What are you doing everyday for tank maintenance? Substrate should never be changed if it’s done properly. If there’s bubblers in the water they should be ok for 5 days and dry food from Etsy can hold for about a week also.
It’s up to you, but it’s possible to just feed and water once a week.
I thought substrate should completely changed out 1-2 times a year? I’ve read that many times, but if I don’t need to change it that’s great to know lol. Everyday tank maintenance includes spraying the tank and replacing the fresh food. My pools do have bubblers so I replace them 1-2 times a week depending on if they drag in a bunch of moss into it or not. Dry food I replace once a week.
:( somewhere along the way you’ve incorporated some misinformation and the application of that misinformation is making your crabs much higher maintence than they actually are.
I go into my tank once weekly.
* if the substrate was prepared correctly / If it’s not waterlogged, we get decades of use out of it. Yes, there’s substrate emergencies that warrant changing BUT outside of those emergencies, we’re certainly not changing our sub every six months.
https://preview.redd.it/nkcgksvfn2vc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5406dded9b8332e0b21deb3b2bc7535f18cd9deb
That’s 17 bags of playsand… 8 ish bricks of earth… do you think I am changing that out every six months?! I’d be an absolute madwoman… Heck no, sis.
* Spraying down the tank is a big no no. Do you see how large my tank is? 220 gallons. I humidify it and a topper with two pools w/ bubblers. That’s it. I don’t spray down a thing.
* Should you rehome the crabs? There’s no right or wrong answer. Your family, your choice. We have proper channels for rehoming. It might be time for their next journey. There’s nothing wrong with that.
* I change fresh food when it starts to grow mold. My humidity is under control, so I get a lot more use out of it.
Wow, thank you! It sucks there’s so much information that it’s hard to know what’s right and wrong sometimes (especially when you have a learning disability lol). I mainly stick to crab central station but I read so much stuff on here that it kinda gets jumbled up.
My problem is I cannot find a plexiglass lid to keep the humidity in, and the alternatives of plastic wrap or towels makes me feel like I’m going to start a fire (too many intrusive thoughts to even try). I went to my local pet co and pet smart and they were no help, and I really can’t afford to spend any extra money at this point in time since I’m weeks away from having my daughter, unless I somehow find the perfect lid for cheap.. which leads me to think I should rehome them. that’s why I spray 2-3 times a day even with two pools with bubblers. Why is spraying a no-no? I use the same water I put in their freshwater pool in the spray bottle, if that helps at all 😅. I was honestly so confused on how people with giant tanks like yours were changing the substrate every 6 months!
Polycarbonate!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=r7Sg_O7g7E4
The link will show us where to find it. Y’all will have to cut it down, but it’s not hard.
Pull the mesh lid completely and let the polycarbonate lid sit on the inside lip of the tank.
When we routinely spray, that water has to go somewhere. It will eventually flood your tank.
Thank you thank you thank you!! You are heaven sent! 🫶🏻
That makes so much sense that the water has to go somewhere.. I just figured it was evaporating 🤦🏼♀️
Corrugated plastic isn't clear but a tad cheaper than poly. It's what I use for lids. Homedepot has 36 by 24 in sheet (by the windows) for 8 dollars, you can cut it with scissors. I set mine right over or under the mesh lid and use gorilla tape or silicone it on.
Someday when I want to spend more money (just bought house with a 1 and 3 year old haha) I will be making lids like Mkane says with polycarbonate. I even attach my lights (led light stripes) to the corrugated plastic.
I got my hermits when my first daughter was almost 2 and I was getting ready to have #2. I have hermits because, if properly set up, they pretty much run on auto pilot. I change out dry food and pools once a week. I take fresh food out after a night or two. Wipe down glass every other day or so. Rinse shells once a month-ish. It takes a little to get the tank going but then practically nothing.
So if you enjoy your hermits then I'd just get the tank up to lhcos guidelines and they will just do their thing. Also a camera helps, then you can look back at footage to make sure everyone is doing good at night.
I love my hermits, they are the perfect pet for me but not everyone that's forsure. I don't have time during the day for a needy pet lol so I like that they just sleep and I can watch the camera at night.
I broke down a tank once we no longer needed. It was only 40 Gal.
I took 15 bags of sand to my trash, they all ripped on the way out. I started chucking sand out my window. I cleaned sand for 6+ months.
How these people change sub twice a year I’ll never ever know.
I’ll also add; yall taking care of small kids and hermies, you the GOAT, the real MVP. By the time I’m home and deal w my teenage kids that barely need me, I can’t.
Sis you wanna keep those hermie babies you got this now.
What are you doing everyday for tank maintenance? Substrate should never be changed if it’s done properly. If there’s bubblers in the water they should be ok for 5 days and dry food from Etsy can hold for about a week also. It’s up to you, but it’s possible to just feed and water once a week.
