Owner: Crabbie Tail URL:http://www.crabbietail.com Join Date: Sat, 11 Aug 2007 21:59:27 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: All About Hermit Crabs Site statistics:Click here
Dirty Tank - Clean Tank 2007-08-11 21:30:37 Well I was able to clean out my new (freecycle used really) tank today. Here is a picture of the tank before the cleaning. It wasn’t really bad. And I’m not sure what type of cleaner I can use on the inside that is safe. I’ll have to go and post about it on the hermit crab forums I joined. Lots of knowledgeable people over there.
And here is the tank after the cleaning. Didn’t take me too long, and i ended up cleaning the backyard patio afterwards. Man, that patio needed a good cleaning.
It still needs a plastic lid. If I actually decide I want to get out to a store and buy a lid, I probably can get one at a local Petsmart or Petco. But if I’m lazy, and not in a hurry (which I am in both counts) then maybe I’ll just order one off the internet.
Anyway… the steps are coming along. Crap.. forgot to call the guy about substrate. I hope it’s not too late. Read more:Clean
Got a Tank 2007-08-09 21:42:07 Okay.. well, my first step is in place. From what I have read, crabbies need lots of roaming space, and they have to be able to dig under the sand to molt. Without sand to dig under, they will die. And we don’t want that to happen.
I got a nice sized aquarium yesterday from someone off freecycle. Gotta love freecycle eh? I think it’s a 29 gallon, might be 20. I’ll have to measure to find out. It came with a screen top, so I’ll have to get plexiglass or a platic hood. They are not too expensive so I’ll do that.
The tank needs cleaning up, I hope to have time this weekend. I ordered an under-the-tank heater, should be here in a few days. I want to make a humidifier, too, to keep the crabbies nice and humid how they like it.
So the first steps are in place!
And until I can get the comment email responder plugin to work on here (when I have time.. never enough time) then I’ll reply to Leigh’s comment!
Technorati Tags: hermit crabs, crabs,
Welcome to Crabbie Tail 2007-08-09 17:12:49 Oooo! Well, this is my new blog, and it’s going to be all about Hermit Crabs. I don’t have any yet, but thought I would blog about my progress of getting a crabitat and setting it all up, getting crabs, caring for them, and learning all about them.
So join me in the next weeks as I set up this crabbitat on the web! Read more:Welcome
Tank Specs 2007-08-13 09:22:24 I measured the tank today… to see what size of plastic lid I will need. It measures 23″ long and just over 12″ wide. Those are the opening measurements for the lid. One that will fit inside… though maybe lids fit outside? I will have to check on that.
The outside measurements are 23.5″ long, just under 12.5″ wide, and … oh crap, I didn’t get tall, because I thought I wouldn’t need it for the lid. But I’ll need it to know how many gallons it will hold. I’ll get that a bit later. Read more:Specs
Cholla Wood 2007-08-12 18:48:42 This is the Cholla Wood I bought off of a local paper. Only $10, too. I like the look of it! The crabbies should like it. It has been recommended on the various sites I’ve been reading about Hermit Crabs. They can climb up it. Not sure I will use all of it, but probably most of it. Depends on what else I get for their crabitat. I’m going super budget and finding cheap things, so we’ll see!
I don’t know if this wood is driftwood or dry wood, and if I can boil it or not. Hrm… anyone know?
Crab Photos 2007-08-12 17:48:16 This is just a test of the new PhotoPress plugin I just added. Since I hope to post many crabbie pictures as time goes by, I thought a good photo album plugin was in order.
Figured out how to post the images.. now I have to figure out where the album is so I can view it.
Making a Humidifier 2007-08-18 14:13:17 Okay! I have a DIY humidifier made. Simple simple. I bought a whisper air pump for $12.99 at Petco (Sonny got to came with and he had fun). And some tubing, and an air stone. I hooked up the tubing to the pump and the airstone on the end, and plopped it into a Mountain Dew 2 Litre bottle from my husband (oh, filled with water not Dew).
So now it is bubbling away next to me. My tank is at work, so I’ll have to bring this to work on Tuesday. Actually, I need to seal up the tubing that goes in and comes out so the humid air only goes into the tank. I’ll do that later today.
I need to go buy some play sand, too. I think I’ll do that this weekend.
It’s a 20 Gallon Tank 2007-08-16 21:15:10 Well I finally measured the tank all three ways and figured out it’s a 20 gallon tank. I think it’s a nice size. It might be a 20 gallon tall but I’m not sure.
I ordered a couple more things the other day. I glass hood for the top, and a humidity gage from this place. I hope the top fits. It should, as I measured, but as my husband knows sometimes I’m not the best at measuring things. Oh well.
The crushed coral deal seems to be falling through, so I’m thinking of getting some play sand at Home Depot instead. And mixing it with some of the other substrate stuff that is good for Hermit Crabs.
