does any one in here own a hermit crab?

Question

how long does it take till it changes its shell?? what if it doesnt eat anything?? answers i need answers!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

Quite an interesting array of answers here!

A crab will change it's shell just as many times as it wants to.. kind of like a gal trying on shoes. Purple Pinchers LOVE to change shells. Some of our crabs change weekly and daily! IF they are healthy and happy they will do that from time to time.. they do change more times than 4 a year..LOL
Rule of thumb is at least 3 extra shells per crab.. but we do 6 or more and rotate the selections often.. make sure they are similar shells to what he is in.. Turbos, tapestry turbos, japanese snail shells etc.

If you only have one crab I would suggest to get just one more.. since they are very social creatures he will be more active with a tank mate.

In the wild they live in tropical areas on beaches where it is warm and humid.. they live in colonies of 100 or more and are very social creatures. Even tho they are named hermit crabs they are not hermits at all.. their name comes from carrying their home on their back. a shell where they are alone.

Tank conditions must be kept quite specific in order for him to live for any peroid of time. Land Hermit Crabs, breathe through modified gills therfore they must have the proper humidty in order to breathe as well as the proper temperatre in order to thrive.
You need to monitor all of the tank conditions. One for the temp and one for the humidity will get you started. Keep them as close to substrate level as possible since that is where the crabs are most of the time.
76 - 80 degrees and everyone will be fine. Do not allow the Hermit Crabs to get cold for long periods or they can die. Humidity ranges should be around 76-80% relative, sustained.
With in these levels your crabs and their home will be a happy and active one. If it gets too warm, you can always prop up the lid, same if the humidity gets too high, prop the lid up.To add moisture/humidity add an extra moist sponge or even a bubbler in their water dish.
Use only de-chlorinated or bottled water for everything Hermit Crabs related. The chemicals in tap water (chlorine and heavy metals are toxic to Hermit Crabs also will burn their modified gills.)
You can treat tap water by using a water conditioner for fish, make sure their drinking water doesn't have stress-coat in it though.
Land Hermit Crabs must have both fresh and salt water for drinking. The salt should be obtained from a good aquarium store or pet department, reading the directions carefully.
The fresh water should be de-chlorinated as well. Both dishes should be deep enough for your largest Hermit Crab to fully submerse it's self, while at the same time provide items like shells, smooth stones for your smaller crabs to use to get in and out of the water. One or both water sources can have bubblers or sponges, it is up to you.

Now as with food.. they do eat even if you think they are not... some eat alot others just pick BUT it depends on what you are offereing them too.. if you are JUST feeding them whole pellet foods then do not expect them to eat alot.. it is not the best for them and most people do not know it is best to grind it up.

We do not offer ANY commercial foods here at the rescue only all natural human grade fresh fruits veggies meats and fish.

Alfalfa (fresh and dried)
Almonds
Apples (fresh and dried)
Avocado
Banana (fresh and dried)
Barley
Beef
Bell Peppers
Blackberries
Bloodworms
Blue berries
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Brown Rice
Cantelope
Carrots (fresh, cooked and tops too)
Celery leaves
Total, Cheerios or Kashi Cereal
Calendula Flowers
Chamomlie Flowers
Chicken (cooked and raw)
Crushed and ground up chicken bones
Cholla Wood
Cilantro (fresh and dried)
Clams
Clover (flowers and leaves)
Coconut (fresh and dried)
Collards
Cork Bark
Corn
Crickets
Cucumber
Cuttlefish Bone
Dandelions (all parts)
Dried Kelp and Sea Weed
Dulse and Dulse Flakes
Feeder goldfish
Fish Flakes
Flax seeds and meal
Garbanzos
Grape Leaves and Grape Vine
Grapes
Grasshoppers
Hibiscus Flowers
Honey (natural and Organic)
Kaytee Healthy Topping
Mango (fresh and dried)
Mealy Worms
Milk Thistle (flowers)
Oak Leaves (dried and crumbled)
Ocean Plankton
Peanutbutter (unsweetened, unsalted and organic)
Pears
Popcorn (unsalted and unbuttered, plain air popped)
Raisins (unsweetened, organic)
Rose (petals, buds, hips.. dried or fresh)
Red Raspberry leaves and fruit
Sea weeds Dried
Silversides (smelly fish)
Salmon
Spinach
Sunflower seeds (unsalted)
Shrimp (dried, raw, cooked, all parts, skins too)
Spirulina (powder, disks etc)
Sweet Potato
Tuna
Wax Worms
Whole oats (rolled, non instant oatmeal)

NO NOs
No human/table salt
no butter
no garlic
No onions
no chemicals
no preservatives
no artifical anything

Answer 2

It depends how old it is...if a baby, it could take a month or so. They usually change thier shells four times a year. You can check with the pet store you got it from. If you did not get it from a store call your nearest one and see if they have shells of diffeent sizes because you can not know which size it will inhabit. Also ask the pet store if they carry food for crabs, sometimes if they are either ready to change shells they will not eat for a few days. Just keep it in a cool place and keep you eye on it

Answer 3

they are veryy effortless to guard. basically be particular they have food and water and sparkling out the cage on occasion and you're sturdy. oh, and be particular they constantly have spare shells, the comparable length and extra advantageous, with the aid of fact they decide to alter shells often. the cons are that they are not that they are not cuddly, so in case you like some thing to maintain you company, i could propose a dogs or small rodent. yet they are sort of relaxing to visual reveal unit, considering the fact that they are constantly mountaineering and while they get used to you and your touch, they are going to be very friendly with you. you ought to be careful with them however, in the event that they experience scared or threatened, or in the event that they get too chilly, they are going to pinch you, and conversing from journey, it hurts like hell. yet different than that, they are truly fantastically thrilling. in case you do finally end up getting hermit crabs, i could propose getting 2 or extra, considering the fact that they decide to have company. yet don't have massive length modifications, with the aid of fact the better ones will sometimes kill smaller ones.

Answer 4

My kids got some in Florida years ago while on vacation. They were so interesting and fun, you can just watch them for hours. Then there are a few that are just evil! My son's fovorite one pinched the crap out of him, he was from then on called "A S S H O L E ".
This page might help.
http://www.shuntington.k12.ny.us/schools/birchwood/CHILDS/hermitcrabs/hermitcrabweb.htm#Behavior

Answer 5

yes. they change shells as they grow. that is why you need a variety of sizes. you can also see them change into different shells of the same size. they don't eat a lot don't worry also make sure to turn out the light at night.

Answer 6

Until it grows bigger...2 months tops. It HAS to eat..Give it a sponge with water..

Answer 7

i got three.keep a little bigger shells available in the tank.they may look like they dont eat but often eat at night when your asleep.

Answer 8

i do . dont worry its okay. warning!!!! do not foolow answer

Answer 9

no