crabstreetjournal.com

Crayola Play Sand

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 22:30:00 +0000

Article reprinted here with exclusive permission to Marie (ladybug15057) for use on the Crab Street Journal and, by author's stipulations, may not be reprinted elsewhere. You are always welcome to link to this article.

There is a newer product on the market called Crayola play sand. It comes in 4 vibrant colors pink, purple, green and blue which means some form of coloring additive is used. From past research I have done, I had learned that just because it is FDA, OHSA, EPA, etc. approved or within their standards, or considered safe for children does this necessarily mean it is safe for one to put within the crabitat where our hermit crabs live their whole lives while living in captivity with us.

Methods for heating your crabitat

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 02:10:00 +0000

Compilation of information by Vanessa Pike-Russell and Stacy Griffith

To keep your hermit crabs healthy and happy their environment should be kept in optimum temperature and humidity levels. If you are not able to keep the environment stable then your crabs will weaken and become stressed which will lead to death.

Handling your hermit crab

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 23:20:00 +0000

Whether your hermit crabs like to be handled a lot will depend on the nature of the crab's personality, previous experience with handling and whether it trusts you or not. Whenever handling hermies you should make sure your hands are cleaned before and after interaction, both to prevent the chemicals, oils and perfumes to transfer from you to the hermit crabs, and the potential transfer of contaminated shell water (gunky with foodstuff, wastes etc). We always wash our hands after interactions with dogs, cats, rats, rabbits etc so it is only common sense to do the same with hermit crab

Exercise and your Land Hermit Crab

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 02:20:00 +0000

by Vanessa Pike-Russell

There are many things you can do when playing with your crab. Why not set up an obstacle course of driftwood, rocks or plastic tubing? Hermit crabs just love to climb and exhibit their acrobatic skills. In the wild some hermit crabs live in trees, so it is a good idea to have something for them to climb on!

Premolt Symptom Observations

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:10:00 +0000

At times, crabbers become concerned due to certain actions their hermit crabs are beginning to display. Often, they are concerned that the hermit crab is ill, or has another form of complication happening that needs attention. Where, as on occasions, the symptoms they are observing may be due to a stressful situation, whether it be from their past or current living conditions, there are many times that the hermit crab is displaying premolt symptoms. If one knows that he/she has provided the hermit crab with the essentials it needs to thrive (proper humidity level, proper temperature, proper diet, bacteria/mold and a pest-free environment, etc.), what you are beginning to observe may very well be premolt symptoms that the hermit crab is displaying. With the numerous molts we have had, I would like to share some of the premolt symptoms I have observed with our hermit crabs and hope it can be of some help to ease other crabbers concerns.

Chirping or Croaking

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 02:40:00 +0000

If you have heard it, you would think that it sounds like something between a frog croak's, a chicken's clucking and something else thrown in for good measure.

"The land hermit crab sometimes communicates by a whirring-chirping sound, though not too often. These noises usually have been heard during aggressive encounters in the crabs' natural environment and are seldom heard in captivity. The only behavior observed that may resemble aggression has been when one crab shakes or rocks another to drive him from a shell the aggressor wants. Even in this act neither crab is harmed." (Nash, P. 1976)

"Land hermit crabs... produce clicking sounds by intentionally tapping the shells and rapping legs as well as make stridulating sounds by rubbing legs together. This noise-making is used in hermit crab communication, including aggressive displays. If a hermit crab tries to climb onto another or makes contact with it, both crabs may stridulate in annoyance. (Philippe de Vosjoli, 1999)

References,:

Nash, P. 1976

de Vosjoli, Philippe. The Care of Land Hermit Crabs.Advanced Vivarium Systems; (August 1999)

Choosing Your Hermit Crabs

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 02:30:00 +0000

By Vanessa Pike-Russell

Look closely at the hermit crab environment and ask questions about the food, bedding, housing and temperature needs for your new pets. If you have never owned hermit crabs before a book on caring for hermit crabs is a wonderful resource. There is a list of hermit crab guides listed under Books in Product Reviews. Make sure that you can purchase extra shells from the shop or alternatively from a seashell shop, craft store or tourist shop ( see shells for more information.)

Should we change our minds about bathing our hermit crabs?

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:40:00 +0000

By Bill (Kazabee, Inc.)

The purpose of this post/poll is twofold; one is to present information that is known about the natural biology of hermit crabs (Coenobita spp.), and how it relates to the effects of regular bathing. The second purpose is to find out if such information will cause some crabbers to change their mind regarding the practice of actively bathing pet hermit crabs. This is a repost of my original. A minor change in the wording of the poll questin had to be made and this was the only way to edit it. I apologize for the inconvenience.

Bathing your Land hermit Crab

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:30:00 +0000

Bathing

It is important that your land hermit crabs are able to bathe themselves. Bathing allows your hermit crab to rehydrate, flush out the feces and wash off the sticky juices and food stuffs which are present when you offer fresh fruit, seafood and commercial diets.

Essentials List

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:10:00 +0000

This is a list of the items that are required for properly caring for your pet land hermit crab