MovieChat Forums > Pets and Animals > Hermit crabs

Hermit crabs

posted 11 years ago by wickedkittiesmom
5 replies | jump to latest

It has been an agonizing month for me. My hermit crab, Joon, hibernated on Dec 17th., she usually hibernates for 8 weeks while she molts, this time she didn't come to the surface until yesterday (Mar. 12th). I really thought I lost her and was planning on digging up her body this weekend. Whew!!! Was I glad to see her, she's getting bigger and bigger. I now have to provide her with shells with a 1 3/4 inch opening, its getting very difficult to find shells that size. When I first rescued her from a Petsmart years ago(they were going to flush her down the toilet), she was in a shell about the size of a dime!!!!
Hermit crabs really are not cheap to keep if you want to keep them properly. Joon is in a 55 gal. terrarium and I have to order her clean beach sand online as well as her moss, barnicles, sand dollars, shells, food and several other items. It upsets me that pet shops sell hermit crabs but don't provide the proper substrates, food and shells. The only reason I have a hermit crab is because the alternative would have been death for her. I've had her for 9 years.
I wish pet stores would not sell these poor animals as pets, cats and dogs make the best pets.

"I will never let you part,for you are always in my heart" MJ
"turn to page 394" Snape

[–] My_Unoriginal_User_Name 11 years ago

Interesting comments.

I have a 29-gallon unused fish tank. It was built into the house and I cannot keep fish alive for anything. So I have considered getting a hermit crab or two but it sounds like it would not be a good idea at all! Glad Joon is okay!

Have a nice day!
I kick arse for the Lord!

[–] theauxphou 11 years ago

I had a hermit crab over 25 years ago. I buried it in the back yard not long after. I thought it died; perhaps it was hibernating?

[–] AngieFaye99 11 years ago

Glad she is ok! Just a side note, every hermit crab I have ever owned has disengaged from its shell on death. It was obviously dead at that point. Hermits are odd creatures. Hope you have many more happy years with her!

Dream With The Feathers Of Angels Stuffed Beneath Your Head... CLUTCH

[–] wickedkittiesmom 11 years ago

Hermit crabs need about 8 inches of clean beach sand in their terrariums so they can dig themselves in to molt their exoskeletons(which they eat after they molt) they will put their old shell back on while they dig themselves up. It's a good idea to have several new shells, a little larger, available so they can choose the most comfortable shell. Unfortunately these poor creatures are sold at pet stores were the so-called experts don't have a clue about caring for them. I knew nothing about hermit crabs when I rescued Joon but researched and found that what I was told was wrong. Hermit crabs can live to 20 -30 years but they need the proper environment. I wish they didn't sell them at pet stores. Many hermit crabs don't live beyond a year because people just don't know how to provide for them. They really are not pets.

"I will never let you part,for you are always in my heart" MJ
"turn to page 394" Snape

[–] AutumnSunsetNYC 11 years ago

It sounds like Joon is in a very good home and is a lucky hermit crab. Maybe that is why she hibernated a little longer than expected...like she is very content in her surroundings/home you provided her with.

I learned some new things from your post. Good luck with her and I am glad you didn't need to dig her up.

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