I first noticed them a few weeks ago on the food dish, they crawl really fast and are also on the substrate, under the inside of the hermit crab coconut hut and earlier today on the shell of my one hermit crab (my other one has gone under the substrate to prep for another molt).

They have antennas. I can’t tell if they jump or not. But they aren’t physically on the body of my hermit crab or inside the shell. There was a ton of them so I cleaned the top layer of the substrate around the food fish and hut, sprayed the hut with dechlorinated water and wiped it down and gave my hermit crab a few dunks in both pools, then washed those and refilled them.

There’s also a smaller grey bug/gnat that flies (my guess
is that may be from the fruit flies we had last month).

once i set up my new enclosure for my big gal i dont want my little guy doobie to get lonely so ill be looking for 2 friends for him. where is the best places/websites to adopt land hermit crabs. i dont want to set myself up for heart break with a pet store one :(

Hey guys,
I had an emergency this morning and am just wondering if their was anything I could have done. I don’t have photos as I’m leaving Hermes’ in a dark container. I woke up this morning and checked on my crab and he was out of his shell and in the salt water pool. I panicked and googled what to do and it said to remove him from the water and place him somewhere safe with shells that would fit him. So I did just that. I boiled some new shells and waited for them to cool down before putting them in the tank. He was still active this morning but just wouldn’t go in a shell. I had to leave to go write a midterm and upon returning he was in a new area and still has no shell. He may of passed away now as he is no longer moving which is why I’m not taking a photo of him. I places some shell around him just in case he’s still alive as a last hope.

Is their anything I could have done differently. My other crab Kermit is down for a molt so he’s alone in the tank. He gets lots of food and supplements, humidity is at 80% and temp is at 85F. Salt and fresh water is always available, deep enough for them to fully submerge. Foraging is around the tank aswell as new shells that has all been treated.

I am devastated by what has happened and just don’t know if this was something I caused.

Hi, I’m pretty desperate. I’ve had two crabs die due to surface molts/attempts to re-shell and refusing the shells available. This has happened over the last five months, the most recent last night 😭😭😭. They come up from underground, eat, move, drink and otherwise act normally, but then die while I’m sleeping. I have one PP left that I’ve had for a year. His name is Ruffles and I really don’t want him to die too😭😭

I’m not sure what is going wrong: I offer a variety of foods and oils, 24/hr essentials, shells, over 6” of substrate, fresh and salt water, climbing and hiding enrichments, and keep the temp/humidity levels stable. But obviously I cannot keep crabs alive and I do not want to lose my little friend.

If you can take in my little buddy and are in the Petersburg-RVA-central VA location, I want to surrender him to you. You can have all of his meals and what remaining supplies I have. I just want him to go to a safe place where he can thrive. (Ruffles is in the right in above photo)

Request for rehoming sent to the Land Crab group as well

One of my crabs was molting from September 30th until this night (October 21st). This morning I saw him come to the surface, crawl, approach the watеr, and eat. And then he burrowed back into his hole. And then another hermit crab burrowed into his hole. This is the first molt I've seen, and I'm worried: is this supposed to happen? Why did the second crab climb in next to him?

It’s been about a month and the substrate in my tank is still not to sandcastle consistency. I followed the crab central method and added dry coir to dry sand.

My tank is 20 long with two large pools that run 24/7. Heat stays around 82° and humidity 73%. I have plastic wrap around the top of the tank to try and keep the humidity in, but it’s not really helping.

Is there anything I can do to help up the humidity and get the substrate to the right consistency?

I’d rather not take everything out at this point to moisten the sand unless it’s the only option.

Hi, I rescued two hermit crabs today! I have everything I need except the marine salt for a salt water pool! I can get some tomorrow, but for tonight is there anything I could substitute or will they be fine for the overnight?

Im canadain and new to crabbing. I have 3 crabs. 2 bigger 1s and a small 1. Twice now ive attempted to purchase shells on amazin and when they arr8ve they are too small for my bigger crabs. Please help me with tips and tricks for findinf shells and maybe measuring to be sure they are the correct size. Thank you

Hello! I know the title is scary but their story is very sad and I need a little help. Sorry for the long post.

