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i bought some hermit crabs and everything they need but have no lid for there tank or heater but will they die?
they were really active on the way home from the pet store but as soon as i put them in there tank they walked around then buried them self in there Reptile Bark i would see them digging around and every once in a while come up to where i could see there shell and i would pull them up and play with them but then i decided to leave them alone and they dug down to where i could still see there shells and haven't moved or eaten or drank it is not moist at all in there tank are house stay 72 degrees i spray there tank then put magazines on top another thing is 1 of the crabs was really active and now when i put him on my hand he won't come out i have to sit him on something and wait a couple minutes then he comes out and as soon as i move he goes back in his shell
Your crabs will need an adjustment period when you first bring them home as well as the personality of your new pets, some crabs are shy and secretive and some are outgoing curious guys.You can cet some thin plexiglass like they use in picture frames and thick cardboard to put on top to keep the humidty levels in the 70 to 80+ average,a hygrometer will tell you your humidity level, which is crucial to their health and longevity. Make sure when handling the crabs your hands are free of soaps and chemicals.
The substrate should be as moist as the sand you would use to build a sand castle, you can put a pet grade natural sponge in the water to provide humidity by helping the water evaporate.
Make sure all water is dechlorinated and all food and both water bowls are ceramic, hermits are sensitive to metals, especially if used for their salt water drinking bowl it becomes corrosive and over time is harmful.
They will not die as long as the tempreture is at 70 degrees or a bit higher, they also like cool places too, the humidity is so important it should be between 70 to 80 + % , this keeps their gills moist so they can breath properly, if it is not humid, it would be painful and the equivililant to us holding our breath, too low of humidty can lead to death.
Dip them once a week to clean them and keep their gills moist, they become active after a lot of the times also try feeding them things like raisins, cooked oatmesl, organic peanut butter, to encourage them to come out.
Below is a couple parts to a research paper on land Hermit Crab care that will help you with your concerns,
6.Various Substrates
Which substrate to use is what will make the hermit crabs happy. Many hermit Crab owners use coconut fiber called Eco Fiber and can be found in most pet stores, after researching many websites and hermit keepers the coconut fiber seems to be their first choice and I have used it for aproximenly two years.Coconut Fiber comes in compressed blocks that expands when reconstituted with hot dechlorinated water, hermits love to dig and pick through it for possible bits of food and at molting time hermits will burrow into it to hide and for darkness when a molt is pending. Some Hermit keepers like a small round aquarium gravel ,a pet grade sand or harvested beach sand, both are high in calcium which adds an additional source for their exoskeletons, it is nice although messy when water gets spilled as it is mainly meant to be used dry and that consistancy does not allow hermit crabs to bury and re-surface after molting and to just dig or burrow in. The ideal substrate needs to remain moist for burrowing and to maintain a high humidity level, making sand not a good choice in most cases. Course gravel can scratch their exoskeletons or injure soft body parts if it works its way down into their shells. Pure silica sand is not a good choice as crabs seem to do better with either the coconut or sand for hermit crab use and the pure silica sand dust is dangerous if inhaled.
Never use course gravel, wood chips, cedar, or gel, the last three are toxic! Crabs need to dig and the downside to gravel and some sand is , it can get down into their shells and injure the hermits soft abdomen or tail.Wood chips of pine or cedar type are not a good choice because the sap is toxic and It is hard for them to dig in this material. coconut fiber (also known as Forest Bedding®, Bed-A-Beast®, and Eco-Earth®
7.The Bath
It is said that hermits need a weekly bath in luke warm that has been dechlorinated. This is said to clean debris, excrement and keep a good water level in the shell. This is done by dipping the crab in their shell into the water allowing it to fill up then tipped so that the water comes out then they are allowed to dry on their own, the crabs seem to perk up after their bath. Pay attention to the water requirements (fresh or salt) of each species of Land Hermit Crab.The little Hermits will dry out faster than their larger counterparts so a watchful eye to ward off dehydration is important.
The Ideal humidity level is 65% to 80%, but can do ok with a level of 55% to 60%, proper humidity keeps their gills from drying out and other important soft body parts like the abdomen, this is essential for adequate oxygen exchange. A mesh sided tank does not work as well as a standard class, plastic or Plexiglas enclosure. It is important to maintain correct humidity levels and a mesh tank does not allow this under average conditions. It is important to not completely enclose a tank so that the humidity level is too high causing shell rot from fungus, for each of these ailments there is no known cure. A mesh top used with reptiles is great as you can cover parts of it to regulate humidity levels. You need a top to keep the Hermit Crabs contained as they can be adept escape artists, getting out unnoticed may result in death if they are not found quickly.Hermit crabs are tropical animals and need warm temperatures. 75-
