QuestionQUESTION: I've had the same hermit crab now for many months at least 8 or 9 mths and I can't believe he's still alive. Most of the hermit crabs I've purchased from pet stores don't make it especially when they molt they often die. It also seems like if I have more than 1 the other one will die soon after bringing home from Pet Store but this hermit crab (we call Mr. Crab) has actually lived the longest for the past 8-9 mths without any friends. Do you think hermit crabs really get lonely? It seems like Mr. Crab has done fine without any friends, I'm afraid if I bring one home from Pet Store one will die as they have in the past. What do you think friend or no friend for Mr. Crab?
ANSWER: I am less concerned about whether Mr. Crab would like a friend than I am about why your other crabs are dying. What is your tank like? What is your humidity/temperature? Do you offer salt and fresh water? Is it dechlorinated? Do you handle your crabs? Spray perfumes?
All of these things, if not maintained properly can lead to death in your crabitat.
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QUESTION: I have a 10 gallon glass aquarium with calci sand (that the pet store recommended for crabs) and a reptile heater on the bottom but only on one side. I try to mist the cage occasionally for humidity and I also have wet sponges for humidity. I have one container of salt water and one container of fresh water. I don't know what you mean by dechlorinated but I use bottled water for both and treat both with a product I get at the pet store called Aqua Pure that claims it makes tap water safe for hermit crabs. The average temperature of the tank is about 70-75 degrees. We do handle the crabs occasionally when we bathe them but we don't spray perfumes any where near their tank. I don't know so much if its what I'm doing to them or am I just buying unhealthy crabs that are coming home from the pet store sick. I have 2 dogs and 2 guinea pigs also as pets and they eat nothing but organic raw food and are given vitamin supplements and are extremely healthy according to my vet. I try my very best to take care of all my animals including my hermit crabs. But like I said before if I'm bringing home unhealthy specimens from the pet store I'm afraid of Mr. Crab who seems very healthy of catching or getting these diseases, but I don't want him to be lonely. Thanks for your concern.
AnswerHermit crabs don't really have diseases that kill them or that they pass to one another except for bacterial infection and that eats away at their exoskeleton and is extremely noticeable. PPS (post purchase stress/syndrome) rarely wipes out a batch of crabs, usually it's about one in five, depending on the conditions. Are you water pools deep enough for the crab to climb into? You didn't list what your humidity is. Humidity between 74 and 82 is crucial for their survival although studies are showing that starting with a lower humidity upon arrival home from the petstore and gradually moving up every three days.