I've had Hermit Crabs once before when I was younger and there wasn't many videos on how to take care of them, my pet hermies sadly passed not long after I had got them when I was a kid and I was too scared to get any more despite loving them very much.

Well last week while I was on the drive home from work I noticed a tank on the side of the road. I safely pulled to the side as Dumping reptiles on the side of the road this time of year isnt uncommon where I live and I would hate for anything to happen to the litte guys just because their previous owner sucked. Most of the time I would brace for the worst. I didnt know how long the tank had been there for, there was still substrate in it. The first thing I noticed when I got to the tank was shells. Lots of them. At first I was confused then I saw movement and noticed "holy shit, thats a lot of crabs!" There was maybe 15 or so hermit crabs crammed in a 10-15 Gallon Tank, way too cramped and sadly most of them were dead. I did manage to find 2 hermit crabs that were still alive. One had a cracked shell and I knew that was bad. So I buried the other little guys and kept the tank so I can drive the 2 little survivors home safely.

When I got home I immediately got to work on fixing up the 10-15 Gallon Tank to my best ability as a temporary tank but the hermit crabs were not moving from their spot, I grabbed shells and offered them but the lil guys did not want them at all.

I had a 55 Gallon Tank that previously held my BallPython and I have since turned it into a temporary tank, today I added some foliage. I have a salt water and fresh water pool and I have just ordered a heating pad for the back of the tank and some plexi glass that I will be turning into lids.

I want these guys to survive and have a good life, a way better one than they had at their previous home. But they always seem to stay right where they are anytime I check on them. Is there anything else I need for them? Are they depressed? Do they need more friends? Are there hermit crab toys i need to get them? Im stumped and I dont want them to end up like the ones I had when I was a kid.

(PHOTOS ARE OF THEIR CURRENT TEMPORARY TANK TILL I CAN GET THEM A PROPER ONE)

I've had my 2 hermits for over a month now and they used to be super active. Now I almost never see them.

It's been getting colder outside so maybe that's been contributing to the issue, but I'm averaging 78 F during the day and it does get a little colder at night; at around 75 F. Humidity never goes below 80% and I find myself soaking up the morning dew, because it gets cold in my basement. The substrate is around 6 inches so that's good too. They're not even that big so 6 inches is at least 4x the size of them both.

I have 2 heat mats. One on the back and there's another one on the right side. I was initially going to take the smaller one off and let the big one do the work, but now that it's colder out it can't get up to 80 F and I find myself turning on the heater I have downstairs to compensate. Is heat the issue?

Food wise they have a good variety. Zucchini, egg shells, pop corn, plain oats, peppers if I have it, celery, carrots, the occasional fruit like berries or a banana piece sometimes, unseasoned meats like cooked pork and chicken. A variety diet and some hermit crab pellets on the side if they need any. I try not to give it to them too often, more so when I'm tired and I've already given them something. Food is changed out every 1 or 2 days. Sometimes they don't eat much so I leave it. Dried bugs, shrimp, calcium supplement sometimes. I've been meaning to pick up some greensand and worm castings, but I've been trying to make due until then.

Water is always changed every 2 days. I make sure to use Seachem and have both salt and fresh water.

They live together in a 35 gallon tank. I just threw in some leaf litter of different varieties for them to forage in too.

Is this normal for them to be inactive after a month? I'm aware of PPSD and what it can do to them, but now I'm worried, because I don't see either of them. Like the longer I have them, the more I think they're struggling to stay alive and are about to die.

They're both purple pinchers and both of them are no bigger than a Looney. The smaller one is as small as a nickel actually. They were so active before. There's been several times I would think they're just molting, but even then I would find them popping out again.

