My Hermit Crabs PIC HEAVY

[Shelbers91]

My purple pincher land hermit crabs that I have had between 4-6 years. Lyla 6, Hermie about 4.5 and pretzel about 4ish years.

__________ Fri Feb 22, 2013 8:50 am __________

Lyla crab started it all when I saw her in horrible conditions in a gift shop in myrtle beach. I bought her and 2 others at that time for only $1 each (one who died of pps and another go died from a massive tumor) poor things I got this Hermie after the original Hermie died to keep Lyla company since hermit crabs despite their name are actually very social living in groups of hundreds in the wild. Then I got pretzel from my nephew who got him at a pet store then the "fun" wore off. I think once Lyla is maybe around 9 or 10 I will get some little equidorians maybe.

__________ Fri Feb 22, 2013 8:51 am __________

 

[Wyldrose]

Love your set up We have 2 right now, both pp's too.

 

[Shelbers91]

Thank you I went through a lot of doodling to think of the best way to keep everything separate. They are messy little critters. They are fun to watch even though most of the time you don't see them, when you do it makes it exciting.

I hate when people misjudge what thy need though ya know? They may be cheap to buy but they are not cheap to get a good habitat set up. Ya know?

 

[siddsaysgimmie]

They look sooooo neat! What do they eat and how can you tell them apart if they change shells?

 

[Shelbers91]

Well a lot of hermit crab food has insecticides in it to repel insects since the crabs are also invertebrates that can build up in their system so they basically get what the birds get fresh fruits and veggies, rice and quinoa sometimes meat but mostly a an egg protein powder supplement from the bird ware house and some bird pellets too (harrisons, tropican and or roudybush) since there's nothing harmful in those. And they love millet. Lyla is obsessed with corn and collects it all and buries it all for safe keeping. Lol

I can tell them apart from personality plus sexual characteristics. Lyla and pretzel will both come almost all the way out of their shells, Hermie is antisocial so idk what sex he actually is. On females When you look at their very very back feet if they have a black dot in the middle called sporicles(sp?) for males to place sperm. But they can't breed in captivity even with a recreated ocean so all pet hermit crabs were taken from the wild. I don't like it but I try to give them what I can that's closest to their natural environment.

 

[UK-backyardbunnies]

Hermits are soooooo cuuuuuuuuute!

 

[Shelbers91]

Yes they are! And they can give you butterfly kisses!!

 

[ladysown]

why can't they breed in captivity? is there something missing in the water??

 

[siddsaysgimmie]

They have such an unexpected diet.. they sound like interesting pets!

 

[Wyldrose]

why can't they breed in captivity? is there something missing in the water??

Female hermit crabs lay their eggs in tide pools in the ocean, they spend the first few weeks aquatic, then find a shell and move onto land. I have heard of a few people who have got eggs to hatch but they didn't survive their first few weeks. They had a lot of zoea eat each other too, so you need a huge tank to simulate a tide pool.<br /><br />__________ Sat Mar 02, 2013 3:05 pm __________<br /><br />Have you ever tried feeding them poo? I give mine a couple bunny "pellets" and they love worm castings(poo) as well. Freeze dried bloodworms don't last long too

 

[Shelbers91]

why can't they breed in captivity? is there something missing in the water??

Female hermit crabs lay their eggs in tide pools in the ocean, they spend the first few weeks aquatic, then find a shell and move onto land. I have heard of a few people who have got eggs to hatch but they didn't survive their first few weeks. They had a lot of zoea eat each other too, so you need a huge tank to simulate a tide pool.

__________ Sat Mar 02, 2013 3:05 pm __________

Have you ever tried feeding them poo? I give mine a couple bunny "pellets" and they love worm castings(poo) as well. Freeze dried bloodworms don't last long too

Thanks for splaining that before I got back on here. and well.. The only poo they eat is there own at the moment. I tried composting with worms before but it didnt work. Was very dry summer and parents wouldnt let me keep em in the garage. I may try again since I still have my worm bin. Would mouse poops be good? I can assume rabbit poop would be ok for them. They like blood worms and freeze dried shrimp. They are like.. iffy on crickets but will eat parts.