File :-(, x, )
Code Name Suzy Q !7WxxdK9NZo
So I went to PetSmart today to get a Java fern for my aquarium, and I'm walking around by the fish tanks when I see the crab tanks. They had two sorts there, a red-clawed crab, and a hermit crab. I was wondering if either of these would make a good pet, and what sort of care they require.
>> Anonymous
http://www.google.com/
>> Code Name Suzy Q !7WxxdK9NZo
>>292318

Sure I could just have googled an answer, but then I would have missed out on having a meaningfull conversation all of you fine folks on /an/. Now stop being a dick and give me free advice.
>> Anonymous
Hermit crabs are difficult to keep. Most have captive lifespans of a year or two, but their natural lifespans can be up to 20 or 30 years. All are wild caught too, so continuously buying a new one once one dies due to stress and poor care isn't helping their native populations.

All I can say is research your fucking balls off before considering them. Find a seller who was keeping them well enough beforehand then maintain an extremely high standard of care if you want them to live for years.
>> Code Name Suzy Q !7WxxdK9NZo
>>292338

Good lord, I never realized how hardcore hermit crab keeping is. From what I had read, they were pretty easy to keep, entertaining, and cheap. I had no idea they were so demanding.
>> Juba, The Baghdad Sniper !1EVr3uyPJI
Holy shit that picture is an awesome idea.
>> Infidel !!qiClNei5oRk
>>292353
Are you fantasizing about being the crab this time?
>> Anonymous
I had a pair of hermit crabs that lived for about 2 years...but despite the fact that I had littered their tank with bigger shells after awhile they just crawled out of theirs and died. To a 10 year old this was rather terrifying.
>> Anonymous
in b4 Birgus latro
>> Juba, The Baghdad Sniper !1EVr3uyPJI
>>292407
YOU SHUT YOUR WHORE MOUTH
>> Anonymous
>>292338
>>292506
Fuck, I was thinking of getting Hermit crab, thanks for dissuading me /an/
>> Anonymous
hermit crabs are pretty easy to care for once you have a decent set up and clean out the poop regularly.

A few small ones can be kept in a 10 gallon, and 5-10 in a 20 gallon. I have five crabs between 3/4" and 4" in a 10 gallon, but it has a second level built in the tank that they can crawl up to to make more space.
You need a few basic things:
- shells of varying sizes similar to what they're already in
- sand substrate (cheap playground sand or calcium sand)
- wood to climb on and caves to hide in (all available under $10 in the reptile section of the pet store)
- two water dishes, one fresh and one salt. Petsmart sells "hydrate" brand bottles of water for $2 with pre mixed salt water and that will last you a while)
- a variety of commercial foods and some fresh food (i bought a bunch of small containers of food and mixed them together in a bigger one, then give them crackers, bread, vegetables, anything really, in tiny amounts so its cheap)

keep them in groups and make sure the tank is warm and humid, and they should be fine. Google it. It's not as bad as everyone makes it. The only thing that can be a little troublesome is molting, but its manageable. I've had mine for four years so far and they're all healthy.
>> Anonymous
>So I went to PetSmart today
>I was wondering if either of these would make a good pet

WHY DIDN'T YOU ASK WHILE YOU WERE THERE, DUMBASS?
>> Anonymous
I kept hermit crabs when I was a lot younger, they were wonderful pets if you can take care of them and it's not hard at all. They're easy to maintain and a lot funner to interact with than fish.

The only problem I had with them was already stated, they wouldn't take the shells I placed in there for them when the shell they were in got too small. So after two or so years they would crawl out and die instead of taking the shells set up for them.
>> Anonymous
>>292618
Yeah. I'm sure the incredibly knowledgable 17 year old minimum wage earners at PetsMart are going to be blunt and honest, as opposed to saying "Yes, they make excellent pets! Buy a few and lots of shit for them!"
>> Anonymous
>>292622
a hermit crab will take a shell if it doesn't have a choice. It might have just been molting, and it was still in the first shell. You may have only seen the shed exoskeleton.
>> Anonymous
>>292635
Nope, it was the body. Every hermit crab I had crawled out and died. I checked the other shell and nothing. :( I chalked it up to being captive and stressed even though I gave them as best a life as I could.
>> Anonymous
It's all in the habitat. As long as they have a constant heat between 75 and 85 degrees F and a humidity over 70%, they'll be able to live a healthy long life. They may have died from a lack of humidity. They still breathe from gills, and dry air will damage them.
>> Anonymous
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qK5u0NcNYA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qK5u0NcNYA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qK5u0NcNYA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qK5u0NcNYA
>> Anonymous
i happen to have two sesarma mederi (red clawed crabs)
one is roughly 4 years old (4cm diameter) the other one is 2 (2-3 cm)
they can be kept in aquariums but THEY NEED a little piece of wood or rock over water level
room temp is 25 30 all year/ + i set up a little halogen lamp under which they like to chill out

i keep them in a specific terrarium 5cm of water +wood and rock
they are territorial, means the more space the better
my two little guys tend to rip each other apart, especially when one of them changes shell (makes them vulnerable, everything grows back (even claws!) as long as you can stop the harassing

also : they will it anything (i mean it, i feed them fich tablets/salad/carrot bloodworms)
the most awesome thing about them is : watching them climb on wood and rock
watching them eating
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
pic related
>> Anonymous
Are they land hermit crabs or saltwater hermits? There isn't any in between, so keeping hermits in a few inches of water is really a bad idea. Land hermits need deep sand to burrow and places to hide in. Marine hermits live in reef tanks, so I doubt thats what you have. You should really rethink your tank.
>> Anonymous
nevermind, you meant normal aquatic crabs. I had one once in an aquarium, he tried to escape a lot and I would find him on the top of the light hood. My oscar ended up eating him...
>> Anonymous
>>292651
these are brackish water crabs
they do need a place above water, they stopped trying to escape as soon as i took them out of my aquarium to place them in a specific terrarium
>> Anonymous
Once mine died, I realized the task of trying to provide adequate ventilation and humidity was too difficult in an arid environment (AZ). So I got tarantulas. Same shit, different smell. Easier to care for by far since they don't have fucking gills.
>> Anonymous
>>292656
Makes sense. I live in Maryland where it's always humid.
>> Anonymous
i had some 10 years ago when i was a kid and they all died. i tried to take care of them but i must have done something wrong.