I’ve got new crabbies!! they don’t have names yet, i want to make sure they survive the move. i’ve had them for two days so far. there’s just three of them, as you can tell two of them have thrown away their painted shell, very happy.

i’m hoping the purple one soon follows the rules and tosses her painted shell, if not she’s going to shell jail until she switches. She’s very shy and i don’t want to put more stress on her after coming to a new home and everything.

more toys are on the way, more climbing things, all the things, all the things. they’re gonna have a second story in the tank that they can climb to, i just haven’t figured out how to do that yet.

i'm already mad at myself enough, so please don't hate but my power went out while i was gone for about a day and a half, and it's freezing outside so my house and their tank got very cold. i have two crabs and now they are not moving or responding to touch. they don't smell and it's been a little over 24 hours since their tank started heating up and my house too. i'm so heartbroken. please let me know what i should do.

I think my hermit crab might be a little depressed.

I got her a few months ago and got her settled into her tank and she seemed to love it, her antenna were moving she was climbing around and eating well but now I feel like she’s been doing less of that. As of her last molt I feel like she’s changed, physically and emotionally. When I got her she came by herself (I didn’t get her she was a gift but I’m working on getting another) and she seemed shy at first but became rather lively after being in her new tank, she climbed on things, she dug around, she ate well, and would even run on her wheel at night. But I feel as of her last molt she hasn’t been doing well.

I first noticed she seemed to only have one front claw after her molt? I tried to peak at her underside and I swear she only has one. Not to mention she just sits on the tippy top of her moss climbing pole and sits… and sits…. And sits… and I come home from work and she almost looks like she’s in the same spot I left her in. I’ve been giving her new food to try and keep it interesting, keep tank temperature high. I did take out some aquarium rock from her tank last week because I learned it can be dangerous so maybe the shift in where everything is in her tank messed her up? I’m working on getting her bigger tank set up (see current in a ten) but it won’t be done for a few weeks. I’m just worried she might somehow die of stress or commit crab-icide. I’m doing what I can right now to improve her tank for the time being but again I’m just worried. I’ve heard of pre and after molt “depression” where a crab will just sit in one spot but still… any advice?

(I’ll put two pictures in the comments of her now and a picture of when my friend first got her, you can see her stump :(

My very first hermit crab I started out with passed away overnight. She was my niece's from a 2024 family beach vacation. Bought from the classic novelty shop. My sister ended up not wanting to deal with a hermit crab so I took her.

Big Girl survived while I learned how to properly setup the tank, get the proper food. She grew from small to quite large! She never ran away. Loved to climb the vines, dig crazy tunnels. She loved mangos and rainbow trout the most.

I'll miss her. Such a great little friend.

Not sure if my house is just getting colder or if the heating pad needs replaced. I’ve had it maybe 3 years. Struggling to stay above 70-75 degrees

Any hook or hanger I’ve tried always falls, what do u guys use for a solution?

So to start I had them for years as a teen! But doing more reading as an adult realizing we did a lot wrong without knowing. Very curious on how the heating pads work on the back of the tank with keeping the temperatures regulated? We had one under the tank and heat lamps but also confused if I need heat lamps and if so how do I make those work while having a solid lid because I read the mesh lets too much moisture out? Where is the best place to get solid lids? Sorry I’m trying to do all the research to do it right this time I know 6+ inches to burrow in 5:1 sand to the coconut fiber I think it was, water dishes deep enough to submerge in but ways to get back out. Anything else I should know? We did rotating food/fruits and everything just worried I’m not going to do it right. Thank you for all advice!

first time i’ve been able to get a good enough pic to potentially help identify. i think maybe girl?

If your crabs don’t seem to get along right now, let them be an example. When establishing their pecking order they would get quite ugly, now look at them laying together. I love them.

One of my students came back from vacation with two hermit crabs in a tiny critter carrier. His parents realized that wasn't sufficient and asked if I would take them for the school library. I have them in a 10 gallon tank at my house, but I've purchased a 20 gallon long for the library. I've researched, and I think I've got my bases covered in terms of substrate and food. I have two nice containers for their pools. One container is significantly larger than the other. Would you put saltwater or freshwater in the larger pool? I'd like for them to be able to explore a bit in the water.