humidity level as high as you now have it would most definitely lead to a dangerous situation.... bacterial growths, steaming your crabs... The ceramic heat lamp you mentioned is definitely something you do not wish to explore. Heat bulbs and lamps should never be used as a primary source for heating a tank for hermit crabs.

You mentioned reading some past messages. Please go back and use the search engine option in the message archives and enter "heating" to bring up the numerous posts about heating suggestions and requirements... May I suggest that you begin with Archives 21... 10/15/99...message 14 ("Keepin' 'em Warm") I believe several of your questions are addressed and answered in this post. If you will look back at these prior posts, I think it would be very beneficial.

I would seriously recommend that you look into getting a FMR heater. Visit the FMR Website at www..fmrpets.com and look at their products. Their heaters are super... PETdiscounters.com sells them online at a very reasonable price. If you have not done so you really need to get your temperature at a level somewhere between 70 and 85 degrees F... 74 degrees F is considered the perfect temp for the guys... Please lower the humidity level closer to 50/60 percent. Remember that heat rises... a sponge in a water dish can do wonders in creating humidity using an under the tank heater. Hope this helped some... after checking out the archives if you need further answers or clarification please holler...

Again, glad you have joined us. We have a great group of folks as members of this site... We are a good cross section of seasoned and novice crabbers... and enjoy sharing our experiences and observations!

Happy Crabbing!

CLD aka Crablover Don

Moderator

--- RBound55@a... wrote:

> From: RBound55@a...

> Hi all-

>I'm new to the list and will probably have questions here and there. I've been reading some past messages and am so glad I found this list! I've got 6 hermies in a 10 gallon tank right now. I had to replace a tank already because the undertank heating pad cracked it - (although I had only 1¸" of substrate as directed). So now I'm using a standard aquarium hood with two 15 watt incandescent bulbs - but I only use the light now and again to get the temperature up - wouldn't want to dry the poor guys out. I also switch to the night bulbs at night to simulatethe moonlight. They seem to like the darkness. Some sources don't recommend using lights, but I guess it's ok because I'm careful about keeping the humidity up in at tropical levels. Whats' the general consensus about the best methods for heating?

> Does anyone have any experience using those ceramic heating bulbs used for reptiles? It seems like that will give off heat without the drying effect that light can have. If I had a bigger tank, I think I would go that route.

> Also, I keep the humidity over 70 all the time - but I worry about bacteria because it seems the only way to keep the humidity up is to keep most of the tank covered - which does not allow for the freshest air in the tank. - of course, I clean the sides of the tank a lot too.

Does the environment have to stay humid all day or only part of the day? In the wild, there must be times when it's not humid....

>Tom!