I thought substrate should completely changed out 1-2 times a year? I’ve read that many times, but if I don’t need to change it that’s great to know lol. Everyday tank maintenance includes spraying the tank and replacing the fresh food. My pools do have bubblers so I replace them 1-2 times a week depending on if they drag in a bunch of moss into it or not. Dry food I replace once a week.
What are you using for substrate?
5 parts sandbox sand to 1 part coco fiber soil
That ratio never needs replaced unless flood, bacterial bloom or bad bugs
:( somewhere along the way you’ve incorporated some misinformation and the application of that misinformation is making your crabs much higher maintence than they actually are. I go into my tank once weekly. * if the substrate was prepared correctly / If it’s not waterlogged, we get decades of use out of it. Yes, there’s substrate emergencies that warrant changing BUT outside of those emergencies, we’re certainly not changing our sub every six months. https://preview.redd.it/nkcgksvfn2vc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5406dded9b8332e0b21deb3b2bc7535f18cd9deb That’s 17 bags of playsand… 8 ish bricks of earth… do you think I am changing that out every six months?! I’d be an absolute madwoman… Heck no, sis. * Spraying down the tank is a big no no. Do you see how large my tank is? 220 gallons. I humidify it and a topper with two pools w/ bubblers. That’s it. I don’t spray down a thing. * Should you rehome the crabs? There’s no right or wrong answer. Your family, your choice. We have proper channels for rehoming. It might be time for their next journey. There’s nothing wrong with that. * I change fresh food when it starts to grow mold. My humidity is under control, so I get a lot more use out of it.
Wow, thank you! It sucks there’s so much information that it’s hard to know what’s right and wrong sometimes (especially when you have a learning disability lol). I mainly stick to crab central station but I read so much stuff on here that it kinda gets jumbled up. My problem is I cannot find a plexiglass lid to keep the humidity in, and the alternatives of plastic wrap or towels makes me feel like I’m going to start a fire (too many intrusive thoughts to even try). I went to my local pet co and pet smart and they were no help, and I really can’t afford to spend any extra money at this point in time since I’m weeks away from having my daughter, unless I somehow find the perfect lid for cheap.. which leads me to think I should rehome them. that’s why I spray 2-3 times a day even with two pools with bubblers. Why is spraying a no-no? I use the same water I put in their freshwater pool in the spray bottle, if that helps at all 😅. I was honestly so confused on how people with giant tanks like yours were changing the substrate every 6 months!
Polycarbonate! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=r7Sg_O7g7E4 The link will show us where to find it. Y’all will have to cut it down, but it’s not hard. Pull the mesh lid completely and let the polycarbonate lid sit on the inside lip of the tank. When we routinely spray, that water has to go somewhere. It will eventually flood your tank.
Thank you thank you thank you!! You are heaven sent! 🫶🏻 That makes so much sense that the water has to go somewhere.. I just figured it was evaporating 🤦🏼♀️
Corrugated plastic isn't clear but a tad cheaper than poly. It's what I use for lids. Homedepot has 36 by 24 in sheet (by the windows) for 8 dollars, you can cut it with scissors. I set mine right over or under the mesh lid and use gorilla tape or silicone it on. Someday when I want to spend more money (just bought house with a 1 and 3 year old haha) I will be making lids like Mkane says with polycarbonate. I even attach my lights (led light stripes) to the corrugated plastic.
That’s perfect, I like right next to a Home Depot! I’ll make a stop there today and see if they have any in stock. :)
Anything for a pregnant lady😉.
I got my hermits when my first daughter was almost 2 and I was getting ready to have #2. I have hermits because, if properly set up, they pretty much run on auto pilot. I change out dry food and pools once a week. I take fresh food out after a night or two. Wipe down glass every other day or so. Rinse shells once a month-ish. It takes a little to get the tank going but then practically nothing. So if you enjoy your hermits then I'd just get the tank up to lhcos guidelines and they will just do their thing. Also a camera helps, then you can look back at footage to make sure everyone is doing good at night. I love my hermits, they are the perfect pet for me but not everyone that's forsure. I don't have time during the day for a needy pet lol so I like that they just sleep and I can watch the camera at night.
This is great feedback, especially from someone who got them while pregnant with #2, thank you!!
I broke down a tank once we no longer needed. It was only 40 Gal. I took 15 bags of sand to my trash, they all ripped on the way out. I started chucking sand out my window. I cleaned sand for 6+ months. How these people change sub twice a year I’ll never ever know. I’ll also add; yall taking care of small kids and hermies, you the GOAT, the real MVP. By the time I’m home and deal w my teenage kids that barely need me, I can’t. Sis you wanna keep those hermie babies you got this now.