Technorati Tags: Hermit Crab, Hermit Crabs, Crabs, Crabitat
Flo’s Place 2007-08-15 16:28:44 Hi Flo! I am making a trackback for you. I’m posting this link to Flo’s Place
and it should… in theory, autmatically show up on a comment on your thread.
Your thread does have to have trackbacks on. Errr. I guess it’s ‘Allow Pings’. Let’s see if this works!
Viral Tags Chain 2007-08-15 14:33:55 Well gotta get this blog on the Viral
Links Chain
. I got the list from Mrs Sparrows blog. Have some fun with it!
==========Copy and Paste below this line==========
Instructions:
1.) Copy and paste the matrix of “ViralTags” below courtesy of Founders Cafe.
2.) Substitute the Host Tag and one of the “Viral Tags” in the matrix with your anchor text of choice with your blog’s URL. Please keep anchor text to a max of 3 words to keep the matrix size manageable.
3.) When you get a ping back from someone that has your link in one of their “Viral Tags”, practice good karma by copying his/her Host Tag’s anchor text (automatically the associated link will also be copied) and paste it over one of your “Viral Tags” below.
4.) Encourage and invite your readers to do the same and soon this can grow virally.
Host Tag: Crabbie Tail
Mrs. Sparrow | Jack Book | Agloco Internet Marketing | Tech at Hand | Make Money Blogging | Earn Income Online | Startup Entrepeneur Money | Money at
Under the Tank Heater 2007-08-22 09:25:26 My under the tank heater came yesterday. Yay! So now I can start getting the temp right. Well, I need to get the sand in there, first. maybe today I can stop at Home Depot and get some play sand. I wonder if I’m supposed to boil all of it to sanitize it. Boiling a lot of sand is not my idea of fun…
Hopefully my temp and humidity guages will come soon, too, so I can really get those two things going, they are most critical! Read more:Heater
Image Up Top 2007-08-19 14:05:23 I am using the default image with this skin for now… I figure once I get the crabitat set up, and some crabs in it, then I’ll take some fun pictures and modify this skin’s image to more personalize it.
Should be fun! I hope that my items will be coming in the mail pretty soon. And I hope to stop and get some play sand pretty soon. Read more:Image
Lid and Gauges came 2007-08-25 21:23:02 Woo Hoo. My glass lid came for the tank, and my thermometer and humidy meter. So all I really need now is sand. Oh and to knit up some hemp climbing things for them… ugh, hammocks that is what they are called. LOL my brain is not too sharp today.
I plan on getting play sand this weekend. Then this coming week at work I’ll set it all up! I’m excited. I hope this lid fits. I measured and I think it will be okay, but not 100% certain. I guess we’ll see.
gauge
No Crabbies Yet 2007-09-18 17:46:49 I have been too busy to set up my crab tank. Ugh. It still sits in the same state it did before I went on vacation. I got four rescue collies in from Houston and have been spending most of my time with them, and with my own dogs, and trying to manage our house at the same time.
So it waits for a while. I need to go read more about them and inspire myself!
Vacation! 2007-08-31 11:04:42 Not with crabs! I’m going on vacation for a week starting tomorrow, so won’t be posting until I get back. I did try the lid on the tank and it’s just a touch too narrow. Not sure how I’m going to fix that. I don’t want to send the lid back just for that. I might put something on the tank itself to hold it up.
I am busy busy busy with packing and getting dogs for rescue. So bye for now! Read more:Vacation
Ordered Hermit Crabs! 2007-10-12 10:21:39 I ordered the hermit crabs! Woo Hoo! I ordered them from The Crabbage Patch. I’m going to the small hermit crabs. I talked to the gentleman at The Crabbage Patch and he recommended more sand for the mediums. I will still add more sand for the smalls but this will give them more sand to burrow in when they want to.
They will be mailed next Tuesday, overnight, and then I’ll get them on Wednesday. Since I work from home on Wednesday I will be there when they come. I’m excited! Woo hoo welcome to the new crabbies! Read more:Crabs
Drying Out 2007-10-11 08:56:45 Well, looks like I am going to need a humidifier. In less than 48 hours the humidity in the tank has dropped from 78% to 58%. That’s after I put the sand in, and the sand was fairly moist. So this is what I get for living in the desert!
So I’ll be putting one together, probably a DIY humidifier, and setting it into the tank before I get any land hermit crabs. Gotta have the crabitat right first!
The Setup 2007-10-09 09:32:56 Okay.. well, here is the setup! I have the sand in and the UTH on the back. Near the heater it temp is 79F. Away from the heater on the far front corner the temp is 77F. Hrm, I wonder if that should be a warmer spread. I’m not sure, I’ll have to read up.
The humidity is about 70%. That needs to be about 80%. I have to wet down the sand more, I think that will increase the humidity. I need to get some declorinator first, though, as I don’t want to just throw tap water in there.
It’s coming along. I’m now checking out some medium land hermit crabs to populate the tank with. I’m thinking 3 at first. Maybe 4. I’d eventually like to get 5 total, but we’ll see how that goes.
And I want to knit a hemp hammock to put in, but I need to find where to buy some good undyed hemp. And I’d like the back to have a climbing wall, probably a tightly knitted hemp climbing wall.
I’m getting excited!
I have Sand in my Tank! 2007-10-05 16:56:00 Which, in any other context, might sound like a bad thing. I put the sand in the tank today and, of course, forgot my camera. I’ll have to take some pics next week.
I plugged in the UTH - Under Tank Heater - and put in my thermometer and humidity meter. So it’ll go all weekend and when I get back I’ll see what the temp and humidity are, and then adjust accordingly.
I hope some crabbies like this tank. I put about 2.5 inches of sand in. I have more, if the crabs I get are bigger than this. But I think I want hermit crabs about that size.
Technorati Tags: hermit crabs, crabitat
I have Sand! 2007-10-05 10:11:23 I stopped by Home Depot last night and bought sand. And it has no silica in it, so I’m pleased. I had some sand with silica and had to ask if they have any without, which they did. Sand is very cheap! And this beach sand is brown, which I like better than the stark white. It’s more natural.
So I’m going to bring it to work today, and hope to remember my camera, and set it up! Yay! Then I will wait for a few days to see how the temp and humidity are before putting crabs in.
Gotta get On It 2007-09-30 19:55:14 Okay… tomorrow I plan on going and buying some play sand. I’d like to mix some shells in it… is it shells to add calcium? Now I forgot. But really sand is the only thing left that I need. And then I can start adding crabs.
Unfortunately the glass lid I bought is not fitting the tank perfectly. It is about 1/2″ too short length wise, and I think about 1/2″ to wide. I’m not sure what to do about it. I am probably going to try to rig something up, but I don’t know what, to get it to sit securely on the tank and not fall in, and yet be easy to remove, too. I think I have an odd tank size.
I’m excited, I want to get some crabs! Read more:Gotta
Two Girls and One Boy 2007-10-17 13:55:35
Here they are! I have to head out, they are safe in their temporary home until they get into their big home tomorrow. The humidity and temperature are good. They are very lively. One already switched shells, another is checking out the coconut hut. They are so curious and adorable! Read more:Girls
They Come Tomorrow! 2007-10-16 21:34:18 Yikes! The Hermit Crabs come tomorrow! They are on their way now, as I type this, overnight delivery. I’m going to get three of them. I have a temporary crabitat setup at home so they will stay here with me at night, then I’ll take them to work where I have their permanent setup, tomorrow.
Soooo…. I’m nervous! I hope they are okay.
Quick Note 2007-10-23 23:05:41 Well just a quick note. I’m in Overton, Nevada this week and my friends are taking care of the hermit crabs. And from what I hear all is well and they are happy. There is a white fuzzy thing in the aquarium, which may or may not be mold, but I’ll check it out when I get back.
Me and the boys are having fun here in Nevada! Read more:Quick
They Are Home 2007-10-18 17:25:40 Well the crabs are in their new, permanent, home. I think they are happy. Humidity is staying up, Temp is steady. they cruised around a bit this morning but now are resting, fighting, or being more mellow. To the left is a picture of the crabitat. To the right is a picture of a crab in the back of the tank. I cannot tell the crabs apart, I wonder how people do that! They look very similar to me and I don’t know if more than one of them has switched shells.
Well they are cuties for sure. I am actually going out of town tomorrow for a week, so my friends are going to help take care of them until I get back. I wrote them a big long email and showed them the ropes, so I think these three guys will be fine.
I will try to post while I am gone, but I might miss a bit!
Dreaming of Crabs 2007-11-03 11:25:04 I had a hermit crab dream last night. I’ll let you click on the link to read about it on my dream diary. It was an interesting dream, not really good, not really bad, just kinda fun.
I like the size of my hermit crabs. I don’t want them to get any bigger, though I do realize they will be getting bigger in the future, as they molt.
And speaking of molting, I do think one of the crabs has gone under the sand to molt. I haven’t seen her in a few days, and there are piles of sand that have been built up. I have seen the other two crabs frequently, though.
They are such fun little guys, and my coworkers are helping me keep them safe and happy, too! Read more:Dreaming
, Crabs
Molting? 2007-11-11 21:59:22 It’s been about a week now and I can only find two of the crabbies. I am pretty sure one is under the substrate molting… I won’t worry for a little bit, but I am worried just a tiny amount. There are a lot of holes in the sand, and some piles, where I think, hope, that the crab has gone down into.
They seem okay… though they don’t do much during the day. I hope they move around more at night. The temperature and humidity are holding steady. I hope they are happy. How do you know if a hermit crab is happy?
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